Chapter 740 Will You Come Home with Me
Adeline closed her eyes and let out a bitter laugh.
Just moments ago in the hospital room, she found herself increasingly reluctant to leave Zara. She knew that Zara, much like herself, was foolish enough to sacrifice everything for a man.
Maybe it was in their genes.
After Esther died, Zara knew Howard didn't love her, yet she willingly helped him recover and managed the Phoebe family's affairs as a long-time friend.
She took care of him for three years.
One day, three years later, Howard got drunk and mistook her for someone else.
That was how Adeline came to be.
But later, Howard refused to acknowledge their relationship, insisting that even though Esther was gone, it would still be a betrayal.
Because of Howard's cowardice, young Adeline, who was too little to remember, was sent to an orphanage in Neon City.
Later, when Zara went to the orphanage to find her child, Daniel, who worked there at the time, saw her. That was how Daisy, the Collins family's daughter, and Adeline were accidentally switched. Daisy was raised as a member of the Phoebe family, while Adeline, no matter how excellent, never received praise or love from the Collins family.
All of this was Howard's fault.
But Zara told Adeline not to blame Howard.
"It's my fault. I shouldn't have had you without Howard knowing. I shouldn't have let your grandfather find out. He used you to force Howard to marry me, and that's why he abandoned you."
Thinking about Zara's weak voice in the hospital room, Adeline felt a sharp pain in her heart.
She looked at Howard, standing before her, and couldn't understand what it was about him that made a kind and gentle woman like Zara devote her entire life to him.
Howard stood there, looking at Adeline's cold gaze, and his heart ached.
He suddenly remembered the day he left her at the orphanage; back then, Adeline was just a toddler, barely able to walk and talk.
As he turned to leave, he could still hear her innocent cries. "Daddy."
Her voice had made his heart ache unbearably at the time.
But he still chose to abandon her.
He had even crazily thought that without this child, he wouldn't have to marry Zara.
He could keep his promise to Esther and now, over twenty years had passed.
Adeline's eyes were still as bright as they were when she was a child.
But she no longer cried out for him as "Daddy" Now, her gaze was filled with as much disdain as if she were looking at an enemy.
Howard's heart sank, and he bowed his head in apology.
He reached out and took Adeline's hand, which hadn't yet reacted.
"Adeline, I'm sorry."
His sudden apology made Adeline panic.
She pulled her hand away from Howard's grip.
"Mr. Phoebe! I don't need your apology, and I'm not your daughter!"
From a distance, Daisy watched the scene at the elevator with her arms crossed, a cold smile on her lips.
"Adeline, Dad is sincerely remorseful. Why can't you forgive him?"
Adeline bit her lip and glared at Daisy before lowering her head again.
"Mr. Phoebe! I have nothing to do with you! From the moment you left me at the orphanage, I stopped being part of the Phoebe family, stopped being your daughter! Let go of me!"
But Howard was determined, holding onto Adeline's hand and refusing to let go.
Howard's voice was low and hoarse. "Adeline, you saw your mother. If it weren't for you, she wouldn't have made it through today. Please don't leave. Stay. Let me make up for my mistakes."
"She doesn't need Mr. Phoebe's compensation, nor will she stay with the Phoebe family."
Before Howard could finish, a cold male voice came from the direction of the stairs.
Adeline and Howard both turned instinctively.
At the stairway stood Jasper, dressed in black, with a cold smile on his lips.
It seemed he had been there for a while.
Seeing them both look at him, Jasper smirked and walked over.
Jasper's strong hand pulled Howard's grip off Adeline, and he pulled her into his arms.
Jasper's actions made Howard's anger flare, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.
"Jasper! How dare you show up in front of me!"
After attacking the Phoebe family and nearly bankrupting the Phoebe Group, Howard's anger hadn't subsided.
And now, Jasper had the audacity to appear and hold his daughter!
"Yeah, it's me."
Jasper's cold smile deepened as he held Adeline tightly.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly, Mr. Phoebe. The woman in my arms is Adeline. She is my wife, now and forever. The Phoebe family and the Foster family are sworn enemies. My wife visiting Mrs. Phoebe today is already an act of great kindness. So, Mr. Phoebe, don't push your luck. Returning to the Phoebe family and making amends will never happen."
With that, Jasper led Adeline into the elevator.
But as soon as they stepped in, Howard grabbed Jasper's arm.
Howard's eyes were bloodshot.
"Let go of my daughter!"
"Your daughter?" Jasper looked at him and laughed as if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing ever.
"Did the Phoebe family ever raise her, even for a day? Not only did you not raise her, but you also took in Molly, who has always hurt and schemed against Adeline, as your own. If it weren't for the Phoebe family's support, Molly wouldn't have made my son lose his memory, wouldn't have made him hurt me and Adeline! If it weren't for the Phoebe family, my daughter wouldn't have been poisoned, and my grandmother wouldn't have given her last antidote to save my daughter, sacrificing her own life."
As he spoke, he pulled Howard's hand away and pushed him back.
"Mr. Phoebe, my son and daughter are also Adeline's children. You abandoned Adeline, left her in Neon City, and helped others harm her. What makes you think Adeline would ever acknowledge being part of the Phoebe family?"
With that, Jasper pressed the elevator's close button.
As the doors closed, Jasper pulled Adeline into his arms, holding her tightly.
"Adeline." He held her close. "Come home with me, okay?"
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