Chapter 19
“Dad,” Thea said.
“I’m fine.”
“who’s there, Benjamin?”
A voice rang out, and Gladys appeared.
When she saw Thea, her face darkened.
Coldly, she said, “You cursed girl.Why are you here?”
“Mom.”
“Don’t call me mom.I have no such daughter.”
She looked disdainfully at Thea, whose face was heavily bandaged.
Gladys was kidnapped and treated horribly because of Thea.
Luckily, Trent was dead.
Otherwise, the Callahans were goners.
After Lex returned, he flew into a rage.He issued an order, stripping Thea of her position and casting her out of the family.He
even made a public announcement that Thea was no longer a Callahan.
“Gladys, what are you doing?” Benjamin frowned.
“Dad may have cast her out of the family, but she’s still our daughter!”
Gladys planted her hands on her hips.
Coldly, she said, “Who’d dare go against the old man’s orders? Don’t forget that you’re living off Eternality’s salary.If we make the
old man angry again, you might lose your job.Without a job, how are you going to pay the mortgage?”
After that, she pointed at Thea.
“Go! Leave! I have no such daughter.You’re a curse, a jinx! Your dad is looked down upon in the family because of you! Look at
Howard and John! Even their children possess some of Eternality’s shares.They enjoy a good life just living off the dividends
each month!”
Gladys got more and more agitated, finally slamming the door in Thea’s face.Thea’s eyes misted over and tears started rolling
down her cheeks.She knew she was a disgrace to her family, especially her parents.
However, she did not expect that her parents would bar her from their home.She knelt at the door, begging, “Dad, Mom, I’m
sorry.Please open the door…”
James was heartbroken.He tried to pick her up and comfort her.
“Thea, why don’t you get up? It’s their loss, not yours.”
Thea remained kneeling on the ground, refusing to get up.She kept crying and knocking on the door.
The door opened again.
Gladys tossed some suitcases out unceremoniously.
“Get lost! Leave!”
Aman in his mid-twenties appeared this time.
Well-dressed and handsome, he said, “Mom, Thea’s been through enough.You can’t turn her away just because grandfather has
stripped her of her position and cast her out of the family.James is a poor, retired soldier.He has no job and no money.If you don’t
take her in, where will she go?”
It was Thea’s younger brother, David.He was working at Eternality Group as well, but he did not usually live here.
After he got married, he bought a house downtown.As the family was in trouble, he returned temporarily.
“Mom, please don’t turn me away.”
Thea knelt before Gladys, tugging on her pant leg.
“Get lost!” Gladys kicked Thea away.
Gladys shut the door with a slam.
James helped Thea stand.She was still crying.
He wiped her tears and cradled her face.
“Darling, let’s go to the House of Royals.My friend won’t be back for a while.We can stay there for now.We’ll return when dad and
mom are feeling better about the whole thing.”
However, Thea refused to listen to whatever James had to say.She just felt hurt and sad.
At the same time, she blamed herself.She blamed herself for being a disgrace, causing her parents to lose their social standing
in the family.She buried herself into James’ chest, crying her heart out.
“Pm useless! I’m a disgrace! I hate myself! Why did I run into the fire all those years ago? I regret it! I regret it so much!”Thea
only ended up in this situation because she ran into the fire ten years ago.If it were not for that incident ten years ago, her life
would be completely different.James’ heart twisted hearing what Thea said.His guilt bubbled to the surface.Hugging a crying
Thea tightly, he apologized to her over and over again.
“I’m sorry.I’m so sorry.”