The way they looked at her was filled with a jealous and hateful gleam, like tiny daggers zipping towards her.

Pushing open the heavy glass door, the cold air outside hit her face. It had snowed all night last night, and today was indeed quite cold.

She hurried back into the room, picked up a thick coat, and put it on.

The old Hughes Family mansion was beautiful, with a gentle mist surrounding the entire castle, a white roof that seemed to pierce the clouds, elegant and noble designs, with varying distances and a staggered layout.

The grandeur and noble aura, with a square main fort in the center and six massive conical turrets flanking it on both sides.

Standing at the large decorative Roman-style window, she could see a beautiful river encircling the distance, backed by a large forest and facing a grand garden. Green trees, flowers, sculptures, and a clear lake made Avery Jane feel as if she had stepped into a fairy tale world.

On the steps in front of the castle, servants dressed in neat white maid uniforms lined up, and the air was filled with a faint fragrance. Yet, despite this fairy-tale-like beauty, Avery Jane still found Imperial Garden more appealing.

Two servants carried a table onto the terrace. The square table was surprisingly warm, which ensured that the food would retain its temperature in the cold air.

This man really knows how to enjoy life.

A breakfast with both Chinese and Western elements, silver tableware, and a small pot of beautifully arranged flowers on the table.

Someone had the idea of including a steaming hot cup of soy milk for breakfast alongside golden crispy dough fritters. Needless to say, the Hughes were always extravagant with food, and seeing such humble snacks on their dining table was indeed rare.

She used to love this combination—slightly sweet soy milk with dough fritters, truly delicious beyond measure.

As she drank the soy milk, two cars drove into the castle grounds in the distance. They weren’t Joshua Hughes’s cars.

Avery Jane continued eating, thinking it’s normal for relatives to visit a prestigious family like the Hughes.

But as the cars moved closer, she realized something was off; one of the cars looked very familiar. Yes, it was the Yates Family’s car, and she had ridden in it before.

Avery Jane’s heart skipped a beat. The previously rich and delicious soy milk became tasteless.

The Yates Family was a wound in her heart, whether it was those she loved or those who pressured her.

The former made her feel warmth and care, always compelling her to want to be closer. The latter, like a poisoned hand, ensnared and tortured her. She hoped today would pass peacefully. Her fragile heart couldn’t endure such ups and downs anymore.

The Hughes are indeed wealthy, Harper Johnson thought to herself, marveling at the majestic architecture.

That’s why the Hughes value bloodlines; theirs is noble, and Evelyn is indeed lucky to conceive successfully in just one night.

This further strengthened Harper’s resolve. She believed that Evelyn Yates’s entry into the Hughes Family, being chosen, and ultimately having the Hughes’s child was destined by heaven.

All of this should belong to her daughter, and no one could take it away.

What is Avery Jane anyway? Just someone whose mother died early, with a father who was a useless drunkard, and eventually became too ill to even afford medical bills.

She had no father, no mother, no support. What could she use to compete with Evelyn? Most importantly, the child the Hughes most valued in the next generation was now in her daughter’s belly.

The roads had little snow, and when the sun came out, it began to melt. The car wasn’t going very fast and finally came to a steady stop outside the Hughes’s castle.

Avery Jane was nibbling at the dough fritters. She planned to stay here all day. If she didn’t go down, perhaps there wouldn’t be any conflict.

Often a mere accidental bump would make someone lose a child. She didn’t want such a melodramatic fate to befall her.

She was relying on Evelyn Yates to hurry up and have the baby so they could hurry up and get married, allowing her to seize an opportunity to leave and start a new life.

But would Evelyn deliberately lose the child to frame her?

Avery Jane couldn’t help but roll her eyes, wondering if she had watched too many palace intrigue dramas out of boredom. She mocked herself, clearly regaining her appetite, and ate the crispy dough fritters in big gulps.

The Hughes’s chef was truly amazing. The dough fritters were fried so fragrant and crispy, unbelievably delicious.