Mag-log inTo Florence, this was a matter of life and death. To Theodore, it amounted to little more than a harmless mistake, something he believed could be brushed aside by ignoring it.She looked at him for a long time, long enough for her eyes to begin to sting. Even then, she could not bring herself to speak. All that remained was disappointment.Raymond was about to say something, but Diana pressed a hand to his arm and stopped him.Wearing a faint, unreadable smile, she said, "Since that's how you see it, what more is there for us to say?"There was no point in continuing. She should have known long ago that expecting a genuine explanation from Theodore was unrealistic. Fortunately, she had never truly relied on this father to begin with.Megan felt that things had turned out exactly as they always did. Once again, the Hutton siblings had no leverage over her.Seizing the moment, she turned to Theodore and said, "By the way, Dad, can I attend the charity gala tonight?""Of course you
The next second, a slap cracked across Raymond's face. The sharp sound echoed through the room, and red marks bloomed at once on his clean-cut cheek.Raymond frowned faintly. He licked the blood at the corner of his mouth and raised his eyes to the middle-aged man before him. He looked at him not as a father, but as a stranger.Diana froze for a moment, then seized Raymond's arm. When she saw the injury on his face, something shifted in her usually cold eyes.She turned sharply toward Theodore and said firmly, "Grandfather never laid a single finger on Ray."Growing up, none of them had escaped Albus's punishments. Yet no matter how often the old man complained that Raymond was unruly, Raymond remained, aside from Vivian, the one he favored most."When did you learn to use the old man to pressure me?" Theodore snapped. "Did you not hear the vile things coming out of his mouth? Is that how he should speak to his own sister?"He had assumed the siblings were merely making trouble o
Normally, with Albus backing her, Diana decided nearly all major and minor matters in the Hutton family.Even so, she had never openly defied Theodore. She had always been a dutiful daughter. What she said today could be considered the first time she had publicly embarrassed him.Faced with repeated confrontation from his children, Theodore's expression stiffened. He took the recorder, his voice turning sharp. "Is there some kind of curse in Jouleston that's turned all of you siblings into this?"Florence's expression grew colder. "You should listen to the recording first."This was not the first time Theodore had defended Megan. This time, however, Florence had run out of patience.She wanted only one thing: to bring her daughter, who had suffered so much outside, home as soon as possible.Theodore's face tightened slightly. He said nothing more and began listening to the recording.The audio had been compiled from what Diana extracted from the maids during her last return to B
The living room grew so quiet that a pin dropping would have been heard.In one another's eyes, the Huttons saw the same storm of feelings: relief, the joy of something long lost finally returning, and a crushing heartache that came with it.They had long suspected that Sydney was Vee. Even so, none of them could silence the fear of that 1-in-10,000 chance.What if they were wrong again? They were not.Years of yearning had finally found an answer. Their Vee was not only alive, but gentle, composed, independent, and exceptional. The joy was overwhelming. The ache was no less so.Florence's tears would not stop.Raymond sprang to his feet. "I'm going to find Sydney right now!"There was no way he could remain seated."Sit down." Diana drew a steadying breath, forcing down the surge of joy in her chest. "We deal with the mess at home tonight. Then we bring her back properly."Everyone knew who she meant by "the mess." It was Penelope and Megan.James nodded and turned to Raymon
After going downstairs, Sydney and Julian finished breakfast when a call came in from the research institute.The component analysis report was out.Sydney skimmed the report in her inbox. The faint relief on her face vanished almost immediately. She and Julian headed for the hospital at once.Only after they got into the car did Julian ask, "Is it serious?""Yes." Sydney gave a small nod. "Just like Alan said yesterday."The poison was far too complex. If the antidote was even slightly inaccurate, it would trigger the remaining dormant toxins and cause them to spread rapidly.When they arrived at the hospital, the two walked toward the ward together.Just as they reached the door, Julian stopped. "You go in first. I need to return a work call.""Okay." Sydney did not think much of it and went straight inside.Julian walked to the end of the corridor and took out his phone. His expression turned cold. "Still nothing from Caleb?"Elliot answered, "No. For the past two days, he
Raymond had no strength left to argue. The three siblings asked Florence a few more questions about Sydney's condition and finally felt reassured.James then mentioned the gala scheduled for the following evening. "Will Sydney attend?"Diana shook her head. "Probably not." The original plan had been to use the gala, with its gathering of high-society figures, to disown Megan completely and formally announce Sydney's identity.But with Eliana hospitalized at such a critical moment, Sydney was unlikely to have any interest in attending a social event.That was also why Florence had not mentioned the gala when she went to Delta Mansion that evening. She did not want to put Sydney in a difficult position. Unless the antidote could be obtained and delivered to the hospital before the gala.…Elsewhere, Jeremiah was equally troubled.What could be more important than reuniting with one's biological parents?His instincts told him that tomorrow night presented the best opportunity t







