chapter584

Slap.

"Ah!"

Milana barely had time to finish her sentence before Lydia's palm cracked across

her face. It was so fast, Milana didn't even see it coming. The force sent her reeling straight into the wall. Her head hit with a dull thud, pain blooming behind her eyes and making everything spin. For a second, she saw black spots. She might have even gotten a mild concussion.

Jenson stared, stunned. He hadn't expected Lydia to lash out. His anger boiled over. Lydia! That's your adoptive mother. How dare you hit her?

Lydia's glare was icy. "Did you think about who you were when you raised your hands against Grandma?" Her words cut deep, and Jenson was left speechless.

Lydia didn't stop. "She doesn't deserve to be called my adoptive mother, and you're not worthy of being my adoptive father. To me, you're both just strangers. You don't matter."

Milana pressed one hand to her burning cheek, the other to her throbbing head. Her eyes locked on Lydia, overflowing with rage. Lydia, you're heartless. I should have left you on the street eighteen years ago. If I'd known you'd grow up to be so cruel and ungrateful, I never would have brought you home!"

Lydia's lips curled in a mocking smile. "Compared to you two, I've got a long way to go. Get out."

Milana turned to Jenson, voice shrill. "Jenson, why should we leave? You're her only son. She's just an outsider. She's the one who should go!"

In her heart, Milana had already regretted a thousand times not smothering Lydia when she was a baby.

Jenson glared at Lydia, refusing to back down. "Lydia, your last name is Norwood. What right do you have to kick us out?"

Connor finally lost patience. He turned to the bodyguards waiting nearby and spoke coldly. "Get them out. As far as possible."

They were noisy and exhausting. Lydia was already upset, and all they did was make things worse. They really had no sense of timing.

The bodyguards stepped in, grabbing Milana and Jenson, dragging them out without a second thought.

Milana shrieked, thrashing against their hold. "This isn't fair! Somebody help! They're bullying us!"

No matter how much she screamed, the bodyguards shoved them into the elevator and tossed them out of the hospital's main entrance. People stopped to stare, whispering as the scene unfolded.

start up again, but

Milana tried to st

Jenson was too embarrassed. He clamped a hand over her mouth and yanked her away, He was supposed to be the richest man in the city, and now he was being thrown out like trash. If people heard about this, he'd never live it down.

They didn't even have time to collect themselves before Jenson's phone rang again.

It was Harry from the company, sounding frantic. "Mr. Smith, another group of

creditors showed up. They're demanding money."

Jenson nearly exploded. "Damn it. I don't have any money right now. Tell them to get lost!"

Harry's voice was weary. "Mr. Smith, my dad called a couple days ago. My mom fainted and is in the hospital. He needs me to go home and help take care of her. You and Mrs. Smith will have to handle things at the company."

Harry had been Jenson's driver for five years. He'd grown up in the countryside and didn't have much schooling. Years ago, he'd helped Mrs. Smith out by chance, and she'd

brought him here to work. He'd always been reliable, never once thinking about leaving no matter how hard things got.

But now, he

was just too exhausted. He worried if he stayed any longer, he might die alone in his tiny rented room, and nobody would even notice.

Jenson never realized how much Harry had dealt with for him, quietly fixing one mess after another behind the scenes.

Harry's resignation left Jenson cold. He gave a bitter laugh. Harry, you're just a country boy. You've worked for me all these years. I've treated you well, haven't I?

Harry nodded politely. "Yes, Mr. Smith. You've always been good to me."