Was Mr. Shield doing this on purpose?
Chester had already pulled Joanna onto the riverbank.
Raymond was crying even harder than before, his voice hoarse with grief. “Miss Sinclair, wake up! Please, you have to wake up! I don’t want my mom anymore, I swear, you don’t have to teach me how to make her stay–I just want you, I just want you! Please, wake up, please…”
Suddenly, Dahlia, who was standing nearby, swayed as if struck.
“Raymond, what did you say? She taught you how to make your mom stay?” Dahlia’s voice trembled with barely restrained anger, her jaw clenched tight.
Raymond sobbed louder. “She told me to pretend to fall in the water, and then blame Mom–blame her for pushing me in.”
“Enough!” A thunderous, furious voice boomed from the doorway.
Alistair strode in, dressed in a crimson suit embroidered with swirling clouds–an outfit he’d chosen carefully for his birthday celebration. Now, however, his presence pressed down on the room like a storm, leaving everyone breathless beneath his anger.
He’d only just heard about the commotion that had even drawn the police. In haste, he’d smoothed things over with the authorities before hurrying here.
If word of this scandal got out, by tomorrow the Fordham family would be the laughingstock of all Portside City.
“Dad.”
“Grandfather.”
The people in the room began to greet him, voices subdued.
Alistair’s eyes swept past Dahlia with a cold glare. “Foolish and mindless! You let an outsider run circles around you! Ever since the Fordhams welcomed you into this family, there’s been nothing but chaos!”
Dahlia’s eyes turned red, her voice thick with grievance. “If she didn’t push him, why didn’t she say so? Maybe I was wrong, but if she just explained herself, none of this would’ve happened. She keeps quiet and lets everyone blame me!”
Alistair’s hawk–like eyes narrowed. “Oh? So now you’re the victim?” His voice was
as sharp as a whip. “You marched in here and slapped Celestine the first chance you got! Did you ever give her a chance to speak? Yes, Mr. Selwyn did me a favor many years ago, but let’s not forget–it was your son who begged me for Celestine’s hand in marriage. And the Fordham family has more than one eligible. grandson! She owes you nothing, and she owes this family nothing!”
Back then, Alistair had arranged the marriage to repay a debt to the Selwyn family, but he’d never specified *which* Fordham would marry Celestine. He’d had two sons and a daughter, each with children of their own. There were other suitable candidates besides Chester.
If Chester had truly been unwilling, Alistair would never have forced him to marry someone he didn’t love. What was truly unforgivable was that Chester had married her anyway–and still failed to cherish her, dragging them all into this mess. Dahlia’s face went pale. “Dad, please calm down. Chester was just confused for a moment–he was tricked by that woman Joanna. It’s all her fault for leading the child astray! Chester, explain yourself to your grandfather!”
She shot Chester a pleading look.
Chester held Joanna tightly, then bowed deeply to Alistair.
“Grandfather, this is my fault. Celestine and I failed to raise Raymond properly, and now all this trouble has happened.”
“Joanna only meant well, but things went wrong. Please, for the sake of everything she’s done for the children, let this go.”
“If Celestine had saved Joanna just now, she wouldn’t still be unconscious. She’s already paid the price.”
Celestine looked at the pair and let out a sudden, brittle laugh. “Grandfather, Chester cares so much for Miss Sinclair. Why not let the two of them be together? There’s never been a place for me in this family. I’m not a Fordham–never have been, not in my husband’s heart, and not in this house.”
“Nonsense!” Alistair snapped, his cane trembling in his grasp. “The lot of you! Every single one–you’re all just perfect, aren’t you? Perfect!”
