Marco approached Liberty with his brothers and Shiloh, introducing himself politely. “Miss Hunt, I’m Marco, the eldest son of the Farrell family. I’ve heard my mother speak of you. In terms of seniority, you should refer to me as eldest uncle. This is my second brother and my third brother. This young lady is Shiloh, whom I believe you already know.” Marco also introduced his younger siblings to Liberty. She nodded in acknowledgment but did not call Marco “uncle.” When she saw Matriarch Farrell, she refrained from calling her “Grandma,” let alone addressing Marco as such. Matriarch Farrell had never publicly acknowledged that Audrey and Liberty’s mother were her nieces. During her last visit to the Stone family, when she met Audrey, her demeanor clearly indicated animosity. Why discuss family ties with adversaries? There was no familial bond between them—only resentment and animosity.

Shiloh remarked, “Children raised without parental guidance often lack manners and don’t even greet their elders properly.” Liberty turned to her and asked, “Who are you to consider yourself my elder? Matriarch Farrell has never indicated that I should regard her as such, so why should I? You’re not a member of the Farrell family! Why are you interjecting here?” Shiloh was left speechless, her face paling. If she intended to present herself as an elder before Liberty, it was only natural that she would be criticized.

“Liberty, let’s go inside; my mother has been waiting for you,” Kathryn said, ignoring Shiloh as she led Liberty toward the main house with a smile. As they walked, Kathryn pointed out the beautiful scenery of the Farrell family mansion to Liberty. The four siblings remained behind, hesitant to follow immediately. Once Kathryn and Liberty were out of earshot, Shiloh seethed with anger.

Marco remarked, “Brother, have you noticed that Kathryn is paying less and less attention to us? And that sea spirit—what on earth! She’s just an orphan, a divorced woman; does she think she’s a queen? She came here and asked us to greet her, yet she didn’t acknowledge us at all. We are her elders, but she only referred to you as Mr. Janzen, which feels so distant and lacks any warmth.” Marco continued, “Mom didn’t inform everyone that she is my aunt’s granddaughter, so it’s understandable that she wouldn’t recognize her relatives. Tonight, Mom is hosting a banquet for prominent family members, and she’s invited Liberty as well. I believe her intention is to publicly acknowledge Liberty’s identity as her aunt and granddaughter, possibly waiting until it’s officially recognized before letting her meet her relatives.”

Sage, the third young master Farrell, responded, “Logically, Mom wouldn’t take this approach. If Liberty’s identity is confirmed, wouldn’t the clan members automatically rally around her? There are rumors that her mother is our aunt. Even if it’s known that her mom was killed, the longer the story circulates, the more likely it is that people will start to believe it.”

Marco thought for a moment and then said, “What Mom intends to do or how she acts is beyond our control. Just observe the situation. Even if this is her intention, it doesn’t concern us. The one who should be worried is Kathryn.” Kathryn was currently the successor of the Farrell family. If clan members began to gather around Liberty and formed a faction with her as the leader, they would undoubtedly compete with Kathryn for the position of head of the family. Liberty, being a descendant of the previous family head, would naturally be a formidable contender if she chose to pursue the leadership role.

She needed to fight for it. Thus, Kathryn was the one who should feel anxious, not her brothers. Their last name was Janzen, not Farrell.