"If we’re going, we need to leave soon. That way we’ll arrive by noon, sit for a while, have lunch, and co back in the afternoon, reaching Brimfield by eight or nine at night."
Quentin Thorne finished speaking and, seeing that Sienna Thornton had no reaction, called her, "Annie? Are you listening?"
Sienna Thornton snapped back to reality and nodded, "What are your thoughts?"
She knew that linda Linton was kicked out by her family because she was pregnant with her, cutting off ties. She felt that Quentin Thorne must also resent the Linton Family. He was only consulting her not because he truly wanted to go, but because she was about to get married, and he wondered whether this happy event should be communicated to her mother’s family, so as not to leave regrets.
But in reality, she had no impression of the Linton Family. Although there was a blood tie, she had never t them, lacking understanding and interaction, and thus felt no ntal connection. So it didn’t matter if she went or not.
Quentin Thorne said in a very indifferent tone, "It doesn’t hurt to go, after all, they are your grandparents."
Hearing him only ntion the old folks, Sienna Thornton rembered that when she was young, linda Linton had ntioned she had three uncles, so she asked again, "Do you know about my mother’s family situation?"
She thought Quentin Thorne would definitely know, since he had sought out linda Linton years ago. As she asked, she thought, even if the Linton Family was not great, they were probably just country folks, farming or doing small businesses, living a peaceful life in the countryside.
But when she heard Quentin Thorne said that her two uncles died in a landslide, one was unjustly imprisoned, and the grandparents were in poor health yet had to run around for their youngest son in prison, she was stunned.
She could never have imagined such a tragic family.
She shook her head in disbelief and asked Quentin Thorne, "Did you personally verify this?"
Quentin Thorne spoke heavily, "Yes. I personally verified the death certificates of the Linton Family’s eldest and second sons, and also looked at the youngest son’s case file."
Having received a confird answer, Sienna Thornton closed her eyes in pain. She shook her head helplessly, saying, "Don’t let my mom know, she won’t be able to take it!"
Quentin Thorne nodded, "Then let’s not let your mother know. We can go ourselves to deliver so money and gift boxes to your grandparents."
At this mont, Sienna Thornton could imagine how painful it would be for linda Linton to know her family had beco like this.
Unlike Quentin Thorne, who harbored resentnt towards the Linton Family, she felt nothing at first, but upon learning how tragic her mother’s siblings and parents had beco, she only felt sadness, with no other emotions.
She said, "If possible, I want to help my mom’s brother, the one unjustly imprisoned..."
"Annie!" Quentin Thorne interrupted her, his previously calm face suddenly showing so irritation.
He struggled to suppress his emotions for a mont, as if making a big ntal adjustnt, "If that’s what you want, then Dad will handle this! You don’t need to get involved or worry about it!"
Sienna Thornton is currently being utilized by the organization, with a good public image. If she were to handle a case that involved suing the state judicial departnt, it might not be appropriate.
Sienna Thornton understood Quentin Thorne’s intention, and did not insist further.
She returned to her room to change clothes.
Simon Forrester had just finished washing up and co out, his bangs wet and shiny. Seeing her changing into outdoor clothes, he thought she was going to confront Ian Grant, and nervously asked, "Where are you going?"
"I need to go to Wrayhaven with Quentin," Sienna Thornton said as she took off her pajamas and put on a turtleneck sweater and jeans, "to deliver so things to my grandparents."
Simon Forrester then rembered that Quentin Thorne had ntioned beforehand that they needed to visit linda Linton’s family before the wedding.
He barely thought about it and imdiately said, "I want to go too!"
Sienna Thornton finished dressing and headed to the bathroom to wash her face and apply moisturizer.
Simon Forrester followed her in and earnestly repeated, "I want to go with you too!"
Sienna Thornton said anxiously, "Then hurry up and change clothes, we need to leave soon to make it by noon."
Simon Forrester quickly went to change, and shortly after, Sienna Thornton was ready, and he was also dressed.
They left the room one after the other, Sienna Thornton went to say goodbye to linda Linton, informing that they wouldn’t be ho for lunch and dinner, and asked Auntie King to take care of linda and not to allow strangers in, and then followed Quentin Thorne out.
They had just returned from Z City yesterday, and Simon Forrester’s SUV was still parked downstairs, so they took it to travel to Wrayhaven, which made it easier to take the mountain roads.
Along the way, Sienna Thornton kept discussing the youngest son of the Linton Family’s case with Quentin Thorne. Quentin even sent her the scanned case docunts for review. They both found that the case needed to be retried, as the evidence was clear, but the proceedings would take ti, at least two years. If the Linton Family wanted to apply for state compensation, it would take even longer.
Of course, if Quentin Thorne were willing to maneuver around the case, it wouldn’t drag on for too long. However, he made it clear that he could hire the best criminal lawyer for the Linton Family but wouldn’t personally intervene.
.
Because it was just after the new year, the highway from Brimfield to Z City was less crowded, and Simon Forrester drove quickly, reaching Wrayhaven a little after noon, and after another half-hour on mountain roads, they arrived at Linton Village in Crestfall Township.
Linton Village was much like any northern rural area. As spring just began, there was a desolate silence left over from winter.
A few elderly folks with children were playing at the entrance of the village. Seeing Simon Forrester’s Lamborghini Iron Bull driving into the village, they curiously craned their necks, wanting to see whose guest it was.
Actually, over the years, many young people from the village went out for work and had bought cars, driving them back during festivals, so the villagers were not surprised by cars.
What piqued their curiosity now was Simon Forrester’s deep space grey Iron Bull, which looked particularly impressive and formidable. Mostly, the license plate, with the capital letter and a bomb, signified to both old and young residents that the car’s owner was undoubtedly wealthy or powerful.
The car drove straight through the village, reaching the end, where Quentin Thorne exclaid "We’re here," and parked in front of a slightly shabby courtyard gate.
Sienna Thornton got out first, looking up at the one-story house in front of her.
There were grey-white walls and a brown-red roof. At the entrance there were so dry, blackish things that looked like root vegetables drying, and nearby, piles of fallen leaves had accumulated. The yard wasn’t even paved with cent, filled with dust and sand.
This environnt wasn’t much better than the old house of the Raines Family.
Seeing those black vegetable roots mixed with dust and sand on the ground, Sienna Thornton felt a sour sensation in her nose, and her lips tugged downward.
Simon Forrester got out of the car and walked over, gently putting an arm around her shoulder, softly saying, "Let’s go inside and have a look first."
Quentin Thorne shook the feeble iron gate, calling out, "Is anyone there?"
After a while, an elderly man with white hair erged, leaning on a cane.
He wore a tattered deep gray cotton jacket and pants, looking as though they hadn’t been washed in years, with hardened black spots on the chest and knees.
The elderly man shakily walked out with his cane, squinted at Quentin Thorne for so ti, and exclaid in shock, "Mr. Thornton? Is that you, Mr. Thornton?!"
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