Chapter 408 Haley's Defiance
A fleeting sense of satisfaction fluttered in Haley's chest, like a butterfly dancing on a breeze, but alas, it proved transient, slipping through her grasp like sand through fingers. She pressed her lips together, her resolve firm, as she approached the company's entrance, ready to step through the glass doors and into her next obligation. Yet, before she could take another step, a voice pierced the air, halting her progress.
"Stop right there," commanded Mr. DeRoss, his tone laced with anger and authority.
Haley hesitated for but a moment, her mind already occupied with the demands of her schedule. She genuinely had another meeting to attend and had no time to waste on confrontations.
"So, I've supported you for eighteen years, and you don't feel the obligation to repay that upbringing?" Mr. DeRoss's words reverberated in Haley's ears, stirring a mix of frustration and disbelief within her. She couldn't help but release a laugh, sharp with exasperation.
Turning slightly, her hand still resting on the door handle, Haley spoke with deliberate intent. "Parents have a legal obligation to support their children, and children must provide for their parents when necessary," she retorted evenly. "I can support you, but I am not obligated to get Emily out of jail."
The notion that Mr. DeRoss would use eighteen years of nurturing as a bargaining chip struck Haley as absurd, a dark comedy played out in the corridors of her life.
"If you were my biological daughter, it would have been my duty to raise you for eighteen years, but—" Mr. DeRoss's gaze turned cold, his voice tinged with menace, "you are not my daughter at all. I've taken care of you for eighteen years for nothing. Don't you think you ought to repay the kindness I showed during those years? I don't ask for much; get Emily out of prison, and we'll call it even."
The weight of his words crashed upon Haley like a thunderbolt, leaving her stunned in their wake.
Despite the DeRoss family's cruelty in recent years, the memories of the past eighteen years flooded Haley's mind. They had been years mostly filled with happiness, a stark contrast to the bitterness of the present.
In recent years, suspicions had gnawed at her, but they had remained largely dormant, buried beneath layers of resentment. She had never fathomed that she wasn't truly a member of the DeRoss family...
If Mr. DeRoss was indeed her father, the idea of a father being so callous toward his own flesh and blood seemed unfathomable.
She should have seen it coming...
With a subtle movement of her fingers, Haley slowly began to regain her composure.
Flora's words cut through the tension, a sliver of hope amidst the chaos. "That's right, Haley. You are not the flesh and blood of the DeRoss family. Yet they've provided for you—food, clothing, education—for eighteen years. Don't you think you should repay that?"
A wry smile tugged at the corners of Haley's lips. "Whatever you say," she responded, disbelief coloring her words. "But I'm not buying it."
"When Haley's mother was young, she had countless suitors. Who knew who she was involved with? It turns out that she got pregnant and was looking for someone to take the fall. And so, she found Mr. DeRoss!" Flora's laughter dripped with scorn as she delivered her revelation. "She was carrying a bastard child and couldn't marry well, so she ended up with Mr. DeRoss, who had nothing at the time. Do you really think you're the DeRoss family's little princess? You're just a bastard..."
In a flash of fury, Haley's hand flew, delivering a resounding slap across Flora's face.
Enraged, Flora's eyes widened as she recoiled, ready to retaliate. "How dare you hit me! Who gave you the courage to strike me..."
Haley's grip tightened, her voice cold as ice. "If you dare insult my mother again, I'll break your hand. Don't doubt me; go ahead, try me."
Flora's face contorted with pain, her cry piercing the air as she nursed her throbbing wrist. "Mr. DeRoss, look at this wonderful daughter you insisted on raising! This is how she treats me! You should have sent her to the orphanage the moment she was born. She's the reason our only daughter is in jail... With Emily locked away, what are we supposed to do now..."
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