Anna had thought that Ethan would immediately take Samantha downstairs.
Unexpectedly, this wait lasted for two hours.
Seeing them still not coming downstairs, Anna couldn't bear it any longer and went upstairs.
Coincidentally, she met Ethan coming out from inside the room just as she reached the door.
Anna's face stiffened, "Where's Samantha?"
Ethan, expressionless, said, "Jade will arrive shortly, I will investigate the truth myself. You go down, I'll follow."
Anna, unwilling to give up, asked again, "Where's Samantha?"
Ethan's sharp eyes narrowed, cold stars flickering, "I don't like to repeat myself."
Understanding her son's temperament, Anna, though reluctant, had to take Suzy downstairs again.
Suzy stood at the staircase, tilting her head, staring persistently at the master bedroom.
Under her gaze, Ethan, indifferent, opened the door and went in.
Witnessing this, Suzy's hands clenched into fists with sudden force, breaking her carefully manicured nails.
Blood flowed through her fingers.
Unprecedented hatred surrounded her.
...
After Ethan entered the room, Samantha had already awakened.
She sat on the bed, rubbing her sleepy eyes, seemingly not yet clear about the situation before her, looking around.
Seeing her awake, the gentleness in Ethan's eyes vanished, replaced by a cold expression. He took out a set of women's clothing from the wardrobe and threw it at her, saying, "Change into this."
The sudden voice startled Samantha.
Upon seeing Ethan's face, uglier than the King of Hell, memories from the previous night flooded into her mind. Excitedly, she jumped off the bed, grabbing Ethan's hand, "Where's Alex? Where is he now?"
Ethan coldly shook off her hand, disdainfully patting the spot she had touched, "Where he is has nothing to do with you. The person who kidnapped him has been caught. If you don't want to be implicated, change your clothes and go downstairs."
With that, he turned and entered the bathroom.
Samantha dared not delay for a moment. She picked up the women's clothing Ethan had thrown at her and quickly changed. Despite the ill-fitting nature of the outfit due to her slender figure, Samantha couldn't spare the thought. She opened the door hastily, rushed downstairs, eager to confront the kidnapper of Alexander.
Unexpectedly, instead of finding the kidnapper, she saw Suzy, full of hostility, accompanied by Anna and Liam.
Upon seeing her, Suzy's eyes widened abruptly. Red blood vessels covered the whites of her eyes. Like a beast spotting its prey. She seemed to wish she could devour Samantha whole.
Anna and Liam's expressions weren't much better than Suzy's.
Samantha fully believed that if they weren't at Chelsea Creek right now, these three would surely come together to kill her.
Although she disliked them, Samantha still politely greeted them, "Mr. Steele, Mrs. Steele."
Anna sneered, stood up, and step by step approached Samantha.
A resounding ‘slap’ echoed.
Without any warning, Samantha was harshly slapped across the face.
"Samantha Miller, you should consider yourself lucky that my grandson is unharmed. Otherwise, I would surely tear you apart a thousand times and use your wild seed to accompany my grandson in death."
Samantha's fair little face immediately displayed a clear five-finger mark, stinging hotly. The taste of rich blood permeated her mouth.
She used her tongue to touch the broken corner of her mouth, unwilling to show weakness and counterattacked, "So, this is the Steele family's upbringing. Treating the benefactor who raised your descendants in such a way."
Anna sneered, "If you hadn't stolen Alexander in the first place, there would be no need for you to raise him."
Samantha glanced coldly at Suzy and scoffed, "Do you really believe Suzy's words? Four years ago, when she gave birth, I had just given birth myself and couldn't even move around. How could I have stolen her child? The first time I saw Alex, he was on the brink of death due to a difficult birth. To get him medical treatment, I took him away from his hometown. All of this is well-documented. Before Mrs. Steele acts, please clarify the truth. Otherwise, I might think that the Steele family is a group of ungrateful people."
"Do you think I would believe you over my grandson's biological mother?" Anna scoffed, not believing her words at all. In her mind, her impression of Samantha had reached an extreme low.
At just eighteen, she became pregnant out of wedlock, giving birth to an illegitimate child.
After returning to the country, she schemed to seduce her son, trying to disrupt her grandson's peaceful life.
For such a woman who threw herself at others, she would never show a good face.
"Believe it or not, it's up to you. Either way, what I said is the truth."
Samantha couldn't be bothered to argue with her any longer, so she stepped back to create some distance.
Anna became infuriated upon seeing her but, for the time being, had no immediate solution.
Suzy, with her head lowered, cried in a pitiful manner, "Sister, I know you don't like me, but the child is innocent. If you have any grievances, take them out on me. Why did you have to steal my child, causing us to be separated for four years? You even incited him against our relationship, making him hate me, his biological mother."
"Heh..."
Samantha laughed in exasperation.
"Wasn't Noah not raised by me? I didn't incite him, did I? Why doesn't he like you either? Children are the most innocent; they can discern who sincerely cares for them and who is insincere. Both children dislike you. Perhaps you should find the reasons within yourself?"
After being mocked and ridiculed by her, Suzy cried even harder. Her shoulders shrugged, looking pitiable like a bullied daughter-in-law.
One was weak and pitiful, the other strong and sarcastic.
In Anna's heart, the balance tilted more towards Suzy.
Just then, the tall figure of Ethan appeared at the staircase.
He had changed into a clean black casual outfit, outlining his tall figure, broad shoulders, narrow hips, and long legs vividly. The crystal light bathed him, casting a silver halo over him, making him appear even colder, more aloof, like a deity.
Suzy stared in amazement. Her gaze firmly locked onto Ethan, reluctant to move away.
Such an outstanding man, only she, Suzy, could match.
What was Samantha?
How could she be worthy of the distinguished Ethan?
Samantha's heartbeat involuntarily quickened, feeling an inexplicable nervousness deep within.
This feeling came suddenly.
She didn't know why she had this strange sensation.
What kind of feeling was this?
Ethan strode into the center of the living room, his gaze seemingly indifferent as it swept over Samantha's face.
Then, it fixed on the broken corner of her mouth. His thick eyebrows unconsciously furrowed, and his eagle-like eyes scanned all three people present.
"Who did this?" His voice was deep, hoarse, and carried an imperceptible danger.
Suzy's neck shrank, resembling a quail, not daring to breathe, afraid that this accusation would fall on her.
Anna, not one to back down, raised her head boldly and admitted, "I did it. What? Are you going to retaliate against me, a mother, for the sake of this woman?"
***