Chapter 3: No Starting Point
Translator: 549690339
As Aria was wondering who taught Ivy all these random things, she followed the crowd out of the airport terminal.
As soon as they stepped out of the terminal, Butler Jones, who had been waiting outside for a long time, hurriedly greeted them. Seeing the suitcase Ivy was pulling, the corners of his mouth twitched as he walked up: "Mrs. Grant, Miss Ivy, let me help you with the suitcase."
Aria snapped out of her thoughts, nodded slightly to Butler Jones with a cold and polite response, and turned her head to signal Ivy to hand over the suitcase to him.
Ivy obediently let Butler Jones take the suitcase from her hand and politely greeted him: "Hello Uncle Jones, thank you."
With a smile in his eyes, Butler Jones rubbed Ivy's head and looked at Aria, his face showing a trace of reverence: "Mrs. Grant, are we going back to Grant's Mansion?"
"Back to Grant's Mansion." Aria, not in the best of spirits, opened the car door, carried Ivy into the car, and followed suit by getting in herself.
After putting the suitcase in the trunk, Butler Jones sat in the passenger seat. Through the rearview mirror, he caught a glimpse of Aria's indifferent expression, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
Ever since Kelly's unexpected death two years ago, Aria's temperament had changed. It was as if the entire person had put up a barrier, cold and distant towards others. Even when she looked at you with a smile, there was no trace of laughter in her eyes.
Sigh...
Butler Jones thought of the lively and charming woman in his memory and sighed heavily in his heart.
It's all fate.
As soon as Aria got in the car, she fell silent, seemingly shrouded in a layer of shadow.
She gazed silently out of the window at the familiar yet unfamiliar scenery.
Ivy, very sensible, sat beside her, occasionally stealing glances at her with her big and bright eyes, then pursed her lips and carefully moved closer to Aria.
Aria didn't notice her little movements, expressionless, her mind filled with turmoil.
She had returned once two years ago when her sister had an accident, but after only a few days, she was sent abroad by Joshua Mamet.
She had caused a fuss, but when Joshua said it was her sister's arrangement, she couldn't continue to fuss.
She knew her sister had hidden many things from her, but her death had been such a blow to her that she had lived in a daze, almost without the will to live.
If it weren't for Ivy by her side, she might have followed her sister in death.
Later, when an incident occurred and she accidentally learned that her sister's death was not an accident, she regained her spirit, worked hard for two years, and finally returned here.
Aria's jade-white hand curled slightly, her eyes filled with gloom. This time, she was determined to investigate the truth and send those who harmed her sister to prison.
"Mom." Ivy's soft and sweet voice sounded in her ear, Aria restrained her emotions, looked up at her, and her eyes softened considerably: "What's the matter, darling?"
"Ivy wants a hug." Ivy stared at her awkwardly for a while before saying with a blush on her exquisitely carved little face.
Aria's heart softened and reached out to embrace Ivy.
The warmth of the small body in her arms eased Aria's gloomy mood a little, and she lowered her head and kissed Ivy's black hair.
Her precious Ivy - her little cotton jacket.
This time, she would protect the ones she cherished.
---
Grant's Mansion.
As soon as Butler Jones had carried the suitcase down, he was about to carry it in when Ivy's soft voice sounded: "Uncle Jones, just put the suitcase down."
Although confused, Butler Jones obediently put down the suitcase as instructed.
Inside the car, Aria had just gotten out, her legs sore and numb, when she saw Ivy take out a small, exquisite remote control from her pocket and gently press it.
The heavy suitcase seemed to come to life, automatically sliding towards Grant's Mansion. When it encountered stairs, it even hopped, making it very user-friendly.
Butler Jones stared dumbfounded.
What kind of advanced technology was this?
Aria's mouth twitched, and she looked at Ivy with a touch of mockery: "You didn't pull the suitcase yourself at the airport just now, did you?"
She knew it - there was no way that the little imp would have followed through with her promise.
"Mom, that's unfair to say." Ivy put the remote back in her pocket, her cute little face full of righteousness: "I had my hand on the handle. How can you say it wasn't me pulling it?"
"Sophistry." Aria waved her hand, annoyed: "Hurry up and go in to take a bath and eat. Later, I'll take you to meet your aunt."
Ivy huffed and walked into the house with her little hands behind her back, like a little grown-up.
Butler Jones' voice floated: "Mrs. Grant, that suitcase just now... "
There's no such intelligent suitcase in the country yet, right?
Where had Mrs. Grant gotten it from?
"A friend gave it to me." Aria clearly did not want to elaborate and answered indifferently before walking inside.
A complex expression crossed Butler Jones' face as he followed her inside, his mind full of curiosity.
What had Mrs. Grant experienced these past two years?
If he could still somewhat understand her two years ago, the Aria from two years later was totally incomprehensible. She seemed like a deep pool, impossible to see through, impossible to fathom.
It remained to be seen whether such a change was a blessing or a curse for her.
After taking a shower and eating, the two got the keys from the butler and prepared to go out.
Aria changed into an all-black outfit, and specifically dressed Ivy in the same. The two of them, with their eyebrows and eyes as cold as each other.
Ivy, who usually wasn't very proactive, uncharacteristically took the initiative to hold Aria's hand, knowing her mother's mood was not good.
Aria lowered her eyes to look at her and silently smiled, holding her hand a little tighter.
The cemetery.
Aria and Ivy stood silently in front of the tombstone, neither speaking, the atmosphere around them a bit depressing.
Two years later, Aria was even colder than before, introducing Ivy with just a simple sentence.
"This is your aunt."
She did not want to say anything more, nor could she.
The two stood silently for a long time, before Aria stepped forward, placed a bouquet of baby's breath in front of the tombstone, gently touched the smiling photograph that resembled her and got up. She held Ivy's hand and turned to leave.
Once back in the car, Aria held Ivy tightly, burying her head in her soft embrace, silent.
A touch of heartache appeared in Ivy's distinct black and white eyes as she raised her tender little hand to gently pat Aria's head.
After they left, a low-key black sedan passed by their car. Inside, a man with a clear and cold demeanor, exuding an air of repelling others from a thousand miles away, seemed to sense something and glanced at their departing car.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone