Chapter 4

The timing seemed too coincidental. Amelia had arrived, and immediately, the Oceania Group ended their cooperation with the Clyde family. Rosy tried to reassure Calus. “It’s probably nothing, don’t worry. How could this have anything to do with Amelia? She’s our real daughter.” Calus remained uneasy but finally sighed. “Well, it’s getting late. You take care of Amelia’s matters for now. I’ll rest and visit the Oceania Group tomorrow to figure out what’s going on.”

Meanwhile, the Galvez family discussed Isabel’s name change. Amelia had switched her surname to Galvez without hesitation, and they weren’t sure if Isabel would be willing to relinquish the surname that represented their family's wealth. But, to their surprise, Isabel agreed just as easily. From now on, Isabel Clyde would be known as Isabel Galvez. They initially debated keeping Clyde as her middle name, but ultimately decided against it. Isabel didn’t mind; she had never cared for such things.

The next morning, Hannah prepared breakfast and called everyone to eat. It was a simple meal—milk, eggs, bacon sandwiches, and waffles—nothing fancy. Alex, her older brother, wiped his mouth and grabbed a hunting hat from the counter. He grinned and said, “Isabel, I’m heading to the construction site. When I get paid this month, I’ll buy you a feast.” He gave Isabel a playful pat on the shoulder, nearly causing her to spill her milk. She coughed, “Th-thank you. Cough, cough.” Roy quickly intervened, concerned. “Alex, take it easy. Isabel’s delicate. She can’t handle your rough hands.” They all knew Alex was strong, and even a playful pat could be too much. Alex scratched his head sheepishly. “Heh, I’ll be more careful next time. I’m off now!” He swaggered out, humming a popular TikTok song.

“By the way, Isabel, I heard you’re studying at the University of Ardenfall?” Jack suddenly asked. Isabel nodded. “Yeah, I’m a junior now.” Jack’s eyes lit up. “That’s great! None of us have ever gone to college. Your older brother isn’t exactly a genius, and Maxwell… well, he was doing well in school until he dropped out to care for Dad. You, Roy, only went to a vocational school. We’re really hoping Simon will be the first to make it to college and do something with his life.” Hannah said proudly, “Now that Isabel is in college, our family finally has a college graduate! I’m so happy, and don’t worry, Alex and Roy are earning now. The pressure isn’t as big as it used to be. I’ll make sure to pay your tuition next semester.” Isabel hadn’t realized how difficult things had been for the family. “Thank you, Mom,” Isabel said softly, her heart aching for them. She couldn’t even imagine how they had managed before. Roy wiped his mouth and said, “Isabel, just focus on your studies. With a college degree, it’ll be easier to find a job. Unlike me, graduating from a vocational school doesn’t help much—I can’t even get into some companies. Now, I’m just delivering takeout. I’ve got to get to work, so I’ll head out first.” Roy changed into his pizza delivery uniform and hopped on his scooter. Jack said, standing up, “I need to go to work, too. I’m heading out with Roy.” Hannah began clearing the dishes. “Isabel, are you going to school today? The bus stops right outside our door, so taking the bus is pretty convenient,” Hannah asked. Isabel thought for a moment and replied, “I’ll go in the afternoon. I don’t have any classes in the morning, so I’ll spend some time with Dad first.” Then Isabel headed upstairs. Their house was two stories—downstairs was mostly for the animals and storing various items; upstairs was where they lived.

“Isabel, what are you doing here?” Samuel asked, surprised to see her. “Dad, have you had breakfast yet?” Isabel asked. “Your mom brought it to me,” Samuel replied. Isabel said, “I’ll check your legs,” gently lifting the blanket. Isabel didn’t seem the slightest bit disgusted by his condition. Before, Amelia would only bring him a meal reluctantly, not even hiding her distaste. Isabel began massaging his legs and then took out a silver needle to start acupuncture. Samuel’s leg nerves were fine—it was the lack of proper circulation that caused his paralysis. After lying in bed for years, some muscles had atrophied or stiffened, which is why he couldn’t stand. Hannah asked in shock as she entered the room, “Isabel, are you treating your father?” She didn’t know Isabel had learned such a form of treatment. Isabel said calmly, “I’ll do acupuncture for Dad every day, and I’ll also give him medicine and physical therapy. In less than a year, Dad will be able to stand up.” Samuel and Hannah were overjoyed, Hannah nearly in tears. “If he can get well, I’d do whatever I can,” Hannah said, wiping her tears away. Isabel said, inserting another silver needle, “Don’t worry, Dad, Mom. From now on, I’ll take care of this family.” Hannah and Samuel didn’t fully understand Isabel’s abilities, thinking she was just trying to comfort them. But they were happy because, at least, Isabel was treating them with kindness. “Isabel is really so thoughtful,” Hannah sighed. They couldn’t help but compare Isabel to Amelia, who had always been lazy and impatient, frequently arguing with them and never wanting to set foot in Samuel’s room to see her disabled father. They both sighed inwardly—this real daughter of theirs truly made a difference.

Chapter 5

At the Clyde Group, everything was spiraling out of control. With the Oceania Group pulling out of all collaborations, the Clyde Group panicked. Many companies, hearing about the Oceania Group’s withdrawal, were unwilling to work with them. They had already lost several multi-million dollar projects. Caius personally called the head of the Oceania Group several times, but each attempt went unanswered. Frustrated, he decided to go there in person. It seemed the Oceania Group staff expected him, as they had already sent bodyguards to stop him. “Are you stupid or blind? I’m Caius Clyde! A distinguished partner of yours!” Caius shouted, seething with anger. “Distinguished my ass. Get lost,” the security guard retorted bluntly. This was an order from above—whenever Caius showed up, they were told to be as rude as possible. The staff had been instructed to greet him with a full display of insults. “You… this is outrageous! Call Chris Jovian here, tell him to come out and see me!” Caius demanded, hands on his hips, fuming. In the past, Chris Jovian, the head of the Oceania Group, had treated Caius with utmost respect. Even when projects lost money, Chris never got upset and always cleaned up Caius’s mess. Back then, Chris had practically worshipped Caius. Over time, Calus had grown accustomed to this treatment, even beginning to think of Chris as his personal lapdog. The security guard sneered. “Mr. Jovian isn’t someone you can just see. What are you, even? If you don’t leave, I’ll have to use the taser.” Calus was livid but still tried to push forward. The guard quickly aimed the taser at him, and Caius immediately hesitated. Grinding his teeth, he spat, “Fine. Very well. I’ll remember you all. When I see Chris, I’ll make sure he gets you fired.”