The crisp sound of a slap echoed in the serene courtyard, where only the sound of water could be heard. However, it was as loud as thunder.It startled everyone present.No one had expected Austin to suddenly take action.They didn't think he'd hit his own grandfather so decisively!His slap left Itijah's mouth bleeding. A look of bewilderment was on his face."Mr. Emerson Senior!"The nearby bodyguards immediately rushed over."Stop!"Itijah shouted angrily, "Do you all want to beat up my grandson?"The bodyguards came to a halt."Austin..." Dahlia spoke in panic.But Austin raised his hand to silence her. His gaze was icy as he stared at Itijah. "I don't care who you are. If you hit my mom, I'll hit you back!""It's my fault." Itijah nodded apologetically with a smile. "Austin, are you satisfied now?""What right do you have to be my grandfather?" With a glum expression, Austin said in an icy tone, "Where were you 20 years ago when my mom and I were living under so
They left Willowmere Pond.The atmosphere inside the car on the way home was unusually quiet.Ezra sat in the passenger seat and gazed out of the window.Austin and Dahlia were both silent in the back seat.Austin frowned while lost in thought.The appearance of his grandfather was as shocking as when Ezra had revealed Walter's background to him.Similarly, both instances left him feeling resentful.However, Ezra had saved Dahlia, which made him feel slightly grateful toward Walter.Meanwhile, his grandfather's appearance was nothing but a ludicrous display of "parental love".It left him feeling stifled, yet he couldn't help but wonder about the truth behind the events of the past.Dahlia sat with her head bowed while holding both her hands tight together. How Austin reacted was just as she had hoped for when she spoke to Walter. It hadn't disappointed her.Still, Austin's decisive action had left her anxious and apprehensive.Originally, she hadn't planned on telling Au
As Dahlia recalled the past, her voice was choked.She couldn't help but pause for a moment.Her expression was full of resentment.Austin frowned but didn't urge her to continue.After a while, Dahlia took a deep breath to calm herself down and continued, "Back then, your father and I met at a top-notch banquet and fell in love at first sight."And at that time, your father already had the qualifications to inherit the position of the family head. He was prepared to compete for the position."In the dim light, her eyes were as dark as endless black holes as she continued to unravel her memories.However, her expression gradually turned fierce and resentful."Your father and I soon established ourselves in this city and built our own business. Your father's talent and courage quickly stood out among the heirs of the Campbells."But at that time, I was pregnant with you. Your father couldn't bear to leave us behind, so he wanted to refuse the position of the family head, which
Austin's eyes flashed with cold determination as he watched Dahlia, whose face was streaked with tears. He growled and said, "But you're a part of the Emersons! You're his daughter! How could he be so ruthless to you?""Hah! Daughter?" Dahlia let out a bitter laugh and wiped away the tears from her eyes. "Austin, remember this. The Emersons have gender discrimination. Men are seen as the masters of the household, while women are considered insignificant accessories. Despite being part of the main lineage of the family, I had no chance to compete for the position of the family head, let alone access to resources!"Dahlia's voice came out almost as a wail.She felt the injustice deeply, like a festering wound that had been ripped open again by the memories.Gender discrimination?Austin's eyes narrowed, and he exuded a chilling aura all over.He smirked.In this day and age?How could the Emersons still harbor such an outdated and disgraceful mindset?The notion of men being s
Austin was stunned.Dahlia's words hit him like a thunderbolt."Invite me back to the Emersons to inherit the position of the family head?"Austin's mind was filled with confusion in that very instant.If the Emersons dared to disregard blood ties and greedily seize the legacy left by Walter for him and Dahlia, how could they now ask him to return as the family head?What was going on?Did they want to put their enemy in charge and let him wield the knife to slaughter them?"Hah! Because he understands that all of his precious sons are worthless!"Dahlia sneered contemptuously. "All my brothers are useless. All they ever know is to indulge in entertainment. How could they truly lead the Emersons to glory? Even without the Emersons' resources, the achievements I made were a hundred times more impressive than theirs!"I hate that I was born a female! This female body stripped away everything from me and brought upon the Emersons' cruel and heartless tyranny."Dahlia clenched he
The interior of the car was dimly lit.Silence enveloped the space.Suddenly, Austin burst into laughter.Rubbing his nose, Austin said, "Mom, have we ever knelt down in these past 20 years, no matter how tough things got?"Dahlia silently shook her head."That's right. Then there's no need for me to choose. We've overcome the toughest situations standing tall, so why should I kneel down now and swallow the Emersons' cold-blooded treatment?"Following that, Austin opened the car door."I'll take what I want on my own terms. Even if the Campbells pose a thousand obstacles, I'll still stand and rise. I've got self-respect. I won't kneel down to become the head of the Emersons!"His voice was cold but firm.Dahlia's eyes sparkled with determination, and she finally smiled.She looked at Austin and then gradually calmed down. She fell into deep thought.Dahlia said in a solemn tone, "If you choose that, the Emersons may not let us off.""I'm not even afraid of the Campbells. Wh
Austin's face fell.He furrowed his brows and stared intently at the text message on his phone. A cold glint flashed across his eyes.That shameless old bloodsucker. How low could he stoop?"Sir..."Noticing Austin's grim expression, Aldus called out.However, Austin focused on replying to the message.He went straight to the point. "Get lost!"Putting his phone away, Austin suppressed his disgust and forced a smile. "It's nothing. Let's have breakfast."As they ate breakfast, his phone buzzed again. He received another message.Austin didn't bother to check it immediately.He wasn't sure if it was from the old guy from the Emerson family.He couldn't guarantee maintaining his composure if it was that guy.Revealing his agitation would affect his mother's mood.Since he had decided to ignore the Emersons, he didn't want any further involvement with them.He could only control himself and try not to escalate the situation.It wasn't until Austin was in the car on his way
Timothy's expression stiffened when he heard that. He smiled awkwardly. "My apologies, Mr. Emerson Senior, but the Bamboo Parlor is already occupied.""Ask them to move out." Itijah sneered, his face full of arrogance.The arrival of the head of the wealthiest family in the capital was akin to a god descending.With his status and position, he had full confidence that no one in this city would dare to challenge his authority, let alone match his stature.However..."I can't do that!" Timothy said directly. A fleeting trace of coldness flashed across his eyes.He respected the Emersons and Itijah.But it didn't mean he would allow himself to be bossed around and dictated by them.They were in his territory, and Edward, who was staying in the Bamboo Parlor, was his close friend.Besides, the Grahams were not inferior to the Emersons."What?"Itijah frowned, his expression suddenly turning cold. "Timothy, is this how you treat your guests?"Timothy sat up straight and locked e