Chapter 196: Chapter 123: Persuasion (Part 2)

Paige Summers went to open the door. Two people were standing outside. At the forefront was a smiling Wendy Lowell, and slightly behind her was a man in his fifties or sixties. It was, without a doubt, the Old Master of the Lowell Family. He had an average build and a very kind face. Even when he wasn’t smiling, he didn’t seem stern or unapproachable.

Paige Summers quickly sized them up and said, "Please, come in."

Wendy Lowell eagerly agreed, saying as she helped her father inside, "Dad, this is Paige. Look at her—she’s a grown woman now!"

Frederick Lowell, the patriarch of the Lowell Family, sighed emotionally. "Indeed, she is."

He turned to look at Paige Summers. After closing the door, Paige turned and studied him carefully.

Frederick Lowell must have been in his sixties, but he looked no older than fifty. He had very little gray hair and few wrinkles; he was clearly well-preserved.

He appeared very affable, but since her body had been tempered, Paige Summers had grown increasingly sensitive to people’s emotions. She couldn’t miss the shrewd glint in his eyes. Even now, his gaze held a trace of his habitual, assessing nature.

She gave a nonchalant smile. "Please, have a seat."

Wendy Lowell looked helplessly at her father. Frederick Lowell, however, frowned slightly, but he quickly smoothed his brow, signaling to his daughter to be patient.

In truth, Paige Summers had nothing to say to them.

Frederick Lowell asked the expected questions: when her family had passed away, how she had managed to live on her own. Paige Summers didn’t hide anything and recounted the basics from memory. She hadn’t told Wendy Lowell these details before, and this time, despite her flat, detached narration, it was enough to bring Wendy to tears.

Paige Summers hesitated for a moment, then politely took out a handkerchief and passed it to her.

’I can only say this mother’s love has come too late,’ she thought. ’My predecessor was in no position to receive it. Otherwise, with her personality, returning to the Lowell Family might have actually been a good path for her.’

’But the reality is, I replaced her. And I will never, ever return to the Lowell Family.’

Throughout her story, she made one thing clear, both in her words and between the lines: She was the sole remaining blood of the Summers Family. She had to work to restore the family name, and she would not abandon that for any reason!

To Wendy Lowell, these words were just heartbreaking and disappointing. But to Frederick Lowell, they were a sharp condemnation.

Years ago, he had advised Ingram Summers not to be so obstinate and leave Kingsgate, but the man refused to listen. So, he had quickly made his decision: the two families would sever all ties. That included the women of the Lowell Family who had married into the Summers family; no Lowell was permitted to leave with them! A pity... aside from Wendy Lowell, whom he had brought back, all the others chose to remain with their husbands.

And for that, they had all died, right alongside the Summers.

He had never believed he was wrong in how he handled the matter. Yet, for some reason, hearing Paige Summers’s words made him wonder. If he hadn’t been so ruthless back then—if he had aimed for an amicable separation, perhaps even helped the Summers Family get on their feet instead of turning a blind eye—would they have met such a tragic end?

However, the thought was fleeting.

And just as quickly, his heart hardened once more.

’The Summers Family insisted on this path—who could have stopped them? You reap what you sow. That’s just how the world works. That includes those obstinate Lowell women who refused to see reason!’

He looked at Paige Summers and said slowly, "So, you’re saying you have no intention of acknowledging your mother, or me, your grandfather?"

She smiled. "I hear the Lowell Family has a sprawling family tree, with no shortage of accomplished members..."

Frederick Lowell caught her unspoken meaning and was at a loss for words.

The generation after his was indeed quite decent—capable and eager to prove themselves. But when it came to the third generation, there was truly no one noteworthy. It was precisely because he knew this that he saw such promise in Paige Summers. She was his direct granddaughter, and a capable one at that. While her type of superpower was somewhat lacking, she was hardworking and her Rank was respectable. Most importantly, her skill in Artifact Making had earned the favor of the Mercer Family. If she returned to the Lowell Family, it was only a matter of time before she would shine brilliantly.

What a pity...

Wendy Lowell had just wiped her tears away, but now she was on the verge of crying again. She choked out, "Paige, the Lowell Family can have a hundred descendants, but I only have you as my daughter! Mama is begging you, please come home, won’t you?!"

Paige Summers couldn’t stand it when women sobbed and wailed like this. But since the woman’s husband was already dead, she couldn’t very well tell her to just have another child. She let out a soft sigh and said quietly, "Your life is very peaceful right now. You don’t need me coming in to disrupt it."

The conversation had reached its end. She felt there was nothing more to say.

The look in Frederick Lowell’s eyes flickered, shifting several times. In the end, he had no choice but to admit it: this child was just like the Summers. Once her mind was made up, no one could change it. It wasn’t that the Lowell Family was incapable of coercing her through other means, but the Mercer Family would almost certainly intervene...

He glanced at his daughter. It seemed she would have to be disappointed.

"Since that’s what you think, we won’t force you. But you can’t keep living in the Fourth District. The security here is too poor. You must at least move to the Second District!"

The corners of Paige Summers’s mouth curled up imperceptibly. Even if he meant well, she hated people telling her what to do. "Don’t trouble yourself over it. I have my own plans."

Frederick Lowell stared intently at her for a moment, all the fight gone out of him.

Kindness didn’t work, and cruelty wasn’t an option.

The girl was completely intractable!

He suppressed his frustration, pulled Wendy Lowell to her feet, and said coolly, "Since you have your own plans, we won’t say any more. But Wendy is your mother. I hope you’ll treat her well when she comes to visit."

Paige Summers smiled without speaking.

Frederick Lowell knew that regardless of whether she would listen, this was as far as he could push. He turned to his daughter. "That’s all for today. Let’s head back."

Just as the two were about to leave, there was a sudden knock at the door.

Paige Summers blinked. ’Marcus Monroe is out, and everyone else is busy,’ she thought. ’Who could be here now?’

She opened the door, and upon seeing the person standing outside, her expression instantly turned to ice.