"Dad, are you alright? What did Charles do to you?"

Laura rushed to George’s bedside, supporting him, then shot me a cold glare.

"Charles, what exactly are you trying to do? My dad’s health is already weak, and you’re still trying to upset him?"

"Do you think that just because my sister isn’t home, no one can keep you in line?"

I leaned back in my chair, scrolling on my phone, my expression unmoved.

"I’m not upsetting him. I’m simply stating the truth."

"The truth?" Laura grew even angrier. "My sister clearly joined a confidential project to serve the country!"

"And you, instead of supporting her, aren’t even properly caring for my dad. What are you thinking?"

She spoke while patting George’s back, murmuring softly.

"Dad, don’t be upset. My brother-in-law must be exhausted from caring for you lately, and he’s talking nonsense because he’s confused. When he snaps out of it, he’ll apologize!"

George, panting hard, pointed at my nose and cursed.

"Exactly! Charles, you’d better apologize right now! Otherwise, when Anna returns, I’ll have her skin you alive!"

Watching this father and daughter echo each other made my stomach churn.

For five years, I’d been trapped in lies, giving everything like a fool.

"Slander?"

I slowly lifted my phone and pressed play. "Then listen. Isn’t this also slander?"

The recording immediately played the conversation between Anna and Laura in the elevator.

"Sister, if it weren’t for…"

The moment they heard it, their faces drained of color.

"Th-this isn’t real! You faked it! You’re framing my sister!"

"Faked?"

I raised an eyebrow and angled the screen toward her.

"Do you want me to show you the hospital corridor’s surveillance footage? It’s from 3 PM today. The elevator camera clearly recorded you two and your conversation."

"Should I call hospital security now?"

George’s body trembled, his furious curses stopping abruptly.

He collapsed back on the bed, struggling to breathe.

Laura instinctively stepped back, her eyes darting everywhere but me.

"No, no need."

"Why not?"

I stood up. "Didn’t you say I was slandering you? Didn’t you insist I was talking nonsense?"

"Now that the evidence is right here, what else do you have to say?"

George’s hands shook, panic flickering in his eyes.

"Charles, let me explain."

"Explain?"

I scoffed. "Explain how you lied to me for five years? Explain how you made me work myself to exhaustion like a fool?"

Or explain how Anna left me to care for her stroke-stricken father while she got pregnant with another man’s child and even wanted me to raise it for her?

Each question left the two of them speechless.

Then, the ward door opened, and a man in a suit walked in, followed by a lawyer.

The man saw me and quickly stepped forward. "Young Master, the Chairman sent me to pick you up and handle some matters."

I nodded in acknowledgment.

George and Laura stared in confusion at the two unexpected arrivals.

Laura forced herself to remain composed and asked, "Who are you? Why are you in our ward?"

The man in the suit ignored her and turned to face George and Laura.

"I am Paul Zane, the special assistant to the chairman of the Quinn Group. This is our group’s legal counsel, Attorney Quinn."

"We’re here today for two matters."

The Quinn Group!

Hearing those words, George and Laura panicked even more.

Though they were from the countryside, they had heard of the Quinn Group; it was a top-tier enterprise in the country.

They never imagined I was actually the young master of the Quinn Group!

George’s lips shook, and he couldn’t form a full sentence for a long while.

Paul Zane ignored their shock and continued.

"The first matter concerns Young Master Charles’s return to the Quinn Group."

"The chairman has already arranged a position for the young master. Once he finishes handling things here, he may report directly to the group."

He then took a document from his briefcase and handed it to me.

"Young Master, this is the Chairman’s initial arrangement. Please review it."

I took the document, scanned it briefly, and nodded. "Alright, I understand."

Paul then turned to George and Laura, signaling Attorney Quinn to step forward.

Attorney Quinn opened his briefcase, took out a lawyer’s letter, and handed it to them.

"The second matter concerns the divorce between Mr. Charles and Ms. Anna."

"This is the divorce lawyer’s letter. Please forward it to Ms. Anna."

George and Laura trembled as they stared at the letter.

Laura’s voice shook as she forced herself to speak.

"No, we can’t accept this. Anna isn’t home."

"It’s alright." Attorney Quinn’s tone was steady. "We will serve it through proper legal channels."

"Additionally, according to the evidence and financial records provided by Mr. Charles, over the past five years, Mr. Charles has paid a total of USD 178,000 for Ms. Anna and her family, including Mr. George’s medical and living expenses, as well as Ms. Anna’s so-called project expenses."

"We request that the Lane family return this amount in full within seven working days of receiving this lawyer’s letter."

"What? 178,000 USD?" Laura screamed, "We never took that much from him! This is extortion!"

Attorney Quinn remained unmoved.

"We have detailed bank transfers, plus receipts and invoices. All evidence has already been submitted to the court."

"If you have objections to the amount, you may provide proof through legal channels."

"However, if the funds are not returned within the specified time, we will pursue further legal action, including freezing the Lane family's assets."

George was so terrified he nearly fell off the hospital bed.

He quickly grabbed my hand, pleading desperately.

"Charles, I know I was wrong. Please forgive us."

"My health is failing; if we lack money for treatment, I won’t survive!"

Laura also began crying.

"Brother-in-law, please, for my father’s sake, have mercy!"

"We really can’t pay that amount!"

They tried to guilt-trip me, but I was long past falling for it.

"Five years ago, for Anna, I cut ties with my father and moved in to serve you."

"For five years, I cleaned up after you, worked tirelessly without complaint, even endured your insults and physical blows."

"I thought that if I gave enough, I could earn your family’s sincerity and wait for Anna to return."

“But now I know it was all a deception! I’ve done everything I could for your Lane family, and I want nothing more to do with you!”

“As for the money,”

I looked at Attorney Quinn, “Attorney Quinn, proceed according to the law.”

Attorney Quinn nodded: “Yes, young master.”

Paul checked the time and bowed to me.

“Young master, it’s getting late. The chairman is waiting for you at home. We should go.”

I cast one last glance at George and Laura, then turned and left the ward.