I Read Their Tragic Fates, and My Family Reads My Mind?

Chapter 357: Chapter 357: Everyone Wants to Watch the Drama

"Pfft... COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..." Everyone at the dining table who was eating congee choked. For a moment, the room was filled with a chaotic chorus of coughing.

The coughing drew Arabella Donovan’s attention. She quickly stood up and helped Eloise Donovan pour water for them.

"Was the congee undercooked today? Why did so many people choke at once?"

Everyone: "..." ’No, no, no, it has nothing to do with the congee. You’re the one who made us choke.’

Once things at the table finally quieted down, Arabella Donovan had a chance to finish reading the text message that had caused all the chaos.

Cassandra Lynch, perhaps worried about a misunderstanding, had started the message with "Miss Arabella Donovan" instead of "Miss Donovan," completely shattering Arabella’s last shred of hope.

’Seriously, what is wrong with this female lead? If she has a grudge, she should go pick a fight with my fourth sister. Why is she coming after me?’

After complaining to herself, Arabella Donovan suddenly remembered something, and it dawned on her.

’Could it be... she’s trying to get to my fourth sister by causing trouble for me? Yes, that must be it! So, should I go?’

Go? Are you kidding? You can tell just by looking at her that this woman is up to no good. Am I just going to go and serve myself up on a platter?

Although, given their little one’s capabilities, if she really went, it was hard to say who would be serving whom.

Arabella Donovan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, she couldn’t suppress her curiosity. She decided she would go, but...

"Mom, Dad, Sis, Cassandra Lynch asked me to meet her this afternoon at the coffee shop on the next street. She said she wants to talk to me about something, alone."

"Pfft... COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."

The words had barely left Arabella Donovan’s mouth when another round of coughing erupted at the table.

They were all prepared to stop their child from meeting Cassandra Lynch at any cost, but here she was, being completely direct about it. It was impossible to guard against.

Mrs. Donovan was the first to recover. "What did you say? Cassandra Lynch invited you? What reason could she possibly have to meet with you? You’re not going."

"That’s right. It’s like a fox guarding the henhouse—what good could possibly come of it? Serena, don’t be afraid. Leave this to us. We’ll make absolutely sure she never dares to bother you again."

Mrs. Lynch was furious as well. After they got back from the hospital, Melody Lynch had told them what she’d overheard outside Howard Gallagher’s room.

Even though they already knew Cassandra Lynch was an ungrateful viper, they couldn’t help but be chilled to the bone by her malicious, slanderous lies, which repaid their kindness with cruelty. They were so angry they saw stars.

Now, hearing that Cassandra Lynch was trying to cause trouble for the Donovan sisters, she was absolutely livid.

She felt that just having her husband kick that viper out and sever ties had been too lenient. It was why the little bitch still dared to run wild, showing no sign of having learned her lesson.

Arabella Donovan bit on her chopsticks, looking at everyone’s ’we-are-facing-a-great-enemy’ expressions. She blinked and said, "Mom, Auntie, I know you’re worried, but calm down for a second. It’s precisely because I don’t know what she wants that I’m thinking of going—to see if a dog’s mouth can really spit out ivory."

Mrs. Donovan’s face fell again. "How can you be so reckless? That girl is a monster in human clothing who would do anything for personal gain. What if..."

"Mom, let me finish. She wants to talk to me alone, but I never agreed to that."

"...What do you mean?"

"It means I can go, and whoever’s free can come with me. When we get there, you all can hide nearby and let me go meet her first. That way, if she tries to pull anything, you can show up right away to protect me."

"Well..." The group at the table looked at each other, hesitant.

Seeing her chance, Arabella Donovan pressed on, "Aren’t you all curious about what she wants to say to me?"

Everyone exchanged glances, their words betraying their true feelings. "She’ll definitely just spew more nonsense, twisting the truth and stirring up trouble."

"But since she’s the one who initiated it, not going would make her think we’re afraid of her."

"Exactly. So even if we know she’s just going to spout nonsense, we have to attend this ’treacherous banquet’! I want to see for myself what kind of vile filth she’s capable of spewing."

Arabella Donovan listened to them rationalize it to themselves, and the corner of her mouth twitched.

’Gossiping really is human nature. No matter how powerful someone is, they can’t resist a bit of drama. The way you’re all justifying this to yourselves is almost too cringey to watch.’

The group, all of whom were secretly addicted to gossip: "..." ’Stop calling us out!’

"Then it’s settled. You all figure out who’s free to come with me."

As soon as Arabella Donovan said this, the group immediately launched into a heated debate.

Mr. and Mrs. Donovan: "We’re Serena’s parents. This concerns her safety, so it’s only right that we go."

Justin Donovan: "I’m Serena’s older brother. I have to be there to protect her, so of course I’m going."

Hector Donovan: "Then I’ll..."

The rest of the Donovan family: "You shouldn’t go. You’re a huge celebrity; you’d be too conspicuous and would just complicate things."

"Yes, exactly! Besides, didn’t you say you had to fill in on a variety show last-minute this afternoon? How would you have time to go gossip with Serena—oh, I mean, to uphold justice."

"That’s right. Don’t come along and make things complicated. We’ll protect Serena just fine, don’t worry."

Hector Donovan, now labeled a liability: "..." ’This is discrimination against celebrities. Celebrities have a right to gossip, too.’

Eloise Donovan: "This whole thing started because of me. It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t go."

Zane Lynch: "Exactly! That monster came from our family in the first place. There’s no way we can let Serena face her alone. We all have to go."

Mr. and Mrs. Lynch voiced their strong agreement. "Zane is right. We all have to go."

Arabella Donovan: "..."

In the end, they decided that everyone would go, except for Hector Donovan, who truly couldn’t get away from his show.

Juliet Lyons wanted to go watch the show, too. But considering the conversation might not be suitable for her child, and she wasn’t comfortable leaving them home alone, she had to grit her teeth and stay behind, waiting for a "live report" from Zane Lynch and the others.

The members of the Lynch family could have gone along, but considering Cassandra Lynch had spent more than a decade with them, she would know them all by sight.

Therefore, they didn’t get too close, instead choosing a spot in the adjacent shop, just a wall away and out of sight. That way, they could avoid being discovered, but still be close enough to intervene if anything happened.

The same went for Eloise Donovan. Cassandra Lynch had been secretly stalking her for so long that she had probably memorized Eloise’s every move and feature. Even just her silhouette might be recognized, so she joined the Lynch family next door.

The only ones stationed inside the coffee shop itself were Mr. and Mrs. Donovan, and Justin Donovan, who had changed into a uniform to pose as a waiter.

Cassandra Lynch had scheduled the meeting with Arabella Donovan for three in the afternoon. To get into position beforehand, the two families arrived at two.

Arabella Donovan, however, was the last to arrive, walking into the coffee shop right on the dot. Cassandra Lynch saw her approaching from a distance and immediately stood up.

"Miss Donovan, over here. Please, have a seat."

Arabella Donovan sidestepped the hand Cassandra Lynch extended to grab her own, plopped into the seat, and got straight to the point. "If you have something to say, say it. My time is precious."