"Grandma, if you want to scold someone, scold me!" "I’m the one who wanted to lose weight!" "I want to shoot for international magazines; the slimmer, the better. It has nothing to do with him!" "If you want to hit him, hit me instead!" Ava Sterling clung tightly to Poe Vaughn and said loudly to Sharon Sheridan. After speaking, she buried her face in his chest, looking as if to say, just hit me already. Sharon Sheridan was stunned. Poe Vaughn was momentarily taken aback too. Even Mrs. Yu, who came out carrying dishes with a smile, paused, unable to react. The atmosphere around them fell silent. Ava Sterling didn’t feel anything amiss, nor did she think there was anything unusual, clinging tightly to Poe Vaughn with a demeanor of ready to take the blame and criticism. Poe Vaughn’s gaze shifted slightly; he looked down at her. Her waterfall-like hair fell into his eyes, and the hairpin among the strands swayed slightly, especially the pink beads that shimmered as they moved. In his eyes, the dark color parted, and that shimmer flowed within them. He extended his arms and embraced her. Sharon Sheridan watched Poe Vaughn’s action, realized everything, the corners of her mouth lifted, and she looked at Ava Sterling buried in Poe Vaughn’s chest. Then, looking at Poe Vaughn who was gazing at the person in his arms, Sharon Sheridan’s face was filled with a warm smile. She cleared her throat lightly, suppressed her smile, and said sternly, "Since Ava has pleaded for you today, I won’t say anything more, but don’t let it happen again!" Poe Vaughn listened to the person trying hard to suppress her amusement, watching the elderly lady. Sharon Sheridan winked at him, then turned her gaze, saying to Mrs. Yu, "Mrs. Yu, serve the dishes quickly. Ava must be hungry." Mrs. Yu reacted, looked at the couple embracing under the light, lowered her head with a hidden smile, and replied, "Okay." Ava Sterling, still in Poe Vaughn’s arms, was expecting a lesson from Sharon Sheridan, never thinking that what she would receive was the elderly lady’s indulgence. She paused, lifted her head from Poe Vaughn’s embrace, and looked at the elderly lady. Only to see Sharon Sheridan entering the kitchen with authority, still exuding an aura that dared not be provoked. Ava Sterling let out a slight sigh of relief at heart, but didn’t dare to relax too much. She held Poe Vaughn’s hand and whispered, "Is Grandma really not going to hit you anymore?" As she spoke, she kept her eyes on Sharon Sheridan, looking tense. Poe Vaughn noticed the cautiousness in her eyes, dared not relax, and held her hand: "No." Right now, all of Ava Sterling’s thoughts were on ensuring Poe Vaughn wouldn’t take the blame for her, so she didn’t notice him holding her hand, nor was she completely reassured even after hearing what he said. Furrowing her brow, she continued, "Is Grandma biased towards girls over boys? Why is she so strict with you over such a small matter?" "If that’s the case, I’ll feel very guilty in my heart." She wasn’t exactly a pampered princess, and no matter how you looked at it, she couldn’t be more important than Poe Vaughn. Yet, surprisingly, the elderly lady would rather blame her own grandson than this granddaughter-in-law who just entered the family. It’s really puzzling for her. Poe Vaughn held Ava Sterling’s hand, leading her to the restroom. Ava Sterling’s eyebrows knitted tighter, and even her entire face scrunched up. She looked at his usual indifferent face, unchanged by any circumstance, and couldn’t help suspecting whether his days at the Vaughn Family were really so tough? Lost his mother from a young age, and his father was heartless too, raised by his grandmother. His life must have been hard, right? Immediately, thoughts of what Sharon Sheridan last told her flashed in Ava’s mind. "Little Poe has been cold and unemotional since he was young, not fond of smiling. One wonders if it’s because his parents weren’t around. He’s always cold, doesn’t play with others, and no one can make him laugh." "Oh, if only he were a bit mischievous, it would be better, but he’s so sensible and never lets Grandma worry. In Grandma’s heart, there’s an indescribable pain." Chapters first released on novel✶fire.net He must have felt bad inside. If he felt better, why would he refrain from smiling? Thinking this, Ava Sterling raised her head to look at Poe Vaughn, at his remarkably defined features. She couldn’t tell if he was naturally unsmiling or whether his features were too pronounced and sharp, but his face gave off a vibe of being unapproachable. Making you instinctively step back. Involuntarily, Ava Sterling was curious about what he would look like smiling. So, she said, "Give me a smile to see."