Chapter 597 There's No Need to Stop Eating Because of Choking
8
Lilian's heinous deeds were myriad, and these were merely a fraction of what Fiona knew about her.
Fiona never begrudged individuals from the lower class striving for advancement. However, she vehemently opposed the means by which Lilian sought elevation.
Drawing from her own experiences, Fiona harbored a conviction that regardless of the gestation period of Lilian's unborn child, once Lilian confirmed the child was neither Darwin's nor hers, Lilian would dispose of it without hesitation.
"Honey."
Darwin's voice emanated from behind her.
His attendance at a critical meeting had been delayed due to the hostage situation earlier in the day, and he hadn't addressed it until Fiona's return.
"Is everything settled?" Fiona set her phone aside and reached out to Darwin.
Approaching her, Darwin took her hand and settled beside her. "Why are you still awake?"
Following the meeting, Darwin had retired to their bedroom. Not finding Fiona there, he descended the stairs.
"Thalassa was rattled, so I stayed with her for a while. Unable to sleep, I came down to check on the kids," Fiona replied.
Darwin understood Fiona's lingering unease from the day's events.
"I spoke with Chicago; she's quite attached to her school and doesn't wish to switch schools because of today's incident."
Indeed, Chicago's school boasted robust security measures, rendering Lilian's attempt to infiltrate futile.
"No need to worry excessively about unlikely occurrences," Fiona reassured him.
Darwin sighed softly. "I've already contacted the school to bolster security at the entrance."
"Okay." Fiona nodded before adding, "Darwin, don't blame yourself or carry guilt for what transpired today. Neither your misjudgment years ago nor Lilian's current derangement could have been foreseen."
Darwin lowered his gaze, offering no response.
Fortunately, Chicago remained unharmed.
Had Lilian's assault not been thwarted...
Darwin's anxiety resurfaced.
"By the way, I intend to personally express gratitude to the child who rescued Chicago tomorrow," Darwin hastily interjected.
"Yes, let's go together."
Returning to Ethan, their rescuer, Fiona pondered.
To be precise, Ethan's circumstances were even direr than what the principal had divulged.
The nights were growing darker sooner.
Passing by a small supermarket at the alley's entrance, Ethan caught sight of the local news report on the day's school gate incident.
Gazing up, Ethan saw the blurred visage of the first-grade hostage, her eyes shut tight in terror, though she uttered no sound.
This was not the first time Ethan had encountered the first-grade student.
She was bothersome.
Chicago's laughter, exuberant and infectious, often echoed in the alley. Despite her youth, Chicago exuded sweetness and charm.
Living in perpetual gloom, Ethan found her effervescence irksome.
Yet, that didn't deter Ethan from wielding his slingshot.
"Ethan, why are you back again?" the elderly shopkeeper at the small supermarket exclaimed upon seeing him. "Wasn't lodging arranged for you by the Children's Welfare Association?"
Ethan averted his gaze, replying coldly, "I have my own home. I don't need to reside in an orphanage."
As he spoke, Ethan strode toward the alley.
"Oh, that child!" the shopkeeper shook his head.
An aunt inside the supermarket, watching the TV, sighed. "Back after another beating and eviction..."
"You're out of touch, aren't you? That family can't lay a finger on Ethan now, it's not like two years ago. This kid's resilient. Last time, he smashed his uncle's skull with a vase!" a passing middle-aged man lauded Ethan's toughness.
"That family has no conscience. They pocketed compensation for Ethan's parents' deaths and now seek to seize this meager abode. Beating the child and tossing him out!" the shopkeeper lamented tearfully, incensed.
After years of observing Ethan's plight, the alley's denizens no longer harbored genuine sympathy for him like the shopkeeper.
Ethan was truly disagreeable, rude, and vindictive. Such a character garnered no empathy.
The dimly lit apartment hallway was adorned with various small advertisements. Ethan lowered his head and ascended to the third floor. The lock had been changed again, this time to a fingerprint scanner.
Undeterred, Ethan had learned to pick locks with wire. On previous returns, he'd employed this skill to gain entry.
Now, Ethan glanced around, seizing a brick from the corner, and hurled it at the door.
After a moment, sounds emanated from within. "Ethan, you uncultured brat, what's your aim?" Mary's shrill voice pierced through the door.
Without a word, Ethan stepped back, retrieved his slingshot, and fired a stone at the window. The glass shattered with a resounding crack.
Mary's panicked shrieks echoed within.
Soon, the door swung open, revealing Ethan's uncle, still recovering, wielding a stool as he cursed and swung at Ethan. With agile reflexes, Ethan dodged the blow and struck his uncle's back with the brick. Writhing in agony, his uncle collapsed, while Mary rushed out in panic to tend to her husband.
Ethan paid them no mind, swaggering into the house.
Inside, three children awaited. The younger pair resembled Ethan in age, while the elder was a girl of fourteen or fifteen.
Upon spotting Ethan, the girl frowned. "What are you doing here again?"
"This is my home. What are you lot doing here?" Ethan retorted, eyeing the lavishly laid dinner spread on the table—Tom and Mary's family dining in comfort.
Without further ado, Ethan seated himself, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat.
"You insolent wretch!" Tom stormed in from outside, evidently unhinged.
"I suggest you refrain from quarreling in the house, lest we shatter all the furniture and appliances once more," Ethan continued eating, ignoring Tom's outburst.
"Ethan, do you even comprehend? Your parents owed us money before their demise, and this house rightfully belongs to us!" Mary placed her hands on her hips, seething.
"You were merely farmers in the countryside. Do you truly expect me to believe my parents owed you millions?" Ethan sneered.
Initially, Ethan had believed his parents were indebted to Tom and Mary, who had assumed a facade of benevolence.
However, their demeanor had changed after receiving compensation for Ethan's parents' deaths. Beatings and deprivation became commonplace.
Upon his initial eviction, Ethan had discovered the purported debt left by his parents—an astronomical sum of two million dollars.
Though young, Ethan possessed acumen. He knew full well that even liquidating all their assets wouldn't yield such a sum. Yet, the promissory note bore his mother's signature and fingerprint.
Thus commenced Ethan's ongoing battle against his uncle and aunt—beginning with enduring their assaults to eventually retaliating with force.
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