Chapter 957
Caleb and Lydia were completely stunned.
They stared blankly at the kind, beaming old man and the warm, elegant woman holding Lydia’s hands.
These… these were the heads of the Lancaster empire!
The titans of industry they had only ever seen in financial magazines!
The family whose every move dictated the economy of Vaelion City!
And yet p>
They were so incredibly normal?
They had fully expected the ultra-wealthy to be arrogant, cold, and utterly obsessed with status.
Especially toward kids like them, who had crawled out of poverty.
But they p>
They were so welcoming.
Caleb and Lydia stammered, overwhelmed with nerves. “H-hello, Mr. Lancaster… Hello, Mrs. Lancaster p>
“Oh, none of that formality, you’re Serena’s friends,” Catherine said, gently guiding them to the plush sofas while motioning for the maids to bring tea and pastries. “You’re Serena’s classmates and the guests she invited to our home. Just call me Aunt Catherine p>
“Please, relax. Make yourselves at home p>
Catherine couldn’t stop fussing over them. “Serena has barely been at Marington for half a month, and she’s already made friends and invited you over p>
“As her mother, I couldn’t be happier p>
Noticing that Caleb and Lydia were sitting rigidly on the edge of the sofa, too terrified to move, Catherine took matters into her own hands.
She picked up a plate of delicate pastries and practically forced them into their hands. “Don’t be shy with me. I am genuinely just so thrilled you’re here p>
Old Mr. Lancaster chuckled warmly. “Yes, please, eat! It’s rare for Serena to bring friends home. I hear you’re both in the Vanguard Honors Program p>
“To be in that program, you two must be brilliant. The future of our country p>
The genuine praise from a man of his stature made both of their faces flush bright red.
Catherine smiled. “The workload in the Vanguard Program must be intense, right? Aren’t you exhausted p>
“Serena mentioned you’re preparing for some sort of elite challenge? That sounds like a massive
eln
undertaking. You must be burning
through all your energy p>
“You need to keep your strength up p>
“What kind of food do you like? I’ll have the chef prepare a feast. You are absolutely staying for lunch p>
Catherine fired off question after question.
But her suffocating level of care was rooted in pure, unadulterated joy.
Ever since her daughter had returned home.
The only friend she had brought back was a girl from her small town.
But that girl had gone to the United Realmon States with Serena and hadn’t come back yet.
She had claimed she was having too much fun and would return when she was ready.
And that was an old friend.
But now p>
Her precious daughter had brought home classmates from her new school.
It meant she was finally settling in, finally opening up to new people!
How could Catherine not be ecstatic?
She wanted to pull out all the stops to make them feel loved,
they would become net
with her daughter
Caleb and Lydia were completely dizzy from the barrage of affection.
Holding the pastries, they didn’t know whether to take a bite or just hold them.
They stared at the sprawling coffee table, overflowing with exotic fruits and desserts they couldn’t even name.
All they could do was nod continuously. “No, no, we don’t do much. Serena is the
one who looks out for us at school p>
They were totally overwhelmed.
But slowly, their eyes began to sting with unshed tears.
Lydia had grown up in the Backwoods. Her family only cared about her younger brother. To them, her entire existence was meant to
be sacrificed for his success.