Chapter 6 Honey, I Have No Home Anymore

Zoey grabbed Dahlia's wrist and said coldly, "I will not make any statement, and I will not accept any betrothal gift. You're disappointed in me, and I am equally disappointed in you! I will leave the Harmon family tonight!"

She let go of Dahlia's hand and went straight up the stairs.

Dahlia stumbled as she was pushed away, wanting to go after and ask, but she was pulled back by Matteo.

He sternly said, "Treating your daughter as an object, do you even deserve to be a mother? Don't bother Zoey!"

Dahlia hummed and stomped up the stairs, while Jordan flicked his cigarette butt and followed suit.

Ariana timidly glanced at Matteo and got up to leave.

Coming back from abroad, Zoey didn't bring much with her, and she didn't acquire any new items in the past half month either. Therefore, when she returned, she still had the same silver suitcase as when she left.

The door was unlocked, Ariana walked up to Zoey, and she fiddled with her hands in front of her.

"Zoey, are you really leaving? I truly know I was wrong, can you forgive me?"

Zoey raised an eyebrow, "What do you think?"

"Zoey, let’s not let a man come between us, okay? Aren’t we sisters?”

Sisters?

At first, Ariana treated her badly, often making up stories that Zoey bullied her and even cutting up some toys and clothes, falsely accusing Zoey of doing it.

It can be imagined that Zoey received a beating, while Ariana was hiding and laughing on the side.

Until when did Ariana treat her well?

After starting middle school, Zoey always ranked first, so Ariana would try to please her and ask her for tutoring.

Zoey didn't hold a grudge against Ariana for her past actions, she just saw it as childish pranks.

Unable to find the love of a father and mother, she naturally longed for sisterly love.

Later, their relationship became really good, all the way until she passed away.

Zoey only realized then that Ariana had been kind to her with a purpose.

The so-called “sisterhood” was simply a trade, with Zoey’s talent as the price.

Demons are demons after all, even if they disguise themselves as angels, they still possess a demon's heart.

Zoey gave her a meaningful look and walked towards the door, carrying her suitcase.

Ariana ran over and grabbed her arm, looking pitifully at her. "Zoey, my concert is tomorrow night. If you don't support me, what am I going to do? I'm begging you, please help me one more time, okay?"

Zoey let out a sigh, "Well, I'll help you this time. But from now on, you'll have to walk your own path."

"Thank you, Zoey. Thank you."

Ariana watched as Zoey walked out the door, a sinister and evil smile forming at the corner of her mouth.

She knew that as long as she shed a few tears, this fool would soften.

First time leads to a second. Zoey would be at her beck and call for the rest of her life.

Zoey walked towards the stairs, a smile playing at the corner of her lips.

Ariana, your retribution has just begun!

When Zoey went downstairs, only Matteo was there.

She approached and hugged the old man, "Grandpa, when the time is right, I will take you away from here."

Matteo patted her back and asked, "Are you really willing to marry Russell?"

Zoey let go of him and nodded solemnly, "Grandfather, I am willing to marry Russell, it was not a momentary impulse."

Matteo's eyes turned red. "If this kid bullies you, you tell grandpa, and grandpa will break his legs."

After saying that, he furrowed his brows and said, “Though he can’t walk anyway.”

Zoey burst into laughter, "You wouldn't have seen this situation, he would have been good to me."

Matteo gave Zoey some more instructions before she left the Harmon family.

She told her grandfather that Russell would come to pick her up, but in fact, she didn't contact him. She just wanted to take a walk alone along the street.

Meanwhile, at the Maddox family's old mansion.

Nelson stood in front of the Maddox family.

Alonso hummed, "You really disgraced the Maddox family today!"

Nelson lowered his head and said, "Grandpa, I was wrong. I know I made the Maddox family lose face today, but it's not entirely my fault. If Russell hadn't agreed with Zoey, Zoey would still have chosen me."

After speaking, he stole a glance at Russell.

Russell chuckled softly, “If a cake is revealed to be garbage, only a fool would still want to eat it.”

 

Russell raised an eyebrow. “People will only say that Nelson was two-timing.”

Livia Rogers was choked and unable to speak. She looked at her own son kneeling on the ground, feeling heartbroken. “Let’s put this behind us—Nelson understands his mistake, just let him get up."

Russell glanced up coolly. “Since he disgraced the family, he’ll be disciplined according to the family rules.”

He looked at the butler and said, "Go to the study and fetch the family rules."

The butler nodded and walked quickly towards the study.

Livia looked anxiously at the two elderly people and said, "Dad, Mom, everything has already passed, so please don't enforce family discipline. Nelson knows he was wrong!"

Alonso was firm in his attitude, "There are laws for the country, and rules for the family. Once the rules are established, they must be followed."

Livia turned pleadingly to Braylen Maddox and Aubrie Bender, the second son and daughter-in-law of the family, but they looked away,  pretended not to see.

Soon, the butler came carrying a rectangular box.

Russell said in a low voice, "According to the twenty-one family rules, those who betray and abandon their trust shall be punished with ten strokes; according to the thirty-two rules, those who disgrace the Maddox family shall be punished with twenty rolls. A total of thirty strokes. Felix, begin."

Felix opened the box and took out a black wooden stick, which felt like iron in texture. He held it with both hands, standing behind Nelson.

"Master, I apologize for the offense."

The wooden stick struck Nelson's back hard, and he clenched his teeth but still cried out in pain.

After receiving thirty lashes, Nelson knelt on the ground, trembling all over, with cold sweat on his forehead.

He looked up at Russell, desperation in his eyes. “Uncle, you’ve punished me. Now, can you give me back Zoey?”

The arc of Russell's lips was filled with extreme contempt, and his voice was indifferent and distant. "I said, you should call her Auntie."

He raised his hand slightly, and Troy pushed him towards the door.

Nelson was unwilling to let go of Zoey, who was his proudest pawn. "Russell, Zoey is just mad at me, she doesn't like you at all!"

Troy's footsteps came to a halt as he stood by the side of the wheelchair.

Russell glanced sideways, revealing his sharply defined facial features. His attractive lips curved into a very slight arc as he said, "Zoey and I have already obtained our marriage certificate, so you can give up on any hope you had."

As soon as the words fell, Nelson instantly slumped down in dejection.

How could this happen?

Did his carefully planned scheme just get ruined like that?

Who exactly did it?

Livia held him and cried, but he couldn't hear her. His mind was filled with thoughts of who the mastermind behind the playing of the photos and videos was.

The black Maybach drove on the spacious asphalt road.

The night outside the window and the dim light of the street lamp intertwined, faintly discernible, the man's deep brows and eyes were clearly dim.

Russell habitually searched for the Buddhist beads on his wrist, but they were empty. He remembered that the beads were already worn by Zoey.

Is she asleep now?

Russell took out his phone and saw a Line message on the screen, which had been sent five minutes ago.

"Honey, have you gone to sleep?"

Russell opened the chat, intending to reply, but after a second of thought, he called her instead.

The line was quickly connected, and the clear chirping of cicadas and the sound of cars whizzing by came through.

Russell furrowed his brows and asked, "Where were you?"

Zoey sniffed, "Honey,  I don't have a home anymore."