The slap made her ears ring, and her mouth even bled. However, Conner was furious. “You still have the cheek to say that? You’ve disgraced our family! How dare you blame your brother for what you did!”
“Let me tell you,” he continued, “Mason and I talked in the study last night. He would never do such a thing to you.”
Such a shocking scandal threatened the reputation of the entire Lee family. Regarding Mia’s repeated disappointments, Conner said directly, “I’ll send you out of Lovell City tomorrow. Don’t come back for the time being.”
“Is he trying to chase me away?” Mia shook her head. “No, I’m not leaving.” If she were sent overseas, the entire family property would fall to the mistress and her son! “I’m clearly the legitimate heiress. Why should I leave? Why?”
Perhaps these setbacks made Mia realize that directly confronting her father was unproductive. She suppressed her anger and begged, “Dad, I know I was wrong, but you can’t chase me away. I’m your daughter after all.”
Seeing he remained unmoved, Mia played her trump card. “Didn’t you promise Mom that you would protect me well?”
At the mention of his deceased wife, Conner softened. “Alright,” he said, his expression slightly gentler. “My tone was a little harsh, but you must remember not to cause any more trouble!”
“Yes! I’ll be obedient,” Mia replied.
Conner continued, “I’ll marry Mason’s mother soon. It’s been hard on her and Mason for so many years. It’s time to give them a proper status.”
This meant the mistress would become the legal wife, and Mason would be Mia's main obstacle and rival. Mia felt she was on the verge of a mental breakdown, but she forced a smile and pretended to be obedient. “Okay.”
She thought, This family has changed long ago. It’s funny how I’ve always been in denial, always reminiscing about my parents’ loving relationship. My mother passed away early, and my father hasn’t remarried for many years, so I believed it was true love. Now I realize it was all a lie. Otherwise, why would Mason be only six months younger than me?
Mia returned to her room in a daze. Reflecting, she realized her recent encounters had been disastrous, as if she’d fallen into hell. At this thought, she made a call. She initially wanted to ask about the previous night's events, but the other party was unresponsive. Mia was dumbfounded. She thought she’d misheard, but a suspicion formed in her mind. She immediately called Tiffany.
“Btch, you were the one who planned what happened last night, right?” Mia accused. “You ruined my reputation and made me a pariah in Lovell City. You even caused me to have a younger brother out of nowhere and made my father completely disappointed in me! Btch, aren’t you afraid of retribution!”
People in desperate situations often seek to justify their selfishness, blaming others for their misfortunes while ignoring their own actions.
Tiffany, having just finished breakfast, replied indifferently, “Does this have anything to do with me? If you really want to know, ask the heavens. You brought this upon yourself. If you dare to ask, I believe you’ll get your retribution!”
What a joke, Tiffany thought. When Mia bribed the assassin to kill me, did she worry about retribution? Heaven punishes the despicable! I haven’t even made a move, and Mia has already dug her own grave.
Tiffany hung up after Mia's tirade. The scandal prevented Mia from returning to school. Everyone learned of Conner's upcoming wedding, the new wife, and her son, who bore a striking resemblance to Conner. The wedding was essentially a family recognition ceremony, legitimizing his son and furthering his social standing in Lovell City. All prominent businessmen received invitations, including the Kelley family. Charlie, out of respect, decided to attend.
That day, Thalia teased Charlie, "Don't bring back an illegitimate child one day."
Charlie felt wronged. "How can I be like them? I have a gentle and demure wife, a beautiful and sensible daughter, and a mischievous son. I should be content at my age!"
"It's good that you know," Thalia glared, saying nothing more. Tiffany and her brother exchanged glances before leaving.
Tiffany's week was relatively calm. The silver-haired man who’d suffered a significant loss, and the Assassin Alliance, remained an unknown threat. However, Tiffany was surprised to encounter him at the Royal Bay, playing billiards with Sidney. He seemed much more relaxed than before.
He whistled, saying in a suggestive tone, “Hey, since when can women enter and leave the Royal Bay freely?” Then, addressing Sidney, he asked, “Is this Richard’s woman?”
Sidney replied, without looking up, “No. But I advise you to put away your thoughts. She has a powerful background. She’s the Miracle Healer, and she can poison you to death in minutes. Be careful and don’t ask for trouble.”
Sidney introduced Tiffany as Miss Wood, and the silver-haired man, Garry York, commented, “Why are girls who look so innocent nowadays so black-hearted?”
Tiffany knew he referred to her, but with her current appearance, he didn’t recognize her. She replied meaningfully, “Oh, so it’s Mr. York.” Garry, the rarely seen third son of the York family, was surprisingly connected to the Assassin Alliance. This raised questions about Sidney and Richard.