Chapter 343 Malcolm’s Predicament
Malcolm had spent two nights at the hotel, and the third day marked the holiday. During the festive days, with no way to return home, he could only stay at the hotel.
News of the incident at Julia’s house had spread like wildfire through Kingsdom, and everywhere he went, people pointed and whispered. And it wasn’t just Kingsdom; the online buzz was deafening. It turned out that someone had secretly recorded the whole thing, posting it online for the world to see. In this day and age, beating up a mistress wasn’t exactly rare, but when it involved a wealthy family, the gossip took on a life of its own, quickly trending on social media. People dug deeper, uncovering the truth about the swapped daughters, and Malcolm felt a headache brewing.
Online, keyboard warriors were having a field day, hurling insults at him that made him question his very existence.
Malcolm thought, “What does the whole swapping thing have to do with me? They say I’m heartless and cruel. How could I be so brutal to my own daughter?”
The insults were relentless, dragging his ancestors through the mud as if they were responsible for his current predicament. The worst part? While they called it “blurring out” the footage, anyone who knew him could easily recognize it was him on the screen.
The Stone family had relatives calling Malcolm left and right, wanting to know what was going on. Even Sandra called, sobbing about how someone had vandalized her flower shop. At first, Malcolm didn’t want to engage. After all, the whole swapping debacle was her doing. Yet, somehow, he found himself shouldering all the blame. However, he thought about the flower shop; it was his investment, and he felt a pang of responsibility. So, he sent someone to check it out. To his surprise, it wasn’t Bianca’s doing at all; it was just some enthusiastic internet users. The vandals even filmed the whole incident, and a wave of applause followed online, as if they were celebrating a victory.
Sandra’s shop had always catered to high-end clients, and now, it faced damages worth over a million dollars. Malcolm had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill. He figured it had been three days; surely, Bianca’s anger had simmered down by now. So, he checked out of the hotel early, ready to head home.
But when Malcolm arrived, he was met with an unexpected sight. Not only was the door locked, but it also had a custom sign hanging on it reading: [Malcolm and Dog, Keep Out.] John did it. The sign was embedded in the doorframe, making it impossible to remove. Malcolm’s jaw tightened, and he mustered the courage to knock on the door.
“Get that sign off the door!”
John’s voice rang out, dripping with arrogance. “Malcolm, are you still thirsty for blood? Want me to bring you a bowl? I’ve got plenty. What, you still have the nerve to show your face here?”
Malcolm replied, trying to keep his tone steady, “It’s the festival today; we should be celebrating as a family. Just open the door for me.”
“Ha! Don’t you have another family to celebrate with? Why..."
“I’ve cut ties with Sandra. I haven’t seen her in days. My heart is still with your mother. Just let me in to talk to her, even if it’s an apology, it should be face-to-face, right?”
John spat, saying, “Get lost! Go wherever you please.”
Under normal circumstances, Malcolm wouldn’t have taken this kind of disrespect. But this morning, he discovered his bank card was locked, and he had to use the driver’s card to pay for the hotel. Losing his patience, he insisted, “Open the door! I need to talk to your mother.”
Suddenly, the door swung open. Bianca stood there, holding a cup of coffee beans, and without missing a beat, she splashed the grounds right in Malcolm’s face.