From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 254: Chapter 254

As Anna spoke, she carefully watched Paisley's reaction. Seeing that she didn't look particularly upset or displeased, she let out a breath of relief and continued. "Paisy, you're a good and filial girl, so I know you'll understand, won't you?"
Paisley didn't respond. She understood, but that didn't mean she agreed.
By now, she realized why Anna had been so eager to see her—it was to get this out of the way first.
Anna wanted to set expectations so that when Paisley met the second branch of the family, she wouldn't lose her temper and disrupt their so-called harmony.
Paisley had already predicted how things would turn out. The fact that Tyson and Max hadn't taken action against the second branch all this time was enough of a clue.
As long as Anna was alive, she wouldn't let this family fall apart. No matter how outrageous Edmond's actions were, Anna would always protect him.
From Anna's perspective, Paisley could understand that. After all, no mother wanted to see her children tear each other apart.
But since Anna had put it so bluntly, Paisley felt the need to make her own stance clear. "Grandma, everything in life needs balance. There's no such thing as one side always giving in while the other keeps taking.
"If keeping the peace means one side has to keep backing down, then what's the point? Don't you think so?"
Tyson could tolerate Edmond again and again for Anna's sake. Even after nearly dying at Edmond's hands, he had been forced to forgive him.
But she couldn't. She had no deep attachment to the Godard family. To her, in this massive family, only Tyson and Max were directly connected to her.
"You—" Anna had initially thought Paisley was a shy and easygoing girl. After all, when they first met, Paisley had seemed a bit nervous.
Paisley had been polite and well-mannered, never showing the slightest hint of displeasure even when Anna's caretaker nitpicked her words. But to Anna's surprise, Paisley turned out to be just as stubborn as Max. Even the things Paisley said were almost identical.
As soon as Tyson and Max returned to Montera from Harrowfell, Anna went straight to them and shared her thoughts. She wanted them to let Edmond go this time and not pursue the matter any further.
Tyson, out of respect for his mother, didn't say much, but Max had responded with almost the same words as Paisley.
In the end, Tyson agreed not to pursue it, but only on the condition that Edmond behaved himself and didn't try anything shady again.
As the younger one, Max had no choice but to obey Tyson, even if he wasn't happy about it.
After convincing Tyson, Anna, of course, made sure to give her second son, Edmond, a stern warning as well.
Because of that, for now, the surface harmony between the two branches of the family remained intact.
"Paisy." Anna continued trying to talk sense into Paisley. "Your dad and I have talked about what happened in Brightmoor. Your second uncle definitely went too far, but if you think about it carefully, that poison—"
Anna hesitated for a moment and glanced at Serena. Seeing Serena completely absorbed in playing with the gold jewelry around her neck, Anna continued, "That poison probably wasn't your second uncle's doing.
"I asked him, and he said he only went to Brightmoor after he got word about it. So until we figure out who actually did it, we can't lose our heads. The last thing we want is for our own people to suffer while our enemies laugh, right?"
Paisley didn't respond right away. Instead, she looked at Max.
Max gave a slight nod, acknowledging that Anna might be right—that the poison might not have been Edmond's doing.
Paisley knew Anna was mainly trying to protect Edmond. But she had to admit, Anna had a point.
If the poison that had nearly killed Tyson wasn't Edmond's doing, but rather a deliberate move by someone else to stir conflict between the two brothers of the Godard family, then now really wasn't the time to turn against the second branch.
That explained why both Tyson and Max hadn't held Edmond accountable until now.
Paisley said, "I understand, Grandma. I'll get along with my second uncle's family."
Hearing the answer she wanted, Anna smiled.
"Good girl, I knew you were sensible." Anna then took out a pair of top-quality jade bracelets. "Paisy, these are for you. You gave me a gift, so I'm giving you these bracelets in return.
"These were part of my wedding dowry. Your aunt has been asking for them for years, but I never had the heart to give them to her."
Anna did feel a bit guilty toward Paisley, but she genuinely liked her too. "Back then, it was all your grandfather's fault for being foolish. That's why your family couldn't be together.
"But that old man died early—at least he paid the price for his mistakes. Paisy, you have the Godard family's blood running through your veins. The past is the past. From now on, let's look forward together."
As she spoke, Anna gently took Paisley's hand and slipped the bracelets onto her wrists.
"Such pretty wrists. These bracelets belong on your hands." Anna patted Paisley's hand and emphasized. "Remember this, Paisy—you are my eldest granddaughter and the noble young lady of the Godard family. You don't have to cater to anyone here. Do whatever makes you comfortable. If anything happens, I have your back."
Paisley thought Anna knew how to balance things. "Alright, Grandma."
After chatting for a while, Anna started feeling tired. Plus, Serena had been eager to go see the big castle, so Anna didn't keep them any longer. They would all gather again for dinner later.
After Paisley and Max left with Serena, Anna was about to sip her tea when the tall caretaker who had just walked back in took her cup away.
"Anna, you really shouldn't drink this tea. No offense, but the young lady has already been officially recognized as part of the Godard family. How could the first meeting gift be something so cheap?" The caretaker held the tea further away.
"No disrespect, but even the gatekeepers at the manor wouldn't drink this stuff. Anna, someone as distinguished as you shouldn't be drinking it either."
Anna shot the caretaker a sidelong glance. "My eldest son already told me—Paisy is the reason he survived this time. That child knows medicine. She learned Ancient Medical Arts from the grandfather who raised her for over ten years. If she gave me this tea, it must be good for my health."
The tall caretaker scoffed, "Oh, come on. Parents always think their kids are amazing. But think about it—how old was she ten years ago? What could she possibly have learned? Even now, doctors in hospitals all have at least a master's degree.
"And after graduating, they still need years of training. They're barely considered real doctors by their thirties. I've been a professional caretaker for nearly twenty years, and even I wouldn't claim to be an expert."
In other words, she was outright questioning Paisley's abilities.
Anna had made sure to keep Tyson's incident in Brightmoor under wraps.
Other than those directly involved and Anna herself, most people didn't know the full details. All they knew was that Tyson had been critically ill in Brightmoor, and Edmond, worried about his brother, had rushed over to see him.
Eventually, Tyson recovered after spending a few days in a Brightmoor hospital.
As for Paisley, Edmond had only learned afterward that she wasn't Max's girlfriend—she was actually Tyson's biological daughter. And the image Paisley had in the public eye was something Edmond had subtly shaped once he returned to Montera.
For example, people heard that while Tyson was bedridden, she had been out shopping for luxury goods with Max. Stories spread about her being a poor girl who suddenly got rich, being shortsighted, and only caring about money.
"At the end of the day, it's the thought that counts. If drinking it makes her happy, then why not?" Anna lifted her gaze and looked at the caretaker who was still packing up the tea set.
"But you should remember one thing—no matter what, Paisy is my granddaughter. Show her some respect. Just because you've worked for me for years doesn't mean you can overstep. If you make those father and son unhappy, I won't protect you."