Chapter 290: Playing Dumb
After breakfast, Mrs. Joyce dressed meticulously. She looked dignified and proper from head to toe. Grabbing a few expensive gifts, she prepared to head to the Sterling family’s residence.
Seeing this, Ivy Joyce immediately fell in step behind her mother.
"Mom, I want to go to the Sterling family’s house with you."
She was desperate to see Sean Sterling and, more importantly, to find out as soon as possible if he was actually married.
Mrs. Joyce shook her head. "You shouldn’t go."
Ivy Joyce froze, feeling indignant and a little wronged.
"Why can’t I go?"
"If we both go to the Sterling residence, our objective will be too obvious. They’ll see at a glance that we’re deliberately trying to curry favor, which would only lower our standing." Mrs. Joyce was a woman of experience, worldly and thorough in her thinking.
Ivy Joyce was speechless.
"A family like the Sterlings despises people who are too eager to cozy up to them. If I go as an old classmate and friend, it will seem natural and respectable. It won’t arouse any suspicion, and they won’t overthink it."
Mrs. Joyce patted her daughter’s hand, her tone softening.
"You just wait at home for news. I’ll go first to test the waters, see what Yvonne Donovan’s attitude is, and get a feel for the Sterling family’s recent situation."
"When the time is right, I’ll arrange a formal meeting between you and Sean Sterling."
Although Ivy Joyce was still a little reluctant, she understood that her mother’s words made sense.
"Alright."
She suppressed her impatience, let go of her mother, and relented.
"I’ll wait for you at home, Mom. Please remember to say lots of good things about me to Mrs. Donovan."
Mrs. Joyce replied, "Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing."
...
At Mrs. Joyce’s direction, the driver drove straight to the Sterling family’s villa.
The gate was remote-controlled. Mrs. Joyce rang the bell, and before long, a maid came out to open it.
"Mrs. Joyce, you’re here." The maid recognized her and was respectful.
"Hello."
Mrs. Joyce wore a perfectly gentle smile, nodding slightly, her posture perfectly composed and dignified.
Stepping into the Sterling family’s courtyard, she was greeted by the sight of meticulously manicured gardens. A spacious and grand villa stood before her, every detail exuding wealth and status.
Mrs. Joyce sized up the surroundings discreetly. ’This villa and its courtyard are far more luxurious than the Joyce family’s home.’
’Her envy and admiration grew. A family like this was what it meant to be truly wealthy.’
’Not to mention, behind the Sterling family was the even more powerful Lancaster family. The two were related by marriage and had a close relationship, making them unrivaled in Aston.’
’Although the Joyce family was considered prominent in Aston, they were still a step below the Sterlings and the Lancasters.’
The maid led Mrs. Joyce inside.
The living room was spacious and bright, spotlessly clean, and filled with understatedly luxurious furniture. A faint scent of aromatherapy drifted through the air.
Hearing the sound, Nanny Zane came out of a room.
She was the Sterling family’s long-serving maid and also the head housekeeper, holding a higher status than the other servants.
Seeing Mrs. Joyce, Nanny Zane put on a polite smile.
"Mrs. Joyce, what a nice surprise. What brings you by today?"
Mrs. Joyce smiled, her tone natural and familiar, perfectly capturing the air of an old friend dropping by for a visit.
"I happened to be running an errand nearby and realized it’s been a while since I’ve seen Yvonne, so I thought I’d stop by for a bit. I brought a small gift, nothing too valuable."
As she spoke, she handed over the gift box she was holding.
Nanny Zane quickly accepted it with both hands and said politely, "You’re too kind, Mrs. Joyce. Please, have a seat. I’ll get you some tea."
Mrs. Joyce sat on the sofa, her posture erect and her movements graceful, her gaze casually sweeping across the living room.
"Are you the only one here? Where’s Yvonne? Is she not home?"
Nanny Zane gently placed the hot tea on the coffee table in front of Mrs. Joyce. Her smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of perfect apology.
"My apologies, Mrs. Joyce. I’m afraid you’ve made a trip for nothing. Our madam is indeed not home today."
"Where did she go so early?" Mrs. Joyce asked, puzzled.
Nanny Zane considered for a moment. "To be honest with you, our madam hasn’t been feeling well. She’s been in the hospital for the past two days."
Mrs. Joyce’s smile vanished instantly. She leaned forward slightly, her face filled with concern.
"Why was she hospitalized all of a sudden? Is it serious? No wonder her phone was off when I called her yesterday. I just assumed the battery had died."
Nanny Zane first tried to calm Mrs. Joyce. "It’s not serious. She should be discharged after another day or two of observation."
Mrs. Joyce let out a small sigh of relief and patted her chest.
"That’s good to hear. You really gave me a scare just now."
"By the way, Nanny Zane, what exactly caused Yvonne to be hospitalized?"
As the Sterling family’s head housekeeper, Nanny Zane knew what she should and shouldn’t say.
’Don’t air dirty laundry in public. The young master had argued with the madam over a woman, causing her to faint from anger and be hospitalized. If word of this got out, it would damage the Sterling family’s reputation. It absolutely could not be leaked.’
Snapping out of her thoughts, Nanny Zane gave a gentle smile and said calmly, "There’s been a lot going on at home recently. The madam has been overworked and a bit emotionally unstable. Her blood pressure shot up, and she was terribly dizzy. Mr. Sterling was worried, so he took her to the hospital to get checked. The doctor said she’ll be fine after some quiet rest, so there’s no need for you to worry, Mrs. Joyce."
Mrs. Joyce was shrewd. She understood immediately from these words that Nanny Zane was unwilling to say more.
She didn’t press the matter, lest she appear to be prying and become an annoyance. Instead, she just went along with Nanny Zane’s explanation, nodding with a look of understanding.
"High blood pressure is no small matter. It’s easy for problems to arise when you get emotional. She definitely needs to rest well."
She paused, her tone sincere. "Since I’m already here and now I know my old classmate is in the hospital, it wouldn’t be right for me not to visit. How about this: give me the hospital address and room number, and I’ll go see her directly."
Nanny Zane knew about the relationship between Mrs. Joyce and Yvonne Donovan. It was only natural to visit a friend in the hospital.
If she were to deliberately refuse, it would seem improper.
"Then I’ll have to trouble you, Mrs. Joyce. I’m sure our madam will be delighted to see an old classmate."
Mrs. Joyce replied, "It’s no trouble at all. It’s the least I can do."
Nanny Zane then told her the hospital address and room number.
Mrs. Joyce glanced at the time and immediately stood up.
"It’s a good time to head over now. I’ll be going."
Nanny Zane smiled as she saw her to the door, watching as the Joyce family’s car drove away.
Then, she returned to the living room and immediately dialed Yvonne Donovan’s number.
...
「The Hospital」
Mrs. Joyce walked slowly down the clean corridor of the hospital’s VIP ward, carrying exquisitely packaged, high-end nutritional supplements.
Her high heels made crisp sounds as they clicked on the floor.
Arriving at the door to Yvonne Donovan’s room, Mrs. Joyce raised a hand to smooth the hair at her temples. With a perfect expression of concern and gentleness on her face, she raised her hand to knock.
"Come in."
Hearing the response, Mrs. Joyce pushed the door open and entered.
Seeing Yvonne Donovan in the hospital bed, she immediately quickened her pace, placed the gift box on a table, her eyes overflowing with worry and concern.
"Yvonne, I’m so glad I finally get to see you. When Nanny Zane told me you were hospitalized, my heart was in my throat. I just couldn’t rest easy, so I rushed right over."
"Are you alright now? Is your head still dizzy?"
Yvonne Donovan felt a warmth in her heart seeing her old classmate and was quite happy.
The fact that her son’s anger had caused her to faint and be hospitalized was something she hadn’t told many people; it was being kept confidential.
So, aside from Claire Sterling, no one else had come to visit her in the past two days.
She had just been lamenting that she had no one to talk to, and then Mrs. Joyce arrived.
"I’m not dizzy anymore. Everything’s back to normal. The doctor said I can be discharged tomorrow."
As Yvonne Donovan spoke, she started to sit up. Mrs. Joyce helped her, thoughtfully placing a cushion behind her back.
"It was nothing serious, yet you made a special trip and spent so much money on all these things. You’re being too formal. Please, sit."
Mrs. Joyce sat elegantly and properly in the chair by the bed, facing Yvonne Donovan.
"What do you mean, ’spent so much money’? You’re the one being too formal now. We’ve been classmates for so many years. How could I not come see you when you’re sick?"
"And you, you didn’t even say a word about not feeling well. If I hadn’t gone to your house today and Nanny Zane hadn’t told me, I still wouldn’t have known."
Yvonne Donovan smiled and waved her hand dismissively. "It’s not a serious illness. There was no need to tell everyone. People are busy."
Mrs. Joyce also smiled gently.
"You look alright today, your complexion isn’t too bad. When you’re discharged tomorrow, you must take good care of yourself at home."
"Don’t dwell on stressful things. At our age, health is the most important thing. Everything else can take a backseat."
Yvonne Donovan’s heart warmed. "You’re so right."
Then, she sighed helplessly. "But sometimes, trouble comes knocking on its own, and I can’t help but think about it."
Just as Mrs. Joyce was about to offer some words of comfort, Simon Sterling brought her a cup of hot water.
"Mrs. Joyce, please have some water."
"Thank you, Mr. Sterling."
"Old classmates must have a lot to talk about when they meet. I won’t disturb you. I’ll go downstairs for a walk and some fresh air."
After speaking, Simon Sterling looked at his wife, as if seeking her approval.
Yvonne Donovan smiled and waved him off. "Go on."
Simon Sterling picked up his jacket. "Call me if you need anything. I’ll be right back."
Mrs. Joyce teased, "I’m here with Yvonne, you can rest assured."
Simon Sterling gave Mrs. Joyce a slight nod, then turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.
With no third person present, the atmosphere between the old classmates became more relaxed and casual, and they chatted and laughed.
Mrs. Joyce genuinely envied the relationship between Yvonne Donovan and Simon Sterling.
"You and Mr. Sterling have such a wonderful relationship. After all these years, the way he looks at you is exactly the same as when you were young, full of care and affection."
"Even with me here keeping you company, he’s still worried. It’s like he wishes he could watch over you twenty-four hours a day."
Yvonne Donovan was a little embarrassed to hear this, but her heart was filled with sweetness, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.
"Oh, we’re an old married couple. He was just joking around. Don’t take him seriously."
Mrs. Joyce didn’t press the point and just let it go with a smile.
Then, she naturally returned to the previous topic.
"You and your husband have such a great relationship, your son is so outstanding, and you have a housekeeper and maids to manage the home. I don’t understand what kind of trouble could possibly come knocking on your door."
Mrs. Joyce’s tone was sincere, and her eyes were full of concern for her old classmate, not at all like someone gossiping or prying for information.
Yvonne Donovan let down her guard, treating her as a confidante.
"It’s my son. He’s giving me a headache."
At the mention of Sean Sterling, Yvonne Donovan pinched the bridge of her nose. Her expression turned heavy, and the smile in her eyes gradually faded.
A meaningful glint flashed in Mrs. Joyce’s eyes, as if she had guessed something.
She asked cautiously, "What’s wrong with Sean? Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him in a long time."
Yvonne Donovan happened to be looking for someone to talk to about this very matter, to hear another person’s perspective.
"It’s not a huge issue, but it’s not a small one either. It involves both the Sterling family’s reputation and his own happiness."
"As his mother, I’ve worried myself sick over it, but he doesn’t appreciate it at all."
Mrs. Joyce moved a little closer and patted her old classmate’s hand comfortingly.
"When children grow up, they have their own ideas. It can be quite frustrating for us parents sometimes."
"I’m a mother too, so I understand how you feel."
Yvonne Donovan felt as if she had found a kindred spirit and couldn’t help but ask, "My friend, tell me, when two people get married, what’s more important: having compatible family backgrounds or being in love?"
Mrs. Joyce deliberately feigned a moment of surprise, pretending she knew nothing.
"Why the sudden talk about marriage? Don’t tell me Sean..."
Yvonne Donovan blurted out, "He’s found a woman he wants to marry, and I don’t approve of her."