Chapter 204 - Quarreling Cousins

Ace turned in the direction of his first nephew and tilted his head.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned with a firm tone since he did not like the way Wayne had just spoken.

Wayne was more than happy to retell the incidents that had transpired but his younger twin beat him to it.

"I'll tell you exactly what happened today, Uncle Ace!" Wade exclaimed with agitation laced in her voice.

Without giving his brother a chance to speak up, he began narrating what had occurred after they ventured outside the private room to find Lina.

While Wade was busy painting a picture for Ace to fill him in on the details, Lina did not lift her head.

'I don't want to be reminded of how my brother chose to believe another woman's schemes over my explanations.' She sighed while eating the soft caramel pudding that Butler Mo had made for dessert.

"Is this true?" Ace inquired with a frown on his face.

The responses he got were Wade nodding his head like a chicken pecking grains off the ground, Wayne shrugging his shoulders and Lina who gave no reaction at all.

Wayne was indifferent because his brother had explained in great detail about how he had smacked Lina's hand and accused her, not focusing on Jeanette's well-being. 

Every second, looking at Wayne's nonchalant countenance was driving Wade crazy.

"How can you be so calm after you accused Nana without any proof?" He yelled in his anger.

Lina flinched ever so slightly as she was the one who was seated closest to him.

Ace gave him a single glance which was enough to let him know that he better keep his emotions under control.

Wallace Luo was never one to condone the unruly behavior of the younger generation in his family.

Hence, the twins quietened down in an instant after receiving his warning glare.

Wade had already controlled his anger back when Wayne had said those disdainful words to Lina because the man had already left with that annoying woman in his arms.

'I now have a chance to give him a piece of my mind.' Wade sneered as he wiped his lips after he was done eating.

"Do you think you are always right just because you are older than me?" He challenged with a scowl.

Wayne raised his brows and glanced at his little brother who always had a soft corner for Lina, the youngest in the family.

"You saw the way that woman was talking to Nana, right? Or did your eyes stop functioning at that time?" Wade asked as a mocking smile appeared on his face.

They had arrived when Jeanette Liang had raised her hand to hit their sister.

He was about to rush in to help his sister when an old couple interrupted them.

They were also the ones who had asked the elderly couple to use the other exit rather than disturbing the confrontation between the two women.

The couple was happy to oblige when Reuben Ming, the Emperor of the Ming Enterprises had personally requested this of them and even offered them a grandeur meal the next time they visited the restaurant.

The one to stop the men from making their presence known to Lina and Jeanette after this incident was none other than Wayne Luo.

'I had thought that he was in plans of making a grand entrance to save Nana and be called her knight in shining armor.' Wade scoffed as his thoughts had taken a 180 degrees turn from what had actually happened.

Not only did Wayne not save her, he even went as far as accusing her.

"You know how that woman was about to strike our sister and yet you spoke up in her defense!" He snarled at his brother who was now glaring back at him.

"Her name is Jeanette! Stop calling her 'that woman'!" Wayne rolled his eyes as he educated his younger brother.

This was the statement that made Lina raise her head and glimpse at the man who was standing up for 'that woman' all over again.

'He seems to like Miss Liang more than the others. Never has he ever stopped us when we made fun of his ex-girlfriends.' She surmised before looking away.

Listening to his small outburst, Wade narrowed his eyes further.

"You need to get your priorities straight, man! Did you not see-" Wade's disgruntled words were interrupted by Wayne's words of defense.

"I don't need you to interfere in my affairs and I know exactly what I saw!" He pronounced in a firm tone which did not give room for any retaliation.

He then turned his gaze towards Lina and shook his head in disappointment.

"Your single moment of hotheadedness has its repercussions, Lina." He finally spoke to her but the grave tone in his voice did not change.

Ace sat in silence as he watched his niece lift her head from her dessert and stare at the man accusing her.

'I was hotheaded? Wade said that they were there when that Jeanette almost hit me and yet he still dares to say such a thing to me?' She growled inwardly but not a single word spilled out of her mouth.

"She had a grade 2 severely sprained ankle which might take her 3 to 4 weeks to recover." He informed them while sighing.

Lina almost guffawed out loud when she heard his words.

'I would go shave my head and become bald if she really was injured! But that would never happen since she isn't injured! I was framed but this blind man can't seem to understand that!' She was enraged when she heard the doctor's diagnosis from Wayne.

Wayne was swift to catch the mocking gaze that was aimed at his face for a split second.

"What? You think that she tripped and injured herself to blame you?" He scowled with a ridiculous expression on his face.

'That is exactly what happened!' Wade and Lina stared at him with a deadpan look on their faces as they had the same thought in their minds.

Noticing their expressions, Wayne shook his head in dismay once again.

"I did not expect this from you, Lina." He repeated his words to make sure that she understood just how disappointed he was with her actions.

'He has been calling me 'Lina' from when he left with Jeanette and now this is getting on my nerves.' She looked him straight in the eyes and waited for him to complete his words.

For someone who was used to being called by a certain nickname to be suddenly addressed in their real name would definitely be annoying.

This would be a change they would find very hard to get used to and that was exactly what was happening to Lina.

'I know he is mad at me but so am I! He does not have to keep calling me 'Lina' every time!' She openly scoffed at him, not bothering to hide her irritation with him.

Wayne sneered after witnessing her actions and then gave her a sorry smile.

"I can't believe that Jeanette was willing to speak up in your defense while you have not said a single word until now." He snickered but his smile soon froze.

Lina had finally had enough of his nonsense about Jeanette, she looked up and gazed him straight in his eyes.

The serious look in her eyes made him gulp his saliva but he was not willing to back down, not yet.

"Since you have already decided that the entire thing was my fault… I have nothing to say to you to prove otherwise." She announced as though she was least bothered about what he thought.

"You already believe that I am wrong, so please continue. No one is going to stop you." Finishing her words, she gave him one last look before lowering her head.

She then placed her hands on the table to support her weight as she rose from her seat.

"I'm done with my dinner, Uncle Ace. I'll take my leave now." She smiled at her uncle and then turning to nod at Wade, she saw his wide-open eyes.

Wade's eyes focused on the lonely back that was trudging across the hall towards the staircase.

"Family sticks together and protects each other. I hope you still remember who is a part of the family and who isn't." He mocked his older brother and then followed after his little sister.

Wayne's hand which was holding the silverware tightened its grip over it until his fingers turned white due to the lack of blood circulation.

His head was lowered and the only sound that could be heard was that of his teeth gritting against each other.

Wallace had been watching his every move in utter and absolute silence.

'What an idiot!' He derided this nephew of his and then continued eating as though he had not witnessed his children having a fallout.

Wayne had somehow managed to get the food down his throat and rose from his seat to get back to his room.

Just as he turned away from the table, his feet came to a halt when he heard his Uncle Ace's words.

"Whatever it is that you are planning, I may not know anything about it but I do hope that it is worth what you did today." His mild and calming voice brought a smile to Wayne's exhausted face.

Giving his uncle a sideways glance followed by a quick nod, he strode in the direction of his bedroom.

'I knew that this man was very perceptive but he keeps surprising me every day.' He applauded Uncle Ace's intuitive and sharp senses as he walked away.

Sitting in the same spot, Ace sighed and picked up his phone to take a look at what the time was.

"One more hour before Pat gets back…" He groaned and placed the phone back on the table.

Patrick had missed the quarrel between the cousins today as he was still stuck at work.

'Those shareholders are getting too pesky lately!' He sneered when he recalled those old geezers from the Yang Group who loved to make things difficult for his Pat.