Chapter 5 An Ungrateful Visitor

• "I... I'm a father now?" Gabriel's expression changed from stunned to delighted.
• "That's right!" Elia nodded. "They're lively little rascals. Mom and Dad and I used to sneak over to watch them sometimes. They're pretty adorable. It's just that..." She sighed. "Well, when Xanthe found out she was pregnant, the LeBlancs wanted her to demand compensation from us, but she absolutely refused. In the end, the LeBlancs disowned her entire family and the twins. Since then, they've been going through a really tough time. Mom and Dad wanted to take her in, but she refused as well. In fact, she forbade us from having any contact with the twins. What happened back then really caused her a great deal of harm."
• Gabriel felt overwhelmed with guilt. Although what happened five years ago was the result of someone setting him up and not something he had done willingly, the consequences had caused irreparable harm to Xanthe.
• Now that he had returned, he was determined to make amends as best as he could! He couldn't even begin to imagine how Xanthe managed to endure all the malicious gossip and disdain throughout her pregnancy. Not only that, she had to struggle to raise the twins as well...
• The more he thought about it, the more he realized how badly he had failed her. He owed her a great deal.
• "Let's go home first," Gabriel finally said after a long moment of silence. "Take us back to the Skarsdale residence, Phoenix." The three of them got into the jeep and drove to the Skarsdales' old family home.
• ***
• At the same time, an arrogant mob swaggered into the Skarsdale residence, led by a fat, middle-aged man.
• "Clear out this place. Retrieve anything valuable and bring it with you; don't just throw everything away," the man ordered. With his hands behind his back, he watched with calculating, judgmental eyes.
• "Yes, sir!" His underlings immediately spread out and began looting whatever they could find.
• "What do you think you're doing!" An angry voice cut through the chaos, and an elderly man hurried out from inside the house. When he saw what was happening, he looked furious.
• This was Gerry Floyd, the Skarsdale family retainer who had served the family for a long time.
• "Ah, Mr. Floyd." The fat middle-aged man chuckled greasily. "What do you think I'm doing, you ask? I'm taking away everything valuable in here, of course! After all, this house is going to be auctioned off soon. Instead of letting someone else benefit, I might as well benefit myself, considering I've spent ten years working my *ss off for the Skarsdales!"
• "Matthew Blaine, you ungrateful wretch! Is this how you repay Master Charles?" Gerry snapped angrily. "After everything he did for you? He and Madam Corinna have barely been gone, and here you are, trying to..."
• "Don't you dare mention that b*stard in front of me!" Matthew snarled and shoved Gerry so hard that the elderly man tumbled to the floor. "I am what I am today because of my own efforts! Charles Skarsdale had nothing to do with it! Understand?" He turned and bellowed, "Plunder everything in this place! Turn it upside down!" His eyes gleamed greedily. Perhaps he might get lucky this time and find some valuable antiques and paintings in the house.
• All those things represented lots of money! Charles was already dead; Matthew didn't give a damn about showing any respect.
• Swaggering into the house, he saw that a memorial shrine had been set up for Charles and his wife Corinna. Looking at the memorial plaques that commemorated their deaths, he sneered derisively, "Charles, my dear Charles. To think that you'd come to such an end. Serves you right!"
• He was a millionaire today only because Charles Skarsdale had given him a boost and helped him. However, this was also why he hated the man so much! Every time someone mentioned Matthew, they would always bring up the fact that he was where he was today because the wealthiest man in Claritas had taken pity on him and helped him.
• Matthew was a proud, arrogant man; he couldn't stand all the rumors and gossip going around! When Charles was alive, he had no choice but to play the part of an agreeable lapdog. Now that the man was dead, Matthew wasn't about to miss the opportunity to add insult to injury!
• "Mr. Blaine, we've searched the entire house. There are quite a lot of valuable items here!"
• "Excellent." Matthew nodded in satisfaction, then ordered, "Tear down this shrine! Take those plaques out and break them!"
• "No!" Gerry stumbled through the door and fell to his knees, grabbing onto the hem of Matthew's trousers. "Mr. Blaine, please don't do that! Don't destroy the shrine..."