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Right at this moment, Stella turned to look at him in confusion, “Why aren’t you sure of it?”
“It’s because she chased after a man at her birthday party several days ago regardless of the presence of many
people. When today’s worship ceremony is over, I guess they will criticize her emphatically.”
When the doyens of the James family began to educate a person, it would last for several hours.
The younger generations in the James family, no matter how naughty and unruly they were in usual times, would
be obedient in the two months before the ritual gathering as they were afraid that they would be criticized in the
ancestral hall if they created any trouble. The worst thing was that they couldn’t refute it and could only listen to
their criticisms obediently.
If they tried to refute or showed any weird expression, the denouncement, which was supposed to come to an end
in several hours, would last for longer.
Stella groaned a simple answer and slowly withdrew her gaze.
When Archer was talking excitedly, he spotted the coldness in Clarence’s eyes.
He immediately adjusted his expressions and stood there with his back straightened.
Maybe Elaine had heard his words, she subconsciously turned around. Her eyes lit up when she saw Clarence, but
when she prepared to run towards them, her arm was grabbed by her father Franklin.
Franklin criticized her in a low voice, “Do you know what day it is today and where you are?”
Elaine then turned around reluctantly.
Franklin looked toward Clarence and Stella, knitted his brows and pulled a long face.
Stella had seen such an expression numerous times, but she could understand it. After all, when a father saw the
man who abducted his daughter, it was normal for him to become angry.
Archer said in a whisper, “Almost all the James are here and the worship ceremony will begin five minutes later.”
Stella asked, “But Darnell hasn’t arrived.”
Just as she finished the words, a tall man walked into the door.
It was Darnell.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe ancestral hall, which was prevailed by discussions, immediately became silent because of his arrival.
After a short while, a sound from the crowd broke the silence, “You’ve gone too far. Worshipping ancestors is such
an important matter, yet you only arrived when it almost begins.”
Stella looked over following the sound and found it was from Archer’s second uncle who criticized Archer at the
door just now.
When they heard the words, some men chimed in low voices.
Darnell ignored it, walked into the ancestral hall and slightly bowed at the doyens to show his respect.
Elaine’s grand-grandfather, Hilbert James, stood up shivering with the support of his crutch, “Now that everyone
has arrived, the ceremony will begin. There’re many matters for this year and we will not waste time.”
Darnell said, “Hold on. A person hasn’t arrived.”
Hilbert pushed the glasses on his nose bridge upwards, “Oh? Which naughty child is late?”
Everyone was waiting for Darnell’s explanation.
“It’s not my son.”
“It’s not my daughter either.”
“…”
Franklin looked around and said to Darnell, “I think everyone is here. Whom did you mention?”
Darnell’s mother stood beside him with a serious expression.
Darnell turned around, looked towards the door of the ancestral hall and said slowly, “She arrives.”
Everyone looked over the door simultaneously.
When they were pondering who the person was, a woman appeared in their visions.
When seeing the person, Stella’s pupils amplified. And she could clearly feel that the person beside her also
stiffened.
She slightly pressed her lips together and held his hand.
Under their shocked, confused gazes, Dolores walked into the ancestral hall step by step.
She knelt in front of Hilbert, and behind Hilbert were the memorial tablets of the ancestors of the James family.
Dolores said slowly, “Dolores James is back.”
Hilbert studied her for a long time while holding his crutch and finally recognized her.
Seeing that Hilbert almost couldn’t maintain his balance, Franklin stepped forward to support him and let him sit
back into the chair.
Hilbert narrowed his eyes, “Are you Dolores James?”
In a simple costume, Dolores knelt on the ground with a straight back and replied, “Uncle, it’s me.”
There was a commotion from the crowd.
The younger generations might not know about the inside story, but those who were around Dolores’ age
remembered it clearly. It was just that Dolores’ name became a tattoo in the family ever since she left Riverside
and no one dared to mention her.
The James family’s doctrine was that every member of the family could not leave Riverside.
The one who dared to leave Riverside would never be able to come back.
Back then, Dolores fell in love with a man from City N and their love story spread widely in just several months.
Many people felt jealous of it at that time.
Later, Dolores insisted on leaving Riverside with that man even though her name would have to be erased from the
family tree.
Dolores didn’t belong to the James family after her leaving.
Of course, some gossiping people once tried to probe into how her life was like after eloping with that man to City
N.
But they couldn’t find her.
It had been thirty years. Who would expect that she would come back to the James’ Mansion one day?
There were more and more questions from the crowd.
Even Hilbert’s expression had turned gloomy.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmDarnell said, “It was me who invited aunt back. She’s born as a member of the James family, so why can’t she go
home?”
Hilbert broke the silence after a long while, “Darnell, do you forget the rules of your family?”
“I never forget it.” Darnell continued, “It was just that my grandfather told me before he died that his last wish was
that Aunt Dolores could come back to the family. He has died and I’m just completing his last wish.”
The crowd became silent.
When Bancroft was still alive, he never mentioned his daughter and everyone thought he didn’t mind her at all.
Even so, even if Bancroft was still alive, he could not violate the ancestors’ rules and let Dolores come back to the
family.
But now since Bancroft had died, and Darnell took his last wish as an excuse, even Hilbert felt it inappropriate to
probe into this matter.
After a short while, Hilbert said, “Alas, let’s talk about this later. Start the worship ceremony first.”
Dolores had been keeling on the ground with her back straightened during the whole process. Even though
Darnell’s mother once stepped forwards, trying to prop her up from the ground, she declined it and refused to get
up.
A person among the crowd asked in a low voice, “Guess why Darnell took her back.”
“Is it because of Clarence?”
“It’s just one of the reasons. Now Darnell’s position as the patriarch is not that stable. Although he claimed that
taking Dolores back to the family was Bancroft’s last wish, he has officially broken the rules of the James family.”
“Then should we just watch without doing anything?”
“Darnell’s main concern after becoming the patriarch of the James family has been breaking the rules of the James
family. It’s because of this that those seniors don’t like him, thinking that he thinks too highly of himself. Even
though he managed to let Dolores come back to the James family today, they would only have more grudges
against him.”
“Then it will provide convenience for our later plan.”