Ethan, however, did not get angry. Instead, he gently soothed her with a few words. Aria's anger quickly dissipated. Holding her phone, she listened to Ethan and eventually nodded, "Alright, I'll find a way."
After hanging up, Aria narrowed her eyes. This time, Ethan would take matters into his own hands! Her task was to figure out how to get Ethan into the Snow family's company. With this in mind, she knew she had to continue currying favor with Leonard and Vivienne. As for Melanie... Forget it, she decided she didn't need to win over that simpleton, who couldn't cause much trouble anyway.
During dinner, however, Melanie deliberately jabbed at Aria, "Oh? Aria, you're still here! I thought you had already left!" Aria had said this herself in the kitchen earlier.
Aria's face flushed with embarrassment. Luckily, she is cheeky. Lowering her head, she sounded on the verge of tears, "I don't have many relatives. Besides here, where else can I go?"
Melanie retorted, "Go home! Your house is still there!"
Aria was speechless.
Vivienne intervened to defuse the tension, fearing the dinner table might become a battlefield. Glancing at Aria, she quietly assessed her emotional state. Aria indeed had issues, though her motives were unclear. Normally, after such a provocation from Melanie, one might pack up and leave, but Aria seemed terrified of leaving the Snow family. This suggested there was something within the Snow family that she desperately wanted...
For several days straight, Melanie visited Asher daily, always returning just before dinner. Leonard was not the only one displeased; even Vivienne was puzzled.
On this particular day, Vivienne checked the time—just past four in the afternoon, less than an hour before Melanie's usual return. She initiated a video call with Melanie. Startled, Melanie wondered why Vivienne would call via video. Swiftly, she said, "I'll be back soon."
Vivienne pinched the bridge of her nose. "Where are you? I'll pick you up. There's something I need to discuss with you."
Melanie reluctantly shared her address. As soon as the call ended, Asher approached her, his expression tinged with guilt. "Because of me, you've been coming here every day. Your mother must be displeased. I should explain."
Melanie waved off his concern. "There's no need. Mom is different from Dad; she's very understanding." Moreover, Asher was alone, and she feared he would be too lonely if she didn't visit frequently, especially given his yet-to-heal injuries. She believed Vivienne would understand the situation.
Moments later, the apartment doorbell rang. Melanie rushed to answer it before Asher could. She pleaded with Vivienne, "Mom, if you're going to scold me, at least wait until we're home. Here, I need to save some face."
Vivienne raised an eyebrow. "Am I that kind of person?" Pushing past Melanie, she entered, scanning the place with a sharp gaze. Asher met her eyes without flinching, calm and composed.
Vivienne chuckled and turned to Melanie. "Melanie, what exactly are you doing here every day to help Asher?"
Melanie replied, "I'm taking care of him, keeping him company! His wounds aren't healed yet. If anything happens, I can call an ambulance for him."
Vivienne glanced at the trash bin, spotting takeover bags. "By feeding him takeover every day?" she mused silently, concerned about malnutrition.
Melanie followed her mother's gaze and felt a twinge of awkwardness. She hadn't mastered cooking yet. Before that, attempting to cook might result in disastrous meals that could potentially send Asher to the hospital.
