Chapter 133: My Adoptive Parents
The assembly hall buzzed with voices, yet the Stark family felt uncomfortable, their faces almost devoid of color. Watching Charles and his Class A group prepare for a meal, Leann impulsively called out as they passed.
“Professor Payne!”
He shouted back, and the entire Class A group stopped. Charles also stopped, suddenly seeing a well-groomed woman before him. Taken aback, he looked at her with a puzzled expression. “Who are you?”
Leann, brimming with questions, glanced at Myrna and asked, “Professor Payne, did I just hear you say you’re Myrna’s father? Is that true?”
Impossible! They must have all misheard! How could a professor from Craydon University possibly be Myrna’s father? Not only Leann, but also Luther and Celia anxiously watched him, wishing they could deny it. Especially Stephanie; her hands clenched nervously into fists, she stared intently at the distinguished middle-aged man, her lips almost bitten through. They must have made a mistake.
Charles was born into a prestigious family. Although usually engrossed in academia and not one for socializing, his broad perspective was an ingrained advantage. He could tell at a glance that this group meant no good, seeming targeted, as if they wanted him to deny something. The gentle expression on his face instantly turned cold. He turned his head and asked Myrna, “Mya, do you know them?”
This attitude and affectionate nickname… Stephanie’s heart sank sharply. She clenched her hands, as if her heart were tightly gripped by an invisible hand. She was unwilling to give up and still held onto the last glimmer of hope.
Myrna’s gaze swept over the Stark family—Luther, Leann, and Stephanie. Her dark eyes were indifferent and mocking, giving them only a brief glance. A hint of defiance tinged her tone: “Acquainted.”
A moment of carelessness: “My former foster parents.”
She didn’t hide anything, speaking as if Luther and the others were insignificant strangers in her life. Charles’s eyes darkened as he looked at the well-dressed Stark family. His gaze was not only cold but also contained a hint of displeasure.
After finding his daughter, he had someone investigate how she had been doing for the past decade or so. If the other party treated their daughter well, the Payne family was not ungrateful; the appropriate reward would definitely be given. Even later, the two families could become in-laws without any blood relation. The results he considered still made his heart ache!
The Stark family did not treat their adopted daughter well; they adopted Mya only to use her blood type for transfusions for their own children. Every month, Mya was forced to go to the hospital to give blood for that Stark child. The Stark children learned to play the piano, dance, and paint from a young age. They attended the best schools and wore designer clothes… His Mya, however, was registered under the Stark family but never enrolled in any extracurricular activities! Stephanie attended a private elite school, while Mya had attended the worst public school since elementary school. Stephanie took a piano exam and made painstaking efforts to enter Melcester’s upper class circle. His Mya, however, was like an invisible person.
He had never considered revenge on the Stark family; after all, no matter what, they had raised Mya for over a decade. He didn’t want his daughter to bear the reputation of being ungrateful for such a person. The Stark family was unworthy! But if they had the audacity to approach him again, he would definitely not treat them kindly.
So, when he learned that Leann was Myrna’s foster mother, Charles’s expression quickly cooled, his gaze indifferent: “Oh, is there something you need, Mrs. Stark?” The difference in tone was so obvious, anyone with ears could have heard it. He didn’t like Leann; he wouldn’t even give her basic respect!