Christopher Hart curled his lips into a smile, clearly unconcerned.
"Hello, Uncle Garcia..."
"Ha! You still rember to call Uncle Garcia?"
As expected, on the other end of the phone, his forr father-in-law, the patriarch of the Garcia Family, Michael Garcia, started with sarcasm.
Christopher Hart dismissed it with a smile, "Uncle Garcia, what are you talking about? You are my elder after all."
"Save it!" Michael Garcia responded ungraciously, his tone aggressive, "I want to know what you an by this. You think because Lily isn’t my biological daughter, you can bully her as you please?"
"She donated a kidney to save your sister!"
"At the outset, your Hart Family insisted on taking responsibility for her, and it was your mother who initiated this marriage, not us Garcias forcing it!"
"Now, you’ve found so Fox Spirit outside and want to abandon Lily?"
"That reminds !" As he spoke of the Fox Spirit, Michael Garcia suddenly changed his tone, "I heard that woman looks a lot like Alia. You used to hate Alia, didn’t you? How co now, seeing a woman who resembles her, you’ve fallen for her?"
When ntioning his late elder daughter, Michael Garcia showed not the slightest bit of sorrow, as if speaking about an insignificant stranger.
Upon hearing this, Christopher Hart’s cold expression unconsciously darkened.
In retrospect, the Garcia Family played a role in his transformation from love to hate towards Alia Garcia.
Now, hearing Michael Garcia speak of his deceased daughter without grief, Christopher felt an anger surge within him and demanded, "In your eyes as a father, is a biological daughter worth less than an adopted one from another surna?"
Michael Garcia was taken aback and said resentfully after a pause, "What do you an by that? Alia and Lily are both my daughters! I love them equally!"
"Is that so? How co after Alia and I divorced, I heard you all refused to welco her back?"
"This... back then..." Michael Garcia stamred, clearly lacking confidence.
"We did welco her; it was her stubborn nature. After a few reprimands from us, she left and never ca back!"
"Besides, what would it look like for a daughter who’s married off and then divorced to co live back at her parents’ house?"
Now a father himself, Christopher knew only that a father’s love for his children doesn’t care about any outside voices, only about how to protect the children from harm.
This showed that Michael Garcia never truly cared for his daughter, hence his indifference to her tragic death.
Over the years, he had similarly neglected Hope, his granddaughter, as if she didn’t even exist.
He admitted he wasn’t a saint, but Michael Garcia, as a father and grandfather, was even less than a beast.
Feeling increasing repulsion towards the Garcias, Christopher decided not to beat around the bush and suddenly said, "Uncle Garcia, three billion. Consider it paynt for the kidney—after which, the Hart and Garcia families can go their separate ways. How about it?"
Michael Garcia was completely stunned.
Three billion!
He had never imagined that an adopted daughter would be worth so much money!
Thrilled inside, but thinking of saving face, he had to pretend to be outraged, "Christopher Hart, you’ve gone too far! You think you can do as you please with your money? This isn’t about the money, it’s about..."
"Five billion."
Five billion?
Benny Palr, sitting across the desk, was almost shocked out of his chair!
Hopelessly lovesick...
Hearing those two words, ’five billion’, Michael Garcia’s blood pressure rocketed to its peak.
Five billion! With that money, what kind of man wouldn’t be within reach? Why bother clinging to the Harts? Why go be a stepmother to their daughter?
Thinking of the company’s dire straits, his younger son’s millions spent yearly studying abroad, his wife’s extravagant spending, and the pressure of supporting a large family...
Michael Garcia saw the money as manna from heaven, an aid amidst the snow!
But, how could he persuade his wife and that adopted daughter?
"Christopher Hart, you... you think throwing money at will make cave?"
His mouth maintained a tough front, but his heart was already planning how to allocate the money.
Christopher Hart saw right through his psychology, speaking in a lukewarm tone, "Not caving in is fine too. I can marry Lily Garcia, but we’ll sign a prenup. My wealth and assets will have nothing to do with the Garcias."
Hearing this, Michael Garcia felt his heart bleed.
Anyone with a bit of sense would know that taking the five billion was the better deal!
"Uncle Garcia, my patience is limited. If you keep..."
"Christopher, Christopher..." Michael Garcia, seeing a guaranteed deal slipping away, promptly dropped his pretense, his tone changing, "That—don’t rush, I don’t have the final say... I need to discuss it with them."
"Can’t even handle your own won, what’s your status at ho, Uncle Garcia..."
"No! Of course, my word carries weight! Let’s do as you say, five billion. I’ll deal with mother and daughter, ensuring they won’t trouble you again."
He imdiately asked, "It’s five billion, right? You won’t back out?"
"You can record it as evidence."
To Christopher, any problem solvable with money wasn’t really an issue; he wasn’t without integrity.
"Fine! I trust you, Uncle Garcia!" Michael Garcia was overjoyed, sealing the deal.
————
Emma Carter got out of the car and, observing the upscale residential area in front of her, located the building where Alia Garcia resided.
But she didn’t have the access card and couldn’t enter, so she had to pretend to wait outside casually, hoping soone would co out or return.
Coincidentally, a foreign man soon appeared with two little boys.
Noah was holding a basketball in one hand and an ice cream in the other, drenched in sweat, his cheeks flushed red, having clearly just finished playing.
Ethan quickly finished his ice cream and eyed his brother’s longingly, "You eat too slow! It’s all lting!"
"I like it, none of your business!"
"What a waste!"
"That’s how I want to waste."
"Tsch!"
The two never missed an opportunity to bicker, and as Kane let them in with his access card, he beckoned them to enter.
Emma stood to one side, rooted to the spot.
Because the boy holding the basketball had features that reminded her of her son when he was younger, though more delicate.
Kane, holding the door as the children entered, was about to close it when he saw the lady standing outside and politely inquired, "Hello, do you need to... co in?"
Emma snapped back to reality and hurriedly stepped forward, "Thank you, thank you so much."
"You’re welco." Kane’s Chinese was still a ss, but his basic etiquette was intact.
While waiting for the elevator, Ethan suddenly struck, knocking his brother’s basketball out of his hand, causing Noah to drop his ice cream as well.
"Ha ha ha—That’s what you get for dawdling, now you have none to eat!" Ethan taunted, looking at the dropped ice cream.
"You owe !"
Aggravated, the brother grabbed his younger sibling by the neck. As they tussled, they lost their balance and bumped into Emma.
"Ah!" Emma Carter stumbled backward from the impact, nearly falling over.
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