Chapter 12 Offspring of Despicable Birth

On the other side.

Emma White and Isolde Garrison returned to the Garrison residence. As soon as they stepped inside, they saw Timothy Garrison descending the stairs while speaking on the phone, his face full of urgency.

"Assistant Tan, hadn't we agreed on everything? We negotiated both sides' terms thoroughly, so why did the Jennings Group suddenly decide to cancel the cooperation?"

Emma White and Isolde Garrison heard this and felt a sudden unease in their hearts. They exchanged glances, seeing the guilt in each other's eyes.

Isolde Garrison wanted to approach Timothy Garrison and speak with him but was stopped by him raising his hand, signaling her not to cause a scene.

Turning his head, he restrained his emotions, even speaking with some flattery into the phone, "Could it be that the Garrison Clan's terms are too high? These things are negotiable. We are willing to concede some previously discussed profit points. I am quite sincere about collaborating with the Jennings Group."

Whatever was said on the other end made Timothy Garrison's facial muscles twitch, and then he seemed to deflate instantly, sitting down abruptly on the bench by the entrance.

Emma White and Isolde Garrison hurried over, "Timothy, what's wrong?"

Timothy Garrison cradled his head in frustration, "What's wrong? How should I know what's wrong? The Jennings Group suddenly called to say the cooperation is off when everything was fine before!"

As he spoke, he suddenly looked at Emma White, "Weren't you and Isolde visiting the third lady of the Jennings Family? Did something happen there?"

Emma White's heart skipped a beat at his question. Clearly, the Jennings Group hadn't mentioned anything about the Jiang Family matters. She opened her mouth to explain but was suddenly pulled back by Isolde Garrison,

"It's nothing, Dad. We didn't even meet the third lady of Jennings."

Emma White instinctively looked at Isolde Garrison, who gently pinched her arm, clearly indicating she should not say anything.

Timothy Garrison heard this but did not suspect much, merely scratching his less-than-full head of hair in frustration, muttering to himself,

"So what on earth is it? The Jennings Group, such a fine partner... If we could smoothly join forces with the Jennings Group, our family could rise to another level! No, I can't just let this go."

With that, he got up and walked briskly out, ignoring Emma White and Isolde Garrison behind him.

Watching him exit the gate, Emma White turned to Isolde Garrison, "Isolde, why did you hold me back just now? The Jennings canceled cooperation, maybe it's because of that little wench..."

"Mom!" Isolde interrupted Emma White, still stubbornly saying, "I thought about it carefully on the way back. President Jiang didn't explicitly say Scarlett was his daughter. Maybe we misheard it?"

Isolde Garrison refused to believe Scarlett, after leaving the Garrison Family, turned out to be the daughter of the top-tier Jennings Family. She couldn't accept Scarlett having a higher status than her.

"How could we have misheard? If Scarlett isn't President Jiang's daughter, why did President Jiang suddenly cancel our cooperation? And why did the butler say such things?"

Emma White felt almost certain Scarlett was the daughter recently found by the Jennings Family. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?

If that were true, she must promptly explain it to her husband. The huge Jennings estate owes them for raising their daughter—a mountain of gold wouldn't be too much gratitude, let alone canceling cooperation.

That would be pure ingratitude.

"In any case, I don't believe it. Mom, just think—if Scarlett were the Jiang family's lost daughter, wouldn't they have sent someone to pick her up? The person who contacted Dad also said they lived in the mountains with bad signals. Such a family like the Jennings doesn't need to deceive us."

Isolde Garrison tried hard to persuade Emma White, and herself,

"President Jiang suddenly got angry today; maybe he was just upset about us making noise at the Jennings'. As for canceling cooperation, it's probably just a coincidence. Business is not so capricious—it surely has nothing to do with today's events at the Jennings'."

Emma White, swayed by her words, began to doubt, "Really?"

"Definitely." Isolde Garrison affirmed, pulling out her phone,

"They were just discussing in the group chat about the elder daughter of the Jennings—there's going to be a banquet to formally introduce the Jennings' elder daughter the day after tomorrow. If we can somehow get an invitation, we can see for ourselves."

Emma White hesitated hearing this.

After all, the Jennings Group had just canceled their cooperation, and getting an invitation wouldn't be easy.

Seeing this, Isolde Garrison continued,

"If Scarlett is not the recently found daughter of the Jennings, that's better. We can take the opportunity to explain the misunderstanding to President Jiang, and Dad might be able to regain the cooperative project. In that setting, President Jiang won't refuse."

She paused, gritting her teeth before voicing another scenario,

"If by any chance, Scarlett is indeed the Jennings' elder daughter, we at least raised her—she can't simply deny us after acknowledging her biological parents, can she?"

Isolde Garrison's words instantly enlightened Emma White.

Her eyes brightened.

Yes, how had she not thought of that?

Whether Scarlett is the Jennings' daughter or not, this whole matter can be advantageous to them!

"Isolde is right. If that little wench Scarlett turns out to be the Jennings' daughter, then in front of so many people, the Jennings surely wouldn't turn us away again. Regardless of the cooperation or anything else, they'd have to offer us something to express gratitude, given we raised their child."

The more Emma White thought about it, the more it made sense. She clapped her hands, "I'll find a way to get the invitation, and then your father should also come. You, go buy a couple of beautiful dresses and make sure to dress up beautifully the day after tomorrow."

The Jennings' banquet would surely host the reputable elites and young figures of Sea City.

Her daughter Isolde's first appearance in such circles would undoubtedly amaze everyone.

Hearing this, Isolde blushed slightly but had the same thoughts as Emma White.

...

Scarlett was oblivious to the Garrison Family's plans. After dinner, led by her second aunt, Odessa, she finally saw her new room.

It was a suite on the corner of the third floor, quite spacious with two sections, all decorated in a dreamy princess-like children's style. The outer section was filled with various toys and gifts.

There was even a stroller and other items.

"This was originally prepared as your nursery. Our elder brother always had someone maintain it, but I felt the decor was too childish, so I thought to arrange another room for you first. After refurbishing, I'd give you this one. I hope you weren't upset by it. Please don't blame me."

Odessa spoke while affectionately holding Scarlett's arm.

Scarlett withdrew her arm subtly,

"I won't."

Odessa, noting her aloof demeanor, maintained a strained smile, muttered a few more words, and upon closing the door behind her, the friendliness vanished from her face as she looked back at the door, eyes tinged with darkness.