Chapter 11
It turned out that Chloe Summers’s gambling–addict father had refused to let my dad officially adopt her–fearing that once she grew up, she wouldn’t support him financially. Instead, he claimed she was only going to the Carter household as a maid.
My dad, seeing Chloe on the verge of death back then, agreed just to save her life.
Who would have thought that after all her scheming, she’d be undone by her own father’s selfish little calculation?
Well, it made sense–like father, like daughter. That same selfish, shameless streak ran in their blood.
Chloe stood there stunned, then screamed,
“Fake! It’s all fake! You just don’t want to give me money!”
While the crowd exchanged confused glances, unsure who to believe, a thin old man with yellow, rotting teeth burst in.
“Sweetheart! Your cousin says you married some rich young man–you’ve really made something of yourself!”
He grabbed Chloe by the arm, his eyes raking over her greedily from head to toe.
When his gaze landed on the well–dressed Nathan Brooks beside her, he instantly stepped forward and grabbed him.
“So you’re my good son–in–law, huh? Let me tell you, I never let my girl show so much as a bare elbow growing up–she’s a pure maiden. Now that she’s with you, the bride price should be at least a hundred thousand dollars!”
Nathan recoiled in disgust, stepping back.
My dear “uncle” scowled.
‘What’s that supposed to mean? Don’t tell me you’re giving the bride price to David Carter instead. I knew from the start he had bad intentions–he just wanted to raise my daughter until she was old enough to marry off for a dowry. Good thing I was smart and kept her household registration–let him waste his efforts.”
I’m telling you now, if you don’t give me that bride price today, you can forget about marrying my daughter. I’ll take her back to our hometown and sell her to that crippled guy in the next village- he’ll pay forty grand at least.”
With smug pride, he pulled out the household registry and slapped it in his hand as though it were some great achievement.
Chloe’s face twisted with rage, and she shoved him hard.
‘Get lost! I don’t have a father like you–my dad is David Carter!”
Smack! He slapped her across the face.”
‘Ungrateful slut–just like your dead mother–looking down on the poor and throwing yourself at ich men. I’ll beat you to death!”
Two more sharp slaps followed.
“F
They were soon grappling and clawing at each other, while the reporters, after a moment of stunned silence, quickly began snapping photos and recording video.
“Fake heiress demands inheritance gets beaten by her biological father.”
“A test of human nature–kindness in raising an orphan repaid with a court battle. Pitiful and pathetic.
Nathan’s face went from pale to green to purple before he finally slunk away through the back
door
Under my “uncles kicks and shoves, Chloe was also dragged out.
The press conference ended in chacs, but the Carter family’s reputation was instantly restored. Headlines everywhere reported how we had selflessly taken in an orphan, only to be bitten in return. Public opinion swung completely in our favor–many people even went to Carter Pharmaceuticals website to post apologies, and, as a show of goodwill, bought our products in
buk
Our warehouses emptied the factory machines ran hot enough to smoke, and the Carter family business climbed to new heights.
The next time I saw Nathan was a month later. He looked like a different man–thin, haggard, his clothes reeking of stale sweet.
He stared at me with desperate longing, like a lover reunited after decades apart.
Sophia, Chloe’s baby was beaten by her father, then drugged and taken back to their hometown. No one can ever come between us again. Let’s start over, please. I’ll give you all my love.”
He lunged toward me, trying to kiss me.
The stench of his breath hit me so hard I nearly gagged-
When suddenly, a fist the size of a sandbag slammed into his face, sending Nathan sprawling to the floor.
