Trapped with a Lawyer

Melody was not pleased with Paul but she did not show her feelings on her face. After all, he was her relative. However, when she saw Emma by his side, she couldn't maintain her smile. "Paul, how could you..." Before she could condemn him, Paul pushed Emma forward. It was obvious the young woman was embarrassed. She handed out the gift to Melody. "Melody, Happy Birthday!" Emma knew that Melody disliked her, so she didn't try to feign enthusiasm.

She was right about Melody. In fact, Melody did not want the gift at first. However, on this wonderful day, it wasn't a good idea to disappoint people, so she accepted it.

"Thank you. That is very kind of you. Paul, I want to remind you that although Samuel and Ella have divorced, to me, Ella is still and will always be my granddaughter-in-law!" Melody's statement provoked intense discussion among the people. 'Was Ella so perfect that even her divorce to Samuel could not change Melody's mind?' they wondered.

Paul smiled, without any embarrassment or disgrace, "Yes, grandma. If you want her to be your granddaughter-in-law, then she is. We are satisfied as long as you are happy!" To Paul, Emma was now his girlfriend, so he didn't care about Samuel or Ella at all.

Suddenly, Melody's former colleague yelled,"Hey, isn't that Samuel?"

Everybody turned. Right there in front of the door was Samuel, with Jerry in his arms and Catherine in a purplish dress, standing next to him.

Samuel had taken Jerry to Eason's Youmi Studio and had had the boy's hair styled and his clothes fitted. The little boy was in a black suit and a white shirt with a black tie. A handsome little gentleman indeed! The well-behaved boy was carried into the room in his father's arms.

Meanwhile, Emma stared at Catherine beside Samuel. Their unexpected engagement had startled her.

Her little sister seemed to be in love with Samuel. But when did this happen? How had she failed to notice it?

Was her sister innocent or was she a hypocrite?

Catherine, noticing Emma, turned her head and looked at her. In her eyes, there was implied complacency.

While the two sisters were making eye contact, Jerry jumped down from Samuel's arms and rushed towards the crowd. He was looking for Melody.

He stopped in front of Melody and cheerfully said, "Happy Birthday, great grandma!" taking a piece of folded paper out of his pocket, opening it and handing it over to her.

It was a family picture drawn by him and Jane, in which seven members of their family were playing outside on the lawn.

The picture wasn't perfect as the figures in it were unrecognizable. Melody understood what the two children wanted to express.

Jerry whispered in Melody's ear, "Great grandma, my little sister and I drew this. It is a gift from us."

Melody folded the picture delightedly and put it into her pocket. Then she held Jerry and laughed, "My dear grandson, it is perfect. I like it very much!"

"He is such a handsome boy, just like his father!"

"That's right. He is smart as well. He will become a great person in the future."

The crowd praised Jerry.

At the moment, Catherine walked forward. She delivered her gift gracefully and congratulated Melody, "Happy Birthday, grandma! I wish you only good health!"

Before Melody accepted the gift, the crowd burst into compliments, "That's Samuel's fiancee. What a beautiful lady!"

"You are right. She is elegant and graceful, so lovely and charming! How I wish I could marry someone as pretty and smart as her!"

"Having a successful grandson, a cute great grandson and a lovely future granddaughter-in-law, Mrs. Han must be very happy!"

"Yes. I wish I could be her!"

Yet those flattering words failed to delight Melody, who received Catherine's gift and replied politely without any sign of pleasure, "Thank you. Take a seat." Melody handed the gift to Mrs. Qi and turned her head away.

"Okay, grandma," Catherine answered. People's praise and Melody's reply pleased her enormously.

Catherine had always believed that she could win Melody's affection and now she thought she had finally done it. Satisfied with her success, she walked towards a nearby seat arm in arm with Samuel, who was smiling.

Samuel, unlike Catherine, never needed to advertise himself. Everybody would compliment him highly.

After Samuel and Catherine sat down, the children including Jerry and two more, started playing games and adults continued with their conversation.

A few minutes later, Melody was upset, wondering why Ella hadn't yet arrived to the party as she had promised. Maybe she had changed her mind and decided not to come.

She scanned the room and noticed that Paul and Emma were sitting and chatting in the rear of the room. Paul looked happy. On the contrary, Emma was impassive.

Melody was relieved that Samuel had not married Emma.

But still, she could not understand why Emma and Paul became lovers.

Then Melody looked at Samuel and Catherine. The two were just the opposite. Although Samuel sat there with a long face, Catherine looked infatuated. She chatted with him with a beautiful smile. Melody knew that Catherine was obsessed with Samuel, but she still disliked the woman.

Finally, the door opened. A woman wearing a pair of sunglasses rushed into the room. Melody burst out laughing. Ella had finally arrived.

Ella wore a V-necked scarlet detachable crepe jumpsuit, a pair of black high heels and sunglasses, with a black Chanel handbag draped on her arm.

She had a sexy hair up-do, immaculate makeup and the newest Chanel red lipstick.

She was not just fashionable, but looked elegant and enchanting.

When Ella removed her sunglasses, her delicate face made everyone in the room breathless with envy.

Today, she looked amazing.

She did not look as sexy and beautiful as she usually did on screen, but her appearance was at par with her usual dress sense.

Among all the people at the party, Melody and Jerry were the happiest to see Ella.

So, when Ella arrived, she was immediately sandwiched between the two.

"Grandma Melody, Happy Birthday! Sorry, I was stuck in a traffic jam, so I'm late," apologized Ella. Ella gave Melody an apologetic hug and her present.

"It's fine. I'm glad that you came. Let us see what you have for me!" said Melody. In fact, no matter what it was, Melody would have been delighted as long as it was from Ella!

Melody unpacked the present immediately. This displeased some people since her action indicated her bias in favor of Ella!

The gift was a brocade box with an inscription 'Dear grandma, I wish you a long and happy life. - Yours sincerely, E.'

Melody knew that every letter on the box had been carved by Ella. She knew her handwriting so well.

Melody looked at the inscription and started laughing even before she opened the box.

Inside the box lay a necklace with a red woven string and a Maitreya figurine made of Hetian jade. It was an expensive piece of jade according to its appearance.

The carving skills on the Maitreya figurine were less satisfactory, Melody thought.

Ella cuddled her son and was embarrassed after Melody saw the figurine,"Sorry, grandma. I carved it, but... I'm obviously not an excellent carver. I hope you still like it!"☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐