Not A Small-Town Girl

Chapter 17-2

Soon, all five brothers and even Vivian and Howard began jostling to get a picture with Danielle. When everyone had had their turn, Danielle looked at the stack of bank cards in her hands. She was both confused and amused.

"Alright, knock it off, boys. Danielle hasn’t had anything to eat yet," Vivian said as she pulled her to the dining table. All of them found their respective seats and they began to fuss over her again.

"Danielle, do you like pancakes?" one of the brothers asked as he placed a couple of them on her plate.

"Danielle, protein is good for you," another one said as he plated some bacon and eggs for her.

"Danielle, try out this green smoothie, it’s really good," another brother said as he poured her a big glass.

Danielle soon found her plate filled to the brim, coupled with several beverages like a smoothie, coffee, and juice.

At this moment, a voice interrupted the fanfare. "Wow, everyone’s here. Sorry I got up late." It was Audrey, who was smiling sheepishly with a playful expression.

Vivian couldn’t hide the amusement on her face. "Audrey, don’t you usually sleep until noon? Why are you up so early this morning?"

Audrey smiled a soft and sweet smile. "I wanted to have breakfast with you guys. I even set an alarm clock just in case."

Audrey’s arrival had interrupted the brothers’ fawning over Danielle, but none of them were prepared for what happened next.

"Mr. Darling, Mrs. Darling, Mr. Charrington is here!" the housekeeper, Ivan, burst into the dining area and exclaimed with a flustered look on his face.

It was widely said that even though David had taken over the reins of Charrington Group at just 17 years old, his methods and leadership style had been brutal and merciless. He was an undisputed titan in the business world and was rumored to rule the underworld as well.

His presence conflicted all the staff in the Darling household, since they preferred to avoid him but had no choice but to greet him.

Howard and Vivian exchanged glances with each other, puzzled. They wondered why David would visit them unannounced. Perhaps it was because the news about him and Audrey was true. Or maybe he’d caught wind that Danielle had returned.

"Invite him in at once," Howard instructed. Both he and Vivian were panicking internally as they considered how to respond to the situation. Ivan carried out Howard’s instruction without any hesitation as they rushed to the living room to greet their unexpected guest.

In no time at all, David and a group of his men made their way into the living room. David sauntered in first, his face handsome and his eyes cold and aloof, while his tailored suit screamed style and authority.