"Ashley!" Bruce never imagined the whip would strike Ashley instead. He let it fall from his hand and hurried over to her. The sight of the mark on her face made his chest tighten with pain. His eyes burned with anger as he stared at Cathleen. "Cathleen, she's your sister! How could you be so cruel as to use her as a shield?"
Cathleen lowered her eyes briefly before meeting his eyes with icy indifference. "You were the one swinging it. How is that my responsibility?"
"I was aiming at you! If you weren't so vicious, Ashley wouldn't have been hurt!" Bruce snapped, his temper boiling over as his words struck Cathleen like blades.
A faint, frosty smile touched Cathleen's lips. "You never acted like a father to me. What gives you the right to lecture me now?"
Bruce was beyond furious. "You've completely lost control. Get out! And don't even think about coming back here without my permission."
Cathleen had no interest in continuing the argument. She turned toward the butler. "Where's my room?"
After walking all day, she was drained. There was no chance she was leaving. Bruce had no authority over her.
The butler, still stunned, instinctively pointed to a room on the second floor.
Cathleen gave a small nod. "Thanks."
As she headed upstairs without sparing anyone a glance, Bruce shook with rage. "Cathleen! Didn't you hear me? Stop right where you are!"
Without turning around, she flicked her hand dismissively. "If anyone's leaving, it should be you. I don't have time for this."
With that, she disappeared around the staircase corner, leaving the rest of the family fuming in the chaos she left behind.
Bruce clutched his chest, cursing under his breath. "What an ungrateful girl! I never should've allowed her to come back."
Through her tears, Ashley spoke up. "Dad, she and Matthew are already married. What about me?"
Still seething, Bruce grew even more impatient. "They're legally married. What do you expect me to do? At the end of the day, she's still my daughter. We're not losing anything from this marriage."
Ashley tightened her fists, her face filled with hurt and resentment. "Yeah, you're right. Cathleen is your biological daughter. I'm just—"
Kevan couldn't bear to hear her diminish herself and cut her off. "Ashley, don't say things like that. To me, you're my only sister. Cathleen means nothing."
"Ashley, hearing you say that breaks my heart. Don't you know how much I've cherished you all these years?" Suzanne quickly added, trying to comfort her.
Ashley pouted slightly. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm just scared that once Cathleen is back, you won't love me the same way."
"How could that ever happen? You're the most important person to us. That will never change."
Upstairs, Cathleen leaned against the wall, looking down at the display of family affection below. A look of contempt crossed her face before she turned and walked into her room.
...
At the Spencer residence, the moment Matthew stepped into the living room, Edmund's lively voice rang out. "Did you get married?"
Matthew let out a cold laugh. "Didn't you have someone following me? You should already know the answer."
Edmund's lips pressed into a thin line, though he seemed used to Matthew's open defiance. "Since you're married now, why did you come back alone? Where is your wife?"
Matthew handed his suit jacket to a nearby servant. "She's at the new house you arranged for us."
"The one in Ravine Estates?" Edmund was quick to catch on. It took him only a second to understand Matthew's intentions, and his aged face darkened. "Get out!"
Matthew looked slightly confused, his brows knitting together. "I already married her like you wanted. What else are you expecting from me?"
Edmund shot back sharply, "I want a great-grandchild!"
"Not happening," Matthew replied without hesitation.
Marrying a complete stranger was already pushing his limits. Having a child with her was something he wouldn't even consider.
Edmund slammed the tip of his cane against the floor, the sharp sound echoing as his commanding voice filled the room. "You're moving into Ravine Estates right now. And find an appropriate time to bring her back, so she can be properly introduced to our family. After that, arrange a wedding ceremony. She's had a hard life since she was young. You should treat her well from now on."
Matthew's tone dropped, cold and restrained. "Don't push me too far."
Edmund didn't flinch. Instead, he played his strongest card. "Listen—if you refuse, you'll spend the rest of your life without ever learning the truth about what happened back then."
A sharp chill flickered through Matthew's eyes, though his face stayed composed.
Edmund could tell that he had struck a nerve. Clearing his throat, he eased his tone. "Just yesterday, an old friend of mine called to brag about his great-grandson. I'm not getting any younger; I've got one foot in the grave already. Is it really too much to hope I can see my own great-grandchild before I go? Besides, she doesn't seem bothered by the age gap. You should consider yourself lucky."
For a moment, Matthew had no response.
He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek before finally speaking through clenched teeth. "This is the last time."
Edmund ignored the warning entirely. In families like theirs, marrying first and developing feelings later was nothing unusual. He had already looked into Cathleen; she was straightforward, kind, and gentle, a perfect balance for someone like Matthew, who was quiet, guarded, and emotionally distant.
Seeing Matthew finally relent, Edmund acted quickly, worried he might change his mind. He immediately said to a nearby servant, "Pack Matthew's belongings and send everything over to Ravine Estates."
Matthew didn't bother arguing further. He slipped the jacket he had just removed back on and walked out, his expression dark.
Standing nearby, the butler, Laurence Brooks, watched him leave with concern. "Sir, do you really think he'll cooperate this time?"
Edmund let out a dismissive snort. "I've got him cornered. He wouldn't dare go against me."
Laurence had served the Spencer family for more than thirty years, attending to Edmund personally all that time.
He poured a cup of coffee and handed it over. "Do you truly have that much faith in Cathleen? She grew up in the mountains, and from what I've heard, the Stewart couple never cared much for her. They treat Ashley like she's priceless, while Cathleen was neglected. She was raised in a poor, remote area, likely uneducated and lacking refinement. Is she really suitable for Matthew?"
Edmund accepted the cup and scoffed lightly. "Of course she is. The Stewarts simply don't recognize value when they see it."
Laurence said nothing more.
As if something had just come to mind, Edmund added, "Bring me my phone. I'm going to call Cathy."
It was the first time Laurence had ever seen Edmund show such personal concern for someone, which made it clear that the young woman must have something special about her.
Cathleen had just finished freshening up and was now sitting cross-legged on her bed, meditating, when she felt a faint vibration against her finger.
It was a habit she had maintained since childhood.
Her communication device was something she had designed herself, cleverly disguised as a ring on her index finger.
Beyond basic communication, it could also be taken apart and reassembled into a compact, high-performance computer when needed.
The subtle vibration made her finger tingle slightly. She frowned at first, but the moment she saw the caller ID, her expression softened. "Hello, Mr. Spencer."
"Oh, hi, Cathy!" Edmund said in a bright, cheerful tone. "Matthew just headed over to Ravine Estates. After all, tonight is your wedding night."
Cathleen waited quietly until he finished speaking before replying, "I'm not there."
Edmund paused, caught off guard. "You're not? Where are you then?"
"I'm at home with my family," Cathleen answered.
"Oh dear, that's on me," Edmund said apologetically. "My memory isn't what it used to be. I'm getting forgetful. It's your first day back home; of course you'd be having a proper meal with your family."
