Chapter 416 Didn't Grandpa Treat You Right?
He instinctively glared at Aria.
"If you had told Grandma Solomon about the boy, she would have offered him some money to get a proper education, to grow upright," Fiona exclaimed with righteous indignation. "But what did you do? You switched his life around, and when you couldn't extract any monetary value from him, you let him fend for himself without education or guidance, letting him grow up lost and confused. How can you be so heartless?"
Aspen was taken aback. He had never considered the words Fiona had just said. He had even felt a sliver of guilt towards Reed for a brief moment. After all, his late father had set these tragedies into motion. He had never thought of it. Indeed, he was one of the victims.
"Is that the punishment he deserves? Charles, the criminal, does he even have the right to stand?" Aria's voice was strained with effort, as if the louder he was, the more valid his points became.
After hearing this, Aspen scoffed. "Why don't I deserve to? In the chemical plant scandal, I did nothing. I didn't dump the wastewater or steal the victims' money. Hell, I'm not even the one trying to kill a kid today. Tell me, what are my crimes? Why don't I have the right to stand? The real criminals are you—the thief, and him—the murderer!"
Having shouted his piece, Aspen glared at the ashen-faced Aria. "Sure, I'm no saint. I'm a thug, but I stand upright. I've never hurt anyone; I can face the heavens and the earth. What about you, old man?"
Aria stood there, swaying slightly, nearly unable to stand. Instinctively, he reached for Reed's arm for support.
But Reed dodged away.
Aria nearly fell, steadying himself against the wall, then looked at Reed in shock. "Reed?"
"Did you take my parents' money?" Reed asked, emphasizing each word.
Aria's face twisted awkwardly. "Don’t you trust me, your grandfather? We're family, Reed! Don’t you believe me?"
"She said the Solomons' records could be checked. There's evidence. I'm asking you one last time: did you take the money that was meant to save my parents' lives?" Reed demanded furiously.
Aria shuddered violently.
Then, his eyes shifted towards Fiona.
Fiona had settled back into her seat, mysteriously procuring a teacup from somewhere, and was now leisurely sipping her tea without a glance in his direction.
"Don't look at her, answer me!" Reed's emotions were on the verge of collapse, tears welling up and spilling over.
"Reed, let's head to the police station first. We can talk about all this once things are settled, okay?" Aria pleaded, his eyes glistening with tears. It was clear that his feelings for Reed were genuine and profound.
Reed dodged his outstretched hand. "If you don't tell me the truth, I'll go to the police and confess to murder. Let them give me the death penalty! Or I'll just go to Darwin. Darwin definitely won't leave me alive!"
"Don't say that!" Aria waved his hands frantically.
"Then tell me the truth!" Reed roared.
Aria's gaze shifted back to Fiona, his look now laden with an unmistakable resentment.
Fiona deftly skimmed the foam from her tea and took another sip as if she hadn't noticed.
But then there was Mike.
When Aria glared at him, he returned the gaze with an even more ferocious scowl.
With a resigned tone, Aria looked away and finally admitted, "Yes, I did take that money!"
Reed's pupils quivered violently, and then the last bit of light in his eyes slowly faded.
"Mrs. Solomon was a madwoman!" Aria exclaimed, grabbing Reed's hand with enthusiasm. "I worked for her for thirty years, and she never treated me like a human being. I couldn't stand it any longer and wanted to escape her!"
"So you turned thief?" Reed asked.
Aria hung his head. "When I found you and Aspen as kids, the plan took shape in my mind. But believe me, your grandfather has always been sincere. Watching you grow up smart and obedient, never causing me any worries, skipping grades after four years in elementary school, and now on your way to getting a Ph.D..."
"Do I still have any living relatives?" Reed interrupted him.
Aria wanted to deny it, but he involuntarily glanced at Fiona.
Fiona, who had previously ignored them, now lifted her eyes and smiled at him.
Seeing her smile set Aria's nerves on edge.
After struggling for a moment, Aria eventually compromised.
That woman probably already knew everything.
Rather than lying and being contradicted by her and making the butt of a joke, he figured it was better to be upfront.
"Your dad's side didn't survive; they perished in the famine."
"And my mom's side?" Reed clutched at Aria desperately as if grasping for a lifeline.
"Reed, does it matter? Haven't I been good to you?"
"Just answer me!" Reed's eyes were full of hatred, with none of the previous care and concern for his grandfather.
Fiona took all this in without surprise.
Some might find it surprising that Reed, who was raised by Aria and shared a close bond, could change his stance swiftly upon learning the truth. But Reed was inherently extremely self-centered, never forgetting a grudge.
He was shocked to discover that his grandfather, a man he respected and trusted deeply, had only adopted him for money and had been deceiving him all along. It was even possible that his parents' deaths were connected to his grandfather.
How could he not change?
"Your mother was from out of town, over in the Northwest. You still have a grandmother, two uncles, and an aunt," someone revealed.
After hearing this, Reed stood momentarily frozen before stumbling backward two steps.
Why was he so enraged and eager for revenge after discovering his true origins?
Because he felt that the Solomons had destroyed his whole family, leaving him utterly alone in the world without a single relative's comfort.
And now he was suddenly being told that he still had a grandmother, uncles, and an aunt—perhaps even a whole bunch of siblings.
"Didn’t they want me?" Reed asked.
It was then that Fiona, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.
"It was Aria who told them you had died, too." Fiona looked at Reed. "Your grandmother's family lived in an impoverished and remote area. They all came here when they received the news, but Aria bribed them off. They were uneducated and didn't understand compensation, so Aria gave them fifty thousand dollars, claiming it was a personal donation. In the end, they took only your parents' ashes, not a penny of the money."
Reed trembled from head to toe.
He looked at Aria, pleading for some denial.
Aria, feeling guilty, glanced at him. "I did help your aunt with her schooling; she even visited here one year. You've met her!"
Reed racked his brain, and then it hit him.
A face suddenly emerged in his memory.
She was lovely, with an oval-shaped face and bright, clear eyes that lit up when she smiled, just like his—and there was a faint dimple.
She had bought him a bag of tangerines.
And she had told him, "You're so smart with your studies; your family must be proud of you."
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