Chapter 222 Katherine Is Loaded
Joshua said, "I don't know much else, just that Claire seems to be the daughter of a wealthy family. Once, I saw her enter a really fancy estate and call an older couple 'Daddy' and 'Mommy.'"
Seeing the slight guilt on Joshua's face, Katherine guessed he might have had inappropriate thoughts about Claire and had followed her to see this.
Recalling the past, Joshua couldn't help but say longingly, "But Claire was very low-key, had great grades, a gentle personality, and no airs of a rich girl. She was super popular at school, almost like a goddess to all the boys and girls."
Indeed, she was gentle and kind.
In Katherine's fragmented memories, Claire's image was blurry, but she could feel that Claire always had a gentle smile.
Katherine remembered being five years old when Joshua brought her to the Galatea family. Logically, a five-year-old should have memories, but she couldn't recall anything before she was five, which was very strange.
"Mr. Galatea, where is that fancy estate?" Katherine asked, focusing on the important clue.
Joshua replied, "In Lindvale. I went to Lindvale University back then. But it's been over ten years, and the city planning in Lindvale has changed a lot. I'd get lost if I went there now. That fancy estate has probably been demolished and replaced with other city facilities."
Katherine thought for a moment and then asked Joshua, "Did my mom Claire tell you why she couldn't go to the hospital to pick me up herself and had to ask you to go?"
Joshua hesitated for a moment before saying, "Here's the thing. Claire and I were both in the art club during college, so we knew each other pretty well. Later, some classmates from the art club organized a gathering, and Claire and I met again at that gathering. All the classmates exchanged contact information."
He continued, "On the day the gathering ended, Claire suddenly contacted me, saying someone was trying to kill her and begged me to protect her daughter's life. I... I impulsively agreed, and after that, I couldn't reach her anymore. I think her enemies might have found her, and she is no longer alive, sigh!"
It was clear that Joshua had impulsively agreed to Claire's request. After bringing her home, he didn't want to raise her.
Katherine felt no resentment. She wasn't Joshua's biological daughter, so it was normal for him not to care for or love her.
Moreover, Joshua's willingness to take her in back then was a kind act.
Katherine noted all the clues and asked, "Well, is there any other information about Claire's identity?"
Joshua thought for a moment and then said, "There's one more thing."
"What is it?" she asked.
Joshua said, "Claire was very passionate about art and was a famous painter in Janetrick, known by the pen name Lotus."
Katherine replied, "I know that."
Joshua continued, "As far as I know, Claire's art teacher was the world-renowned painter Michelangelo. If you can find a way to contact Michelangelo, you might learn more about Claire from him."
Katherine nodded, "Okay, I understand. Thank you, Mr. Galatea, for providing these clues."
She stood up, ready to leave.
Joshua called out to her again, "Katherine."
Katherine stopped and turned back. "Anything else?"
Joshua looked at Katherine, who increasingly resembled his first love, and felt very conflicted.
This girl was the child of his first love. On the one hand, he had some affection for her because of his feelings for her mother, but on the other hand, he was reminded that she was the child of his goddess and another man, which made him very uncomfortable. Hence, he agreed to Lillian's suggestion of sending Katherine to the countryside—out of sight, out of mind.
Joshua frowned and said, "Don't say I didn't warn you. You'd better not look for Claire anymore."
Katherine was puzzled. "Why?"
Joshua said, "Although I don't know exactly what happened to Claire, she repeatedly told me that no matter what, no one should know you are her daughter, or you will be in great danger. I think, now that you have married into the Melville family, you should live your life well and not dig into the past! I promised Claire that I wouldn't let her enemies find you, and I have to keep that promise."
Katherine was stunned. These words from this 'father' who had no blood or emotional ties to her were a kind reminder, stemming from his complex feelings for his first love goddess, right?
Katherine smiled. "Thank you for the reminder. I will live well and protect myself. Goodbye, Mr. Galatea."
With that, Katherine walked out of the study at a leisurely pace.
Joshua frowned deeply and sighed. He had kept Katherine safe until she was twenty, fulfilling Claire's trust.
Now that Katherine had grown up and wanted to spread her wings, he couldn't control what happened next.
Downstairs in the Galatea family home, several burly men were moving the Melville family's gifts out.
Sherry shouted, "Hey! Who are you? How dare you barge into my house and take things! Put them down; those belong to my family; you can't take them!"
Sherry's frantic voice echoed through the house.
Lillian also said, "My daughter is right. You can't take things from our house! If you don't put them down and leave, I'll call the police."
Katherine slowly walked down from upstairs. "I asked them to."
Sherry looked up, her eyes red with anger. "Katherine, who do you think you are to have people move my family's things? You bitch!"
Katherine smiled. "Because those are my husband's belongings. Are you not convinced?"
Sherry gritted her teeth in anger. "Katherine, you took my man, and now you want to take my gifts. I'm going to kill you today!"
With that, Sherry lunged at her, but Lillian, still rational, held her daughter back. "Sherry, calm down. Don't be impulsive!"
Joshua asked, "What's going on now? Why all the noise? Can't we have some peace for once!"
Joshua also heard the commotion downstairs and came out of the study to check.
Sherry, furious, pointed at the men. "Dad, look! Your precious little daughter has called people to rob our house!"
Joshua took a closer look and saw that the men were moving the Melville family's gifts. He immediately got angry. "Katherine, didn't you say that if I told you those things, you wouldn't take the Melville family's gifts? Why are you going back on your word!"
Katherine calmly said, "I must take the gifts because they are from my husband and have special meaning to me. However, I won't forget the kindness Mr. Galatea showed in taking me in all these years, so I will give you compensation equal to the value of those gifts."
She referred to it as the kindness of taking her in, not as raising her.
Galatea had never raised her.
Katherine took a check from her coat pocket and handed it to Joshua. "Spend this money wisely. It's enough for the three of you to live comfortably for several lifetimes."
Joshua looked at the amount on the check with a stern face, his eyes widening. He was momentarily speechless.
Sherry walked over and said disdainfully, "Katherine, do you think you can get rid of us with just a few hundred thousand dollars? We are not short of money."
As she spoke, she leaned over to Joshua and saw the countless zeros on the check. Her words halted abruptly, and she swallowed in disbelief.
Seeing Joshua and Sherry's shocked reactions, Lillian curiously approached to take a closer look. Her eyes almost popped out!
Lillian asked, "Katherine, where did you get so much money?!"
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