Mr. CEO's Substitute Bride

Chapter 1412 - 1406: Guilty Conscience

"Mrs. Xu, didn’t Aunt Zhang say that Maximilian asked you to teach the maid at his house how to cook? What, didn’t you learn?"Robert Lancaster looked up from the newspaper and asked in bewilderment.

Mrs. Xu was clearly taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "I taught her, I taught her, it wasn’t difficult. She learned after watching me do it once."

While speaking, Mrs. Xu hardly dared to meet Robert Lancaster’s eyes; her gaze was evasive, and her hands were continually rubbing her collar. Robert Lancaster noticed the series of small actions but remained expressionless and said, "Go ahead, Little Bao has been complaining about being hungry."

"Alright, young master, I’ll go cook now." Mrs. Xu agreed quickly and walked swiftly towards the kitchen.

Robert Lancaster turned his head to watch her enter the kitchen, the warmth on his handsome face disappeared instantly.

It seems that the side branch is stirring trouble again.

"Robert, what are Uncle and the others trying to do this time?" Mina Drake asked while accompanying their son with a puzzle.

Retracting his gaze, Robert Lancaster chuckled lightly and shook the newspaper in his hand, "They feel life is too peaceful and want to stir trouble!"

"Uncle really is something! Everyone is living their own lives, yet he’s still restless!" Mina Drake couldn’t help but gossip.

"He must think it’s ancient times, fighting for power and position. Even if he gains the Family Head position, what good would it do? In today’s society, everyone earns their living based on ability and has their own careers. Who would still listen to him?"

"But some people don’t think that way!" Robert Lancaster flipped through the newspaper again and sneered sarcastically.

During dinner, Mrs. Xu’s reactions were unusual.

All were old maids of the household, the family members weren’t many, and they all dined at the same table.

Little Bao was playing with a Rubik’s cube while eating, and Mina Drake was spooning rice to feed the baby, not having eaten a single bite herself.

"Mom, Little Hua is a big meanie; she secretly tattled to the teacher!" Little Bao suddenly said while eating.

The couple was accustomed to their son’s innocent chatter, which happened frequently, often talking about things from kindergarten, random and nonsensical. Mina Drake didn’t dwell on it and spooned another scoop of rice to feed her son.

"Who did Little Hua tattle on?"

Seated at the lower end of the dining table, Mrs. Xu’s hand holding the bowl visibly trembled upon hearing Little Bao’s words.

"What’s wrong?" Aunt Zhang asked softly. Mrs. Xu turned to smile at her, "Nothing, just a numb hand."

Aunt Zhang...

A numb hand while holding a bowl?

"Little Hua tattled on Hudson Quest, and Hudson Quest said she was an ungrateful wretch! Every day, the candies Mom gave him were given to Little Hua, yet Little Hua betrayed him!"

Little Bao spoke innocently, a smile betraying anger on his face.

"Bang, clang!" Mrs. Xu’s bowl crashed onto the table.

"Sister, what’s wrong with you? I noticed you were absent-minded while cooking earlier!"

Aunt Zhang asked with concern. Mrs. Xu glanced at the couple sitting at the head of the table, avoiding their gaze, while scooping the spilled rice back into the bowl and laughingly said.

"Sister Zhang, you’re mistaken. I’m not absent-minded, just my rheumatism acting up due to the seasonal change."

The couple exchanged glances, clearly noticing Mrs. Xu’s evasive expression.

Robert Lancaster gently shook his head towards his wife, Mina Drake resumed feeding their son.

"Mrs. Xu, why don’t I ask Evander to come back and take a look at you, prescribe something effective to spare you from suffering."

"No need, no need, it’s an old condition, some ointment will do." Mrs. Xu hurriedly carried her bowl and rushed to the kitchen, her steps resembling an escape.

Watching her departure, Aunt Zhang suddenly felt a bad premonition, turned to Robert Lancaster, who happened to be looking at her, muttering her lips, hesitant to speak.

After dinner, Robert Lancaster and his wife didn’t rush back to their quarters; Mina Drake stayed in the living room with the child, Aunt Zhang was called to the studio by Robert Lancaster.

"Aunt Zhang, speak freely, no need to hold back." Robert Lancaster said directly as soon as the door closed.

Aunt Zhang lowered her head with a smile, "Young master, what are you talking about? Aunt Zhang is old and didn’t understand."

Robert Lancaster walked over, holding Aunt Zhang’s shoulders to guide her into the sofa, seating himself next to her with a small distance between them.

Not appearing distant, yet not overly intimate.

Robert Lancaster spoke helplessly, "Aunt Zhang, let’s not pretend I know you have something to say during dinner."

"Young master, you’ve got it wrong," Aunt Zhang chuckled to conceal, avoiding gossip, especially in front of the young master.

Evander sighed, "Aunt Zhang, you’ve been working here since I learned to walk; between us, it’s not just an employer relationship, we’re more like family."

Robert Lancaster was genuine, not feigning closeness.

Aunt Zhang has been with the Lancaster Family for years; when she got married, she received a significant dowry, her husband was hired as a driver for the company; the couple lived at the Lancaster Family residence, despite being superior-subordinate, the Lancaster Family’s main residence never looked down on them.

A few years back when her husband developed a terminal illness, the Lancaster Family helped a lot.

After a moment of hesitation, Aunt Zhang tentatively said, "Young master, if... I say something I shouldn’t, please don’t blame me."

"Speak freely, Aunt Zhang, I won’t blame you."

Robert Lancaster sincerely promised, Aunt Zhang licked her lips, deciding firmly.

"Alright, then I’ll say it."

Aunt Zhang recounted everything Mrs. Xu had told her to Robert Lancaster, leaving him in contemplation upon hearing.

"Young master, during my conversation with Mrs. Xu that day, Miss Guo happened to pass by, like a ghost, moving silently." Aunt Zhang reiterated.

Robert Lancaster suddenly widened his phoenix-like eyes, curling his lips into a smile.

"Young master, did you hear what I mentioned earlier?" Aunt Zhang asked again, "Maybe Miss Guo overheard."

"I know."

Robert Lancaster nodded thoughtfully.

"Young master, do you think... Could it be that Uncle heard something, which is why he summoned me and long-housekeeper over?" Aunt Zhang asked suspiciously, Evander turned to her, "Aunt Zhang, what did Uncle ask when you were there?"

Aunt Zhang shook her head, "No, at that time I mentioned I had soup cooking, their second young master ridiculed me, which I retorted, so I was let go while Mrs. Xu was kept."

"What was Mrs. Xu’s reaction at that time?"

"It seemed... very scared and wanted me not to leave," Aunt Zhang recalled thoroughly, suddenly becoming stern, "But before I left, I reminded her not to disgrace Madam!"

Robert Lancaster said nothing further, though from Mrs. Xu’s reactions, he guessed some matters, confirming the saying guilty conscience leads to fear. Mrs. Xu’s behavior was clearly guilty, especially when his son mentioned "ungrateful wretch"; had she not compromised the family’s interests, why would she react so dramatically?