Grandma Quinn tapped the chair next to her for her to sit, Snow bowed her head slightly before sitting next to her.
"Grandma, thank you for calling me for dinner…" She paused, studying their expression. "I thought my presence was not welcoming." She fidgeted with her hands.
'I have to maintain an image of a good wife…'
Grandma Quinn cleared her throat. "You are a Quinn, you are always welcome to dine with us." She said placing a piece of meat on her rice.
"Thank you, Grandma." Snow smiles before digging into her food.
Michelle scrunched her face in disgust, she pushed her chair back so hard that it made a painful screeching sound. "I'm done eating…" She said glaring at Snow. "I'd rather starve than share a table with a dog." She muttered beneath her lips, leaving the dining room.
Grandma Quinn clicked her tongue in distaste staring at Michelle's back. "Such a spoiled child." She muttered under her breath.
Snow's chopsticks paused mid-air for a second, but she forced herself to smile. Snow spared Michelle a glance, however, she returned her focus to her food.
"Grandma the food is really good." Snow turned to Grandma Quinn, placing more vegetables on her food. "Grandma, you should limit greasy foods, too much of it is not good for your health."
"Are you trying to imply that Grandma Quinn is too old? Or are we not preparing good food for her?" Madam Quinn cut in before Grandma Quinn could reply.
"Mother…"
"I'm not your mother." Madam Quinn snapped at her.
"My apologies, however can you please not twist my words, what I say is of concern for Grandma's health, and she is an elder, although she still looks younger than some people in this house, that doesn't mean she can eat greasy food," Snow said politely.
Madam Quinn's face reddened with anger getting the underlying meaning of her words… 'Did she just call me old? And Grandma Quinn looks younger than me?'
Grandma Quinn cleared her throat. "You are right," she sighed. "My doctor has told me the same thing, but I can't just let go of them."
Snow slowly lowered her head.
"Now that you have said it, I'll try to pay attention to what I eat." Grandma Quinn added.
"Grandma Quinn, she's just trying to control what you eat, who is she to even tell you what to eat and what not to?" Madam Quinn said helplessly, dropping the chopsticks on the table.
Grandma Quinn pressed her lips in a thin line, and displeasure flashed through her eyes. "She's my daughter-in-law, and she is not trying to control what I eat, she just cares for me enough to tell me, unlike some people who know it is totally unhealthy, yet didn't try to tell me to stop eating them."
Worry etched on Madam Quinn's face. "I was just trying to support you, it's your body and your choice."
"I see you can't wait to become the head lady of the Quinns, so you want me to eat however I like so I can die?" Grandma Quinn said sternly.
Madam Quinn rushed to her feet. "Mother! Why would you say that, you know how much I care about you, I… I wouldn't harbor such a thought." Her hands trembled beside her.
Snow paused, glancing at Madam Quinn's trembling body before turning to Grandma Quinn who was scrutinizing her in every possible way.
She lowered her gaze, but deep inside, a smile tugged at her lips. Watching Madam Quinn lose composure over a few words was almost too easy.
The air crackled with heavy tension.
She gently held Grandma Quinn's hand. "Grandma, I don't think Moth… I mean Madam Quinn means it that way." Her soft voice broke the tension between the two ladies.
Grandma Quinn cleared her throat, before returning to her food.
Madam Quinn sat down as soon as the tension died down. Her trembling fingers struggled to grab the chopsticks, after a few failed attempts, she managed to grab them.
Snow studied both ladies. 'How do I ask about this Miss Gu? I need to know who I'm up against… If I bring her up now, they might find it suspicious… I'll just wait for the right time.' She nodded to herself.
"Grandma Quinn." A maid hurried into the room with a golden customized letter. She bowed her head in greeting as soon as she got to where they were dining.
She handed the letter out.
Grandma dropped her chopsticks, collecting the letter from her.
"A messenger from the Gu family dropped by and asked me to bring it to you." She gave another bow, holding her hand in front of her.
Grandma Quinn nodded, waving her hand for her to leave. Getting the cue, the maid immediately retreated from the room.
Snow became more interested in the letter as soon as she heard who the sender was. Her brows furrowed slightly when she saw the rose emblem on the letter, a crest mostly used by the Gu family.
'Why is the Gu family using the rose emblem? Does this mean they are also involved in the downfall of my family?'
The memories of it played at the edge of her mind.
Weeks after her family's downfall, she began investigating documents about her father's so-called corruption.
She had managed to get some of the files from her father's private house.
In the dimly lit room, illuminated only by a candlestick and the flashing of lightning. Snow sat in a chair, one that was mostly used by her father.
The room smelled of old and new books, and a very faint cologne. Papers and books were scattered around the floor, and on the desk were numerous books heaped upon it.
The flipping sound of a book mingled with breathing was the only sound in the room.
She stopped flipping when she saw a small receipt that had a red rose emblem at the end of it. Her frown deepened as she could not find what the goods were, the receipt only stated some amount of money.