Chapter 348: A Fruitless Effort

The moment those words were spoken, everyone froze in shock. Ashley was stunned; her mind went blank, filled with question marks. Their families had known each other for a long time, so who on earth was Sadie if she wasn’t his daughter?

Everyone turned toward me. A murmur rippled through the crowd. “So Zoey is the real international heiress!” “No wonder she always mooches off me for a cup of milk tea. I thought, how could an heiress be this broke?” “She even borrowed $20,000 from me a few days ago.” “I lent her $50,000 through an online loan. She said her credit card was maxed out and promised to repay me next month.” “I lent her money… What a fraud!”

Everyone chimed in, hurling criticism at Sadie, bombarding her with rumors and judgment. No matter how thick-skinned Sadie was, she couldn’t stay there any longer. She covered her face and ran, her previous confidence completely gone.

Holding my medal and flowers, I walked up to Bill, draping the medal around his neck. “Dad, thank you.” He wrapped his arms around me, and we took a photo. I looked up at the bright, sunny sky. Zoey, can you see this? This was the moment she had always dreamed of—receiving Bill’s recognition and finally establishing herself as his daughter. The scene froze in time. Today’s front-page headline would be about me and Bill, while Sadie would be exposed as the fake she was.

After the event, I saw Sadie cornered by Ashley in the parking lot. She hadn’t even had time to change out of her gown. “Let go of me!” Ashley demanded. “Explain yourself. If you’re not his daughter, then who is your real father?”

“What does it matter to you? I’m your girlfriend. Don’t tell me you want to ditch me now?” Ashley gripped her wrist so tightly it turned red. He questioned, “What happened with the Gardners? I’ve invested so much in you. If you don’t explain yourself, I won’t let you leave.”

I pushed Carter forward, stepping into the conversation. “Regarding her biological father, you are familiar with him—Zack Harrison, who is on the verge of bankruptcy. Does that clear things up?” The recent event with Zack cutting the ribbon had caused a stir, and now he was everyone’s laughingstock.

Ashley finally put the pieces together and asked, “So, your mother was having an affair with him? Are you a bastard?”

Sadie instantly shot back, furious. “Who are you calling a bastard?” But this wasn’t just about name-calling. Ashley’s mind was fixated on one thing—getting Bill to confirm it. “Bill, tell me this isn’t true, Sadie is your daughter, right?”

Bill smirked coldly. “Do you really think she is?”

“I’ve spent all this money on her. I just bought her a house and a car—all for your sake!” Sadie had learned some tricks over time. Realizing that secrets couldn’t stay hidden forever, she had planned the whole thing, coaxing Ashley into buying her a house and a car. Ashley thought he could use Sadie to get closer to Bill. He believed that Bill would repay him for all the money he spent once he became his son-in-law. He thought he could control Sadie at will, but little did he know that Sadie had outwitted him. All the properties were in Sadie’s name!

Bill, upon learning that Ashley was a key factor in Zoey’s depression, couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. “My reputation is so cheap that anyone can use it?” With a mocking smile, Bill asked, “When you abandoned Zoey, did you ever think this would happen?”

Ashley must have regretted his actions, turning his back on the real heiress to pursue a love affair with an illegitimate daughter. Now, he was despised by his own family and disliked by the Gardners. He had even spent a significant amount of money in recent days trying to please Sadie. The truth finally surfaced—it was all a scam. Ashley felt as if the world had collapsed around him.

He looked at me, his lips moving as if he was about to say something, but Carter shot him a cold glance, and Ashley quickly fell silent. I smiled slightly at him and said, “Ashley, you should download the national anti-fraud app next time.”

Ashley was lost for words. Just then, Sadie tried to run. Already furious, Ashley grabbed her by the back of her neck and slapped her so hard that she fell to the ground. “Bitch! I’ve spent so much money on you, and you still want to run?”

“Ashley, didn’t you say you loved me and would do anything for me?”

“Do anything for you, my foot! If you aren’t Bill’s daughter, who would even look at you? I’m done with your heiress attitude. Sadie, I warn you, if you don’t pay me back with interest, I’ll sell you to the nightclubs to settle your debt.”

His slaps had left Sadie’s hair in a mess, and blood flowed from her face as she crawled toward us like a dog. “Dad, I’m begging you to help me again. I really know I was wrong.”

“Stop calling me your dad. I don’t have a disgusting daughter like you. Every time I think about what you did to Zoey, I wish I could tear you apart!”

When Zoey’s name was mentioned, Sadie quickly glanced at me. “Zoey, Mrs. Bolton, you’re kind-hearted and beautiful. We’re sisters, after all. I know I’ve wronged you in the past. Please, help me.”

“Help you? You were just slandering me at school not long ago. How dare you ask me for help?”

She continued to grovel and beg, while some classmates nearby saw everything clearly. “Oh my god, Sadie is shameless!” “Sadie, give me my money back!” Her classmates rushed toward her.

Sadie, no longer caring about anything, ran away without looking back. She almost got hit by a car as she crossed the street, causing the driver to lean out and curse at her. “Bitch, you can hide now, but you can’t run from me forever.” Ashley rushed to chase her in the car, but Sadie had already disappeared.

The students nearby now understood the truth when they saw me wheel Carter. It was Carter who had donated the building. Even though he was disabled, no one dared to look down on him.

“Zoey, I’m sorry. We misunderstood you because we listened to Sadie. Can you forgive me?” “I even cursed you with her before. I’m really sorry.” They weren’t sincere in their apologies; they were just afraid I’d settle the score later.

I calmly replied, “It’s fine. I never held a grudge.” Whether they praised or insulted me, I didn’t care. I had no intention of becoming friends with them, so their opinions didn’t matter.

“Carter, let’s go.” “Mm.” I didn’t look at those so-called classmates again. They were just fair-weather friends who would vanish after graduation. I couldn’t be bothered to maintain relationships with them.

As the car door slowly closed, I saw the Carlyns brothers standing not far away. One harbored malicious intention with a smile on his face, while the other’s grin was bright and dazzling. Both gave me the chills.