Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph
Chapter 74 She Is Not a Simple Woman

That night, when I bailed with my bags under Victor's glare, I never thought I'd be back here as his unrecognized daughter-in-law. Man, I was more jittery than the first time I met him. Victor's trash talk and that snooty look of his kept playing on repeat in my head. Coming back now, he's probably thinking I've got some sneaky agenda.

Right now, I must really be head over heels for Ethan. If it wasn't for love, no way I'd have the guts to step into Victor's crib again.

My brain was still a mess when the car stopped. Snapping back to reality, I saw we were already in the yard.

Getting out of the car, I was so nervous I didn't know what to do with my hands. Suddenly, it hit me I should've brought some gifts to hold, which would've made me feel less awkward. There was a shiny new car parked in the yard with no plates yet. It must be Victor's latest ride. I don't know much about cars, but it looked pretty sweet to me.

I never knew what Victor did for a living. Figured he must've been pretty successful back in the day, enough to act all high and mighty and look down on us regular folks.

Ethan's stepmom, Linda Windsor, came out of the house. Compared to last time, her smile was a bit wider. But I always felt like her smile never reached her eyes.

Ethan must've sensed my nerves and kept holding my hand as we walked in. The warmth from his hand wasn't just heat; it was like a comforting strength. Walking into the living room, I quickly spotted Victor lounging on the sofa.

Today, Victor was rocking a light gray knit sweater, and the soft fabric made him look a bit less intimidating. Another reason he didn't look as harsh was that he had a smile on his face.

He was chatting with a young woman sitting across from him. They were laughing and seemed to be having a blast.

Probably hearing our footsteps, they stopped talking and looked over at us at the same time.

I didn't dare to look at Victor's face, feeling super uncomfortable. Luckily, Victor wasn't as icy as he was that day at the villa. He just said casually, "You're back, have a seat."

I nervously plopped down next to Ethan and instinctively started checking out the young woman sitting not far from us.

She looked younger than me, with this spark in her eyes and a smile that screamed youth-something I, a woman who'd ditched a failed marriage, could never get back.

She wasn't drop-dead gorgeous, but her features were super pleasant. She had on a loose black linen T-shirt and beige capri pants. Her legs were crossed all elegant-like, and the part of her calf that showed looked especially long. I squinted, thinking she seemed familiar, but no matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn't place her.

"Ethan Windsor?" She looked at Ethan straight up.

"Lacey." Linda, standing off to the side, shot Lacey Thomas a disapproving look. "How can you be so rude to address him like that?"

Lacey just smiled, showing off her perfect white teeth. "Mom, you don't get how we young folks roll. We don't have all those stuffy rules!"

'She calls Linda Mom? So, she's Linda's daughter?' It suddenly clicked why she looked familiar; she did have a bit of Linda in her.

Victor, hearing this, laughed heartily. "Lacey's right. No need to stress. Let the young folks do their thing."

Lacey grinned and pulled a fancy-wrapped box from her bag, handing it to Victor. "Uncle Victor, happy birthday. This is from me. It's not much, but it's the thought that counts. Hope you like it."

That "Uncle Victor" made it clear Lacey was Linda's daughter from another relationship. Such a weird family setup, yet they seemed to get along fine. Pretty rare.

Right now, the most awkward person was me. Today was Victor's birthday, but Ethan hadn't told me, so I came empty-handed.

I glanced at Ethan, who was chilling on the sofa, smoking and barely talking. From his face, it was obvious he knew today was Victor's birthday.

Sensing my stare, Ethan looked over at me. Reading my mind, he quietly held my hand, trying to comfort me.

Victor already viewed me unfavorably, and showing up with nothing on his birthday would just make it worse. I could feel my face burning, and I knew without a mirror it must be bright red. "Sorry I'm late."

Just when I was about to lose it, a familiar voice came from the doorway.

I looked up and saw Jason walking in.

Jason first greeted Victor and handed him a small gift. "Uncle Victor, happy birthday!"

In my awkwardness, Jason sat down and slid another gift box towards me, giving me a look. "Emily, the gift you asked me to bring I could've been here earlier, but traffic was a nightmare. Sorry about that." I stared at the beautifully wrapped box on the table, clueless about what was inside but totally getting Jason's drift. I shot him a grateful look.

I stood up, picked up the gift, but words just wouldn't come out.

Victor had once said he wouldn't acknowledge a daughter-in-law without his approval.

That comment had left a deep scar, making me too scared to call Victor "Dad," but calling him "Uncle Victor" felt even more disrespectful.

I hesitated for what felt like forever, and the room went dead silent. I took a deep breath and finally managed, "Happy birthday!"

Victor gave me a quick glance, took the gift, and set it aside without making a fuss. His tone was surprisingly gentle as he said, "Thank you." I tried to calm my nerves and sat back down.

Victor started asking Jason about his life abroad, showing a caring side like an elder.

Lacey, sitting nearby, seemed super interested in Jason's stories, chiming in now and then. From what she said, she seemed pretty clued-in.

Ethan would throw in a comment here and there, but mostly he just smoked quietly.

In the whole living room, I was probably the only one feeling out of place. Thankfully, Ethan's hand never let go of mine.

After a bit, Victor suddenly said to Ethan, "Ethan, Lacey graduated with a bachelor's in management from a top university. She's a rare talent. Think there's a spot for her in your company?" Victor and Linda clearly wanted Lacey to work at Skyline International Corporation.

Before Ethan could answer, Lacey jumped in, "I don't want to get a job through connections. Mom, Uncle Victor, I'll apply to Skyline International Corporation on my own merits." Lacey shot a confident glance at Ethan and then, almost casually, at me.

I suddenly realized Victor and Linda's intentions might not be as simple as just wanting Ethan to give Lacey a job.

Lacey's whole vibe also made me realize she wasn't just any woman; she was way more sophisticated.

Soon, it was time to eat, and we all moved to the dining table.

Linda's cooking was top-notch, but I felt so stressed I couldn't eat. Ethan must've noticed 'cause he kept piling food on my plate.

I wanted to tell him to stop; I really didn't want to be the center of attention.

Lacey, sitting across from me, was watching me like I was the most interesting thing in the room.

Compared to Lacey's cool composure, my nervousness felt even more ridiculous. I wanted to say I was full, but that didn't seem polite.

Thankfully, Linda suddenly spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention. She looked at a dish on the table and sighed, "Richard loves this dish the most."

Victor's face grew more serious as he slowly chewed his food. "Richard's birthday is coming up too. Make some for him and send it over then."

I had never asked why Richard was in prison.

Mentioning Richard made everyone at the table seem to be in silent mourning, except for Lacey, who was indifferent. "Mom, you spoiled him. He needs to suffer a bit to learn his lesson." Linda shot her a glare. I immediately looked at Victor, who had always doted on Richard. His expression didn't change much, as if he agreed that Lacey had a point.

When I snapped back to reality, Victor's fork had moved to Ethan's plate with a piece of fish.

"I remember you like fish," Victor said lightly as he pulled back his fork.

Although Ethan didn't say anything, I could see he was slightly moved.

After dinner, Victor took out a set of car keys and handed them to Lacey, smiling. "Did you see the car in the yard? That's my gift to you."

I thought Lacey would decline, but she took the keys naturally. "Thank you, Uncle Victor."

Victor smiled and said, "Why don't you go for a test drive? I heard you just got your license recently. Ethan, go with Lacey and guide her a bit."

Ethan stood up, glanced at me, and said lightly, "Okay."

Lacey happily tossed the car keys and, as she was leaving, looked at Jason and asked with a smile, "Want to join?"

Jason looked at me, and I immediately said, "You guys go ahead. I'll help with the dishes."

The three of them went out together, and I helped take the dishes to the kitchen.

Linda, seeing that I was preparing to wash them, just left without a word. Her attitude was completely different from when Ethan was around. She didn't even bother to give me a glance, let alone a smile. I turned on the water and started washing the dishes. Halfway through, I turned around and nearly jumped out of my skin. Victor was standing at the doorway, looking at me with a very stern expression.