Chapter 242: Memory
Tristan Grayson looked down with a self-deprecating laugh, pulling a cigarette pack and a lighter from his pocket. As he held the pack in one hand and the lighter in the other, his gaze happened to fall on his slightly trembling right hand, and his thoughts were instantly pulled back to the horrifying scene from a few months ago.
’How lucky he was that only his hand was crippled. If he hadn’t pushed her head down in time back then, she would have been...’
Even though so much time had passed, the memory still sent waves of fear through him.
After leaving the airport, Mika Summers took Kiki from Una Sullivan’s arms. She clutched Kiki tightly with one arm while using her other hand to pull a blanket down, covering half of the child’s face. "Dad, hurry and hail a taxi. Let’s head home first."
"Aren’t we going to wait for your brother?"
"No, let’s not wait." She nodded and glanced back uneasily. When she saw that Tristan Grayson hadn’t followed, she felt a mix of relief and self-mockery.
’How could I be so conceited? Tristan Grayson is probably too busy placating that little mistress of his right now. Why would he waste a thought on me?’
「The Lockwood Villa」
Leaning on his cane, Master Lockwood, Julius Lockwood, rose from his chair. He walked over to Archie Summers and said sternly, "It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to come back or acknowledge me as your father. But my granddaughter must be raised by the Lockwood family."
"Impossible," Archie Summers rejected flatly, without a second thought.
Julius Lockwood struck the floor forcefully with his cane. "Archie," he said angrily, "you need to understand that you don’t have a choice right now. Here in Tridell, the only ones who can help the Bishop family, the only ones who can help you, are the Lockwoods. And you need me as your father."
Archie Summers let out a cold laugh. He advanced a step toward Julius Lockwood and pointed at the elegant woman standing not far behind him. "I need *you*?" he demanded harshly. "For the past twenty-plus years, when I needed you, where were you? Fooling around with that woman?" He had only been seven years old then. Back then, he had wished so desperately for his father to spend more time with him, to show him just a little fatherly love, but there had been nothing...
He had believed that woman’s lies and driven Archie’s mother to her death. He considered Jason Lockwood—a man with no blood ties to him whatsoever—to be his most outstanding son. And as for his own son, Archie Lockwood? He was a devil from hell, a vampire come to collect a debt...
So, he had no such family, and certainly no such relatives! The day he turned seven, Archie Lockwood died. He was Archie Summers now.
"You bastard! How dare you speak like that! She is your aunt, your elder!" Julius Lockwood raised his hand and swung a slap at him, his body trembling with uncontrollable rage.
"Aunt? Elder? Don’t make me laugh. Mr. Lockwood, since you didn’t want me for over twenty years, why have you suddenly appeared now? Mr. Lockwood, don’t you already have a perfectly dutiful son by your side? Do you really need me to come back? Mr. Lockwood, I suggest you open your eyes and listen carefully. My name is Archie Summers. My surname is Summers, not Lockwood. My father’s name is Joseph Summers—not this cold-blooded, heartless man, Julius Lockwood!"
Julius Lockwood trembled so violently with rage he nearly fainted. Seeing this, Yuna Sullivan hurried over to support him. "Archie, how could you say such things to your father?" she said, full of reproach. "Imagine how hurt he must be. If you have to yell at someone, just yell at me."
"You think I don’t dare to yell at you? Or that I don’t dare to hit you?" He remembered how this woman had hit his mother countless times. Back then, all he could do was cry in fear, completely helpless...
Just then, a harsh, sinister male voice came from the main entrance. "You dare lay a finger on her!"