On New Year's Eve, my CEO husband's secretary stopped my plainly dressed father-in-law at the door. "You old country dog, do you think you can just walk in anywhere? "Mr. Sterling is hosting a New Year's banquet here today. "Just because your daughter married well doesn't mean you can come here and freeload!" She smashed the farm-fresh eggs my father-in-law had brought, the thick, yellow yolks splattering all over his face. Then, she forced him to his knees. "Lick up all this mess on the floor! If you leave even a single trace, I'll make you pay!" Afterward, she smugly recorded a video and sent it to me. "Chloe, hurry up and come collect your dog of a father. "If you're late and he gets snatched by a dog catcher, I won't be held responsible!" 1 When I received the insulting video from Mia, my hands shook with rage. I immediately called her. "Mia, apologize to my father right now, or you won't be able to handle the consequences!" "Tsk, tsk, what consequences couldn't I handle? It's just insulting an old dog." Mia's voice remained as smug and arrogant as ever. "Let me tell you, I already called Mr. Sterling. He gave his tacit approval." "Tacit approval? Impossible. I'm telling you, that is Ethan's father!" "Ha!" Mia acted as if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Do you really think that just because you married Mr. Sterling, you've suddenly become a phoenix? "Let me tell you, your father is your father. Does he think he can just use the title of father-in-law to act like he's Mr. Sterling's dad? In his dreams!" With that, she raised her voice. "Security, no need to wait anymore. Throw this old dog out!" "Did you hear that, Mrs. Sterling? I've already had your father, that old dog, thrown out. "If you want to find him, go look in the dumpster outside!" Mia let out a venomous laugh and hung up. Worried about my father-in-law and ignoring my anger for the moment, I immediately called Ethan. "Ethan, Dad was at the hotel entrance and got kicked out by your wonderful secretary. Go down and get him right now. Don't let him suffer any more humiliation!" "Chloe, Mia told me about this. "Today is the company's New Year's banquet. I invited family and friends. It really isn't appropriate for your dad to come." "What do you mean by that?" Hearing his words, I felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head. For today's New Year's banquet, he had invited all his relatives, friends, and even company executives and close clients. Yet, my father was excluded. I originally thought he just forgot. It turned out that in his heart, my father wasn't even considered family. To think that when he was starting his business, my father sold his house to support him. And this was the repayment he got. My heart instantly turned completely cold. "So, you really did approve of Mia's behavior?" So he and Mia both thought that was my father? And that meant they could insult him freely? "Alright, I told you I know about it. "You invited your dad to the banquet without asking, so it's a good thing Mia taught him a lesson. "It'll stop you from inviting outsiders inappropriately in the future!" Outsiders?! I laughed out of sheer anger and yelled, "Ethan, let me repeat this one more time: that is your father! You'd better go get him right now!" "Enough. We don't need to discuss this anymore. Freshen yourself up and get over here quickly. Don't say I didn't give you face by not even inviting my own wife on New Year's Eve!" With that, Ethan hung up the phone. I laughed in fury. If you don't even care about your own father, why should I be the one rushing? 2 Although I was incredibly furious at Ethan's behavior. After sitting quietly for a moment, I calmed down. Over the years, my father-in-law had been good to me. Every time he came to the city, he would bring farm-fresh eggs and local specialties from the countryside to visit us. I couldn't just ignore him completely just because Ethan was a bastard. So, I ultimately couldn't harden my heart. Within half an hour, I arrived at the hotel. I walked quickly to the entrance, scanning the area anxiously. In front of the hotel's magnificent revolving doors, the immaculate marble floor reflected the cold light. It had already been cleaned spotless. "Oh, Mrs. Sterling, you got here so fast." Mia, dressed in a Chanel suit with flawless makeup, saw me rushing over and a mocking smile touched her lips. "Too bad, you're still too late." "Where is my dad? Where exactly did you take him?!" Ignoring the stares from the people around us, I demanded harshly. "Your dad? Oh, you mean that old dog?" Mia let out an exaggerated sigh, covering her mouth with a light chuckle. "Didn't I tell you to look in the dumpster? What, you didn't find him? "Then he probably got taken away by the garbage truck. After all, he is garbage. Who pays attention to that?" A few guests trying to flatter her joined in the mockery: "I heard earlier that some country bumpkin was trying to force his way into this five-star hotel. So it was Mrs. Sterling's father." "Secretary Mia is so capable. Garbage belongs where garbage goes. Loitering at the entrance really ruins the vibe of our hotel." Mia took a step closer, the venom in her voice almost overflowing: "By the way, Mrs. Sterling, you didn't see how hard your dad worked, crawling on the ground, licking up that puddle of egg yolk. "Tsk, tsk, he really put his back into it. He licked the floor absolutely clean. "Mrs. Sterling, with skills like that, it's a real shame your dad isn't working as a janitor." Even a stranger shouldn't be humiliated like this, let alone my father-in-law. The blood in my body seemed to rush straight to my head. I stared at her intensely, enunciating every word: "Mia, listen to me clearly. That wasn't my father. That was Ethan Sterling's father. The biological father of your boss, Mr. Sterling!" "Chloe, are you out of your mind from anger? Trying to pass him off as Mr. Sterling's father?" Mia laughed uproariously, then looked at me with disdain. "Don't think that just because I call you Mrs. Sterling, you really are Mrs. Sterling. Mr. Sterling said he's going to divorce you sooner or later! "And you dare to insult Mr. Sterling's father here? Who doesn't know that Mr. Sterling is the most filial son? "If Mr. Sterling hears you say that, believe me, you won't even get a bite of this New Year's Eve dinner!" Just as she finished speaking, the esteemed Mr. Sterling descended the spiral staircase. He looked at me with a frown. "Chloe, it's New Year's Eve. What kind of scene are you causing now?" "So what if I didn't let your dad in to eat? Later, you can just pack up some leftovers for him, and that'll be that." "Exactly. He's a country bumpkin with mud on his legs. Would he even know how to appreciate the food at a five-star hotel?" Mia walked over to Ethan and, right in front of me, intimately hooked her arm through his. "Mr. Sterling, just now this woman insulted you, insisting that old man was your father. "You're so young and successful; your father must be elegant and refined. How could he possibly be that country old man carrying a broken basket with muddy shoes?" Ethan's frown deepened. "Chloe, considering our past relationship, I'll forgive you this once. If you spout nonsense again, don't blame me for being unpolite." Looking at him, I was both angry and amused. Had he completely forgotten his roots? Though he had achieved success and fame over the years, his father hadn't gotten used to city life and had always stayed in the countryside. Perhaps the mockery in my eyes was too obvious, because Ethan sneered coldly. "You don't need to look at me like that. I already sent my assistant to the train station to pick up my dad. And I specifically told him to take my dad to buy some decent clothes and dress him up nicely. "Calculating the time, they should be here any minute." "Ethan, I strongly suggest you call the old man and ask." I spoke, pulling my phone from my pocket. "Otherwise, take a look at who the old man in this video is." "Enough! I'm warning you, stop cursing my dad. And I have no interest in whatever is on your phone!" Ethan impatiently cut me off, pulled out his own phone, and called my father-in-law, only to find the phone was turned off. He frowned and called his assistant. The assistant picked up, saying he was still waiting at the train station. "Hear that? My assistant is still waiting for my dad at the train station. It's impossible for him to be here!" Ethan said, putting his arm around Mia, preparing to head upstairs. Just then, a security guard hurried in from the entrance. "Secretary Mia..." 3 "Secretary Mia, we followed your orders and snatched the old man's phone. He chased after us desperately, and while crossing the street, he got hit by a car." "What?" The security guard's voice wasn't loud, but it terrified Mia. "The old man was thrown pretty far. It looks like he might not make it. We were afraid of being held liable, so we didn't dare get close." "Not... not make it?" Mia's face turned deathly pale. She clutched Ethan's arm tightly, looking up at him, her voice trembling. "Mr. Sterling, this has nothing to do with me. I just... I just told the guards to chase him away and get rid of his phone. He ran out into the street himself!" Ethan's face also darkened. He first shot a cold glare at the security guard, then looked at Mia, comforting her warmly: "Mia, I know this has nothing to do with you. Don't be afraid. "This happened, firstly, because the security guards mishandled it, and secondly, because he didn't watch where he was going. It was an accident. It's not like you were driving the car." He paused, his gaze turning to me. "Chloe, you heard it too. This was an accident. It's the New Year; don't cry and cause a scene here, ruining the banquet's atmosphere." "Don't worry. I will take full responsibility for this. Once he's taken to the hospital, no matter the outcome, I'll cover the medical expenses... or the funeral costs." "As for Mia, it was an unintentional mistake. Look at her, she's shaking so much." He tightened his grip on Mia and ordered me in a tone that brokered no refusal, "Later, if your dad really doesn't make it, you, as a family member, will sign a letter of forgiveness." I simply couldn't believe my ears. Was this still my husband? The gentle, considerate Ethan who always respected his elders? I knew he had cheated; I knew he had a mistress. But since when did he become so morally blind? Even if the person who got hit wasn't my father, he shouldn't be so cold-blooded, treating a person's life and death so lightly. A surge of anger shot straight to my brain. I wiped the tears from my cheeks and laughed in fury. I wanted to see just how deranged he had become. "Ethan, what if I refuse? What if I insist on holding her accountable?" I asked coldly. "Chloe, I advise you to be smart and not bring trouble upon yourself. You should know that the company's legal team isn't just for show," Ethan said coldly. "Ethan, it turns out your brain really is broken. I've been with you for fifteen years, and I had no idea when you turned into such a psycho!" I reprimanded him angrily. "Let me tell you, the person she humiliated, the person who was hit by a car, is your biological father! The biological father who endured countless hardships to raise you and put you through school! "A letter of forgiveness? Hah! The one who should be writing a letter of forgiveness is you, you unfilial son! "The one who should be begging for forgiveness is Mia, this venomous woman!" "How dare you!" "I think you're the one who's crazy! Cursing your own father-in-law on New Year's Eve, and you dare insult me?!" Ethan, publicly contradicted by me, lost his temper. He let go of Mia, stepped forward, raised his hand, and swung it toward my face. I couldn't dodge in time. The slap was about to land. At that critical moment— "Stop!" An old, yet furious roar, filled with overwhelming rage, exploded like thunder from outside the hotel's revolving doors. Everyone turned their heads in shock. The revolving door was pushed open forcefully. A figure, supported by an unfamiliar middle-aged man, limped but walked firmly inside. It was my father-in-law, Arthur Sterling! The dried egg stains on his head were still there. A bandage was stuck to his temple, oozing blood. His clothes were covered in dust, and the knees of his pants were torn. He looked absolutely miserable. One hand tightly gripped a crushed bamboo basket. The other hand was supported by the middle-aged man beside him, who looked guilty and nervous. This was likely the driver who hit him. My father-in-law's face was ashen, his lips trembling, his eyes locked dead on Ethan and Mia beside him. Ethan froze completely, his raised hand suspended in mid-air, his eyes filled with shock and panic. Mia, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief. She pointed at my father-in-law and said angrily, "So you didn't get killed by the car, old man. You scared me to death." She then looked at Ethan reproachfully. "Mr. Sterling, this is the old man who barged into our hotel dressed like a slob. Look at him, he actually has the nerve to come back." She regained her usual arrogance and smugness. "Old man, you don't think your soon-to-be-divorced daughter can help you get justice, do you?" "Shut your mouth!" Ethan raised his hand and suddenly slapped Mia to the ground. He then looked at Arthur Sterling. "Dad!"
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