yton hadn''t even noticed Elysia, as he was too busy confronting Helen with Emmett in his arms, "What on earth were you thinking?!"


    Helen, feeling wronged, her eyes reddening, protested, "Why are you being so harsh on me? I''m the victim here! I just bumped into them and, being polite, said hello. But out of nowhere, they started yelling at me and even insulted me!"


    Trying to suppress the excitement of seeing his grandfather for the first time, Elliot steadied himself and said, "She''s lying. She imed she was thedy of the house. My mom thought she was Grandma Pam because she mistook her identity, and then she started yelling at my mom and even tried to hit us."


    Of course, Helen wouldn''t admit to it, "I did no such thing; they''re framing me!"


    yton''s face turned ice-cold, "Framing you? How would such a young child know to make this up? If you''re thedy of the Hawkins family, then what does that make Pam? Pam is just sick; she''s not dead yet!"


    "I didn''t, I..."


    "Even if Pam and I were gone, you wouldn''t be fit to be thedy of the Hawkins family. You don''t even grasp the basic courtesy of hosting; you''d only bring shame to the Hawkins name!"


    Helen burst into tears right there and then, so upset she even forgot to keep her tone respectful, "yton, you..."


    yton, unforgiving and stern, dered, "From now on, stay in your own ce in Verity and keep out of Pam and my sight!"


    "yton!"


    It was bad enough she was barred from the main house; now, she was being told not to even be seen around.


    And in front of others, no less!


    Not a shred of dignity left for her!


    Helen felt her heart shatter into pieces, broken beyond repair.


    But yton didn''t spare her another nce, turning instead to her personal maid with a cold look, "Take Helen back!"


    When yton was angry, it was truly frightening. The maid, trembling with fear, quickly supported Helen and made a hasty retreat, "Let''s go, Helen, let''s go..."


    Elliot watched their pitiful retreat with a sense of satisfaction.


    He didn''t miss the opportunity to throw in a dig at the servant who had shown them the way, either, "Grandpa, it wasn''t just them. Even this person who showed us in called her ''thedy.""


    The servant shuddered with fear, stammering, "I''m so sorry, sir, I... I misspoke."


    yton gave him a cold nce before turning to his assistant, "Contact the butler to have them dismissed, and pass a message to all the servants from me. Anyone who refuses to acknowledge Pam as thedy of this house can leave!"


    "Understood!"


    Hearing his lucrative job was on the line, the servant immediately burst into tears, begging for mercy, "I was wrong, sir, please forgive me, just this once..."


    The assistant signaled a nearby security guard with a nce, and the guard promptly stepped forward, covering the servant''s mouth and dragging him away.


    Finally, peace returned.


    Only then did yton turn to Elysia, "I''m terribly sorry, Ms. Thorne, for the difort you''ve experienced at the Hawkins family. On behalf of the Hawkins family, I owe you an apology..."


    He stopped mid-sentence, his breath catching in his throat!


    For the first time, yton truly saw Elysia, and he was stunned, breathless!


    Was he seeing Irene?


    But how could that be? Was he still dreaming?


    yton raised a trembling hand, rubbing his eyes vigorously.


    Very cautiously, he opened his eyes once more to look at Elysia...