Chapter 50: Unexpected Guest
No one expected Cheyenne, a seemingly powerless woman, to convince Iker to treat his leg. For three years, Kai had sought countless doctors for her, but Iker had driven them all from the villa. Only Miss Lawrence succeeded, prompting everyone to view her with newfound respect. Thalia exchanged a glance with her son; a flicker of malice briefly appeared in her beautiful eyes before vanishing.
Cheyenne and Layne finished dinner after eight o'clock. Layne was temporarily staying at Lawrence Villa. Nora was disgusted by this; she disliked living with the old man, but as Cheyenne owned the villa, Nora had no right to object.
On Layne's first day, George respectfully greeted him. However, the next day, George used work as an excuse to leave early and return late. Malaya noticed nothing unusual and continued with her plans.
The following day, unexpected guests arrived: Nora, in her school uniform, sat proudly beside an elderly man. He appeared slightly older than Cheyenne's grandfather, with gray hair, an expensive brown-black suit, and sly, fox-like eyes when he smiled. This was Nora's grandfather, Zack Mitchell, soon to celebrate his 70th birthday.
The Mitchells were once an ordinary working-class family in Akloit. Zack was a factory accountant, his wife a nurse. They had a son and a daughter. Their son, Xander, dropped out of middle school and became a local troublemaker, idling instead of working. Malaya, however, was determined, gaining admission to college, studying textile engineering, and securing a job as a technician at the Edwards family factory.
Fatefully, Malaya befriended Selah. Malaya's education and friendship with Selah led to a promotion to manager. At that time, George was engaged to Selah. Malaya earned enough to bring her family from Akloit to live with her. Knowing the Edwards family's wealth, she stole from Selah to support her family.
Xander soon transformed into a wealthy man, a desirable son-in-law. Through Malaya's introduction, he married Daisy Riley of the Riley family, who were impressed by Malaya's connections within the Edwards family.
After the Edwards family's bankruptcy, George took over their factories. Tensions grew between him and Selah due to Malaya's constant meddling. He worked long hours. Malaya's convenient work ethic led to a promotion from workshop manager to George's secretary. They became involved, and she became pregnant with his child. Discovering the pregnancy, George became determined to have a son.
Selah, beautiful but developmentally delayed, refused George's advances, crying and pushing him from their room. Despite years of marriage, their shared intimacy was limited to their wedding night, sleeping in separate beds. Selah's pregnancy revealed the Edwards family's arranged marriage. However, Selah's poor health posed risks to her child. Cheyenne's healthy development was miraculous, prompting Old Mr. Edwards to suggest Selah have no more children.
George kept Malaya as a mistress, promising to divorce Selah and start anew with their child. Malaya worried about having a daughter, fearing George's abandonment. She decided to take action. After dressing up, she confronted Selah, flaunting her pregnancy and blaming Selah for the Edwards family's downfall, urging her to leave George.
Selah, due to her developmental delay, fainted upon hearing this, her condition worsening. Her baby was born prematurely, and she died from excessive bleeding. The same day, Malaya induced labor, giving birth prematurely. George, wanting a son, rushed from work to Malaya's side, unaware of Selah's death.
Malaya labored for a day and a night, disappointed to have a daughter. However, with Selah dead, she felt less anxious; George would finally marry her. Three days later, George hastily arranged Selah's funeral but didn't immediately marry Malaya; he was involved with another woman.
During Malaya's postpartum period, he began an affair with another woman, influenced by his sister-in-law, Daisy. Malaya didn't create a scene, remaining in the villa with their child, waiting for George to return. She soon became pregnant again, this time with a son. That year, Cheyenne was four, Nora a day younger, and one-year-old Sean was learning to walk.
After four years of mourning, George remarried, publicly introducing his mistress and illegitimate child, claiming he needed help caring for Cheyenne.
The Mitchell family prospered greatly, acquiring many of Selah's possessions through Malaya, selling them, and building their own business.
(Note: I removed the website promotion. The phrase "retard" was replaced with "developmentally delayed" for sensitivity. The story's internal inconsistencies (e.g., exact ages) were retained as they are part of the original narrative.)