The moment those words left Amelia’s mouth—Everyone’s faces changed.Before Joe could even lose his temper, Grace was already shaking with fury.This damn girl was cutting off their money!“Shut up!” Grace lunged forward, reaching to grab Amelia’s hair.This time, Jessica didn’t stop her.No one in River County had ever dared to talk about the Morton family like this.This city brat—definitely needed to be taught a lesson.But the moment Grace moved, her vision blurred for no reason, and her legs went weak.Luckily, Ziggy was beside her and quickly caught her.“Mom, what’s wrong?!”“I’m just so mad at this brat that my head’s spinning.” Grace shook her head to clear her mind.Joe, however, didn’t look angry at all.But his gaze was dark."She’s really hard to tame... But the wilder, the better.”He tilted his head slightly.“Aunt Grace, why don’t we skip the wedding and just have the bridal night tonight? We can handle the ceremony tomorrow.”Joe had never seen a girl like Amelia bef
The people in the room had yet to react to her words, unsure of whom she was speaking to.Meanwhile, the livestream exploded with comments.【111!】【1! Don’t worry, host! Mission accepted!】Amelia’s voice carried a hint of amusement, but her eyes were as cold as ice.“Next, I’ll be acting in self-defense. Some scenes might be unsuitable for my sisters to watch. I don’t want to get banned, so I’ll be turning off the stream now.”【What?!】【Host, don’t act recklessly! You’re in danger!】【@River County Tourism, where the hell are you?! Do something!】As Amelia spoke, she pulled off a button.Joe was completely confused by her actions.“Are you insane? Talking to yourself?”But Grace’s face drastically changed—as if she had suddenly realized something."You brat… you were streaming just now!"Amelia bit down on a fruit candy, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders.“Mm-hmm. Thanks to all of you, the viewership boost was pretty good.”Joe frowned. “What livestream?”Nathan was also
Jack gritted his teeth. “I’m warning you! Give us the antidote now, or you’ll never make it out of Monterey!”“Who said I’m leaving?” Amelia’s smile was faint, her voice carrying a chilling edge.“I was actually planning to bring this thing to the township committee later.”That “thing” she was referring to?Joe—someone the entire town wouldn’t dare to provoke.Zoey had been frozen in shock ever since the fight broke out.She hadn’t even processed what had happened.The girl had moved too fast—one kick, and Joe was completely crippled.Joe, a man known for his ruthlessness, was still on the ground, unable to get up.Amelia wasn’t just skilled in fighting—she also knew how to strike pressure points.Joe’s eyes were filled with venom. “Do you really think you’ll walk away unharmed? I work for the government. You attacked me—do you really think they won’t take you in?”Amelia’s lips curled in disdain, as if just looking at him was dirtying her eyes.“Oh, I love visiting police stations,”
“This whole act has been exhausting.”Amelia withdrew her gaze and stood at the doorway, blocking everyone’s escape. Her voice was as lazy as ever.“Alright, enough of the performance. Someone tell me—where’s the cellar key?”Grace, who had been dragged here by Amelia, was now barely holding onto life.Regret was written all over her face.Old Cromwell scowled darkly, cursing at Amelia in a string of dialect.She didn’t understand the words, but she wasn’t stupid. She grabbed the old man and yanked him forward.“You should know.”Seeing this, Ziggy snapped, lunging like a madman.“YOU DARE TOUCH MY GRANDPA? I’LL KILL YOU!”Amelia couldn’t be bothered to look at him. She’d hit whoever came at her—no exceptions.“You even hit old people! You won’t die a good death!” Ziggy gasped between shouts.Amelia’s voice was slow and indifferent.“He’s not an old man. He’s just an old bastard.”“When the elders are corrupt, the younger ones follow suit. Your parents kidnapped people. He raises dogs
The little girl turned around, still smiling—Then her small body suddenly went limp and collapsed right into Amelia’s hands.Zoey’s eyes widened in shock.“You drugged her too?”“Six years old—her worldview is already formed.” Amelia glanced at her.“Some kids can be even crueler than adults.”Zoey hesitated.But Amelia was already on the move.She had studied criminal investigation.And in that field, one subject was crucial—psychology.There had been cases where villagers surrounded police cars, interfering with arrests.Even after officers revealed their identities, some villagers still acted like they didn’t hear—hurling bricks straight at their heads.There was simple kindness in rural areas, but also ignorant evil.Especially in a place where it was normal to buy a wife with money—This wasn’t a village.It was hell.Even Zoey had been carefully evaluated before Amelia chose to trust her.As for everyone else?Even the children—they weren’t off the hook.—The cellar was deep a
Amelia paid no mind to Benjamin’s expression. She grabbed him firmly, her voice steady and cold:“It’s going to hurt. Bear with it.”Before Benjamin could react—Crack!Amelia reset his dislocated arm in one swift motion.A sharp furrow formed between Benjamin’s brows, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.Amelia glanced at him, inwardly impressed by his endurance.Soldiers really were different.If it had been an ordinary person in this environment, they wouldn’t have lasted this long.Even if they weren’t tortured to death, without medical treatment, an infected shoulder wound would have led to a relentless high fever.In truth, Benjamin’s body temperature was already dangerously high.Yet, his sheer willpower allowed him to use even the slightest support Amelia gave him to push himself out of the cellar.—The first thing Benjamin noticed wasn’t Zoey.It was the little girl lying near the cellar.He could have escaped with Zoey earlier.But as they neared the edge of the villag
Jessica only realized what Amelia was up to after she started the car.The injured man was pretending to be “Jun” and was casually holding Zoey in his arms.From outside the car, through the tinted window, the guards couldn’t see clearly who he was.For a mere village, the security was surprisingly tight—three checkpoints in total.It had taken Zoey an entire year to pass through all three.The first two were manageable, but the last one was a problem.The guard was sharp, his gaze scanning the car intently.Then, he stretched out a hand, signaling them to stop.He clearly remembered—when the Morton family had entered, they hadn’t brought this many people.Seeing this, Zoey’s face turned pale.But Amelia remained unfazed.“Stop the car,” she ordered lazily. “And curse him out.”Jessica’s hands trembled.“W-what?”“How do you normally curse at people who block your way? Do exactly that.”Amelia tilted her chin up.Jessica looked into her icy eyes, then glanced at the purple pendant she
There was no way River County could pretend not to see this.The impact was too massive—there was no way to cover it up.Frank Anderson, the person in charge of River County, was sweating profusely as he rushed toward Yellow Mountain Village, frantically thinking of a plan.Sitting beside him was Edgar, equally anxious. He fixed Frank with a sharp stare.“Mr. Anderson, I asked you about that couple before,” Edgar said. “You guaranteed me they weren’t a problem.”Frank’s face darkened as guilt flickered in his eyes.“I really didn’t know they were doing this kind of business,” he muttered.“But you should know the situation in your own county!” Edgar’s voice was blunt and cutting.“The last lead on our Seventh Miss was cut off in your county.”“At first, I couldn’t understand why,” Edgar continued, his voice turning ice-cold.“But now I finally get it. No matter how much we investigated, we found nothing—because the biggest obstacle was your county’s culture and your own complicity!”F
Back then, she and the lady of the Jenkins family had dominated the entire New York elite circle.And now, someone who looked just like her had returned.Before, when they saw Abby, they thought she somewhat resembled how the Miss Amelia had looked as a child.But now… there was no comparison.Their aura couldn’t be more different.This was what a true the Cromwell family heir should be like.No one questioned if she was real anymore.Instead, they couldn’t take their eyes off her.From the moment she entered the estate to when she walked into the study, she carried herself with grace and confidence, her features strikingly refined.Amelia hadn’t expected that her mere appearance would immediately win over the household staff.But she had bigger concerns—like how much poison had already accumulated in her grandfather’s system.—The study doors swung open.Mr. Cromwell immediately stood up, his face breaking into an uncontrollable smile.“Amelia! Come, let Grandpa see you! Are you col
Damon nodded. “So sudden—it’s hard for anyone to accept.”Rowan had a different view. “Bro, the Cromwell family was just sponsoring an orphan’s education. So many orphans saw them as family—should the Cromwell family adopt them all? Now that their biological daughter is back, Amelia should leave on her own.”“Shut up,” Spencer muttered through clenched teeth.Damon tried to mediate. “The whole thing is strange. If they really found her, why was there no news at all? Could she be fake?”“What news do you expect? They picked her up from the mountains, and she probably doesn’t even know how to read.” Spencer’s expression was indifferent, but his tone was filled with disdain. “Who knows what she even looks like? The the Cromwell family probably has to teach her etiquette first before making an announcement—otherwise, who would accept her?”Damon stroked his chin. “Then compared to Abby, she really is worlds apart.”“She’s not even worthy of being compared to Abby.” Spencer sneered.Rowan
Inside the study, Mr. Cromwell remained seated, listening to the voice message from Amelia.She was telling him not to get angry.He didn’t even bother opening the door.Instead, he raised his voice:“If you don’t make me angry, I’ll be fine! Let me warn you—if you still want to call yourself Mr. Cromwell, then get lost!”Zane stepped forward anxiously. “Dad, I’m just worried about your health!”“Worry about your brain first.” Mr. Cromwell slammed his dragon-headed cane on the floor, lowering his voice. “Get out.”Zane clenched his fists.He didn’t understand why his father had never valued him.In the old man’s eyes, he was always a failure.Zane turned slightly. “Fine, I’ll leave. But at least leave a doctor with you.”Mr. Cromwell ignored him.Zane left, humiliated.Even now, he hadn’t told his wife that Amelia had been found.He didn’t know how to break it to her.He worried it would trigger her illness.And why was Father so adamant about sending Abby away?It felt like a direct
Secretary Frank hid nothing from Amelia.He reported every entry and item brought into the room in full detail.“Yesterday, the Cromwell family’s sponsored student, Miss Abby, wanted to bring soup to the chairman.”Amelia raised an eyebrow. “Soup?”“Yes. She has been delivering it regularly, starting at the company.”Amelia’s voice remained calm. “It wasn’t the soup. Grandpa probably didn’t drink it.”“Indeed, he didn’t.” Secretary Frank continued, “I didn’t allow her in. After that, only the chef and Mr. Cromwell entered.”Amelia’s gaze darkened. “Mr. Cromwell?”“Your father.” Secretary Frank’s tone held undisguised reluctance. “The chairman and Mr. Cromwell argued.”Amelia fell into thought before finally saying, “Secretary Frank, please prepare some traditional medicine. Stay with Grandpa. Until I arrive, do not let him see anyone, including Mr. Cromwell.”She had deliberately called him Mr. Cromwell.Secretary Frank immediately understood her stance—she had no intention of acknowl
Zane still wanted to argue, but Mr. Cromwell was so furious that he could hardly breathe.The moment someone tried to help him, he started coughing violently.Zane had never intended to push his father to this extent—he only wanted to reason with him.But then, Mr. Cromwell coughed up a mouthful of blood.The dark red stain splattered onto Zane’s shirt.He panicked.“Dad! What’s wrong?! Dad!”“Leave.” Mr. Cromwell gasped for air.Just then, Secretary Frank rushed in.“Mr. Cromwell! It’s a call from Miss Amelia! She’s already on the New York-Frank Expressway—she’ll arrive in the city by this afternoon! Would you like to—Mr. Cromwell?!”The excitement on Secretary Frank’s face instantly vanished when he saw Mr. Cromwell’s condition.His voice turned frantic.Mr. Cromwell barely managed to catch his breath. “Amelia is calling? Hurry, hurry, give me the phone!”“Chairman, your health—” Secretary Frank hesitated.Amelia could hear the conversation from the other end. Her brows furrowed.“G
At the same time.Cromwell Family Villa.Aunt Ashford placed a bowl of silver ear soup by Abby’s bedside. “Miss, you should eat something. I looked into it—she’s nothing but a wild village girl.”“She was found in River County.” Aunt Ashford’s tone was full of disdain. “That kind of impoverished place could never produce someone decent. Miss, you have nothing to worry about. You were raised with the utmost care and refinement—you’re leagues above her.”Hearing this, Abby finally peeked out from under the covers and mumbled, “Emma, it’s fine to say that here in my room, but don’t go spreading it outside. After all, she’s the real daughter of the Cromwell family.”“She may be the Cromwell family’s real daughter, but compared to you, she’s worlds apart! Why shouldn’t we speak the truth? She’s just flaunting her background.” Seeing that Miss was finally willing to speak, Aunt Ashford felt relieved.“Just wait and see. Even if she enters the Cromwell family, she won’t be able to enjoy the
When she first returned to town, she was in an utterly miserable state.Her son and daughter-in-law had drained her dry, squeezing every last bit out of her.The whole neighborhood had been furious just watching.Later, even her son and daughter-in-law stopped coming around.She had no pension or welfare and survived solely by running a small massage shop.Yet, despite her hardships, Victoria was kind-hearted—she barely had enough for herself but never took advantage of others.And she even took in a young apprentice.Now, that very apprentice—her granddaughter—had managed to expand the business all the way to New York!Not a single person wasn’t happy for them.Emma and Granny Oak stood by Victoria’s side, reluctant to part. “Milton, you must come back often. When the mulberries ripen next year, we’ll make mulberry cakes together.”“I will, I will,” Victoria said, patting their hands affectionately.Meanwhile, Amelia was also surrounded by people, including many of the elders from th
Meanwhile, Abby bit her lip, lowering her gaze to hide the hatred in her eyes.Why? Why did Grandpa wait until now to say this?Did he ever consider her situation?Zane was too caught up in his thoughts to notice.This sudden revelation was overwhelming.But Abby?She was only thinking one thing—Who exactly is the real Cromwell heiress? And if she’s coming back… what will happen to me?That night, at the Cromwell family villa.Aunt Ashford had never seen Miss so furious before.Even her most cherished rose-patterned vase was shattered into pieces on the floor.Aunt Ashford hesitated at the door, wanting to console her, but she was afraid.Miss had gone to the Cromwell family estate, but why did she come back like a completely different person?She didn’t understand, and there was no one she could ask.Even Mr. Cromwell hadn’t returned with her—wasn’t he supposed to discuss the adoption?Aunt Ashford grew uneasy and decided to find out what had happened.Having worked in the Cromwell f
The only reason he had stopped them earlier was because Abby was not a Cromwell.This subtle rejection made Abby’s face turn pale as she stared daggers at Secretary Frank.Secretary Frank couldn’t care less—he was already being pressured to resign. Did they think he wouldn’t push back?Zane frowned. “Secretary Frank, Abby will be part of the Cromwell family soon. You should be more mindful of your attitude.”“Yes,” Secretary Frank responded mildly, adjusting his glasses. “Once Miss Abby officially becomes part of the Cromwell family, I will be mindful of my attitude.”Zane narrowed his eyes.But he decided to let it go.Convincing his father to agree to the adoption was more important than arguing with a secretary.That night.Cromwell Family Estate, Study Room.Mr. Cromwell was happily placing online orders.His precious Amelia was coming home—the house couldn’t remain so lifeless!Especially her room—it had to be decorated perfectly!As he cheerfully spent money, his son and grandso