Chapter 4

• Two days later at the Chapman Residence, there was a news on the tv.
• "The elder daughter of the Chapman family, Nicole Chapman has a messed-up private life and had a one-night-stand before marriage! The man who she had spent the night with hasn’t been revealed yet. Nicole's lover remains a mystery for the time being!"
• This news shocked the entire upper-class society. Within minutes, Nicole’s name was terribly tarnished. Countless people were mocking her background, saying that she had come from the countryside and was indecent with no morals.
• Gerald Chapman got so enraged that he yelled out in rage, "You became an escort for money just because I wouldn't let you go abroad for your studies? How can I, Gerald Chapman, be capable of having such a shameless daughter like you?"
• "Dad, I can explain - I had no idea…” Nicole tried to explain herself.
• "You didn't? But you did, Nicole! How could you go to such shameless lengths? Did we starve you, or did we deprive you of anything? I can't believe you would pimp yourself to random strangers in a filthy clubhouse! For your sake, I hope you haven't brought any disease back to this house. Who knows what my daughter and I could have caught from you.”
• The woman who was dressed in jewels and fine clothes sneered from where she sat on the couch.
• "Dad, I really didn't do it. I-" Nicole tried to explain herself.
• However, Gerald did not want to hear another word from her. He glowered at her maliciously as he snapped, "Still lying to me, I see. Get out of this home right now! I will not stand to have you under my roof. No daughter of mine could be so shameless. From now on, you are not my child!"
• Meanwhile, on the staircase landing, Amelia watched this scene play out as she leaned against the banister with her chin propped on her hand.
• Everything was going exactly the way she had planned. In a matter of minutes, Nicole was going to be cast out of the house and wander around like some pathetic stray mutt.
• Downstairs in the living room, Nicole fell silent when she saw the thunderous and disappointed look on her father's face.
• She wordlessly rose from her seat and walked up the stairs to pack up her things. She had only just rounded the landing when Amelia barricaded her.
• With her arms crossed haughtily in front of her chest, the younger girl sneered, "Get out of here! Don't linger around like an eyesore.
• This house will never have a place for you ever again!" Nicole clenched her fists as she glowered Amelia's pleased expression.
• Seeing the hatred and anger in Nicole's eyes, Amelia leaned forward. "What, do you want to slap me or something?"
• She turned her cheek toward the fuming girl and said smugly, "Go right ahead, then!" Without holding back, Nicole brought her hand down across Amelia's face, resulting in a hard slap.
• "Ah!" Amelia let out a shrill cry.' "You just hit me! Mom, Dad- Nicole just hit me!" She howled as she bolted down the stairs.
• Wanda Russell quickly pulled her daughter into her arms and cried up the stairwell, "How dare you strike my daughter, Nicole !
• What the hell are you playing at?!" Gerald glanced at the red imprints on Amelia's cheek, and he had never been more disappointed in his life.
• When did my oldest daughter become so infuriatingly rebellious? "Dad, it hurts..." Amelia sobbed as she burrowed into her father's arms, taking in exaggerated deep breaths like she was in great pain.
• Get out of here, Nicole!" Gerald roared up the stairs. Having packed up her things, Nicole grabbed her passport and went down the stairs.
• Her heart grew stone-cold when she saw how her own father was holding Amelia in his arms like she was something precious.
• Nicole knew then that she indeed had no place in his heart. Gerald had only heard Amelia's side of the story instead of asking her about the horrific incident she had endured that night.
• Ever since her mother had passed, she had spent her years in this home living like an outsider, for her father had brought home his mistress and his illegitimate daughter to form a new family. That was what even made her to become a worker in a local restaurant despite being born in a wealthy family.
• Nicole's poor mother had never known about her husband's extra-marital affairs, not even in her death. “I will never come back to this place ever again…” Nicole cursed.
• Inside the house, Amelia watched as Nicole dragged her suitcase out the front door, and a wicked smile curled on her lips.
• I finally got rid of that useless eyesore!
• ——…——
• Five years later, a knock came on the front door of an apartment in Braeton city.
• The woman living in the apartment had been poring over her designs with her maid Emma, when she heard the knock. A little bewildered, she walked up to the door and pulled it open unhappily. When she saw the two men in suits, she asked, "Who are you looking for?"
• "Are you Miss Nicole Chapman?" one of the two men asked her.
• "I am. And you are?" Nicole pressed.
• "We were asked to look for you. Your mother, Freya Dort, saved our young master's life back in the day. The old madam whom we serve wishes to see you."
• She frowned at this. "Who's the old madam you serve?"
• "Old Madam Butler," the first man answered respectfully.
• Upon hearing this, Nicole understood what had brought these men here. Old Madam Butler was the woman behind the Butler Group, the foremost conglomerate in the country.
• Years ago, Nicole’s mother had sacrificed her life to save Old madam Butler’s oldest grandson. It gave Nicole great pride to have been born to a police officer as capable and righteous as Freya.
• "I'm sorry, but I don't intend to see her.” Nicole said decidedly. She had a feeling that the Butler's wanted to repay Freya's great deed, but she had no plans of accepting their gesture whatsoever. She went back to continue her design with her maid Emma.
• “Madam, who was it? Are you going back to Q city?” Emma asked as a frown came on her face.
• “Of course not Emma, just some random strangers..” with a smile, Nicole said as she focused on the design.
• After Nicole was kicked out of the house by her father and discovered she was pregnant, she had traveled here in Braeton city to start life anew. Giving birth to triplets was another huge responsibility for her that was what prompt her to employ Emma to take care of her kids while she worked numerous job to provide for them.
• Just then, three childish and curious voice's sounded from somewhere inside the apartment, asking,
• "'Mommy, who is it?" Drea, the youngest among the three kid asked.
• “Mummy is it perhaps daddy?” Elis, the second to the smallest threw.
• “Mummy is it someone we know?” Pete who was the elder among the three kids asked.
• "No one…” Nicole replied hastily. Then, she turned to address the men at the door, "Sorry, but I'm really not in a mood for guests at the moment." With that, she closed the door.
• ...............
• Meanwhile, back in the country, a man was seated on the couch inside the villa tucked halfway up the hill. "Have you tracked her down?"
• "Yes, Young Master Drake. The girl from the clubhouse five years ago just sold off your watch at the second-hand market."
• "Find her" said the man on the couch, his voice deep and authoritative.
• "Yes, sir, we will definitely look for her!"