Chapter 8

After leaving the cafe, Cameron went to Riddikulus Riverview Villas neighborhood. There was not a single shred of emotion in his eyes as he gazed at the familiar villa he and Madison used to share. Cameron went up to ring the doorbell. "What are you doing home so early, my dear daughter? Has Mr. Price agreed to have dinner with us?" Madison's mother, Pia Parker, called out from the villa. Pia ran over excitedly to the door to open it. But once she did, her expression fell. "What are you doing here?" Pia asked in irritation. "Mom," Cameron called politely. He hadn't expected Pia to be here. "Bah! I'm not your mother! Don't come and be a pain in Madison's ass anymore!" Pia snapped, thinking Cameron was here to get more favors. Madison had finally divorced Cameron and sunk her teeth into that rich Archie Price, so no way was Pia going to let Cameron get in Madison's way again! Pia still wanted to live a wealthy, worry-free life, after all. She had come to Madison's house today just to ask her about her progress with Archie. Cameron gazed at Pia's cruel expression as if he'd known this would happen. He wasn't too bothered when he continued saying, "I'm not here to look for Madison. I just forgot to retrieve something of mine. I'll be off right after I get it." "What do you mean, something of yours? Of all the years you lived with my daughter, when have you ever used a single thing that belonged to you?" Pia stood in Cameron's way, looking at him in disdain. "You're the one who wasted five years' worth of Madison's youth. How do you plan to compensate her?" "Me? Compensate her?" Cameron asked in disbelief. He had never spent a single cent that belonged to Madison in the past five years. All his expenses were spent with his own money. Heck, even Madison's first hundred million injected into her business as capital belonged to Cameron! Now after Madison cheated on him, not only did he not demand compensation, he wasn't even asking for her to return the one hundred million he gave her! So why were they making the situation look like Cameron owed them so much? "Shouldn't you?" Pia retorted. "Like mother, like daughter, I see," Cameron couldn't help but sneer. Madison was the exact same as her mother! "What are you implying?" Pia was outraged by Cameron's sneer. "I'm asking you to compensate for my daughter's wasted youth because I believe in your capability to do so! Don't you dare make fun of me!" "I thank you for your belief," Cameron replied coldly. "I said nothing when Madison cheated on me, yet here you are demanding I compensate you. Where's your good conscience?" "What do you mean Madison cheated? You're the incapable one! If you were as respectable as Mr. Price, this wouldn't have happened!" Pia said matter-of-factly. "Heh. Yeah, blame me for being incapable. This wasn't the attitude you all had when I forked out one million dollars to fund Madison's business years ago," Cameron mocked. "It's just one million dollars. You married my daughter, so isn't doing that part of your responsibility? And let me make this clear, Cameron Morgan–my daughter only succeeded because of her own efforts! "Don't you dare try and take a single thing from this house today. My daughter bought everything here with her own money!" Pia cried. She wasn't the least bit embarrassed. "Heh." Cameron scoffed. He made to walk into the villa, no longer wanting to waste his time with Pia. Pia quickly blocked his way, extending a hand as well. The action revealed the aquamarine bracelet on her wrist. Cameron's eyes widened. The bracelet was the only thing his mother left to him before she passed. His mother's wish at the time was to personally help the woman he would marry wear the bracelet. Now that Cameron had divorced Madison, it was time to get the bracelet back. Pia quickly noticed how Cameron's eyes were fixed on the aquamarine bracelet. She retracted her hand and snapped, "What are you looking at?" "I'm looking at the bracelet my mother left me." Cameron stared coldly at Pia. "What 'mother'? You gave it to my daughter, so now it's mine!" Pia declared. Madison had found the aquamarine bracelet old-fashioned and cheap. Afraid her friends would mock her for wearing it, she'd given it to Pia. Pia didn't think much of it when she started wearing it. Then she realized its miraculous properties. Pia had always been sickly in health. But after wearing the bracelet, she grew strong as a horse, never getting sick again! So how could she return the bracelet to Cameron? Cameron's eyes grew cold when he saw how Pia wanted to keep the aquamarine bracelet for herself. "So you don't plan on returning it to me, do you?" "Oh? You're demanding back a gift you willingly gave away? I've never met someone as outrageous as you!" Pia sneered. "Yeah, as outrageous as your entire family blaming me for all the faults you all committed," Cameron retorted. "What faults?" Pia grew upset upon hearing that. She cried, "First of all, you should be kissing my feet in gratitude for making me marry my daughter off to a bum like you! As for this crappy piece of jewelry your dead mother gave you–I don't even think it's bad luck yet here you are demanding me to give it back to you?" "What did you just say?" Anger flared in Cameron's eyes. No one could insult his mother! Pia was shocked by Cameron's sudden anger. She had never seen Cameron, who was actually calm and mild-mannered, this upset! Just then, a young man walked downstairs. It was Madison's younger brother, Skyler Parker. "You've come down just in time, Skyler. This lousy bum is trying to steal your sister's stuff. He even wants to take my bracelet away from me!" Pia said, feeling more secure now that her son was here. "You again? How bold of you to come to my sister's house after your divorce!" Skyler scoffed the moment he saw Cameron. To Skyler, Cameron was a good-for-nothing bum who leeched off his sister for five years. Cameron ignored Skyler, his gaze still fixed on Pia. "Give me back my mother's bracelet, Pia. I didn't ask for a single cent from the Parker family, so you shouldn't have anything of mine." "Didn't ask for anything from our family? You've got guts saying that out loud! Do you really think my daughter would give any to you even if you asked, you lousy bum?" Pia sneered. "As for this bracelet–since you've given it to Madison, then it belongs to me!" "I'll say this for the last time, Pia. Give me back my mother's bracelet. I don't want to cause a scene," Cameron repeated himself icily. "Hey, watch your tone with my mother!" Skyler barked, pointing a finger right in Cameron's face. "Do you know who you are? You're nothing but a lousy mutt who used to eat out of my sister's hands!" Cameron's brows furrowed as his gaze darkened completely. Was this how the entire Parker family behaved? Skyler thought Cameron had surrendered given how silent the latter was, so his insults grew more rampant. "C'mon, bark for me. If you amuse me, I might toss you a bone. Haha!" Cameron remained silent. But unlike before, he swung his open palm right at Skyler's cheek.