Chapter 13 You Offended Him

• "If you ever insult my child again in the future, I won't let it slide," Daphne warned, her eyes blazing with fury as she finally released all the pent-up frustration she had been holding onto for years.
• Wow, slapping someone feels surprisingly good! It's like a weight has been lifted off my chest, and I suddenly feel so much better!
• "How dare you insult my daughter!" Maxwell's eyes turned deadly serious, a wicked smile creeping onto his face.
• Hugo and Mabel turned pale with fear upon seeing Maxwell's chilling grin. They were now deeply unsettled by Maxwell's presence.
• "Let's go, Maxwell," Daphne said while eyeing Maxwell cautiously, fearing he might actually attack Hugo and Mabel.
• Though these two are despicable, they don't deserve to die.
• In a split second, Maxwell quelled his intense rage and looked at Daphne with gentle eyes, his demeanor completely different from the menacing one just moments ago.
• "Alright." Maxwell agreed softly.
• Hugo and Mabel could only watch in disbelief as Daphne and Maxwell left. It felt like they had returned to reality after an eerie encounter.
• "Did Daphne just slap me?" Mabel was in disbelief as she touched her face in shock.
• "That b*tch," Hugo seethed, roaring with anger. She's at the bottom of the Lewis family hierarchy; how dare she slap me in front of everyone!
• "Hugo, Maxwell is too skilled. Let's get Mr. Grant's help and make him pay," Mabel suggested indignantly.
• "Yeah, we'll ask Mr. Grant to send someone to deal with him. He knows a lot of skilled fighters." Hugo nodded. "Let's go find Mr. Grant now."
• ...
• Maxwell strolled along, pushing his electric bike, with Daphne trailing behind, their interaction resembling that of a couple in the midst of a lover's quarrel.
• "Did you ask Mr. Benson to come?" Daphne asked.
• "Would you believe me if I said I did?" Maxwell replied with a smile.
• Daphne didn't respond, but her expression indicated her disbelief.
• Cutting straight to the point, Daphne said, "Tahlia is your daughter."
• "I know." Maxwell felt a tug at his heartstrings. His heart softened when he finally heard Daphne say it out loud.
• "I've raised Tahlia alone, and I'll continue to do so," Daphne repeated.
• Maxwell remained silent.
• He knew Daphne still had some issues that wouldn't be easily resolved.
• "I want to be Tahlia's father," Maxwell turned around and announced in an almost pleading tone.
• He was a mighty war god of a nation and an Army Commander with unparalleled power, but he wanted nothing more than to be a father now.
• "What right do you have? Haven't you caused me enough trouble?" Daphne suddenly exploded, shouting loudly.
• Maxwell fell silent.
• "I'm sorry."
• Daphne rarely vented her inner anger to others. She knew she had to draw a line with Maxwell, but even if she told Maxwell to leave now, he probably wouldn't.
• "Give me the electric bike; I'm going home," Daphne said as she walked away.
• Maxwell watched Daphne leave, sighing deeply. "Daphne, I know you're not ready to accept me yet, but I promise that, from now on, I'll be a good father, husband, and son-in-law.
• "No one will disrupt our lives," Maxwell murmured.
• ...
• At the Lewis family's old mansion, knocking sounds reverberated.
• Daphne didn't go to work that afternoon. She had just submitted her resignation to the company via email.
• She planned to go to the job market early tomorrow morning to hunt for a new job.
• "Who are you here for?"
• After opening the door, Daphne found six men in black standing outside.
• "You're Daphne, right? Come with us; Mr. Grant wants to see you," the lead man said while gesturing politely.
• Mr. Grant?
• I don't know anyone by that name. Then, a flash of insight struck her. Mabel must've asked Mr. Grant to come and get back at me.
• Mr. Grant, whose real name was Larrey, was the son of Hadrian, a renowned entrepreneur and a major shareholder of the Bluewhale Group, with assets worth hundreds of millions.
• The Bluewhale Group was one of the leading enterprises in Northbury, involved in multiple industries such as real estate, catering, and biology.
• "I don't know any Mr. Grant," Daphne said, preparing to close the door.
• The lead man stopped Daphne from closing the door, his gaze indifferent. "Ms. Lewis, you can either come with us willingly, or we'll take you by force."
• "You can try!" Daphne snorted coldly. "If you harass me again, I'll call the police."
• "Ms. Lewis, you underestimate Mr. Grant's background. That's offensive," the lead bodyguard said nonchalantly before swiftly swinging a knife at Daphne's neck.
• Daphne's vision went black, and her body went limp as she collapsed to the ground. The lead man supported her, then carried her to the car.
• "Get in. We'll head to Bloomspring Nursery next."
• Three Mercedes-Benz vehicles revved up.
• ...
• It was late in the afternoon. Just before school ended, Maxwell reached the entrance of Bloomspring Nursery.
• Already, many parents were forming a queue, as the kindergarten only allowed pickups at 5:00 PM.
• Before long, Maxwell spotted his mother-in-law, Samantha, navigating her electric bike skillfully and parking it in a distance before rushing over.
• On either side of the road, luxurious cars were parked.
• "Mom," Maxwell greeted hesitantly, knowing he had to meet Samantha sooner or later.
• "Maxwell, why are you here?"
• Samantha's surprise quickly soured into displeasure. "You should go; Tahlia won't go with you."
• "Mom, I'm just here to visit Tahlia. You can take her home," Maxwell explained.
• He secretly wished to take Tahlia home, but he knew that if Daphne caught sight of him, she would chew his ear off again.
• Samantha remained silent.
• "Mom, please take this card." Maxwell produced a different card from before.
• "Think of it as a little something. Tahlia deserves a good living environment, so you should buy a car."
• It wasn't the best idea to ride an electric bike in windy or rainy weather while picking up a child.
• Samantha studied Maxwell's face, which was filled with both guilt and sincerity, before accepting the card. "How much is in it?"
• "I'm not sure. I hardly spend money, but I reckon it's over 1.5 million."
• That's a lot! Samantha gasped. I thought Maxwell is just a soldier. Where did he get so much money?
• Just then, the kindergarten gate opened. Samantha said, "I'll go get Tahlia."
• She entered with the kindergarten pick-up card to collect Tahlia. Moments later, Samantha dashed out in a panic.
• "Maxwell, I've got bad news. Someone took Tahlia."