Chapter 13 You Unfaithful Man

"Bob is young and capable. He's the one who matches Harper! Ethan is old and disabled. There is no way that he deserves Harper." These were the exact words from Harper's friends. Upon hearing this, Aldrich had reached his limit. He picked up a cup and smashed it hard on the ground. He leaned on his cane, pointing towards the door, his chest heaving with rough breaths, "Get out, all of you!" Larry's face turned pale. He knelt on the ground, hastily pleading, "Mr. Aldrich, I really didn't know about this. It's all my daughter's wrongdoing. I'll make her apologize to Mr. Ethan. Our Hines family owes him..." Larry never imagined that his usually obedient daughter would do such things behind his back. He felt that she was going to ruin the Hines family. "Harper, kneel down!" Larry glared fiercely at his daughter, his eyes bloodshot and almost popping out of their sockets. Harper’s mother, Laura Hines, also knelt down, trembling all over. Seeing this scene, Harper couldn't help but cry, tears streaming down her cheeks. But she refused to kneel and beg so humbly. She looked to Bob for help, but Bob's face was ashen, his fists clenched tightly as if he wanted to devour her. Harper knew she was finished. Bob had made it clear that their relationship was not to be known to the public. But now, this matter had reached Aldrich. "Bob, do you really have a relationship with Miss Hines? How could you steal your Uncle's fiancée?" William observed for a while, then spoke softly, his middle-aged voice tinged with a cheeky tone. Since Aldrich's expression had already turned very wrong, William had to play the role of the parent, deliberately questioning his son. This question was also a way for him to give his son a way out. Bob understood and quickly shook his head in denial, "Dad, Grandpa, I don't! I don't even know Miss Hines. It's all her own imagination! She must not have wanted to marry Uncle Ethan and instead wanted to marry me, so she made up stories!" Bob shifted all the blame onto Harper. Hearing this, Harper's eyes widened in shock. When Bob pursued her, he didn't have this attitude. He was gentle and caring as if he wanted to treasure her. Harper thought, ‘Could it be… I see! No wonder the playboy Bob treated me so well. It turns out he had been using me all along. All those sweet words in private were all lies! There are rumors that Ethan's car accident years ago was likely caused by William. Since Bob was William's only son, they were cut from the same cloth. And as the fiancée arranged by Mr. Aldrich for Ethan, if I stood Ethan up, it would inevitably lead to ridicule and disdain from everyone. William and Bob are trying to deal another blow to Ethan, and I am just a pawn. It turns out that everything is false, all a deception to fool me!’ Larry was already at the peak of embarrassment. Although he could guess the situation, William now controlled the Thomas Group, and he didn't dare to offend them. Larry could only grit his teeth and take the fall. He never imagined that the Hines family would become a pawn in the internal battle of the Thomas family. Now that things had come to this point, he only wanted to save the Hines family. Anything more was beyond his reach. "Harper, you unfilial daughter, how dare you dream of being with Mr. Bob? I've raised you for nothing. Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Bob and Mr. Ethan!" Larry slapped his thigh, his voice hoarse and forceful. Larry knelt before Aldrich again, pleading, "Mr. Aldrich, it's my fault for not raising my daughter properly. Harper may have some mental issues. I'll take her to see a psychologist right away." Aldrich was a wise man with countless experiences. Naturally, he had seen through the truth behind this matter. However, in this situation, there was no good outcome for anyone involved. Ethan and William were both his sons. He couldn’t hurt either of them. He said, “Alright, take her back to see a doctor.” Larry heard this and was overjoyed to tears. Escaping from Aldrich unscathed after such an incident was truly a stroke of luck. Seeing Aldrich's attitude, Emily couldn't believe he was truly deceived by Bob. She was certain that Aldrich simply didn't want to pursue the matter any further. Looking at Ethan sitting in his wheelchair, still indifferent to the drama around him, Emily couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. She thought, ‘Has this man always been like this? No wonder he is so aloof by nature.’ "No!" Larry and Laura were trying to leave with Harper when she suddenly screamed, breaking the quiet in the living room. She truly couldn't accept it. She took out her phone, opened the photo album, and there were pictures of her and Bob kissing. She secretly took those pictures. "Look at this, look carefully! I'm not mentally ill, I'm not crazy! It was Bob who pursued me first, he was the one who kept pestering me to be with him. He repeatedly said that he would ask Mr. Aldrich to allow him to marry me if I broke off my engagement with Mr. Ethan…" Emily moved closer to Harper, examining the photos clearly. Indeed, those were intimate photos of Harper and Bob. The sight of the two kissing was nauseating to her. Suddenly, she remembered last night when she accidentally fell onto Ethan in the study, and their lips touched. His lips were thin, and soft, with a faint hint of mint, giving a refreshing feeling. She shook her head vigorously and thought, ‘That was my first kiss!’ "Are you crazy?" Bob didn't expect Harper to be so wild. He rushed forward to snatch her phone and smashed it hard on the ground. The phone immediately shattered, the screen going black. His greasy face was now filled with a fierce and evil spirit as if he wanted to strangle Harper. Larry and Laura were dumbfounded, while Aldrich angrily said, "Get out!" They snapped out of it, and together they dragged Harper away. "Bob, you unfaithful man…" Outside, came Harper's desperate cry. Emily felt that Harper might actually go mad after this incident. After the Hines family left, the living room became unexpectedly quiet, so quiet it felt eerie. No one spoke. Emily glanced around. William and his wife sat upright on the sofa, Bob stood awkwardly on the side, constantly scanning his parents' and Aldrich’s faces. Aldrich sat in the main seat, his face looking grim, hands tightly gripping his cane, head lowered in contemplation. Only Ethan remained unaffected, looking as if nothing had happened. Emily felt he had been bullied too much and had become numb to it. She thought, ‘No! I can’t bear to watch this anymore! Ethan is my husband now. How can I allow him to be bullied like this?’