CHAPTER 474

Meanwhile, Crystal was speechless at how abruptly James' mother changed her behavior.

She was disgusted by the way James' mother treated her daughter earlier, so she scurried over to her daughter in an attempt to lend her some support.

However, she never expected James' mother to start praising her daughter before she could do anything; it was as though the woman had turned into a different person.

Crystal found it hard to criticize someone who now seemed friendly to her.

Furthermore, the Dugrays and her older brother were neighbors. For her brother's sake, she didn't want to fall out with the Dugrays.

Therefore, she could only change her attitude and smile at James' mother. "You're right. Not only is Maddie beautiful and well-mannered, but she's also intelligent and considerate. She's better than all of my sons combined."

Seeing that Crystal was truly fond of Madeline, James' mother put on a brighter smile. "James and Maddie are on good terms. They're childhood friends who have a strong bond."

The Wendel Family was even more powerful than the Taylor Family. If James could marry Madeline, having kids would no longer be an issue. Furthermore, James' grandfather wouldn't give the inheritance to the branch family for the Wendel Family's sake.

Crystal's stance suggested that she doted on her daughter and was willing to stand up for her. As long

as James could marry Madeline, the main family would gain the right to inherit everything.

Crystal was a shrewd person, so she soon figured out what was on the other woman's mind. She secretly disdained James' mother, thinking that the latter was someone who fawned over the rich and looked down on the poor. Fortunately, Madeline didn't love James. Otherwise, she would suffer miserably if she had to deal with a mother-in-law like James' mother.

With a derisive smile, Crystal looked at James' mother and said, "Since your son and Maddie are on good terms, why don't you stay for a while longer to attend her wedding? It'll be held two days later."

"Is Maddie getting married?" James' mother appeared worried. "Mr. Taylor never told me about it before. Did Maddie willingly get together with her husband? She's a mother of two, so I'm worried her husband doesn't deserve her. As her mother, you can't let her do whatever she wants, and you have to stop her whenever she makes the wrong choice. Marriage is the most important thing in a woman's life, after all. Maddie is a wonderful woman, so she deserves the best."

"Well, thanks for your concern," Crystal replied. "Maddie willingly got together with her husband, and he's none other than my grandsons' father. In fact, they'd already tied the knot, but they separated for a while due to some reason. However, after Maddie arrived at Dusktown, her husband found her and pursued her. They've rekindled their love for each other, and they're now ready to hold a wedding."

"Maddie's husband is the father of her kids?" James' mother was astounded. "No way. Maddie's kids are supposed to be test tube babies meant to save Sam's life."

"Where did you hear this rumor from?" Crystal refuted. "What you've heard is just some unfounded speculation. My daughter and her husband fell in love with each other back then. After they tied the

knot, my daughter became pregnant. However, there was a conflict between them, so they decided to part ways for a while. Several years later, both of them have become more mature. They've gotten together again for the kids. They've become more considerate adults who understand each other better now, and the love between them has strengthened. Therefore, they've decided to hold a wedding and spend the rest of their lives with each other."

James' mother parted her lips, but she couldn't say anything; she didn't know what to say. She knew that Crystal was lying, but the latter wasn't someone she could afford to offend. She lacked the courage to expose her lies at this moment.

If she wanted to make sure she wouldn't offend Crystal, she had to pretend to believe her even if she didn't. Nevertheless, she couldn't bring herself to play along with what Crystal had said.

Her family and the Taylors were neighbors, so she knew what happened when Madeline gave birth to her kids back then.

Essentially, Crystal was treating her like a fool by lying to her.

James' mother felt increasingly discomfited. Eventually, she couldn't help but say with a smile, "I don't think so. Maddie has been living with her uncle. I practically watched her grow up over the years, and I never knew that she had a boyfriend."

"Who do you think you are? Why would Maddie tell you whether she has a boyfriend?" Crystal refuted harshly. "If you don't believe me, Ms. Perkins, you can come to my daughter's wedding and see for yourself. My eldest grandson is the spitting image of his father. Anyone can tell that they're father and son. How could you say that they are test tube babies? My daughter and her husband are loving parents to their kids. Only busybodies would believe such a rumor. I believe you're not one of those

people." NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Crystal was stern. Even though James' mother was wary of her, she sported a dark expression after getting rebuked.

After all, the Dugrays were pretty famous in Worrick, and she was a respectable figure because of her status in the Dugray Family. Naturally, no one had ever been impolite to her before.

Therefore, she was no longer as hospitable as she was earlier. She was determined to irritate Crystal. "By the way, what does your son-in-law do for a living, Miss Taylor? Do we know him? Since your daughter and her husband are in love with each other, I suppose he's a talented person. Otherwise, Maddie wouldn't have fallen in love with him. Don't you agree, Miss Taylor?"

Despite what she had said, she firmly believed that Madeline's husband was an ordinary man.

Madeline was a mother of two, so why would any accomplished man marry her?

The Dugrays had a unique situation as they needed grandchildren to fight against the branch family for the inheritance. Otherwise, she wouldn't have agreed to let her son marry Madeline.

Certainly, she never believed Crystal when the latter said Madeline's husband was the father of her kids.

As far as she was concerned, Madeline had made an application with the sperm bank to get some sperm for the test tube babies. Information about the donor was confidential, so how was Madeline supposed to find the children's father?

She couldn't believe that Crystal, who was Michael's wife, would lie to her in broad daylight.

Furthermore, even if Madeline's husband was really the father of her kids, he was probably someone dull and ordinary.

Why would any bright man donate sperm in the first place, after all?

James' mother believed that Madeline's husband must be an underachiever, so she deliberately said such things to annoy Crystal. Unexpectedly, Crystal said, "You're right. My son-in-law, Sebastian Hart, is the heir to the Hart Family in Dusktown. He's the most promising young man in Dusktown. Since my daughter is bright, the man she loves has to be the best as well."

"The heir to the Hart Family in Dusktown?" James' mother was in disbelief as her eyes widened. "Which Hart Family?"

"Is there another Hart Family in Dusktown?" Crystal responded proudly. "Since I've mentioned that he's the heir to the Hart Family, it's definitely the most prestigious family in Dusktown."

"Are you referring to… Philip's son? The Philip who's always being featured in the news?" Disbelief was written all over the woman's face