"Look!" the butler pointed, "I can even show you the prints of his shoes."
Noah's face immediately changed. He raised his brows and looked at his mother in a split second. Their plan was gradually going sour. This revelation could expose them.
"Let's be careful," Lily tried to block the way as grandfather made to enter into the garden. "The garden may be harboring some wild insects, snakes and dangerous reptiles. We don't want to have an hospital case here do we?"
Something didn't sit right with the way Lily was behaving. Bianca could now see through the lines. Lily was trying to hide something. She knew how cranky Lily could get when she had done something mischievous. Somehow, Bianca suspected, Lily had had a hand in this.
"Lily, don't you stand in my way!" grandfather reprimanded. He wasn't in for her shenanigans this time. He made to push her through if she had not shifted aside. He went into the garden with the others following behind. The butler stuck close.
"There!" the butler exclaimed. "There's the prints from the boots." The prints were fresh and was definitely from a masculine shoe. Ariana was exonerated yet again. She sighed a big relief as grandfather gave her one good look before passing on. As if to say, "you got lucky this time, but maybe not so much the next time."
Noah had disappeared. Only Lily stood there looking like some bald vulture who had been hungry for many weeks and then the only food he could get the hope of having, was stolen away due to his own foolishness.
"I need you to get the security guards," grandfather was now addressing the butler, "let them find out who came into the garden and mutilated these sunflowers. Take the sample of the prints and make sure you catch this criminal."
Grandfather had gone halfway into the house when he turned back to the butler, "contact the florist to get us the same species."
"But Mr. Lawson, the lady said these things are very rare the last time. They are imported all the way from Asia and..."
"I don't care if you'll get the sunflower from the sun itself, just get me a freaking sunflower!" Grandfather walked into the house leaving the dumbfounded butler, helpless. Nevertheless, the butler followed, so as to clarify things with his boss.
Ariana stood there, not desiring to go back into the house again. Even Bianca felt ashamed to bring up any conversation. Lily, well, was just Lily.
"Sorry I misjudged you wrongly today," Bianca spoke up. Even though she had said nothing, she was guilty of suspecting her. Bianca moved over to Ariana and hugged her.
Lily couldn't stand the both of them. She walked out in irritation. Her planned had gone sour and there was no way of saving her face this time. Last time, she still used the chance to make Ariana feel like the filt she was but this time, she was stuck.
She walked faster as soon as she saw no one was staring at her and went to Noah's room. "You fool!" She cursed the moment she was certain the door was closed.
Noah was pacing around with beads of sweat forming all over his forehead. If their grandfather went through with his plans, he was going to end up in jail. "Mother, please save me!" He cried out to his mother ignoring her insults.
"Why didn't you check your surroundings to make sure there was nothing around when you were walking into the garden? How couldyou have made a mistake like this? Noah I thought you were smarter than this!" She hissed.
Noah wasn't even bothered about his mother. This was not the first time she was giving him a earful. What mattered was what grandfather would do to him if that silly butler went ahead to call experts.
"Mother, aren't you listening to me? We need to stop the experts from coming over. Or I will be ruined!" Noah cried out.
"You should have thought of that before acting carelessly!" Lily spat but then her anger subsided and she saw the truth in his words. She had to do something. If Noah got exposed and Mr. Lawson Senior punished him, no one would listen to her anymore. She would fall even lower on the Lawsons family tree.
"Fine, I will do something!" She growled walking out of the room.
Getting the butler to change his mind would be hard but she could definitely convince the officials.
She walked towards Mr. Lawson's study, hoping to hear something but luck wasn't on her side. She had missed the damned butler. The man took his job too seriously! How was she going to intercede the agents if she didn't even know which way the man went.
She was about the taking the turning that led to the maids quarter when she saw Bianca and Ariana still conversing. For a second her eyes flashed red as she glared at them from a distance. What could they possibly be talking about? Were they also waiting for the agents? Besides, she hated the relationship slowly forming between Ariana and Bianca. She had to stop it. She couldn't let that relationship grow.
Lily walked on her tiptoes till she got really close to were the duo were having a simple conversation.
"You should go rest Ariana. You must be so tired with all the drama," Bianca was saying to her with so much sweetness, her daughter would be jealous.
Ariana smiled politely at her, "yes aunt. I will do that," she said.
Lily was about to turn around thinking their conversation was over when Bianca called out to Ariana.
"The last breakfast you made was really nice. Father enjoyed it a lot, you should make another tomorrow. I will be in the kitchen to help out," Bianca said and Ariana being the respectful girl she was, accepted wholeheartedly.
Lily grinned as well. She would have to sabotage that meal. Ariana couldn't continue growing on everybody, she had to be stopped.