註
Chapter 9
“Mom!” Steven stepped forward, shielding us behind him, his voice turning cold. “Her name is Lily
Walsh, my daughter. This is Susan Manning, my wife.”
“Wife?” Steven’s mother let out a derisive laugh, slamming her hand on the table as she shot to her
feet, pointing at my nose. “I will never acknowledge her! A woman who only causes trouble and raised a lying daughter–she’s worthy of entering the Walsh family door?!”
I looked at Steven, gripping his sleeve tightly.
But he smiled–a smile devoid of any warmth.
“Fine.” Right in front of his mother, he dialed his lawyer, putting it on speaker. “Attorney Liam,
initiate the procedure. I, Steven Walsh, voluntarily renounce all inheritance rights to Walsh
Industries‘ shares and assets, effective immediately. All documents should be delivered to the family estate within one hour.”
The lawyer’s shocked exclamation came through the phone, along with Steven’s mother’s shrill scream, “Have you lost your mind?!”
“I’m perfectly sane.” Steven hung up and stared directly at his mother’s twisted face, his voice calm. “I came back today to inform you. From now on, Susan and Lily are my red line. Anyone who
touches them is crossing me.‘
He took off his suit jacket and threw it on the ground.
He took my hand and bent down to lift Lily into his arms.
My daughter, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke.
Her little face flushed red, but she bravely met the old woman’s shocked gaze and said loudly, “I made the teacher angry! But my answer wasn’t wrong! My mommy lost her job protecting me! She’s the best mommy in the whole world! You’re not allowed to bully her!!!
Her clear voice rang out, slapping Steven’s mother across the face and hitting me straight in the
heart.
My tears burst forth instantly.
Steven’s eyes reddened.
He kissed Lily’s forehead and, without sparing his mother another glance, held her and took my
Chapter 9
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hand, turning resolutely away.
Behind us came his mother’s furious roar, “Steven! Stop right there! For this woman and her bastard, you’re abandoning your own family?!”
Steven didn’t look back, his voice ringing with conviction. “Where they are—that’s my
home.”
We finally walked out of that suffocating prison.
He took us to a riverside apartment, complete with a castle–like children’s room.
After Lily fell asleep, he held me from behind, his face buried in my neck, his voice husky. “Susan, there’s no Walsh family here, just us. I’ve cut away everything you feared. Give me one more chance -marry me, will you?”
I looked at him through my tears.
This man who would fight the world for me.
I didn’t answer. Instead, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him fiercely.
When I woke in the morning, Steven still held me tightly, our daughter somehow curled up between us, sleeping peacefully.
The morning paper’s headline showed the principal and his accomplices‘ pathetic faces as they
were led away.
I smiled, even as tears slid down my cheeks.
He pulled both me and our daughter tightly into his arms.
“Mommy…” Lily nuzzled against us drowsily and asked, “Can we stay together forever now?”
“Yes,” Steven and I spoke in unison, absolutely certain. “We’ll always, always be together.”
I looked out at the shimmering river, at the two most important people in my life in my arms.
I knew that from this moment on, our family’s new chapter was just beginning.
Chapter 9
