The maid''s eyes bulged in shock at Elysia''s boldness, clearly not expecting her toe out swinging like she''d just downed a shot of espresso on an empty stomach!


    And to think this was happening right in the middle of Hawkins Manor, of all ces. Who gave her the nerve to sass members of the Hawkins family? Even a stray dog knows better than to bite without checking if its owner is around. And here she was, a mere servant of the Hawkins family!


    The maid wanted to retort, but words failed her.


    Elysia wasn''t wrong, after all. ording to tradition, only when referring to Pam could one directly use the title ''Mrs.''


    Yet, when introducing Helen and the other women of the Hawkins family, they were merely called by their first names or as ''the thirddy'' and so on.


    But since Pam had been out of her mind for years, and Helen fancied herself thedy of the manor, they had taken to calling her ''Mrs.'' in conversation to curry favor with her.


    Elysia was well aware of the servants'' attitude towards Pam, which is why she had them in her crosshairs!


    After her piece, she turned her guns on Helen,


    "You, Helen, presume to be thedy of the Hawkins Manor? In the old days, that would be considered insubordination, punishable by a stint in the stocks!"


    "Insolent! You... you..."


    Helen was so angry she could hardly breathe, her face turning a shade of steel blue.


    She had never imagined, not in her wildest dreams, that a woman of no significant background would dare speak to her in such a tone.


    For over twenty years, aside from yton, Carl, and that old coot living up in the mountains, no one had dared speak to her like that! Insolent?


    Elliot sneered quietly to himself. The audacity to bully granny and not expect mom to fight back was already showing restraint!


    If it wasn''t for the bigger picture, mom would have already given you a piece of her mind!


    Elysia went for the direct approach, while Elliot opted for sarcasm,


    "Scared me there. I heard tales that Grandma Pam was a learned and kindly woman, not some cantankerous shrew! Guess those stories were right!"


    Helen spun around to re at Elliot, her eyes as wide as saucers.


    Pam, learned and kindly?


    Her, a cantankerous shrew?


    Fuming, Helen raised her hand to strike,


    "You little brat, you and your mother are asking for it!"


    A fierce glint shed in Elliot''s eye. Though he was no match for Evan, dealing with a shrew like Helen was well within his wheelhouse.


    However, before Helen''s hand couldnd, her personal maid intervened,


    "Madam, please, calm yourself. We''re in front of the main house, and they are Mr. Hawkins'' honored guests. Look, Mr. Hawkins ising over." Hearing this, Elysia and Elliot hurriedly looked up to see yton approaching, their breath hitching as their eyes widened in unison.


    Elysia felt a warmth in her eyes, her body trembling: Is this man, my father?!


    Elliot was equally moved: This is grandpa, my grandpa!


    Seeing yton draw near, Emmett immediately burst into tears, crying as if his heart would break.


    Helen and her maid were taken aback.


    yton came closer, his brows furrowing at the sight of Helen''s displeasure.


    He bent down to pick up Emmett, "What''s wrong, little buddy?"


    Through his tears, Emmett wailed, "That meandy... sob... she wanted to hit my mommy, and she wanted to hit my brother too. She said she''d kill us, sob... She''s a wicked witch, so scary... sob sob..."


    Helen red, "Who are you calling a wicked witch?!"


    "That would be you."


    "You..."


    At her shout, Emmett''s crying intensified, "Scared, the wicked witch is so scary, sob sob..."