Savannah laughed, "love rival?"
"As you said, Miss Rowe's been Mr. Sterling's admirer since she was young, and then she followed her brother and came to LA? Obviously, she's your rival for the love of Mr. Sterling." Olivia said with certainty.
"At first, I also thought Miss Rowe had a crush on him, but then I realized that I misunderstood her. Mr. Rowe's a good man, and I believe his sister's a good girl too. She just takes Dylan as her brother." Savannah felt funny about Olivia's thoughts.
"That may not be certain," Olivia gave Savannah a knowing wink, "though she looks gentle and innocent, I saw clearly that she was jealous when you mentioned your marriage. She perfectly hid her true feelings in front of you, but I don't think she would give up Mr. Sterling easily. Anyway, you should be more careful. This girl's not simple."
Olivia sighed. Did Savannah forget that her previous fiancé had been taken away by her dear cousin? She should be guarded by any woman who was too close to Mr. Sterling!
Savannah knew Olivia cared about her. "I know," she just smiled and let it go.
Talking and laughing, they walked out of the mall and got into the car. After taking Olivia home first, Savannah went back to Sterling's house.
As soon as she opened the door, she heard familiar voices of a middle-aged man and a woman from the drawing-room.
Uncle and aunt?
Savannah walked in and saw Dalton and Norah sitting on the sofa, fawning over old Sterling.
Although old Sterling did not like the couple very much, they were anyway Savannah's uncle and aunt. He gave them a good reception and asked the servant to serve them with drinks.
Emma told Savannah that the Schultz's came to Sterling's house an hour ago. They both knew that she was going to marry Dylan, and they wanted to attend her wedding as her family.
What's more, Dalton and Norah asked for a high bride price.
Bride price? Savannah smiled sardonically. Did they want to sell her as chattel? The wedding would not cost them a dollar, and now they even dared to ask for a bribe price? They were too greedy!
Yes, some families would ask for a bride price from the bridegroom or his family to ensure that their daughter would be taken care of rather than taken advantage of. But as she knew, this practice was famous in Eastern countries. Maybe for some wealthy families in her country, the bride price was a means for the bridegroom to prove his worthiness as a suitor that he was capable of adequately providing for his bride. But she was neither a princess nor an heiress from a noble family, and Dalton and Norah didn't really care about her. All they wanted was money, not her happiness.
Dalton heard the footsteps, turned his head, and saw his niece coming back. He stood up and smiled with insincere flattery, "Savannah, how are you doing? We miss you a lot!"
Norah got up with her husband, stepping forward, and tried to hold Savannah by the arm.
"Savannah, you'd better not go out in this month of pregnancy. Come in, be careful, and sit down." Norah helped Savannah in as she ordered the servant beside them, "Mrs. Sterling's back. Go and pour her a glass of water! Don't you know how to take care of your young mistress?" She sounded like the lady of the house.
Savannah frowned, pulled her arm out of Norah's hold, and walked to old Sterling. "Sir, I'm back."
A little embarrassed, Norah sat back on the sofa with her husband.
"Savannah, why didn't you tell us about your marriage? You can't show at the wedding with no family! We're discussing your wedding with old Mr. Sterling." Dalton complained, dissatisfied with her indifference.
"Savannah, your aunt and uncle care about your marriage a lot. Sit down and let's talk together." Old Sterling said mildly.
Savannah did not move. She looked at old Sterling and said quietly, "Sir, my aunt and uncle are so busy these days that I'm afraid they don't have time to attend the wedding."
"Why? We're free!" Dalton and Norah both screamed. They didn't expect that they were excluded from the wedding by Savannah.
Butler Cooper and other servants standing by almost laughed out.
Norah walked up to Savannah, grabbed her sleeve, and whispered, "Savannah, your father was already dead, and your mother's not here. You'll be alone if there's no family showed at your wedding. People will laugh at you and call you an orphan girl! If your uncle and I stand for you behind you, no one dares to bully you! Do you understand?"
That sounded like it was a great honor for Savannah that they would come to her wedding.
Savannah looked at Norah in a cool, regardless manner, and then she said in a sarcastic tone, "I think I'm always an orphan when I live in your house, am not I?"
During those years under her uncle's roof, she was always alone, and no one in that house cared about her. They never really took her as their family, then why should they attend her wedding and even asked for the bride price when she married?
If they had ever given her a feeling of warmth, she would not be so indifferent to them today.
The ties of kinship between them had been used up by her uncle and aunt. After so many disappointments, she found it hard to take them as her family now.
"I'm used to being alone. I don't need anyone behind me." Savannah added dryly and then turned to old Sterling, "It's getting late, sir, I'll walk my uncle and aunt out first."
Seeing that Savannah did not want Dalton and Norah to attend the wedding, old Sterling was on her side, of course. He nodded and said no more.
Dalton, however, remembered another thing. He looked at old Sterling with a wrinkled face, "sir... What about the bride price?"
Norah nodded her head beside her husband, "I suggest the bride price be paid before the wedding ceremony. The Sterling family's a large and noble family, and your son won't marry my niece without a bride price, will he? Savannah's even pregnant with your grandson!"
Savannah trembled with anger. She had refused them to attend her wedding, but they still had the nerve to ask for the bride price? Hadn't they got enough from her? The Schultz factory, the house in Green Bay, and then the money from Devin… They had just got a large amount of money from Dylan last week!
Wasn't that enough?