Chapter 4 He Refuses to Admit It

• "Are you back to marry Alana?"
• Upon hearing Alana's name, Abel's face suddenly darkened as he recalled the scene from five years ago when she drugged and set him up. "What's it to you?"
• "If you are, even if the child is yours, I won't look for you again."
• "I'm not." Abel's expression was icy. "I don't know Alana well."
• Ring—
• Emmeline's phone suddenly rang. She glanced at it and saw that it was Endymion calling.
• Her heart skipped a beat. Endymion was the only one who went to kindergarten today. He wouldn't call unless something was wrong.
• Could something have happened?
• She quickly stepped aside to answer.
• "Mommy, I'm heading home."
• "Why?"
• "The teacher said if I don't leave, the kindergarten would have to close."
• "What?" Without hesitation, Emmeline opened the glass door and rushed out.
• The bodyguards couldn't stop her.
• Helios leisurely waved his chubby hand from the chair. "Goodbye, Mommy. Drive safely."
• The bodyguard lowered his head. "Mr. Abel, we failed in our duty."
• "You underestimated her."
• The bodyguard glanced at the adorable yet troublesome little boy on the chair. "What should we do with this little guy?"
• Abel's face was gloomy, but it seemed he had no choice but to take the little one home.
• His mommy seems quite brainless. She's running off after a phone call, leaving her child behind…
• …
• An hour later, Emmeline met with the kindergarten teacher.
• The teacher looked apologetic as she said, "Madam, someone from the Ryker family came and said that either your son leaves or the kindergarten shuts down. Our principal decided it was best for Moon to go home for now."
• Emmeline squinted.
• The Ryker family has time for such trivial matters? It shouldn't be.
• She suspected it was her stepmother's niece, Alana, who did it. Only she would be so idle.
• Emmeline smiled, "Well, the kids don't like school anyway, so let them play at home for a few days."
• After saying goodbye to the teacher, Emmeline drove her old Phaeton back to the cafe. Endymion was upstairs in the study, playing on the computer.
• Emmeline patted his fluffy head and asked, "Moon, are you hungry?"
• "No." Endymion's eyes remained glued to the screen. "Is Star still at Great-grandpa's place?"
• "Yes. He's playing there for a while."
• "Sun is moving in that direction, too."
• "He's in Abel's car. Abel is visiting his grandpa in the hospital."
• "How did your talk with Daddy go?"
• "Not well," Emmeline answered. "He refuses to admit it."
• "Hmph!" Endymion puffed up his cheeks. "A sc*mbag!"
• Emmeline laughed. "He seems decent so far, probably not a sc*mbag."
• "Then why won't he admit what he did? We are all four years old."
• "I still haven't figured it all out." Emmeline scratched her head. "I'm a bit confused too…"
• Bang! Bang!
• There was a loud knocking downstairs, followed by a woman's scream. "Emmeline, get down here!"
• It was Alondra.
• "Stay here." Emmeline patted Endymion's head. "I will go check it out."
• "Okay." Endymion nodded. "Call me if you need help."
• "Got it, boss." Emmeline smiled and hurried downstairs.
• Her son had such an aura. Now that she thought about it, he seemed more like Abel.
• "Emmeline, are you tired of living?" Alondra yelled up the stairs. "Why would you offend the Ryker family? Do you think you can afford to provoke them? Now the Louise family's business is ruined, thanks to you. How could we survive? If it weren't for Alana pleading for us, we'd be destitute!"
• Alana?
• Only then did Emmeline notice that Alana had come along.
• In a white dress, she stood arrogantly at the door, scaring away a few customers who wanted to come in for coffee.
• Emmeline held onto the railing and jumped down the remaining stairs.
• Alana sneered with folded arms. "My dear Emmeline, you're a mother now, yet you act like a wild child. Will you die if you don't act out?"
• "Will you die if you don't talk?" Emmeline grabbed Alana's delicate chin. "Get out of my way and stop pretending to be a damsel in distress."
• Alondra slapped Emmeline's hand away. "Don't be rude to my niece. She's going to marry into the Ryker family and become their daughter-in-law."
• "Well, congratulations to her." Emmeline sneered.
• Alana arrogantly lifted her chin. "You're jealous because you had a child out of wedlock with no one to take care of you. Too bad you don't have my luck."
• "You have two minutes to get lost, or you'll regret it."
• "Still acting tough!" Alondra shouted. "The Ryker family cut off the Louise family's business. Your dad was so angry that he passed out. Only Alana pleaded for us. How dare you offend her?"
• At the mention of Maxwell, Emmeline's defiance waned. Despite everything, he was her father, and the thought pained her.
• "Apologize to Alana," Alondra demanded. "Do you not want your kids to attend kindergarten?"
• "So it was you who meddled." Emmeline stepped toward Alana, ready to slap her, but her wrist was grabbed.
• She turned to see her brother, Ethan Louise.
• "Emma, give our family a way out. I'm also facing unemployment."
• "What's wrong?" Emmeline pulled back her hand and looked at Ethan's handsome yet somewhat timid face.
• "I got a call from Louise Corporation. As you offended the Ryker family, they're going to fire me. How will I feed my family?"
• "Indeed. Emma, please have mercy on us." Emmeline's sister-in-law, Grace Cooper, came in.
• She sobbed as she said, "I was supposed to interview the top families in Struyria for today's headline, but the station received a call from the Ryker family and canceled it. Now I can't complete my tasks for the month."
• "Haha!" Alana laughed. "Emmeline, you're a jinx. You've ruined the livelihood of your entire family."
• "Emma?"
• "Emma?"
• "Aren't you going to apologize to Alana?"
• "What kind of apology does she want?" Emmeline sneered.
• "Never appear before the Ryker family again." Alana's eyes were filled with malice as she stared at Emmeline's enchanting face.
• She wanted to scratch her flawless skin, but she couldn't get close to her.
• She realized that even two or three men couldn't handle her.
• "I'll promise for Emma," Ethan quickly said. "We can't afford to provoke the Ryker family. It's better to avoid trouble."
• "That's not enough," Alana said. "Emmeline insulted me. I'm the future daughter-in-law of the Ryker family. If they find out, the Louise family won't survive. I can't always protect you for Auntie Alondra's sake."
• "Exactly." Alondra glanced triumphantly at the siblings. "My niece is showing you great leniency."
• "We'll listen." Ethan quickly nodded. "I'll apologize to Alana on Emma's behalf. I'm sorry…"
• "Shut up!" Emmeline pushed Ethan aside and threw a cup of cold coffee at Alana's face. "Stop this act. If you don't leave now, you'll regret it."