Chapter 5 The Arrival of the Whitney Family

Unknowingly, half a month had passed, and Asher's birthday was just around the corner. Marie had managed to reduce her weight to 132 pounds. Although she was still slightly chubby, she now looked slim and fit as a woman who was five feet seven inches tall and had gained quite a bit of muscle from exercising these days. Marie walked toward the back of the mansion, a place where generations of the Spence family had lived, to the Spence Estate. Behind the mansion was the Spence Estate, where Asher lived, while the front was a relatively new mansion that had only been built a few years ago and was occupied solely by Mason's family. Asher was astonished by Marie's transformation. The old Marie could be described as extremely overweight, but she had lost so much weight in just over twenty days. Not only did her figure improve, but she no longer carried herself in a timid way. Is this lively and bright-eyed young girl really my granddaughter? Marie approached with a giggle and asked, "What do you think, Grandpa? Can I join your birthday party?" Asher had almost forgotten the joy he felt in his heart when Marie was just born. However, after Marie's mother passed away, Mason immediately brought Mia and her children into the house. Seeing that Noel and Olive were both older than Marie, he knew that Mason and Mia had been together for a while. Thinking he had gained an extra grandchild out of the blue, Asher simply turned a blind eye to it. Asher watched his grandchildren grew up one by one, with Noel entering and excelling at Spence Group while Olive's career in the entertainment industry was thriving. Later on, Carly was born, a well-behaved and sensible child. However, Marie seemed to have become more and more disappointing. Every day, Marie indulged in delicious food and became lazy, her grades were disastrous, and she remained silent most of the time. Thus, Asher had almost forgotten that she was his granddaughter. When Asher looked into her lively and cheeky expression, he felt a burst of joy in his heart as he replied, "Of course you can! As my dear granddaughter, you should definitely attend my birthday party." That evening, Marie stayed at the Spence Estate and had a long conversation with Asher. When she was about to leave, the butler Edward remarked, "Ms. Spence used to be quite reserved and didn't talk much, which worried Old Mr. Spence. Now that you visit more often, he must be secretly delighted." Marie said with a smile, "Thank you for the advice, Edward." Marie knew that in such wealthy families, there was often little to none affection among family members. Even if Asher was extremely happy, he would still leave the shares to Noel and Olive if Marie didn't showcase her abilities. At most, Asher would give her some real estates to rely on, but she would never be allowed to get involved in the group's affairs. However, what Marie wanted was power and a strong background. After all, she could only compete with Wren if she had those. In the blink of an eye, it was the day of Asher's birthday party. The Spence family was a well-known wealthy household in Las Vegas. Asher was highly respected due to his prominent position in the business world. The Spence mansion was decorated lavishly that day to celebrate Asher's 60th birthday. Mia led Carly to the front door to greet the guests, and the former's smile was radiant as a blooming flower. She gave birth to three children for Mason before finally being able to replace Marie's mother and marrying into the prestigious Spence family. Although there were gossips among the high society ladies about her being a mistress turned mistress, such incidents were all too common in wealthy families. Thus, as long as she was a part of the Spence family, she would always be the respected Mrs. Spence! The guests mainly had arrived and were seated in the main hall when a housekeeper came in to announce that Noel had returned. Asher immediately said, "Let him come inside quickly. Usher him in." Noel was Asher's only grandson and the sole male heir of the Spence family. Thus, he was practically Asher's favorite, causing him to hold 10% of the shares in the Spence Group. Moreover, he held the important position of general manager in the company. A tall young man wearing a hand-tailored black suit strode into the room. His expression was gentle, and his demeanor was calm. As he approached Asher, he presented a brocade box, and said, "May Grandpa be blessed with endless happiness and a long life!" Asher opened the brocade box, revealing two sets of chess inside. Noel's assistant immediately stepped forward and said, "Old Mr. Spence, Mr. Spence knows you enjoy playing chess. These were specially brought back from Melrose on his behalf. The chess pieces are made of ivory, providing a warm touch in winter and a cool feel in summer. We hope they bring you joy." Asher smiled widely as he couldn't contain his excitement. Then, he asked someone to put away the items and arrange for Noel to be seated. Suddenly, there was a burst of exclamations from outside. Everyone turned around and saw the hottest celebrity in the entertainment industry, Olive, walking through the door. Olive wore a long bright red dress, and her makeup was exquisite, causing her to look like a blooming rose. There were quite a few journalists at that day's birthday party. Thus, as soon as Olive walked in, the flashlights were non-ending. Olive walked and smiled, handed over the gift, and greeted, "Happy birthday, Grandpa! I wish you a long and healthy life!" Asher unwrapped the gift, revealing a book of chess moves from ancient times. Olive laughed and said, "I spent three months searching for these chess moves for Grandpa and finally got it at an auction. I hope you like it." "I like it, of course! Good child, sit down and rest now," Asher said happily. "Old Mr. Spence is truly blessed! His children are so respectful!" a senior man from nearby exclaimed. "The Spence family has an amazing grandson, and Ms. Olive, a hotshot! The Spence family is imposing!" said a well-dressed lady. "Mrs. Spence is the one truly blessed. Her children are all outstanding, and I heard that Ms. Carly is quite beautiful too!" commented another lady. Listening to everyone's compliments, Mia felt even happier in her heart. I am the one and only Mrs. Spence of the Spence family! Carly was even more proud of herself. With Noel and Olive so outstanding, what could Marie, an unwanted orphan, possibly have to compare with her? As everyone was engaged in lively discussions, a housekeeper hurriedly entered the room and announced, "The Whitney family has arrived."