It's Your Turn To Cry and Beg, Dear Uncle
Chapter 67: Pride and Arrogance (1)

Chapter 67: Pride and Arrogance (1)

After waiting for a full 15 minutes, Mia Parks’ phone finally rang, breaking the tension inside the bedroom. Gladys immediately jumped to her feet, staring at her cousin with hopeful eyes. However, Mia only looked at her cynically before answering the call and putting it on speaker.

"Good afternoon, Miss," greeted Mia’s personal secretary on the other end of the line respectfully.

Mia asked, "So?" Though her nerves churned, she fought to maintain her composure. Despite her heart pounding like a thousand warhorses, she managed to control herself and kept her expression as indifferent as possible.

"According to my investigation, Mr. Creighton and Mrs. Jane are currently in the capital. They’ve been there for a few weeks now."

Upon hearing the secretary’s response, Gladys felt as though she’d been struck by lightning. Her body sank back onto the bed, overwhelmed by dread. This was exactly what she had feared when Kyra proposed they meet at Wisteria Mansion.

It was why Gladys had asked her cousin to confirm if Creighton and Jane were in the capital. She just couldn’t shake the bad feeling welling up inside of her. From the beginning, she had suspected Kyra’s motives.

Kyra had been too quick to agree to the meeting and had even invited them to Wisteria Mansion, despite knowing their true intentions. Meanwhile, they had been equally cunning, deliberately timing their visit when James would likely be at the office in order to catch Kyra while she was alone at home.

Mia felt a headache coming on as well. She massaged her temples while thanking her secretary, "Good job. Thank you."

"You’re welcome, Miss. If there’s anything else I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to contact me."

Mia ended the call and glanced at Gladys, who was once again pale, her face marked by worry and fear as she stared blankly ahead. However, Mia felt no sympathy for her cousin. Instead, she mocked Gladys silently, disgusted by her weakness.

"What an utter fool!"

Mia thought bitterly, throwing a look of disdain at her cousin. Even now, all Gladys could do was whine.

But moments later, Gladys suddenly stood and walked toward Mia, her face desperate, eyes filled with tears. She grabbed Mia’s shoulders and pleaded, "What should we do now? Please, help me, Sis!"

Just as Mia furrowed her brows, ready to respond, Gladys seemed to remember the connection between the Parks and the Synders. In an instant, her expression shifted, filled with renewed hope as she looked at Mia.

Mia, feeling the intensity of Gladys’ gaze, shivered instinctively. Her gut told her something bad was coming, and her instinct was proven right with Gladys’ next words.

"Sis, don’t you know Mr. Creighton and Mrs. Jane quite well?" Gladys asked, her eyes sparkling. "In that case, wouldn’t it be fine for us to go meet Kyra at the mansion? You can divert their attention while I talk to Kyra. As long as she’s alone, I’m sure I can corner her and make her comply!"

Mia Parks pursed her lips. She was incredibly tense now. Deep down, she wanted nothing to do with this matter, especially now that it was confirmed Creighton and Jane were in the capital. What kind of lunatic would willingly walk into a lion’s den?!

One wrong move, and she who was initially just collateral damage in this mess could suddenly fall into the same pit as Gladys. The risk was heavy since she would be representing her family name if she came face to face with Creighton.

However, Gladys seemed oblivious to Mia’s worries. She continued to push her, "You’ll help me, right, Sis? This isn’t just my family’s issue anymore, because if we’re not careful, it could affect the entire extended family."

Mia’s eyes widened as she heard her cousin’s words. How could she not understand the meaning behind them? She wasn’t deaf either to miss the threatening tone in Gladys’ voice.

Seeing Gladys’ seemingly innocent expression, Mia shuddered in horror. She could now clearly see just how cunning and two-faced her cousin was.

But Mia wasn’t weak, either. Her gaze sharpened as she confronted her, "Do you realize what you just said, Gladys?"

Gladys maintained her innocent demeanor. "What do you mean, Sis? I’m simply asking for your help, purely for the sake of our family."

Mia pressed her lips tightly together, seething with anger at her cousin’s behavior. The audacity to act innocent while issuing a veiled threat!

Mia scoffed. Don’t think she was afraid to call out Gladys’ actions. She had no qualms about playing the bad guy here.

"You’re threatening me."

Gladys’ face turned somber. "Oh, come on, Sis. I’m not threatening you! How could I ever do that to my own cousin? I know my place here. I’m just asking for your help because we’re in this mess together now."

Mia’s irritation surged to its peak. She couldn’t believe her cousin’s nerve. How could she claim she wasn’t threatening her with that shameless face while outright implying that if Mia didn’t help, the issue could escalate to involve the whole family including Mia’s? If that wasn’t a threat, then what was? How could the extended family be dragged into this unless Gladys herself stirred things up?

This entire mess was Gladys’s doing, completely unrelated to Mia.

Mia’s expression darkened, and her eyes locked on Gladys with a sharp glare. "Gladys Swan," she said, her voice heavy with emphasis and intimidation. "You still won’t admit it. Fine, I’ll help you because, as you said, we’re family. But remember what you did today. Once this is all over, we’re done. I will no longer consider you a sister!"

Mia slapped Gladys’ hands from her shoulders with visible disgust. She felt utterly repulsed by the snake-like woman standing before her. Though Mia wasn’t a saint, she would never stab her own family in the back like this.

Gladys, whose hand had been shrugged off, briefly showed a flicker of annoyance on her face, but it lasted only a split second before she returned to her pitiful, innocent expression.

"Say whatever you want, Sis! I’ve already told you I’m not threatening you, but you’re just being stubborn. Whatever, let’s go!" Gladys shot back before turning on her heel and opening the door to leave. Mia scoffed and followed her.

However, out of Mia’s sight, Gladys’ expression darkened menacingly, as if she wouldn’t hesitate to use Mia as a scapegoat if the situation became unfavorable for her. For now, all that mattered was saving herself.

Internally, Gladys cursed Kyra a thousand times along with Mia Parks. She seethed with the urge to tear into Mia, whose condescending gaze never failed to enrage her. In Gladys’ mind, if they were judged by merit, she was confident she was equal to or even superior to her cousin.

The only reason Mia could act so high and mighty was because she was born into a far wealthier family—more precisely, the main family. If it were her... Gladys’ eyes glinted darkly. She believed she would outshine Mia at every turn.

***

After their argument, the cousins made their excuses to Gladys’ parents, claiming they were going out for a casual outing. Gladys’ parents, delighted by how close the two seemed, readily gave their permission. Afterward, the two stopped at a café before hailing a taxi to Wisteria Mansion.

As they arrived at the gates, Gladys couldn’t help but gape at the mansion’s grandeur. It felt more like an entire private estate than a single residence. Unlike Mia, Gladys had never visited the famed Wisteria Mansion before. She had only heard whispers of its magnificence from the elite circles of the capital. Now, standing before it, she was captivated by the sheer opulence and beauty of the Synders’ main residence.

Once granted entry, the taxi carrying Gladys and Mia drove through the main gate. Gladys’s awe deepened with every turn, her eyes widening as the estate’s splendor unfolded before her. In contrast, Mia maintained a composed exterior—this wasn’t her first visit, having been here before with her family.

Even so, her heart raced, and her thoughts spiraled. The sight of the mansion rekindled her ambitions. Her desire to surpass her older sister and claim James, her sister’s ex, burned brighter than ever. In Mia’s mind, she was far more deserving of James than her sister had ever been.

"Good afternoon, Miss Swan and Miss Parks. Welcome to the Synders’ Wisteria Mansion. Miss Kyra has informed us of your visit," greeted Roman, the head butler. Despite the rumors he had heard, his expression betrayed nothing of his feelings toward the two young women before him.

"Ah... yes, thank you. Good afternoon—"

Before Gladys could finish her sentence, Mia Parks confidently interrupted. "Good afternoon, Head Butler Roman. I’m not sure if you remember me, but it’s a pleasure to see you again!"

She spoke as if she were a close relative of the Synders family who often visited. In truth, her past visits were entirely due to her older sister’s close relationship with young master James. Without that connection, Mia would never have had the chance to step foot in Wisteria Mansion.

However, Roman, being ever the professional, didn’t openly refute Mia’s claim. Instead, with his usual polite smile, he replied, "My apologies, Miss. I don’t seem to recall, perhaps due to my advancing age."

Mia’s smile faltered slightly at his response. Witnessing the situation, Gladys quickly turned her head to hide a smirk, silently reveling in Mia’s embarrassment. Internally, she mocked her cousin’s pretentiousness.

Meanwhile, Mia silently cursed Roman. She knew perfectly well that his reference to "old age" was a subtle way of dismissing any connection between her and the Synders family. She also knew how competent Roman was. There was no way he would still hold the position of head butler if his memory was failing him.

But Mia had no choice but to relent. "Ah, I see. It has indeed been a long time since I last saw James and visited the mansion."

Roman made no further comment and simply gestured for them to enter. "Please, follow me inside. Miss Kyra is already waiting for you."

Gladys and Mia followed Roman into the mansion. As soon as Gladys stepped inside, she was struck by the overwhelming luxury of the interior and the intimidating opulence of the furnishings. Mia, however, was unfazed. Her focus was solely on finding Creighton and Jane, who were nowhere to be seen.

"Hmm... it’s awfully quiet. Are Mr. Creighton and Mrs. Jane not home?" Mia asked, feigning ignorance, as the last time she visited, the couple hadn’t moved to another residence yet.

"The master and mistress are home, but they are taking their afternoon nap at this hour," Roman explained.

Upon hearing this, both Mia and Gladys beamed with relief. They eagerly followed Roman as he led them to the glasshouse in the back garden, where Kyra was waiting. The young woman was seated at a table, sipping tea and nibbling on light snacks.

As soon as Kyra noticed their presence, a cold smile spread on her face.

Then, without any pleasantries or even inviting them to sit, Kyra directly asked, "Well? What is it that you want to say?"