Chapter 719
Inside the room.
Oliver Horton was helping old Mrs. Horton toward the restroom.
Halfway there, old Mrs. Horton suddenly stopped walking. She turned to Oliver Horton: “Grandson, do you know why your grandma likes Lewis and not you p>
Oliver Horton froze: “Grandma, what are you talking about? Have you remembered Lewis Horton p>
Old Mrs. Horton chuckled: “How could I ever forget Lewis p>
At those words, Oliver Horton was completely stunned, staring at her in disbelief: “What do you mean p>
Then, realizing something, he shouted angrily: “You’ve been pretending all this time p>
“Heh p>
Old Mrs. Horton let out a chuckle, then released his support, sighing: “In the past, I would often ask myself—was it wrong to favor Lewis and deny the first branch of the family their chance p>
Old Mrs. Horton shakily extended her hand and rested it on the nearby cane: “So, over the recent period, I gave you all a chance p>
Oliver Horton immediately responded: “Grandma, our first branch truly cares for you. Since you gave us an opportunity, didn’t you feel that sincerity p>
Old Mrs. Horton smiled: “I could feel it—you all genuinely want me to hand over the shares to you p>
Oliver Horton: p>
Oliver Horton was momentarily speechless but then spoke again: “Our first branch is sincere toward you too. As an elder, isn’t it too biased for you to treat us this way p>
Old Mrs. Horton sighed deeply: “Ah, grandson, do you know? Whenever Lewis looks at me, his eyes are full of sincerity. What he sees and feels in his heart is just me as a person, not my shares. But in your eyes, your sibling’s eyes, and the eyes of your own illegitimate daughter—all of you—you only see greed; you all look at my shares. I’m not yet so old and blind that I can’t see what you all are p>
Oliver Horton erupted in anger: “What do you mean by this p>
“I mean,” she continued, “from the time you were a child, from the moment you entered this home at age fourteen, from the first glance—I knew that we were not destined for any true bond in this life. Because your eyes revealed too much calculation p>
Old Mrs. Horton looked at him: “What you’ve wanted in your heart has only been the Horton Family. You have absolutely no affection for this family, no feelings for your father—even though over the years, he has protected you time and time again. All you care about is yourself p>
“Shut up p>
Oliver Horton yelled: “What do you mean he cared about me? If he truly cared, then when the Horton Family needed to marry into the Davis Family in Clance years ago, he wouldn’t have abandoned my mom outright p>
Old Mrs. Horton sighed heavily: “He and your mom didn’t divorce because of that marriage—it was because their relationship had long since broken down p>
“To hell with ’relationship breakdown p>
Oliver Horton glared at old Mrs. Horton, particularly enraged at her describing him at fourteen as calculative. His mindset was on the brink of collapse.
He stared furiously at old Mrs. Horton and shouted: “Plenty of wealthy families have relationships that don’t work out—why did they specifically have to divorce? Isn’t it just because of that damn arranged marriage?! Just to make way for that Davis woman! My mother left full of bitterness, taking me abroad, and our life overseas for those fourteen years was miserable p>
Old Mrs. Horton silently gazed at him: “When your mother divorced your father, the Horton Family provided enough money p>
“But all that money was swindled away p>
Oliver Horton shouted: “She got swindled out of all her money in the first year she went abroad! She gave birth to me and silently begged for our survival in M country! Do you even know how difficult those fourteen years were for me p>
Oliver Horton recalled the bullying he suffered as a child, the memories continuing to haunt him. He stared at old Mrs. Horton: “At school, I was humiliated, bullied—they stripped me of my clothes and forced me to drink p>
The rest of his sentence caught in his throat, unable to be spoken.
That period of his life was utterly dark—a nightmare that scarred him for life. Even now, sometimes he woke in the middle of the night in terror, haunted by memories of those years.
Only after returning to the Horton Family, seeing pristine rooms and clean living spaces, did he realize that life had moved on p>
Recalling this, Oliver Horton once again glared angrily at old Mrs. Horton: “So, it’s all your fault and my dad’s fault! If it weren’t for you two, how could I have lived such a pathetic life p>
As he spoke, tears flowed: “Even in her worst moments, my mom never returned to look for him. Not until she passed away was I forced to come back home—because, outside, I couldn’t survive anymore p>
Oliver Horton locked his gaze on old Mrs. Horton: “The moment I returned, I knew—I had to fight for everything this family has to offer! Because it’s all supposed to be mine. It’s all owed to me by the Horton Family p>
He seemed entirely unhinged.
Old Mrs. Horton calmly replied: “But that doesn’t justify your actions against Lewis. Out of everyone in this household, Lewis has always been the most innocent one! Back when you arrived, the tricks you pulled to drive his mother out, forcing her to give birth prematurely to him—weren’t those enough? And afterward? Do you think I didn’t know what you did to Lewis p>