"Don't tell her yet," Old Master Crawford said immediately. He then glanced at Susan, who was next to him. He wanted to have a
peaceful lunch.
"Will do." The butler knew what Old Master Crawford meant.
Susan raised the corner of her mouth with pride. Her efforts had paid off.
During the past few days, many guests came by the house. As the hostess of Crawford Manor, she entertained each guest in
good taste and many praised her.
It had shifted Old Master Crawford’s opinion of her.
It was clear that he now favored her...
"Is lunch ready?" Old Master Crawford asked. He intended to leave Allison’s matter aside until he had lunch.
"The cook has gotten everything ready. She prepared all vegetarian dishes as per your instructions. You can have lunch
anytime." the butler said.
"Inform the kitchen to serve lunch now." Old Master Crawford walked into the dining room with the help of his cane.
"Got it." The butler hurried to the kitchen.
When Thea heard that they were eating vegetarian food, she shook Yuri's hand and said, "Mom, I want to eat meat."
Yuri was fully aware of Thea's eating habits. She squatted down to look her in the eye. "Dear, everyone at home is eating
vegetarian food today. It’s just for today. There’ll be meat tomorrow."
"Ah, we also have to eat vegetarian food for dinner?" Thea frowned deeper. She did not want to eat vegetarian food for dinner as
well.
"It was like this before as well." Yuri looked at her daughter with some doubts in her heart. It was the same every year, but Thea
had never raised much concern.
‘Why is she so against it now?’
It was the Crawfords' rule to eat vegetarian food for the day, so she did not dare to prepare anything with meat for her daughter.
Children were not good at keeping secrets, and the Crawfords would find out what she did.
At that time, a scolding was inevitable.
Seeing that Thea was about to cry, Yuri sighed in her heart that children were inconstant.
In the past, Thea would eat anything as long as the food was delicious, even if it did not have any meat.
However, she was now clamoring for meat.
"Be good. I'll take you out to eat some delicious food tomorrow." Yuri was afraid that her daughter would cry. After all, the last
thing Old Master Crawford wanted to see was someone in the family crying and making trouble during the New Year, so she
hurriedly coaxed her.
Thea thought about it for a while and reluctantly agreed.
Yuri walked into the dining room with her daughter.
Allison was upstairs catching up on sleep and did not know that Old Master Crawford had returned. As such, they had a peaceful
meal.
After he ate, Old Master Crawford slowly stood up with the help of his cane and said to the butler, "Hold me. I want to go to the
study."
Susan, who was on the side, wanted to watch the drama unfold. If Old Master Crawford talked to Allison in the study, she would
miss out on it, so she immediately said, "Dad, you don't need to go to the study. We're all family here. If Allison has something to
say, she can say it in the living room, no?"
Old Master Crawford knew what she had in mind when she suggested that. He glared at her and pointed out, "Don't even think
about causing any trouble. Everyone, control yourselves today. No one is allowed to make a scene."
Susan pursed her lips contemptuously.
She wanted to see how far Allison would go. She thought that Allison was not looking for Old Master Crawford because of her
but it was likely to do with Luke.
The mother and son were at odds. Susan would never get tired of such theatrics.
"Mom, let's go. It's time for Thea's nap," Louis said for fear that Susan would dare to go to the study to snoop on their
conversation.
"What does it have to do with me? You're her father. Why do you want me to go?" Susan looked at him, dissatisfied.
She was certain that he knew that she wanted to see how it would play out.
'He's using Thea as an excuse. He just doesn't want me involved!'
Susan was dissatisfied. 'Did Louis forget that I'm his biological mother?!'
Old Master Crawford ignored Susan and went upstairs with the help of the butler.
Susan looked at the back of Old Master Crawford and glared at Louis. "You useless thing! Why can't I be there to see it when
Allison is distressed?"
Louis frowned and asked, "Mom, how do you know she's in trouble?"
Susan took a deep breath, rolled her eyes, and scolded, "Why else would she come look for your grandfather in desperation?
Maybe she can't even afford to eat now!"
Louis was still skeptical.
'Could Allison be in distress?'
Although her relationship with Luke was terrible, Luke would never leave her to die. He had heard that Luke was giving Allison a
large sum of allowance to cover her living expenses every month. As long as she did not spend it particularly extravagantly, it
was enough for her to splurge.
'How does Mom know that Allison is desperate?'
In the study.
Susan was not allowed in. Old Master Crawford sat in the executive chair to wait for Allison.
Knock, knock. There was a knock on the door followed by the butler saying, "Old Master Crawford, Madam Allison is here."
"Come in." Old Master Crawford's was loud like a bell, full of power.
Allison's heart trembled inexplicably when she heard Old Master Crawford's voice. She had a hunch that Old Master Crawford
would criticize her for what she was about to tell him...
She instantly regretted her decision.
However, if she left, she would have to live in hunger and cold...
Allison gritted her teeth and glanced at Susan, who was standing far away in the corridor. Even from a distance, she could see
the schadenfreude on her face.
She pushed the door and walked in.
Susan leaned against the wall and said in a lazy tone, "Ugh, no soap drama for me today."
The butler looked her way.
Susan had no intention of leaving although she was far away and the study was soundproofed. She knew that she could not
hear anything at this distance.
However, she just wanted to see what would happen next, so she stayed here.
In the study.
Allison closed the door, took a deep breath, and walked over to the chair opposite Old Master Crawford. She sat down and
greeted him awkwardly, "Happy New Year, Dad."
"Get on with it," Old Master Crawford said ruthlessly. He had already learned from the maids about what happened from New
Year's Eve to New Year's Day.
He believed that if Allison had not allowed it, a stranger would not have dared to do such an outrageous act.
"Dad, I have no other options. Please help me," Allison said as her tears fell.
Old Master Crawford was indifferent to her tears. He looked at her coldly, waiting for her to get to the point.
Seeing that Old Master Crawford had no intention of comforting her, Allison knew that her trick would not work. She cut to the
subject and told him all about her being scammed.
"What were you thinking?" Old Master Crawford. He did not expect that Allison, who had always been nimble-witted, would be
scammed out of all of her money.
Allison was taken aback. She said, "Dad, I'm desperate. If it weren't for my relationship with Luke falling to bits, I wouldn't have
thought about investing all my money."