Chapter 6: Chapter Six: Commanding Respect Without Anger

Rita Clare nudged Evelyn Bert's arm, winking at her from an angle where Orville Quiller couldn't see.

Evelyn Bert was utterly confused. "What is a daughter? Can I eat it? I'm hungry, I want to eat..."

She patted her small belly and licked her lips.

Seeing her in such a helpless state, Rita Clare almost lost her temper. "Mr. Huo, you see, she just has a poor head on her shoulders, always saying nonsense. You shouldn't take her words seriously," Rita Clare said with a fawning smile.

"If I'm not mistaken, your daughter isn't a fool, but she is," Orville Quiller said with a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Hearing this, Rita Clare choked on her words, unable to respond. She turned to glare fiercely at the innocent-looking Evelyn Bert, then awkwardly explained, "I've raised this child since she was little. Even though I'm not her biological mother, I might as well be."

"Oh?" Orville Quiller's lips curved into a smile, exuding a natural authority. "Is that so?"

Rita Clare quickly nodded. "Yes... yes..."

"That's not true!" Evelyn Bert pouted in protest. "The aunties in the village say a child only has one mother. Aunt Clare is not my mother!"

Rita Clare's face stiffened. *Little brat, can't you keep your mouth shut?!*

Orville Quiller watched Rita Clare with a half-smile, waiting to see how she would cover up this lie.

"Mr... Mr. Huo, please let me explain..."

If this were any other family, there might still be room for negotiation, but this was the Huo family. Anyone with a bit of sense wouldn't dare to cross them. This was why Rita Clare was so flustered.

"Mrs. Fang, I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation, or else..." Orville Quiller paused, then continued, "You know what the Huo family is capable of."

Rita Clare's face turned ashen, but she couldn't show her anger. She had to swallow her pride. "You can rest assured..."

Just as the atmosphere reached its most awkward point, The Servant came out of the kitchen with a freshly made cake. Sensing the tension, she approached Evelyn Bert without a word. "Miss Fang, the cake is ready. Try it before it gets cold."

"Woo! A cake! My favorite!"

Evelyn Bert immediately took the basket of cakes and started eating, her face glowing with the innocence and joy of a child.

Seeing this, The Servant couldn't help but sigh. Although the Fang family had tricked the young master by sending a fool, Miss Fang was also a pitiful girl.

"Mrs. Fang, have you thought of an explanation?" Orville Quiller sipped the tea The Servant had prepared, looking at the stunned Rita Clare with a half-smile.

Hearing this, Evelyn Bert looked up from her cake, a glint in her eyes. "Aunt Clare, when will Dad come back?"

This was like pouring oil on the fire.

Rita Clare gritted her teeth in frustration but could only force a smile. "Yingying, be good. Tell Mr. Huo how nice Aunt Clare has been to you."

Evelyn Bert blinked, her expression suddenly changing. She shrank behind Orville Quiller, only her big, watery eyes visible, staring at Rita Clare.

"Boo-hoo... Aunt Clare, don't hit me. I'll be good and clean the floor and wash the dishes. Don't hit me, boo-hoo..."

The sudden cry, filled with fear, was impossible to ignore. It was clear what kind of life Evelyn Bert had led in the Fang family.

The living room fell silent, the temperature dropping sharply.

The Servant quickly stepped forward to comfort the sobbing Evelyn Bert. "Yingying, no one will hit you anymore. Stop crying, be a good girl."

"Mrs. Fang, the Huo family is not receiving guests today. Please leave," Orville Quiller said coldly, a hint of anger in his voice. "The Servant, see our guest out."

"Yes!" The Servant gestured to the flustered Rita Clare. "Mrs. Fang, this way, please."

Rita Clare: *...* *I was actually outsmarted by this little brat!*

Thinking about what Winfred Bert would do if he found out, she felt even more anxious. Orville Quiller's attitude clearly indicated he would protect this girl. If their cooperation with the Fang family was jeopardized because of her, Winfred Bert would never let her off easy...

But it was too late to salvage the situation. She left reluctantly.

As she turned, she glanced at Evelyn Bert and saw a flicker of schadenfreude in her eyes. But when she looked again, Evelyn Bert was still acting like a fool, drooling without noticing.

*Did I imagine it?*

With this question, Rita Clare left the Huo mansion.

Inside, Evelyn Bert didn't miss the shock in Rita Clare's eyes. She sneered inwardly. *After pretending to be a fool for so many years, enduring their abuse, it's time they paid a price. Otherwise, all my years of patience would be for nothing.*

*But first, I need to heal Orville Quiller's leg...*

Gathering her thoughts, she turned to look at Orville Quiller, pouting. "I want to watch *Pleasant Goat*!"

Orville Quiller's face darkened. "..."

In the old Huo residence, Orville Quiller's mother, dressed in a dark blue qipao, lay on a chaise longue, asking her attendant, "How did things go with Qingya?"

Zhou Guan bowed respectfully. "The Servant reported that the Fang family switched the bride, sending their foolish eldest daughter instead of Melissa Bert."

Orville Quiller's mother frowned, her voice sharp. "The Fang family has some nerve, daring to mock the Huo family!"

"The Fang family isn't a long-established aristocratic clan. It seems this was orchestrated by Winfred Bert's wife, Rita Clare," Zhou Guan added.

Rita Clare thought she had everything under control, but the Huo family uncovered the truth after discovering the switch.

Orville Quiller's mother rubbed her temples. "What did Qingya say?"

"The Servant said that the young master is very protective of the Fang family's eldest daughter. He even sent Rita Clare away because of her," Zhou Guan relayed the message.

He was surprised by the young master's reaction. Since his accident, his temper had been particularly volatile. To act this way for a foolish girl was unexpected.

Orville Quiller's mother paused, then sighed. "Well, if Qingya likes her, it doesn't matter if she's a bit foolish. After all, she is officially married into the Huo family. It's just that poor Qingya..."

They say a woman becomes strong for her children. Orville Quiller's mother was a perfect example.