CHAPTER 8: CHAPTER 8: THE SHAME OF YEARS PAST

Evelyn Clayton shot a cold stare over, the chill in her eyes startled Charlotte Sterling, her arm froze in mid-air, uncontrollably trembling.

This ice-cold glare, Charlotte Sterling had seen it the summer Evelyn Clayton was in her second year of high school, but at that time, Evelyn couldn’t resist her slap.

That night, Evelyn’s face was swollen high, she looked at her with that exact same glare.

From then on, Evelyn never called her "mom" again, only "Mrs. Lockwood".

"My dad has been gone for over a decade." Evelyn sneered, sizing up the other four people in the living room.

No matter what scheme each of them was cooking up, they all stood on the opposing side of her.

Here, she was always isolated and defenseless.

"The engagement was set because of my father, it has nothing to do with any of you in the Lockwood Family, I say annul, it gets annulled."

She raised her chin at Iris Lockwood, who was covering her eyes and feigning pity to attract Matthew Sullivan’s attention, "If the Lockwood Family wants to ally with the Grant Family, to cling onto them, fine. Just don’t count on me, use Iris Lockwood instead."

Her small act being seen through, Iris Lockwood stopped pretending, lowered her hand from her eyes, eagerly looking at Philip Lockwood.

"Little Yan." Philip Lockwood coughed gently, pretending to be troubled, "You can switch the engagement partner, but with the Grant Family, you have to speak up."

"I am only annulling the engagement, if you want Iris Lockwood to marry into the Grant Family, that’s your business, nothing to do with me, I am a Clayton."

Evelyn shattered his sweet dream.

Quite the wishful thinking.

Never treated her well, yet wanted her father’s connections to help the Lockwood Family climb!

"How is it unrelated, the Lockwood Family has raised you for so many years?" Charlotte Sterling screeched again, "How did I give birth to such a thankless brat?!"

"Mrs. Lockwood, you still think I’m gullible like a five-year-old?" Evelyn scoffed, "The money used to revive the Lockwood’s logistics during its crisis was my dad’s insurance payout."

"I am the beneficiary of my dad’s insurance money, yet have you given me a penny of it?"

"Even if I’ve eaten from the Lockwood Family, used their resources, deducting from it is fair."

"There should be quite a lot left after deductions, it’s good enough I haven’t tallied with you! And in front of me, dare talk about gratitude, how cheeky!"

Years of lies exposed, Charlotte Sterling and Philip Lockwood were intensely embarrassed.

Charlotte Sterling clutched her chest, breathing heavily, finally realizing Evelyn wasn’t the helpless girl she’d been, who fell apart facing her cold gaze.

"Want Iris Lockwood to marry into the Grant Family, is that so?" Evelyn raised her eyelids, glanced mockingly at the silent Matthew Sullivan, "He’s much better suited to talk than I am."

"Evelyn Clayton!" Matthew Sullivan’s eyes blazed red, "What do you think I am?"

What an act!

It was him, who was rolling in bed with Iris Lockwood last night!

Evelyn raised her brows sarcastically, unwilling to continue wrestling words with them, she turned directly, and left.

If she could, she truly looked forward to Matthew Sullivan confronting Harrison Grant for Iris Lockwood!

But the tough stance she showed, she was aware inside that annulling the engagement wouldn’t be simple.

Over these years, though the Grant Family hadn’t outright stood up for her, they’ve helped her plenty.

Everybody in this city treated her courteously because of the Grant Family.

In her youth, it was this marriage agreement with the Grant Family that made Philip Lockwood hesitant.

Otherwise, how could a little girl, whose biological mother didn’t care, survive in the Lockwood den of wolves?

Before her father passed away, Charlotte Sterling wasn’t like this.

She truly couldn’t understand what could make a mother ignore the hardships her daughter faced?

Ever since she matured in junior high, Philip Lockwood’s filthy gaze frequently fell upon her.

That summer night in her second year of high school, with the aid of alcohol, he covered her mouth, dragging her into his room.

Only by the sudden visit of James Grant, did she narrowly escape being defiled.

That night, she cried seeking refuge from Charlotte Sterling.

Charlotte Sterling, however, slapped her, calling her shameless for seducing a stepfather.

The slap fully woke her, the last traces of daughterly sentiment, entirely severed because of it.