Chapter 69:
Claire quietly sighed, not opening her eyes as she said without hurry, “I really feel a little regret, coming to find him.”
Then Claire fell silent, not saying anything anymore.
Him? The scholar, Camille? Jean was puzzled.
Claire felt somewhat gloomy. Was it lucky that she found out about those facts today?
Why did she feel an invisible net drawing close, and then continuously tighten, tighten…
“Claire, don’t be this fidgety. The situation will definitely be settled. Don’t forget, Duke Gordan is able to keep the Hill clan towering, naturally he is very capable. Your father and your elder brothers are all not to be trifled with.” Walter consoled Claire.
Father? Elder brothers? Claire became a bit muddle headed, feeling that these two phrases were unfamiliar. Now that Walter brought it up, Claire remembered that indeed, she really did had a father and two elder brothers who all seemed to dislike her. And up until now, she hadn’t met them before except for the one time at the two countries’ competition when she saw her second brother, the man who had become the captain of the Griffin Squad at such a young age.
The next day, Claire and Lashia went to classes together. Claire told the maids to take good care of Summer and Ben, then repeatedly warned the two not to get into trouble. Only then did she leave.
But right after Claire just had a peaceful morning at school, at noon, someone came, flustered, reporting to Claire that there was a mishap at the Duke’s castle, and he wanted Claire to go back quickly. If she didn’t go back, the black clothed man she brought back was about to flip the Hill castle over.
“What on earth is going on?” Claire sat in the carriage, a faint trace of anger in her voice. Before leaving, she had repeatedly warned that uneducated dragon. Perhaps that idiot forgot it all? Not long after she left, he had actually made such a ruckus, it was about to get out of hand.
“The, the Marquis came back.” The servant answered cautiously.
“The Marquis?” Claire was confused.
“It’s Miss’s father.” The servant was also confused as he answered.
“Oh. What does that have to do with Ben making a ruckus?” Claire didn’t understand. If he came back, then he just came back. She had the impression that man didn’t like Claire one bit, so much that it could be said he loathed her.
“Because… Because the Marquis said some unflattering words about Miss, so, so the guests you brought back weren’t happy.” The servant said, exceptionally cautious.
“Oh, what did he say?” Claire raised a brow and coldly laughed. Some unflattering words? Perhaps it’s not as simple as that?
“Be more thorough about the matter.” Jean said coldly from the side.
“Yes, yes.” The servant gulped and hurriedly said, “The Marquis came back and his Grace, the Duke, wasn’t there, so sir Emery led him in. He told the Marquis that Mr. Ben was Miss’s friend. Then the Marquis said, said…”
The servant didn’t dare to finish what he was saying.
“Did he say the man-chasing idiot actually has friends?” A cold smile appeared on her face as she said it insipidly.
The servant was silent, his face paling, revealing that Claire’s guess was true.
“And then Ben was in a bad mood?” Claire asked.
“Mr. Ben still hadn’t flared up when Miss Summer first retorted. Then, then…” The servant’s voice lowered. “Then the Marquis’s words started to become a bit unflattering, and then it developed out of hand.”
Claire slowly closed her eyes, not saying a word.
“Coachman, quicker!” Jean instructed the coachman to accelerate. Jean looked at the silent Claire. He didn’t know why, but a trace of an unbearable and heart wrenching feeling appeared in his heart. The person who had demeaned Claire was her relative, the person guarding Claire was an outsider…
Currently, a storm had already started at Hill mansion.
“Apologize! Take back your words.” Summer bellowed at Roger Hill, who was also Claire’s father, her whole face red, hands at the hip.
“She’s my own daughter, what gives you outsiders the right to talk about her?” Marquis Roger said in contempt, but he felt an unspeakable anguish. Since when did that useless daughter of his actually have friends who would protect her like this? She could actually have friends? Everybody avoided her. He had heard recently that she had done some things, but maybe it wasn’t by her own abilities and instead, Father pulling some strings from behind the scenes.
“Having a father like this for Claire is a tragedy! It’d be fine if you just didn’t understand, but you actually humiliated your own daughter.” Summer was so mad, she was about to kick something, anything. During the life-threatening moment, Claire didn’t abandon them and run off by herself, but shielded them herself instead. If it was someone else dishonoring Claire, she wouldn’t feel much, but the person who had dishonored Claire was actually Claire’s father!!!
“I understand my daughter the most, since when did you guys have the right to speak?” Marquis Roger said impatiently while looking at the furious girl. But he didn’t dare to have a more excessive attitude. Just then, the threatening Qi the black clothed man had emitted from his entire body, along with Emery’s constant meaningful glances let Marquis Roger know that the black clothed man definitely wasn’t someone normal.
“You vile guy, what qualifications do you have to dishonor Claire!” Summer was still completely stubborn. “You must take back the words you said just then, must apologize.”
“Impudent!” Marquis Roger finally got angry. He was a grandiose Marquis. Since when was it that little girl’s turn to shout at him like this, and in his own home too!
“From the way I see it, it’s because you’re Claire’s friends that you guy do a lot of bickering, but you guys can’t be too discourteous. Such uneducated people being with Claire, is it not birds of a feather flocking together?” The Marquis Roger finally couldn’t resist his anger, despite the constant meaningful glances Emery gave him.
“You bastard uncle! Who do you think you are? Are you really educated? You kept repeating over and over your daughter is an idiotic man-chaser and what good was giving birth to her.” Summer also became furious, loudly and angrily rebuking Marquis Roger.
Now Marquis Roger’s face greened. Claire had always been a thorn in his heart. It was because he heard Claire had some small accomplishments that he returned to confirm, but he never thought he would be scolded and opposed like this.
“You, you actually dare to scold me!” Marquis Roger was also furious. As a majestic Marquis, he was actually disgraced by a little brat, and even in the Hill Castle!
“So what if I cuss at you? You are a bastard. I have never met such a bastard father like you. Some people are born without a father and don’t have a father’s care. Claire has a father, but it’s even worse for her!” It seemed like something had touched Summer’s weak spot, her eyes wide, flickering.
“You!” Marquis Roger was so mad his whole body shook. He pointed at Summer. “Bring her away.”
“Who dares!”
“Who dares!”
Two voices sounded at the same time.
One was Ben, the other was Claire, who had just reached the entrance.
Marquis Roger turned and saw the cold-faced Claire standing at the doorway. Although Claire was standing there calmly, she emitted an indescribable boldness that made the people behind Marquis Roger not dare to touch Summer.
“Claire.” Once Summer heard Claire, she ran over and grabbed Claire’s hand. “You came back.”
“Yes.” Claire looked at summer, a trace of a smile appearing on her face. In a low voice she said, “I heard everything you said. Thank you.”
“Everything I said was the truth.” Just by thinking of the argument, Summer became angry and said, “You actually have this kind of a father! Too evil.”
“Claire! What kind of friends did you make?! So uneducated!” Marquis Roger angrily shouted the moment he saw Claire. In his vague memories of her, every time he scolded Claire angrily, Claire would become completely scared, and then Katherine would come out and shelter the useless child.
But Claire’s response was completely out of his expectation. “I don’t need you to question what kinds of friends I make. Also, you have never asked about my life. You haven’t done it before, and you don’t need to do it now, and you’re not allowed to do it in the future even more so!” Claire said coldly, her voice resonating with power. “As an esteemed Marquis, isn’t bickering like this with a little girl who isn’t even fifteen years old too disgraceful, too humiliating to the Hill family name?”
Emery’s expression changed slightly. Claire’s words just now would only exacerbate the conflict. Thinking of this, Emery gave a meaningful glance at Claire, but Claire didn’t pay attention. Naturally, she had something else planned.
Marquis Roger was thoroughly shocked. This was the Claire that people hated? The Claire who would act like a rat meeting a cat whenever she saw him? Was he imagining things? Why did he feel like she had this kind of boldness and aggressiveness?
“Are you talking to me? Are you talking to your father?” Marquis Roger asked coldly, his expression serious. As a father, being challenged was not allowed. No matter how capable his child was, it still wasn’t allowed!
“How many fathers do I have? If I’m not talking to you, then am I talking to another father?” Claire replied cynically. Within her memories, she didn’t seem to have many impressions of him besides him shouting at Claire.
Everybody’s expressions changed. The Miss actually dared to go against the Marquis like this!
“You!! You impudent!” Marquis Roger’s face darkened. Claire actually dared to say such disgraceful and unfilial words, actually dared to go against him rudely!
“Who was it that first didn’t treat me like a daughter but is now acting like he is a father? Don’t you think it’s quite funny?” Claire looked at Marquis Roger, sneering mockingly. “That day when I fell of the horse and almost died, did you even see me once right before you went out the front door? If I didn’t wake up at the time, would you not have met me until now? To you, it didn’t matter whether or not that happened, because you have already long before disregarded me as your daughter. What are you doing? Pretending to be a father now?”