Two Reborn, One Throne novel Chapter 86

By the time Amber took the bus to the local steakhouse, Arthur and Grace were already there.

But the atmosphere was incredibly tense.

Amber had no idea what had transpired before she arrived, but the moment she walked in and saw Xanthe wearing the breathtaking silk dress she had asked Loretta to buy for her, she understood instantly—Grace was fuming.

"Dad, I'm here! Xanthe? Wow, you look so beautiful I almost didn't recognize you. Hi, Grace."

Amber greeted them one by one, then smoothly pivoted to teasing her father. "Dad, did you buy that dress for Xanthe?"

She gave him a thumbs-up. "You've got great taste, Dad. You look stunning, Xanthe!"

The plastic cup in Grace's hand crumpled under her grip.

This little brat. The moment she walked in, she started showering Xanthe with compliments.

In the past, whenever Grace wore something new, Amber's praises flowed like a river. Today, she was entirely focused on Xanthe? Was she not pretty enough? Damn it, had Xanthe gotten plastic surgery or something? In just two hours, she looked like a completely different person.

—She had completely overshadowed her.

Knowing Amber was just stirring the pot, Arthur glared at her. "Don't talk nonsense and make Grace misunderstand. Xanthe brought the dress herself."

Amber didn't care. Even if she saw it, she'd think it wasn't green enough.

Xanthe quickly tried to smooth things over. "Amber, don't joke around. Grace was kind enough to treat us to a nice dinner, so I thought it was only right to dress up to show my respect."

"Please don't be mad, Grace. Amber just speaks her mind."

Grace was on the verge of exploding. Before she could even snap back that she wasn't that petty, Amber chimed in, "Xanthe, you just met Grace, so you don't know her well yet. She's the most magnanimous person in the neighborhood. She'd never get jealous just because you both wore nice dresses and you completely outshined her. Besides, you wore it out of respect for her; she should be grateful. Right, Grace?"

Then again, it made sense. She had lost the competition to her son, of course she was bitter.

"I just called him, he's at the ATM. We're in no rush, Amber. I'm just so curious, where did Xanthe live before? Where is she staying now? Also, even if your family kicked you out for being single, you shouldn't hold a grudge against them."

"Xanthe, Amber is still young. She doesn't understand the hardships of being a woman. At our age, if you have no family and no kids, what happens if you end up in the hospital or have an accident? You'll just die alone. Take my advice: finding a man to settle down with is the best way to live. Why bother with all this business nonsense? Just let a man take care of you. I only opened the diner because I had no other choice."

"Look at me. When my son gets here, I'll properly introduce you. My Lucian has been top of his class since he was little. He always brings home awards and scholarship money to take care of his mother. When he gets into a top-tier university abroad next year, I'll only have to wait a few more years before I can live in total luxury."

"So don't be jealous. While you're still somewhat young, find a man to marry."

Amber nearly laughed out loud. Grace was deliberately pressing down hard on Xanthe's deepest wounds.

"Grace, please don't say that to Xanthe. Didn't you see the news the other day about that 'filial' son? The report said he was a star student too. But because he didn't want to disappoint his mother, he took out a massive predatory loan and lied about winning a competition. In the end, he was chopped into pieces by the mob, and his poor mother ended up homeless on the streets. Having a son isn't always a blessing, Grace."