Chapter 4

"You were unreasonable yesterday, and those two haven't eaten much since then."

"Unreasonable?"

I put down my coffee cup and stared into his eyes:

"Mr. Samuel, do I no longer even have the right to manage my own family affairs?"

"It's not that..."

Samuel paused slightly: "It's just that anyone with eyes can see.

"You're clearly seeking revenge."

I smiled:

"If you must put it that way, then, I admit it."

"But in the end, don't you just hate that I didn't marry you back then?"

Samuel grew anxious: "What happened back then can't be undone.

"Even if you want revenge, you should come after me, not make things difficult for those two innocent mother and daughter!

"Just say it, what compensation do you want.

"As long as you let Juliet marry Giovanni, I'll give you my entire fortune. No problem!"

I looked at the man before me with some surprise, then suddenly smiled:

"Samuel, you built everything from scratch."

He paused, sighed, and turned his head away.

"You swore you'd never let yourself live in hardship again.

"What now? You don't even care about your life and fortune? All for them?"

Samuel sighed again:

"They're more important than wealth."

My smile turned bitter.

Once, he had said those words to me too.

I still had him escorted out.

As he left, he kept turning back:

"Can't we discuss this again?

"I'm serious about compensating you."

"Christian, please."

"They're really heartbroken."

I looked out the window. But what about me, who knelt on the ground crying and saying I was framed all those years ago?

However, not long after Samuel left, someone else wanted to see me.

The moment the door opened, both of us froze slightly.

Alex.

The one who had been lying with me that night—Emilia's boyfriend.

All these years, he had believed I was the one who drugged him.

And for these twenty years, he, like me, had never married.

"I didn't expect you would come too." I spoke.

Alex sat down across from me.

He looked at my home with a complex expression, then looked at me and said:

"I didn't expect you to be so persistent."

"Hmm?"

"Giovanni, I only found out yesterday that he's your child."

I said nothing.

"About that night?" he asked.

I knew he was talking about the night my mother had set us both up.

I shook my head. He sighed:

"You don't need to deny it. I understand everything."

"I really didn't."

He looked at me, somewhat helpless: "Indeed, you've always been stubborn.

"But you should know, I've been single all these years for a reason."

I drank my coffee without speaking.

"Making things difficult for those two, mother and daughter—honestly, it's a bit much."

"Even you want to interfere with my family affairs?"

I gave him a cold look. He sighed:

"Christian.

"Strictly speaking, Giovanni is my child.

"This is also my family affair."

"I told you he's not your child."

Alex looked at me:

"Christian, I have eyes.

"That boy looks like me."

I found it ridiculous:

Alex was the rugged, handsome type. So was Giovanni.

"The boy has the same style as Mr. Alex.

"But Mr. Alex isn't the only one with that style.

"Mr. Alex, you're really overthinking this."