Chapter 285 Nitpicking
Chapter 285 Nitpicking
Nancy’s eyes widened with shock.
“You saw all that?”
Natalia nodded.
“Then why’d you agree to let her come? If you know she’s digging a pit for you, why are you jumping
in?”
Natalia smiled.
“How is she digging a pit for me? She’s out of options and needs a job and I need a capable
experienced secretary. Isn’t it the best of both situations if she comes over? It’s a win-win, what kind of
pit is this?”
Nancy fell silent.
After a while, she shot Natalia a grudging look.
“Fine, if you think you can trust her again, then we’ll trust her again. But don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on
her from now on and I definitely won’t let her stab you in the back.”
Looking at the way she was treating it like an enemy was approaching, Natalia wanted to laugh.
Nancy was a typical all-action person.
She felt that if someone betrayed you once, they could never be trusted again.
But she didn’t consider that there were plenty of factors in life that forced one’s hand.
If Natalia had to put herself in Rosa’s shoes, she had a sick mother on one side and a complete
stranger on the other. She would have made the same choice.
Natalia didn’t linger on the topic. After they got in the car, they headed straight back to Pinewood.
It was just around nine at night when they arrived home.
Archie had called Mrs. Dottie here from Julio, and she too was living in Pinewood Manor and taking
care of the place.
Anne, on the other hand, was still in poor health and needed to go to school, plus she had to see a
doctor regularly. Both Natalia and Archie had to work, so of course they couldn’t stay with her all the
time, so she remained at the old home.
When it was the weekends or Natalia and Archie were free, only then did she come over the play.
Natalia and Nancy got out the car and walked over to the doorway, then both sharply realized
something wasn’t right.
The lights were fully on in the mansion, and the servants were all standing in the living room. Mrs.
Dottie stood at the forefront. Seeing Natalia and Nancy come in from the corner of her eye, she
motioned towards them.
Understanding, Natalia cocked an eyebrow.
She took a few steps in and heard a harsh, severe female voice.
“This is Eqitin, not a backwater countryside like Julio. You need to know who you’re working for. We
have our own rules in the McCarthy household, so we can’t have people thinking we’re all bumpkins.”
On the sofa at the center, Faye sat there, legs crossed, swirling a cup of tea casually and lecturing from
on high.
Hearing her words, Nancy instantly understood who she was mocking. Her face changed, and she was
about to speak up.
Natalia stopped her and placed a finger over her lips, signaling her not to make noise.
Seeing that, Nancy tamped down on herself and took a step back.
Faye didn’t know that Natalia had come back, so she took a sip of tea and continued, “The McCarthy
house has stood for a century. We are a house of nobles, and appearances matter. Like this glass, that
tea table, and those decorations over there, it’s best to make it natural. Look at this. What are you
putting all over the place? Don’t speak to me about what the madam likes or what the madam’s taste
is. Your madam came from a small-time town and doesn’t know much, but you’re different. You’ve all
worked for different families in Eqitin. You must have had plenty of experience in other households
before coming to the McCarthy family. You ought to know what’s good and what isn’t. Even if you
haven’t experienced some things yourself, you should still have somewhat heard of them, no? Besides,
this Pinewood Manor was the work of the most famous international designers. Every plant and blade
of grass here was placed with deliberate care. Look at what you’ve made of the place. This isn’t a
noble madam’s house, this is a peasant’s yard. I don’t blame you, since I know you couldn’t stop her.
But now that I’m here, move all these things back to their original position. Just put them where they
should be.”
With that, she directed the servants to start picking up the house.
Hearing all that, Natalia scoffed.
She couldn’t hold it back anymore and strode forward. “Stop!”
Everyone jumped and turned around, only then seeing that she’d come back.
As they greeted her, Natalia nodded and didn’t look at them, staring straight at Faye, who stayed sitting
on the sofa.
Hearing her voice, Faye jumped too, but she’d reacted quickly enough.
She was Archie’s aunt and had raised him from childhood, breaking her back for him.
To put it bluntly, she was basically half his mother already.
Before Natalia had come to Eqitin, she’d come and gone as she pleased from Pinewood Manor.
Why could she not do the same now?
Considering that, Faye sat down again.
She looked noncommittally towards Natalia. RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
Natalia went up and politely called, “Aunt.”
Faye hmphed, her tone high pitched. “You’re back? You’ve heard what I told them all, then?”
Natalia nodded. “Yes, I heard.”
“Don’t blame me for butting in. I brought Archie up as my own, and he’s like a son to me. I know he
likes you and pampers you. That’s your luck, and I can’t get involved. But seeing as you’re now a
McCarthy family woman, there’s some things I have to teach you. We’re not one of those small-time
families out there. The McCarthy family has its own rules and regulations. Those actions and tastes
that aren’t up to par need to be abandoned as soon as you can. Learn quickly how to be a woman
befitting of your own status, such that people don’t laugh at you out there.”
Natalia scoffed.
“What is it that I’ve done to have people laugh at me? If you know, Aunt, could you tell me?”
Frowning, Faye harrumphed, “You don’t even know what you’ve done, and you’ve got the nerve to
ask? Take a look yourself.”
She said, and pointed at a nearby closet.
“If I remember things correctly, there’d been some expensive antique vases in here. Why are they all
switched out for this stuff now? Do you know how much had been spent designing and renovating
Pinewood Manor? Everything in here was placed with delicate intention. Did you ever ask for Archie’s
opinion before you moved them? Did you ask for mine?”
Natalia chuckled coldly.
“I don’t get it, Aunt. This is Archie’s home and mine. I only switched out some decorations. Why would I
ask for your opinion?”
“You!”
Faye blew her top.
“Because I’d gifted those antique vases to Archie to begin with, and I’m Archie’s aunt…”
“I know.”