Turning to Eric, she added, “You’re just a filthy little bastard. If your disgusting mother hadn’t shamelessly seduced my father and birthed you, you wouldn’t have the nerve to lift your head.”

“Bianca!” Eric’s voice trembled with rage. His already pale face drained of all color. “You can insult me all you want, but leave my mother out of it!”

“I won’t!” Bianca snapped back, her eyes red with fury. “Your mother was trash. Everyone knew it. My father crippled her little lover back then, didn’t he? And you, crawling out of a whore like that, you’re just as disgusting.”

Hadley stood frozen, her eyes locked on Eric.

It was the first time she had ever seen him insulted by his own family, and all because of who his mother was.

She started to wonder how many times he’d endured this kind of humiliation while she had known nothing. How often had he lived like this before breaking away from the Scott family?

Probably more than she could imagine.

Her mind flashed to the old scars across his back.

And suddenly, it all made sense. This wasn’t just emotional abuse. There had been violence, too. He must have been starved, beaten, and shamed under that roof.

To Eric, the Scott family wasn’t a home. It was hell.

While Hadley was caught in those thoughts, Bianca’s voice sliced through the room again.

“Filthy things like you shouldn’t even exist! We were generous to let…”

“You live! And now you have the nerve to come back and bite the hand that fed you? You ungrateful—”

“Shut the fuck up!” Hadley snapped, her eyes shut tight and her fists clenched. “I told you to shut up!”

Bianca froze, stunned. She hadn’t expected that kind of fire from Hadley. The woman always seemed delicate, soft-spoken, and composed.

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“What did he do wrong?” Hadley sneered, her voice trembling with fury. “Was it his choice to be born into the Scott family? If he had a choice, do you think he’d want a sister like you? And what was that? You called him a bastard? Oh, please. Miss Scott, let me remind you of something. A child from an affair… that’s a bastard. Milly was legally married to Ferris. They are husband and wife, and Eric is their legitimate son. He was just born later, but his status is no different from yours.”

“You—” Bianca choked on her words. Her face turned pale, then flushed a deep red. After a few tense seconds, she let out a cold laugh. “Quite the sharp tongue.”

“Thank you for the compliment,” Hadley shot back without missing a beat.

Bianca was left speechless once more.

Even Eric looked momentarily stunned. Then, he broke into laughter he couldn’t hold back. Bianca shot him a glare.

Seeing this, Eric quickly pulled himself together, though a faint smile still lingered at the corners of his mouth. The anger he wore earlier was gone, replaced by joy.

His heart leapt with happiness as Hadley had stood up for him.

“Bianca,” Eric calmly said, “don’t be mad… Hadley’s still young. She’s over 20 years younger than you. You know how recklessly kids talk sometimes.”

Bianca’s eyes flew wide with outrage.

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Message from Noah: Have a great great weekend dear readers. God loves you and Noah whishes you all the best. (?O?=)? ?

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