Chapter 7 Brady Calls Christopher Daddy

Zacharias was scared of Christopher. Everyone in the family and the city were terrified of him. Zacharias whispered, "Take them to the backyard." He wanted the nanny to take Yvonne to the servants' quarters in case Christopher got mad.

Christopher was a clean freak. Ever since he came of age, he had moved out and rarely came back. Today was an exception.

"You little bastard." The nanny gritted her teeth. Since Christopher wasn't at the balcony anymore, she kicked Yvonne down to the ground.

Panicked, Yvonne held her son tightly. She choked up, saying, "We're not staying here. We want to go home." With that, she tried to leave with her son in her arms.

'Brady's just a child. I can't believe Zacharias asked his servant to abuse him,' she thought.

Zacharias grabbed Yvonne's hair and yanked her back. "You'd better know your place, Yvonne."

Brady was tough. Even when the nanny kicked him down, he didn't cry, but he did when Zacharias started abusing his mother. "Let my mommy go!"

"Zacharias, I've agreed to give my kidney. What more do you want?" Yvonne cried. She wondered why they wouldn't let her go.

"Yvonne, if it weren't for you and your mother stealing Lara's life, she would not be severely depressed, nor would she get into a car crash and almost lose her life!" Zacharias' tone dripped with intense hatred.

Yvonne hung her head low weakly. She couldn't change the past. "I didn't. Why won't you trust me, Zacharias? I didn't work with the Summerses. I had no idea."

Lara told everyone about the abuse she suffered at the Summers family, and she made up lies. She said Caleb molested her since she was a child. He would hurt her and threaten her, and it traumatized her. That was how she got depressed.

Everyone believed Lara. None believed Yvonne or Caleb, for they were the children of the perpetrator.

Caleb said their family did their best to provide for Lara. Out of guilt, their mother let Lara go to school when the family could only afford one child's education. She spent years atoning for her sins, working endlessly just to provide for Lara.

Caleb dropped out of school at sixteen just to make money and provide for his sister. Eventually, he realized his mother was preferring Lara too much, and Caleb lost control. He got into a big fight with her, so she had to tell the truth.

Lara was hiding outside and heard everything. She came back to the Starrs and slandered Yvonne, claiming she and the Summers family came up with the conspiracy.

Yvonne didn't know she was switched at birth until that fateful day.

"I see that five years of prison taught you nothing." Zacharias shoved Yvonne away, disgust evident in his eyes.

"Don't touch my mommy!" Brady wanted to protect his mother, but he was too small to be a match for Zacharias.

"Daddy!" the boy shouted and pounced at the man coming out of the entrance.

Silence ensued, and Christopher's face fell. The nanny and Zacharias looked at him in terror. Everyone knew Christopher was a clean freak.

They thought, 'That little bastard is covered in soil, and his clothes are filthy. How dare he…'

Everyone inhaled sharply, including Yvonne. She looked at Christopher nervously. With a trembling voice, she said, "I-I'm very sorry, M-Mr. Gunther…"

Christopher, who held absolute dominance in Seaton, was the only man who could save her. Back when she was contracted to marry Zacharias, she saw Christopher during one of the parties their family held. Christopher was the pillar of the family, and no one would challenge his authority.

The business world claimed he was cruel. Anyone who crossed him faced a grim end. Christopher didn't push Brady away. Instead, he looked at the boy. 'The boy is smart,' he mused. 'He knows who calls the shots in this family, and he picks the right side. For his age, he can scheme.'

"How old are you now?" Christopher asked. He had a deep voice, and most children would have cried just from hearing it, but Brady wasn't scared.

"I'm five," said Brady clearly.

Christopher looked at the almost-kneeling woman, and he frowned. It had been six years since he saw Yvonne. The last time they met was at the family dinner.

Back then, Yvonne was still the pampered daughter of the Starrs, appearing unsophisticated, innocent, and naive. Years went by, and now she looked barely better than a ghost.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Gunther." Yvonne wanted to take Brady away. Her mind was in turmoil, and she wondered what she should do to pique Christopher's interest.

Brady wouldn't let Christopher go. "Daddy."

Scared, Yvonne's eyes went red, and she was shivering like a prey that was about to be eaten. "Brady, he's not your daddy. I'll take you to your real father, alright?"

Christopher tried to pull his leg back, but the boy was holding him tightly. He looked at Yvonne again, and he caught a whiff of a familiar scent off her.