As Grace Howard stepped out of the car, she was overwhelmed by the bustling grandeur of Emperor City.
Having lived in a city known for its scholarly atmosphere, she thought she knew what a big city was like, but she had never seen such a sea of people and towering skyscrapers.
Finally arriving at the entrance of the Su residence, Grace was faced with a dilemma.
The imposing security at the gate reminded her that she had no way to contact her mother.
How was she supposed to get in?
She couldn't just shout that she was the housekeeper's daughter; they'd think she was crazy and throw her out.
While Grace hesitated, pacing back and forth, a security guard approached her, barking, "Who are you? Why are you sneaking around here?"
Startled, Grace mustered up the courage to explain, "I'm here to find my mom…"
The guard scoffed, "Looking for your mom? What are you, a little tadpole? If you don't leave, I'll call the police!"
As they were tussling, a woman's voice suddenly interrupted from behind.
"What's going on here? Why all the noise?"
The guard quickly stepped forward to explain, "Ma'am, this girl has been loitering at the gate. I was just about to send her away."
The woman, referred to as "Ma'am" by the guard, was none other than Li Wan, the lady of the Su household.
Adorned in jewels, she exuded elegance and grace, yet her eyes were gentle and kind.
For some reason, the moment Grace saw Li Wan, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if she had met this noblewoman somewhere before.
Li Wan felt the same way. She gazed at Grace intently, instinctively taking her hand and asking, "Young lady, are you looking for someone?"
"I'm looking for my mom. She's the housekeeper here, Christine Smith…" Grace replied, bewildered.
"You're Christine's daughter? How come she never mentioned you before? What's your name?"
"My name is Grace Howard."
"That's a lovely name, suits you well. Come on, I'll take you to see her," Mrs. Li said with a warm smile.
"Thank you, ma'am!" Grace was thrilled, feeling incredibly lucky.
Mrs. Li led Grace to the car, and as the gates slowly opened, they drove into the estate.
Grace stared out the window, her eyes wide with amazement at the grand and luxurious scenery.
What an impressive estate!
The drive from the gate to the main house was quite long, with beautifully sculpted lawns and statues along the way, and even a musical fountain!
The more Mrs. Li looked at Grace, the more she liked her.
It was rare for her to offer her contact information, but she handed Grace a business card: "Christine has worked with the Su family for decades; she's like family to us. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me."
Grace blushed instantly. "Thank you, ma'am!" She carefully tucked the card into her wallet.
This lady was so kind, treating her not with an air of superiority, but more like a mother would treat her daughter.
Grace couldn't help but wonder how her real mother would react when they finally met.
Her heart danced with anticipation.
According to her father, her mother loved her very much but was unable to see her due to circumstances beyond her control.
After more than twenty years, this first meeting between mother and daughter was bound to be joyous, right?
They got out of the car and stood before a magnificent building.
As soon as Li Wan brought Grace Howard through the door, Christine Smith eagerly came out to greet them.
"Ma'am, you're back. Oh, and who is this young lady?" she asked, looking curiously at Grace.
Grace stared at the tall, slender woman with a sharp look in her eyes, feeling so nervous that she couldn't form a complete sentence.
Could this really be the mother she had dreamed of meeting countless times?
Lian Wan smiled and said, "Christine, how could you not recognize your own daughter?"
Christine's face changed dramatically, shock written all over her. "Could it be that she... she is..."
Grace threw herself into Christine's arms. "Mom, it's me, Grace!"
Seeing her mother for the first time, Grace was overwhelmed with emotion, tears almost spilling from her eyes.
But Christine showed no sign of happiness. Her face and body were stiff as a board.
Before Grace could say anything, Christine pushed her away, her voice cold. "I've been divorced from your father for years. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Why are you here looking for me?"
Grace was stunned. So was Lian Wan.
"Christine, she's still your…" Lian Wan tried to help ease the tension.
"Ma'am, I haven't seen this child in years. We have no bond. To me, she's just a stranger. Who knows what she's after, suddenly showing up like this? Miss, please leave. Even if you're in trouble, don't come to me. You're an adult now, so stop disturbing my life!"
Without giving Grace a chance to respond, Christine shoved her into a car, ordering the driver to take her away. "Tell security to chase her off if she comes around again!" As the long-time head housekeeper of the Su residence, Christine's words carried weight, and the driver hurried to obey.
Lian Wan was taken aback. "Christine, aren't you being too heartless?"
Christine frowned. "Ma'am, you have no idea how low my ex-husband's family can be! A family like that can't raise a decent daughter. It's best not to get involved!"
Li Wan wanted to say that Grace didn't seem like a bad person, but since it was Christine's personal matter, she held her tongue and sighed inwardly.
Grace found herself abandoned on the street. The driver, following Butler Wu's instructions, drove a bit further just to make sure she wouldn't hang around.
He tossed her and her suitcase out of the car before speeding off.
The whole thing happened so fast and suddenly that it took Grace a full ten minutes to process: her own mother had kicked her out.
At the busy intersection, surrounded by crowds of strangers, she felt completely alone.
As Grace stood there in a daze, her stomach growled loudly. She hadn't eaten since getting on the bus. No matter how bad things were, she still needed to eat.
Gathering herself, Grace dragged her suitcase to a nearby, affordable-looking noodle shop and ordered a bowl of plain noodles.
When the steaming bowl was placed in front of her, she took one bite, and tears fell uncontrollably into the soup. She covered her face and cried quietly.
The shop owner was startled. "Why are you crying? Are my noodles that bad?"
Grace quickly wiped her face and shook her head. "No, no, it's just that I'm in a bad mood. Your noodles are really good."
The owner sighed in relief. "If you're feeling down, find someone special to cheer you up. Have them buy you some flowers or something."
Grace paused. For some reason, the words "someone special" made her think of that male escort who had said he wanted to follow her...
Their relationship was kind of awkward, honestly.
They hadn't known each other that long, and she didn't even know his full name. Was she really going to rely on someone like that?
He seemed serious though, like someone who actually had integrity.
Otherwise, why would he want to stick with someone like her, someone who had no money, no family, and no background?
With a face like his, he could totally be with a rich woman.
As Grace thought about Ethan, suddenly, a message from him popped up on her phone.