novellhall Chapter 561 - 533: First Update
Chapter 561 - 533: First Update
After a few days, Sienna Thornton met up with Quentin Thorne at The Imperial Court Club.In a retro-styled, luxurious private room, the Versailles crystal chandelier cast a warm glow, making Quentin Thorne, who was sitting alone by the round table, look a bit better.
Before pushing the door open, Sienna Thornton put on a smile: "Dad, sorry, there was a bit of traffic."
"No worries, I just got here too." Quentin Thorne smiled, inviting her to sit, "Come sit, I haven’t seen you for ages."
Since Ian Grant passed away, Quentin Thorne frequently called her and Melinda Linton, but he hadn’t visited Melinda even once. Thus, today was the first time Sienna Thornton saw Quentin Thorne after more than a month since Ian’s funeral.
After some time apart, compared to the funeral period, Quentin Thorne looked much better, even gained some weight, although his brows still carried a faint hint of worry.
Sienna Thornton suppressed the concern in her eyes, and upon sitting down, she feigned relaxation: "How have you been lately, doing well?"
Quentin Thorne chuckled: "Pretty good, I cook at home, clean the house, and do laundry, so my days are quite fulfilling."
"How about getting you a maid?"
Quentin Thorne quickly waved his hand: "No, no, I’m not used to strangers walking around at home."
"Not a live-in one, just someone who would leave after tidying up in the evening."
During her stay at the Thorne Family residence, Sienna Thornton noticed Quentin Thorne was a man accustomed to being served in every aspect of life; though Ian Grant was moody and fiery, he took care of Quentin Thorne meticulously, understanding his needs with no complaint.
Thus, Sienna Thornton could envision how challenging it must be for Quentin Thorne, who’ve been served for most of his life, to perform such trivial tasks alone.
To avoid remarks about double standards, for getting a personal maid for her lone mother but not a helper for her widowed father, Sienna naturally suggested hiring a helper for him.
But Quentin Thorne did not agree, saying Mina Thorne is getting married soon, and they could consider it once she is married.
He brought up Mina Thorne’s marriage, so Sienna Thornton followed the topic and mentioned the main purpose of today’s meeting.
Upon hearing Ian Grant’s wish to formally split assets before Mina’s wedding, Quentin Thorne was not surprised at all.
Sienna Thornton was somewhat taken aback.
Quentin Thorne shook his head helplessly: "I’ve lived with Ian Grant for thirty years, it’s no surprise she’d make such a decision."
"What do you plan to do?..." Sienna Thornton naturally refers to where Quentin Thorne intends to settle after selling the villa.
"I’ll sell the villa and move to your grandmother’s place."
Upon hearing this, Sienna Thornton thought, if Quentin Thorne sells the old villa, he would have enough money to give Mina Thorne a decent dowry, and still have plenty left to buy a small two-bedroom place, yet he chooses to move to Braden University’s old campus far from his workplace.
Quentin Thorne noticed her skepticism and explained: "When you got married, I gifted you a two-bedroom apartment and shares in Prosper Law, so I plan to give all the villa proceeds as dowry to Mina, it looks better this way."
Sienna Thornton understood and didn’t ask further, she just said: "Alright, I’ll talk to Lawyer Caldwell."
She rang the bell to have someone come in and order food.
Before the waiter entered, she and Quentin Thorne chatted about Mina Thorne and Seth Sutton’s upcoming wedding.
Quentin Thorne said, although aware that Seth Sutton is unreliable, he fears that forcibly stopping the marriage might upset Mina, especially now that her mother is gone, leaving her with only her lover for comfort. Once married, if things don’t work out, they can divorce; after all, these days, divorce is not a big deal.
Sienna Thornton listened to him and laughed: "Then, when I was marrying Cyrus, you were quite dissatisfied, right? So did you view our union with the same mindset?"
Quentin Thorne smiled without speaking.
As they ate and chatted, Quentin Thorne revealed, once Mina gets married and moves out, he plans to take a personal trip, to which Sienna Thornton agreed wholeheartedly, promising to cover all travel expenses.
...
After that, Sienna Thornton was busy at the Treaty and Law Department while keeping tabs on the progress of the asset division between Quentin Thorne and Ian Grant.
By the end of August, less than two weeks before Mina Thorne and Seth Sutton’s wedding, Lawyer Caldwell met with Sienna Thornton saying Mina disagreed with selling the Thorne Family villa; she was willing to accept over ten patent rights from Old Mrs. Thorne and the cash Quentin Thorne offered but didn’t want proceeds from selling the family villa. Thus, Quentin Thorne transferred the retirement money he had saved intended for his future into Mina’s name and changed the villa’s ownership to Mina.
Realizing Quentin Thorne may be short on cash, Sienna Thornton quickly transferred him one million, noting it as a travel fund.
In early September, the Sutton Family came to present the betrothal gifts to the Thorne Family, with Sienna Thornton and Simon Forrester attending as well.
The Sutton Family, all holding public positions, offered the newlyweds a house where they can live independently after marriage, along with just two sets of complete metalwork.
The Sutton Family’s understated gifts led Quentin Thorne to instruct Lawyer Caldwell not to publicize the patent rights matter, leaving only the parents and the couple aware.
As the elder sister, Sienna Thornton gifted Mina Thorne a valuable diamond necklace and Seth Sutton a seven-figure priced watch in the name of her and Simon’s couple.
The small gifts were wrapped in gift bags, discreetly placed among the Thorne Family’s dowry and the groom’s betrothal gifts.
A week later, on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Mina Thorne married Seth Sutton.
On the wedding day, Sienna Thornton, her husband, Quentin Thorne, and The Grant Family escorted Mina Thorne out, just like when Sienna got married, Mina cried like a flower in the rain while Quentin Thorne followed the wedding car until it vanished from sight, his eyes reddened, he turned back with a desolate stride.
Watching from behind, Sienna Thornton went up to him, holding his arm, comforted: "It’s alright, she’ll be back tomorrow. Tonight, Cyrus and I will stay here with you."
Quentin Thorne pressed his eyelids with his fingertips, choked: "I’m so glad to have daughters, but sending both of you off in marriage truly pains me."
Sienna Thornton laughed heartily, glancing at Simon Forrester beside her: "Did you hear that? Still dreaming of having daughters?"
Simon Forrester chuckled indifferently: "What’s wrong with having daughters? Others marry wives, I’ll marry sons-in-law."
Sienna Thornton was about to retort him, when suddenly Quentin Thorne said gloomily: "Sons-in-law must be appealing to the eye. Otherwise, if like me, unappealing sons-in-law come over, won’t that become self-inflicted agony?"
Sienna Thornton burst out laughing.
Simon Forrester glanced at Quentin Thorne with discontent, wishing to drag his wife back home immediately, letting this sharp-tongued widower lament alone at night.
That night, Sienna Thornton and Simon Forrester stayed in her old room.
Despite Quentin Thorne’s claim of disliking sons-in-law, he pulled Simon Forrester into deep conversations over tea and chess till late night; if not for Sienna Thornton coming downstairs to remind them not to overstay, they’d probably continue in the living room till midnight.