Chapter 770
Jane had been wanting to talk to me alone for a while now, but I still had no clue what she actually wanted.
I shot back a quick reply: [Just text me whatever you want to say—no need to meet in person. If you have issues, just talk to Edward about it.]
Right now, I was just Edward’s girlfriend, and Jane was already acting like she was above me. 'If I actually marry Edward, is she going to keep lording her ex-wife status over me and try to boss me around?' I thought.
It took Jane a while to reply, but when she finally did, her message said: [So you’re Edward’s type after all—the quiet, gentle kind who never fights for anything, just like his mother.]
I was genuinely surprised when I read that.
Jane had mentioned Edward’s mother, Vivian Sterling. Clearly, she saw me as the same kind of woman as her.
'What’s she really getting at with these words?' I wondered.
Victoria shot back, "Well, I’ll just take that as a compliment. Thanks." She didn’t bother to argue—no point getting worked up over Jane’s words.
Jane didn’t text back after that. Around three in the afternoon, Edward showed up with Nora by his side.
Nora was already about five foot two, with a slender build and an adorable, pretty face. She resembled Edward quite a bit, but her features were even more refined and graceful.
“Hello, Aunt Victoria,” Nora greeted me as she walked in.
“Hello!” I replied, a bit surprised. The last time we met in the hospital, there was still a lot of emotion in Nora’s eyes when she looked at me. But now, she seemed much more composed.
“I’m sorry about last time. I shouldn’t have said those things to upset you,” Nora said.
I smiled. “It’s fine, it’s all in the past now.”
I couldn’t help but wonder if it was just my imagination, but it seemed like Nora was starting to get a little clever.
When Edward saw that things were finally chill between Nora and me, he grinned and said, “How about we all grab lunch together? Nora, didn’t you say you wanted to eat out?”
“Yeah, I’m cool with that,” Nora said, smiling and nodding at Edward.
I nodded too. “Sounds good to me.”
Seeing how well Nora and I were getting along, Edward was clearly the happiest one in the room. He watched me with a bright, relieved look, and the tension he’d been carrying finally eased from his face.
At lunch, Nora was full of the curiosity you’d expect from a girl her age. She peppered me with questions about my life, and even asked if, when I head back to Aurelia, she could meet up with Yvonne. She said she really liked that adorable little sister.
Edward listened in, sometimes reaching over to affectionately ruffle Nora’s hair or pile more food onto her plate. Nora was sweet and thoughtful, never crossing any lines with her questions, and Edward was clearly a doting dad—his love for her was written all over his face.
I kept up with their father-daughter banter the whole time, but out of nowhere, a thought crossed my mind.
Man, being a stepmom really isn’t easy.
Thinking about how Tracy put up with everything for over twenty years in her previous life, faking all that gentle care just to be a good stepmom to Yvonne, I actually kind of respect her for that now.
After lunch, Nora had something to take care of, so she hopped in a car and took off.
Edward and I waited for our ride in a café just downstairs from the restaurant, sitting together and passing the time.
“Victoria, what do you think of Nora?” Edward suddenly asked.
I smiled and replied, “She’s smart, adorable, and really mature for her age.”
When Edward heard me compliment her, his smile grew even warmer. “Yeah, she’s always been well-behaved and puts real effort into her studies.”
I couldn’t help thinking, 'In a family with this much power and money, working hard isn’t really optional.'
“You’ve been a lot quieter these past couple of days. What’s going on in that head of yours? Mind sharing?” Edward reached over and took my hand. His fingers were warm, while mine felt a little cold.
I was surprised—he could read me so easily.
I glanced down at the floor and admitted, “Edward, even though it’s only been three days, I’m starting to realize this whole stepmom thing is tougher than I thought.”