Chapter 8
Awakened from her sleep, Veronica sat up, grabbed a coat to throw over her shoulders, and walked to the door. Through the peephole, she saw David’s furious face outside, and her eyes narrowed in displeasure.
She thought, “This so–called father of mine always seems to pick the perfect time to stir up trouble.
“Veronica, I know you’re in there. Open this damn door right now.” David’s unrestrained shouting came from outside. Even through the door, his voice was loud and clear at such close range.
A flash of coldness passed through Veronica’s eyes. But in the next instant, she returned to her usual lazy demeanor. She pulled the door open. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
Her tone was laid–back as she looked up and cast David a glance. In that moment, her eyes looked so much like her mother Claudia’s that David was briefly thrown off.
But he quickly regained himself, his anger undiminished as he barked, “What did you do today!*
Veronica raised her gaze. David flung a newspaper at her, shouting. “If you don’t care about your reputation, that’s your problem. But if you drag down our family and disgrace us, I’ll publish a statement tomorrow cutting ties with you.”
Veronica smirked. “And since when do I have anything to do with you!
“You brat, David roared.
Veronica paid no attention to his reaction. Her slender fingers flipped through the newspaper, landing immediately on the large photo printed inside. The subject, of course, was her, and the location was the bus stop earlier that afternoon when she had exchanged numbers with Douglas.
She didn’t bother with the dense text printed beside it, and her focus was elsewhere. “Who took this photo? It actually looks pretty nice,” Veronica asked
David was nearly driven mad by Veronica’s attitude. He thought, Dad’s been pressing me nonstop these past two days to bring Veronica back to Weston Villa, and that alone has already been a headache.
‘I didn’t expect Veronica to be so shameless, always causing trouble and dragging me down with her, making me lose face as well.
If I had known, I might as well have left her in that poor village. At her age, she should have already been married with kids there. David demanded, “Is the man in the photo your lover from the village?”
Veronica, who had been studying the angle from which the photo was taken, was caught off guard by the sudden question. A moment later, she broke into a smile. “Mr. Weston, do you think everyone is like you, constantly falling for someone new?”
She had originally wanted to call David blind, but then thought better of it, realizing it would be an insult to the visually impaired. David, humiliated and furious, raised his hand again to strike her.
This time, without Linda there to stop him, he thought he could finally teach Veronica a lesson. But just as his hand was about to land on Veronica’s cheek, she caught his wrist in a firm grip.
David’s face turned livid. “How dare you lay hands on me? I’m your father‘
Veronica looked up, the faint smile gone. She snorted, “Before you call yourself my father, think about what kind of man you’ve become.”
With that, she flung his hand away. She thought, I haven’Leven moved into Weston Villa yet, and they’ve already come to harass me again and again. Do they really take me for a pushover?
“How dare you raise a hand against your own father? I’m gonna make you pay for it, David shouted.
up his sle
He rolled up lips.
sleeves, ready to charge at Veronica. She didn’t move or flinch, watching him with the faintest trace of a smile on her
What’s going on here? Oh well, if it isn’t with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
my niece Ronie?” A careless voice came from the side, and as the words fell, Colton walked over
1/3
5:07 PM P
Chapter 8
Colton winked at Veronica, then stepped in front of David. “David, Dad told you to bring Ronie back home, but did you really have to come in the middle of the night?
“Besides, Ronie is Dad’s eldest granddaughter. When she comes home, it has to be with a proper welcome. David, sneaking over like this to drag her back is a disgrace to our family.”
David always felt uneasy around this younger brother who was nearly twenty years younger than him, and for good reason–Colton was nothing but trouble.
Because Colton was here, David had no choice but to agree to come back tomorrow after making proper arrangements to bring Veronica home. David shot her one last glare before leaving in a hurry.
Veronica yawned, not giving David a second thought.
“You’ve got my style. I guess that runs in the family, Colton said, reaching out to ruffle her hair, but Veronica dodged.
Colton looked wounded and thought, “Why is this kid so hard to please?”
Veronica gave him a sidelong glance. She didn’t exactly hate the Weston family, but she would never feel any deep affection for them either because of David
Colton sighed and grew serious. “Ronie, do you blame us for not visiting you all these years?” he asked.
Veronica shook her head. She didn’t
Although the Weston family claimed publicly that they had sent her to the village, the truth was that after David and Linda had driven her mother Claudia to an early death, Veronica’s grandfather had forcibly taken Veronica back to the village
It was said that her grandfather had some kind of agreement with Mason.
Colton let out another sigh. He had always been unruly, but for once, he carried the weight of an elder in his expression.
He spoke, “Your father’s an idiot. Grandpa’s message is that if you don’t want to go back to your father’s house, then come to Weston Manor. From now on, we will back you up, and no one will dare to bully you.”
Veronica shook her head again and refused. “No, I’m going back.” She still had things to take care of
Hearing the answer he had expected, Colton wasn’t discouraged. He only reminded Veronica that once she returned home, no matter what happened, she could always contact him. He then asked for her phone number,
Colton was shocked when he saw the old black keypad phone in her hand
The next day, at the dining table in Weston Manor, Mason wiped away his nonexistent tears, his frustration boiling over.
He yelled, “What? You’re telling me Ronie is still using a phone that only costs about thirty bucks? Poor Ronie. No, I need to redistribute the inheritance. Poor kid
Mason acted as soon as he spoke, immediately summoning the butler to call his lawyer over and redraft the will regarding the inheritance distribution.
Colton, sitting at the same table, was long used to Mason’s behavior. Victor’s expression was much the same as Mason’s. In deep distress, Victor said, “Colton, you said David will be bringing Ronie back today, right?”
Colton nodded.
Victor remarked, “Then I need to call my two sons back and have them go to David’s place. We can’t let anyone bully my niece Mason kept dabbing at his tears while nodding. “You’re right, Victor. Colton, hurry and get some gifts ready. After instructing his two sans, Mason didn’t forget to have the butler prepare a gift on his behalf as well
In the afternoon, the sunlight fell warmly on Veronica, making her drowsy. She had only woken up not long ago and now she was already starting to feel sleepy again.
David urged her impatiently, “Hurry up. Aren’t you going in yet?”
2/3
5.08 PM
Chapter 8
Veronica smiled and stepped into the house that had shut her out just a few days earlier. As soon as she entered, a deliberately cheerful voice rang out from inside. “Veronica, you’re back?”
Veronica looked up and met the eyes of around seven young women sitting on the living room sofas.
5.01 PM
