Addicted To The Genius Lady With A Thousand Faces

Chapter 967:

Worried that Aelfric wasn’t convinced, she pressed on.

“Aelfric, you really shouldn’t think so highly of Marissa. She’s just a naive girl from the countryside. Look at the art world—it’s full of painters complimenting each other, but that doesn’t mean they deserve the title of ‘great.’”

“… each other, boosting each other’s reputations. It’s all just flattery. And for people outside that circle, it’s almost impossible to tell who’s truly skilled. Since Ritchie is Marissa’s teacher, it’s no wonder the president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association would go out of his way to flatter her. He probably praised her just to stay on Ritchie’s good side.”

While Derek and Melinda continued speaking, Chloe stayed silent, watching Aelfric closely. She was desperate to see him finally dismiss Marissa.

But Aelfric remained unreadable. He still hadn’t made a decision, and Chloe’s patience was wearing thin. Anxious, she jumped in, her voice steady but urgent.

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“Aelfric, I think Melinda might be right.”

Aelfric usually kept his composure no matter what others said, but when Chloe spoke, something shifted. He always seemed to listen more closely to her.

After a few moments of thought, he finally responded…”Derek, is it true that Connor and Marissa divorced?” Aelfric asked.

Derek responded with certainty, “Yeah, it’s true. They tried to keep it under wraps, but when I dropped by the main house to see Great-grandmother, I overheard her chatting with Uncle Glenn about it. So, no doubt, it’s true.”

Neil chimed in, nodding, “Derek wouldn’t have misheard that. The news has been swirling around for a few days now. Connor hasn’t denied a thing, and Marissa’s already packed up and left Daniels Manor.”

“What about the kids?” Aelfric asked, his eyebrows raised.

Neil shrugged.

“They’re still at Daniels Manor. I figure Connor realized he married a country bumpkin pretending to be someone she’s not and quietly ended things to avoid a scandal.”

Aelfric frowned.

“Something doesn’t add up. Everyone says the kids are Tiffany’s, with some other guy. Why does Connor keep them around at Daniels Manor?”

“To keep Arabella happy, obviously,” Neil said with a hint of annoyance.

“She’s pushing ninety and isn’t all there anymore. She only cares about what makes her smile, no matter how ridiculous. Connor’s just playing along to keep her content.”

The others nodded in agreement. After all, Arabella had forced Connor to marry Tiffany despite her bad reputation, just because she liked her. Neil’s take made sense—Arabella had always been erratic, spoiled like a child who always got her way.

Aelfric chuckled coldly.noveldrama

“What a joke! Connor’s always been so smug, but thanks to Arabella, he married a village girl by mistake, and now he’s stuck raising another man’s kids. Serves him right!”

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