Chapter 24: Chapter 24: The Seeds of Inferiority
Jasper Sinclair was in the living room looking at documents, occasionally glancing at the busy figure in the kitchen.
Strangely, he felt the mode of interaction between the two was somewhat harmonious.
It seemed he was a bit lost in thought, only snapping back when his phone rang.
Nora Northwood heard the ringtone, wiped her hands, and hurried over to answer the phone: "Hello?"
"Nora, I and your Mr. Ford have arrived, could you come pick us up?" May Lawrence’s voice came through the phone.
In the background, Quentin Ford’s impatient urging could be heard.
"Okay, I’ll be right over." Wiping off the water on her hands, she removed her apron, preparing to head outside the community.
Before she reached the door, Jasper Sinclair stopped her.
"No need, I’ll call the property management, and they’ll bring them over."
Jasper Sinclair pulled her back, turned to make the call to property management, exchanged a few words, and hung up once they agreed.
Seeing the issue was resolved, Nora returned to the kitchen to continue her work.
He cleaned up the documents on the table before the Ford Family arrived.
After only a few minutes, the doorbell rang, and Quentin Ford’s swearing voice sounded outside.
"Nora Northwood, hurry up and open the door for me! Acting like a big shot even when we’re just getting picked up."
The murmurs of swearing were indistinctly mixed in, hearing the sounds outside, Jasper Sinclair suddenly frowned.
The kitchen couldn’t hear the commotion here, he restrained his displeasure and walked over to open the door.
Quentin Ford was about to curse out loud, but upon seeing his grim face, he clammed up without uttering a word.
It’s not that he was cowed, but Jasper Sinclair, at over six feet tall, with a habit of working out regularly, had a presence much stronger than the likes of Quentin Ford, who was just a small old man.
May Lawrence stood behind, seeing her son-in-law truly looked talented, she felt somewhat relieved.
"Come in." Jasper Sinclair was really unable to call him father-in-law.
He knew Quentin Ford wasn’t Nora’s biological father, after all, they looked different, and their surnames were completely different.
But from the attitude Quentin had outside the door towards Nora, he just couldn’t bring himself to say ’father-in-law’.
Quentin Ford walked in boldly, without even changing his shoes, bringing dirt from the shoe soles in, dirtying the floor that Nora had painstakingly cleaned.
"Change your shoes..."
May Lawrence also noticed this, frowned and quietly reminded Quentin Ford, unexpectedly receiving a round of scolding in return.
"My feet aren’t dirty, and besides, isn’t the floor meant to be walked on? What’s with all the fuss? If it’s dirty, let Nora clean it again."
Quentin Ford was indifferent, completely oblivious to the fleeting rage in Jasper Sinclair’s eyes.
With Quentin Ford setting the tone, Spencer Ford took it further, walking directly onto the carpet with his shoes.
"Don’t mind..."
Jasper Sinclair shook his head at May Lawrence who was about to explain, he didn’t care much, it was just a carpet, but their attitude towards Nora displeased him.
Hearing the commotion, Nora came out of the kitchen.
"Hey, get me a glass of water." Even at a young age, Spencer Ford was learning to command Nora with entitlement like his father.
She was about to snap, but caught sight of May Lawrence on the side, shaking her head helplessly.
She sighed, it was just this meal today, she would endure for now.
She got up to fetch water for Spencer Ford.
Just as she turned, she was suddenly pulled into an embrace, standing there dumbfounded.
The man beside her spoke coldly to Spencer Ford: "The kettle is in front of you, the cup is nearby, if you want water, pour it yourself."