From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 261: Chapter 261

Edmond didn't seem bothered at all. In front of others, he always acted like a gentleman, especially when Anna was around.
Paisley didn't say much. She sat down while holding Serena, and soon, a sharp-witted servant brought over a baby chair for Serena.
Max sat on the other side of Serena and helped Paisley place her into the chair.
To an outsider, the scene could easily be mistaken for a real family. Edmond watched the whole thing, his gaze gradually darkening.
Not long after, Anna walked out with the support of two caretakers. The moment she entered the dining room, her eyes landed on Serena sitting in the baby chair. "Oh my, my little Rena!"
"Great-grandma!" Serena called out sweetly.
That sense of mutual intimacy nearly shattered Florence's composure all over again. She thought Bella was the real Godard. She was the rightful granddaughter of this family, the only one who should enjoy that particular mutual intimacy.
Florence thought, 'Why should Paisley's daughter get to do that? She's just an outsider.'
Growing up in such an environment, Florence had always been extremely particular about family ties. In her mind, only those carrying family name could enjoy such intimacy.
Edmond and Christopher felt just as uncomfortable. To them, the intimacy between Serena and Anna only confirmed their worst suspicions.
Tyson was planning to bring Max into the family and hand over everything that belonged to the Godard family to Paisley and Serena.
Anna glanced around the dining room but didn't see Bella anywhere. "Where's Bella? Why isn't she here?" she asked.
"Bella got a little scared this afternoon and came down with a fever," Florence said, looking pitifully at Anna. She didn't believe for a second that the commotion from earlier hadn't reached Anna's ears.
Anna had always treated Bella like the apple of her eye. Now that she heard Bella had been frightened and had fallen sick, she was bound to be furious at Paisley and her daughter.
Florence wanted to see just how unstoppable Anna's anger would be. Anna did look startled for a moment, her eyes filled with concern. But that was all.
Anna said, "If she has a fever, then let her rest properly. She shouldn't go out for the next few days."
The implication was clear—Bella should stay in her room, not bother Serena, and not try to take Serena's things.
Anna had, of course, already heard about what happened that afternoon. To make sure she got the full picture, she even called Cole in for a report.
Cole gave her an objective account of the events, sticking strictly to the facts.
In the end, Anna reached only one conclusion. She sighed, "I must have spoiled Bella too much."
She already carried guilt toward the eldest son's family, which naturally made her lean more toward their side.
Like Paisley had said, relationships couldn't be one-sided, with only one party making all the concessions. Besides, today's incident had clearly been Bella and Florence's fault. No matter how much Anna adored Bella, she wouldn't blindly defend her this time.
Florence had thought the old ladies from the Ladies' Association would back her up, or at least show some concern for Bella. But instead of supporting her, they had banned Bella from going out.
Florence refused to accept this and tried to argue, but Anna's sharp glare shut her up. In the end, she had no choice but to clench her teeth and swallow her words.
Deep down, she fumed, thinking, 'Even Anna is siding with Paisley and her daughter now. If this continued, what would happen to our branch of the family? Would we even have a place in this house anymore?'
After sitting down, Anna glanced outside. "What's going on? Why isn't Josie's family here yet?"
Cole quickly responded, "Josie just woke up. She'll be here after freshening up."
Anna's expression darkened, but she didn't say anything about Josie. Instead, she pointed at the silent young man sitting on the other side of the table. She introduced him to Paisley, "That's your cousin from the Logan family, your second cousin, Joshua."
Paisley had noticed Joshua the moment she walked in.
Joshua sat there quietly, holding a book, his eyes glued to the pages. He paid no attention to anyone around him. The only time he looked up was when Anna and Tyson entered. He greeted them briefly before going right back to reading.
"Joshua, say hello," Anna said, frowning. Though her voice was firm, there was no real anger—she was clearly used to his behavior.
Joshua reluctantly tore his gaze from his book, looked at Paisley, and mumbled, "Hello." Then he lowered his head and kept reading.
"Paisy, don't take it personally. Joshua is like that with everyone. It's not just you," Anna hurried to explain, worried that Paisley might misunderstand.
"That guy's just schooled himself stupid. He's got issues," Christopher said casually with a chuckle.
"Shut up." Anna shot Christopher a glare. She was already annoyed with his whole family.
Christopher awkwardly shut his mouth and looked away.
Anna turned back to Paisley, her expression softening. "Your third uncle, Logan, has a daughter—Joshua's twin sister. Her name is Jolin. She's a cop, so she's always busy. That's why she couldn't make it today."
Paisley nodded, feeling curious about this cousin, Jolin. She thought, 'Born into a family like the Godards and still choosing to be a cop. She must be someone with strong ideals and ambitions.'
"As for Logan—" Anna's face darkened at the mention of her third son. "Hmph, forget about him. Seeing him even once a year is hard."
Paisley had heard a little about Logan. Logan Godard, the third master of the Godard family, had enrolled in military school during college and later joined the army, where he had been stationed for years.
Unless there was a special reason, he rarely came back. The last time he returned was when his wife passed away. That had been two years ago.
"In a bit, my youngest daughter—your aunt—will be here. Once she arrives, we'll start eating." When Anna finally mentioned her youngest daughter, a smile appeared on her face.
It was obvious that Anna genuinely adored Josie and spoiled her to no end. After all, in the entire Godard family, the only one who could keep Anna waiting was Josie.
Just as Anna finished speaking, Josie and her husband, Zim, arrived at the dining room with Keeley.
"What took you so long? We've been waiting for you," Anna complained, but there was a smile on her face.
Josie walked in, yawning, and greeted Anna, Tyson, and Edmond. Then, her gaze finally landed on Paisley.
She raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes. "You're Paisy? My niece?"
Earlier that afternoon, Josie had only heard Keeley complaining, along with all those rumors. In her mind, she had already imagined this niece she had never met as someone shifty-eyed and impatient—dressed in expensive brands but carrying a cheap, small-minded air.
But now that Josie saw Paisley in person, it was the complete opposite of what Josie had imagined. Paisley's face shape, lips, and overall aura had a bit of similarity to her.
Because of that resemblance, Josie suddenly felt a deep familial connection to Paisley. Even her gaze softened as she looked at her.