Chapter 6 Not Worthy of You

Wendy hadn't even said anything yet when Lily quickly stood up from her half-crouching position and reached out to grab Ethan's sleeve.

"Ethan, stop talking to Wendy like that." Lily bit her lower lip, her eyes red, putting on her best sympathetic face. "Wendy grew up in the slums. It's only natural she picked up some bad habits. She probably has no idea what a million dollars even means."

She sighed and looked at Wendy with a pitying gaze. "Besides, Wendy's had it rough. I heard that Grandma Violet, the one who raised her, just passed away. She doesn't even have an elder around to teach her how to behave. As her family, we should be more understanding. How could we humiliate her with money like that?"

The moment Grandma Violet's name came up, Wendy's fingers tightened around the check, crumpling the thin paper out of shape.

The usual lazy look in her eyes went cold.

Grandma Violet was a line nobody was allowed to cross. And the Scotts kept crossing it, over and over again.

Wendy tossed the crumpled check onto the coffee table and walked straight toward Lily.

"Wendy, you—"

Before Lily could finish, Wendy was already in front of her, grabbing her by the shoulder.

The grip was brutal, like a vice.

Lily went pale from the pain, tears streaming down her face instantly. "It hurts! Wendy, what are you doing? Let go of me!"

"Pulling this boring act a third time is just pathetic." Wendy looked down at her, voice flat and cold. "I've already warned you twice. When you overplay it, it just makes people sick."

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Lily looked up at her with a face full of confusion and hurt.

Then, in one clean motion, Wendy lifted her right leg and kicked Lily hard in the back of the knees.

Thud.

Lily's legs buckled and she dropped straight to her knees in front of Wendy, hitting the expensive carpet with a heavy thump.

The entire living room went silent.

Everyone was too stunned by Wendy's sudden move to react.

"You backwater trash, how dare you hit Lily!"

A furious shout exploded from the top of the stairs.

A teenage boy with dyed yellow hair came charging down like a bull out of control. He was the youngest Scott, Mike Scott.

Wendy had just let go of Lily and was stepping back when a hard shove came out of her blind spot.

Mike slammed into her shoulder.

Wendy was caught completely off guard. She stumbled back two steps, and her lower back cracked hard against the ornately carved wooden armrest of the sofa.

Sharp pain shot through her spine instantly.

Wendy's brow furrowed tight.

"Wendy!"

Claire, who had been standing nearby, went pale and rushed over, grabbing Wendy's arm. "Where did you hit? Is it bad? Let me look!"

Her voice was full of panic as she reached for Wendy's lower back.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Jean, Ethan, and Mike had all swarmed around Lily.

"Lily, baby, are you okay?" Jean cried out, frantically pulling Lily up from the floor.

Lily leaned into Jean's arms, sobbing hard. "Mom, I'm fine, my knees just hurt a little. Wendy didn't mean it..."

"Didn't mean it? She's out of her mind!" Mike jabbed a finger at Wendy and screamed, "You unwanted little nobody, you come back here and you're already going after Lily? Try me and I'll throw you out myself!"

Ethan was so furious the veins on his forehead were bulging.

He stormed toward Wendy, pointing at her. "Wendy, you've completely lost it! Apologize to Lily right now! Or else!"

"Or else what?"

Wendy straightened up and pushed away Claire's hand before she could check further. She looked at the three of them, united against her, and found the whole thing almost funny.

"Or else you won't claim me as your daughter and throw me out of the Scott family?" Wendy curled her lip, her tone mocking.

"I'd like to see who dares throw my granddaughter out today!"

A sharp, powerful voice rang out from beyond the front door.

Everyone in the living room flinched at the sound.

Grandpa Warren Scott walked in, leaning on his cane, supported by the current head of the Scott family, Patrick Scott. Warren was past seventy, but the authority he'd built from years at the top pressed down on the room like a weight.

"Dad, why are you back early?" Jean's expression shifted as she hurried toward him.

"If I hadn't come back now, you people would've burned this whole family to the ground!" Warren struck his cane against the floor and swept his sharp gaze across the room, finally landing on Wendy.

Seeing Wendy's face, which looked so much like his late wife's, Warren felt a sting behind his eyes, but the anger quickly swallowed it.

"Who just said they were throwing her out?" Warren looked around the room.

Ethan swallowed and pushed forward. "Grandpa, you don't know the whole story. The moment Wendy got here, she started trouble. She turned down the million dollars we offered, then kicked Lily to her knees. If we don't do something about that kind of behavior..."

"That's right, Dad," Jean chimed in, wiping her eyes. "Lily was only trying to welcome her, and Wendy just attacked her out of nowhere. Mike just gave her a little push because he couldn't stand watching it, and now Wendy's making a huge deal out of it."

"That's a load of crap!"

Before Wendy could say a word, Claire exploded.

She stepped forward and planted herself in front of Wendy, pointing straight at Jean and Ethan. "Jean, Ethan, have some decency! What do you mean Wendy started trouble? You're the ones who pressured her into marrying that disabled man from the Howard family in Lily's place and threw a million dollars at her like it was an insult!"

Claire was shaking with rage. "And Lily stood there lying through her teeth, saying she'd get on her knees and beg if it meant Wendy would come home. Wendy just took her up on it! Mike slammed into Wendy hard enough to bruise her back, and not one of you asked if she was okay!"

The words hit like a rapid-fire barrage. Jean and Ethan's faces turned ugly fast.

Lily shrank behind Jean, too scared to even cry loudly.

Warren listened, and his chest heaved with fury.

He turned sharply to Patrick. "This is what your wife and son have become? Your own daughter spent over twenty years out there on her own. You bring her back and you can't even show her an ounce of care. Instead, you gang up on her and use her as a bargaining chip for a marriage deal. When did the Scotts sink so low that we're selling our own daughter for status?"

Patrick stood there red-faced and mortified. "Dad, I didn't know about any of this..."

"Then keep your mouth shut!" Warren pointed his cane at Jean, Ethan, and Mike. "All three of you, apologize to Wendy. Now."

Jean's eyes went wide. "Dad! Why should I apologize to her? I'm her mother!"