Chapter 753
Slowly, Vera’s lingering misgivings finally dissipated.
“Since the baby is doing well, I’m glad.”
Vera reluctantly took her eyes off the photo and added, “However, I still hope that you can persuade Laney to come back soon. As elders, we cannot help but worry when she is out there alone with her child.” Natalie nodded and assured, “Please don’t worry. I trust that Garrett and Laney can handle their relationship and take good care of the child.”
Having heard Natalie’s reassurance, Vera left, contented.
Watching her receding figure, Natalie breathed a sigh of relief.
“You’ve been working hard. Don’t think too much about Garrett and Laney’s matters. Let them solve it themselves,” Johanna said, patting her daughter’s back.
Natalie sighed and stated, “I can’t really intervene in their relationship issues, anyway.”
She suddenly held Johanna’s hand. “Mom, thank you. If you hadn’t come in time and brought in those ladies, I’m afraid Mrs. Harding wouldn’t have cooled down so soon.”
Natalie had anticipated that Vera would come looking for her, and she knew that Vera was troubled by the gossip spreading in their social circle.
She had told about all of this to Johanna, hoping that she could help come up with a solution, which would not only dissuade Vera from bothering Laney but also quash the gossip about the Harding family.
As a result, Johanna did figure out how to do that.
While Natalie brought Vera to the cafe, she organized a tea party to scotch the gossip for Vera.
Fortunately, the result turned out to be just as good as she had expected.
Those ladies believed Johanna’s words without a doubt. They stopped ridiculing and judging Vera for mistreating her daughter-in-law.
However, Natalie was very curious about how Johanna came up with such a plan.
Johanna smiled and patted her daughter’s hand, looking resourceful and elegant.
“I’ve been in Barnes for so long that I have come to understand a bit about the personalities of these ladies. Take Vera, for example. She cares greatly about her reputation and that’s why she was eager to bring Laney back to scotch the rumors. Now that everyone believes that Vera was wronged by those baseless rumors. She certainly won’t cause trouble for Laney anymore,” explained Johanna.
Natalie nodded thoughtfully, impressed with her mother’s insight.
It was no wonder that Johanna was a socialite everyone in Barnes praised. She effortlessly resolved the scandal and left no trace of negligence.
Natalie held her mother’s arm and said sweetly, “Thank goodness, I have you, Mom! Or I wouldn’t have known how to solve this problem by myself.”
Johanna affectionately rubbed Natalie’s nose and said lovingly, “I want everyone to know that you have your family’s full support, regardless of what you do.”
Natalie was deeply moved, but she was also a bit puzzled. “Mom, do you think that what I did to help Laney was wrong?” she asked.
Johanna’s expression turned serious as she said, “You did make one mistake.”
Feeling down, Natalie lowered her head and asked, “Do you really think that I did something wrong?”
Johanna took Natalie’s hand in hers and said seriously, “Your mistake was letting Kailee go easily. If you had dealt with her sooner, Laney wouldn’t have suffered so much.”
Natalie also regretted not dealing with Kailee sooner. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have let her off the hook so easily.”
If she had made Kailee pay for plotting against Laney and rendering Laney in a plight, none of the subsequent events could have happened.
Johanna’s expression turned slightly cold. “Although Laney has moved to another city now, and Garrett is no longer involved with Kailee, she still hasn’t paid for what she’s done. Besides, it’s obvious that she is the one who instigated Vera to come and bother you today.”
Natalie nodded and exclaimed, “Mom, you are incredibly insightful. But I just don’t know how I can help Laney, or how I can make Kailee get she deserves!”
Natalie did not know how to deal with Kailee, which had been troubling her lately. She couldn’t bear the thought of Laney suffering while Kailee lived a comfortable life in Barnes.
Garrett had been completely absorbed in his work ever since Laney had left, and he had forgotten all about Kailee.
A cold light flashed in Johanna’s eyes as she said, “You don’t need to worry about this matter. Just leave it to me.”
Since Kailee had the nerve to mess with her daughter, she would definitely make her pay!
The smooth hum of the engine died down as a luxurious and swank Ferrari ground to a halt at the entrance of the hospital. The executives and doctors had already been standing in wait, surrounding the vehicle with fawning smiles as a woman alighted. Kailee stepped out of the car with her head raised, lending her a noble and elegant air. The director of the hospital quickly walked over and greeted her with an obsequious bow.
“Miss Gibson,” he said in an obviously ingratiating tone, “thank you for taking the time to come and grace us with your presence. It is our privilege to have you here. Just your appearance has greatly elevated the occasion.”
“You are being too kind, director. The honor is mine.”
The corners of Kailee’s mouth rose slightly. Her words were full of humility, but there was arrogance in her eyes.
She basked in the flattery of the director and executives that surrounded her—their attention sweeping away the vexation from the past few days. Kailee took her seat at the center of the podium with her head held high.
It was a welcome change from the dejection that hovered in recent days.
Since Garrett’s ruthless uncovering of her plot, Kailee had not gotten any chances to get close to him. Even Vera had been difficult to reach. But it mattered little because Kailee knew that only scolding awaited her if she did manage to contact the other.
To make matters worse, Vera had prohibited her from setting foot in their home again.
As these misfortunes piled one after another, Kailee grew more and more dispirited. She felt cornered and helpless, as if everything was slipping out of her control.
At first, she had thought that revealing Natalie’s involvement in Laney’s escape would make Vera change her opinion of her. Kailee had expected Vera to go after Natalie and force Laney to give up the child.
But things couldn’t have gotten further from her desires. Instead of earning Vera’s favor, she became an annoyance to Vera. And still, nothing had happened to Natalie and Laney.
Left without a choice, Kailee had to continue spreading gossip about Vera being an evil mother-in-law in the hope of putting pressure on her to harass Laney.
However, the gossip seemingly had made no difference.
On the contrary, there were other stories going around in the circle that said the exact opposite—Vera was a very kind and agreeable mother-in-law who treated Laney as if she was her own daughter.
