61%


    Meanwhile, in the second-floor party hall, there was still quite a bit of time before the party began, and only a few members of the Valor family were


    present.


    At this moment, Ruth was being forcibly held by two middle-aged men.


    13


    Standing before Ruth was a man in his seventies, radiating an aura of authority that didn''t require him to raise his voice. He was Franklin Valor, the head of the Valor family.


    At this moment, Franklin was looking at Ruth with an icy expression, his voice cold as he questioned her. "Since you''ve returned to Regalhold, why didn''t youe to the Valor family immediately to fulfill your promise to me?"


    Ruth tilted her head back, looking at the father who no longer treated her like a daughter, and bitterly exined, "I only just arrived in Regalhold this afternoon. I was nning to wait until Zach woke up to say goodbye and thene over."


    "You''re making excuses" Franklin''s eyes narrowed sharply, and he immediately reprimanded her in a cold voice.


    He stared at Ruth with an icy re. "Since you refuse to honor our agreement, don''t me me for forgetting our father-daughter bond.


    "Today, not only will you kneel before all the members of the Valor family in front of the guests, but you will also kneel and ept a beating from each member of the Valor family. As for whether you survive, that will depend on your own luck."


    Ruth stood there, stunned, her body frozen in ce.


    After a long pause, she opened her mouth, her voice unexpectedly hoarse "Xml really your daughter? In your eyes, does my value weigh less than your sons'' by even a tenth?"


    Franklin''s face became even colder,


    And words from his lips were not a hint of warmth, "Your value to me? Your worth is measured by your usefulness. Your brothers can contribute to the family''s development.


    "You, what use are you? A girl like you has only one purpose, and that''s marriage. But you threw away that purpose for some jerk. So what good is it for me to still recognize you as my daughter?"


    Ruth suddenly raised her head and looked directly at Franklin, her face filled with frustration and unwillingness. "Thepany''s development? When I was at the Valor Group, I achieved more than all your sonsbined. But just because I''m a woman, you erased all of my achievements.


    "You were afraid that I would affect your sons'' positions in thepany, so you canceled my role and even gave all my aplishments to them."


    She added, "And I wasbeled as someone who stole their achievements, almost cklisted from every business in Vyrdenia. What did I do wrong? Tell


    mal"


    Franklin''s aura suddenly turned cold. "How dare you question me?*


    Under the pressure of his Mich-ss Warrior-level aura, Ruth instinctively trembled but sull stubbornly asked, "Why? Why did you do this to me?"


    Seeing that Ruth still wouldn''t relent, Franklin''s eyes suddenly shed with a killing intent.


    If it weren''t for the fact that he needed Ruth to kneel in front of all the guests at the Valor family partyter, he would have ended his daughter''s life right


    then and there.


    Franklin, feeding Ruth''s umavering gaze, sneered disdainfully. "Why? Because no matter what, you will eventually have to marry. Because you were born a woman, you have no right topete for the Valor family''s inheritance. Are you clear?"


    Ruth stared nkly at Franklin, unconsciously shaking her head as if her soul had been taken from her.


    6.41 Mon


    61%


    Just because she was a woman, no matter how capable she had been in the past, she was never given any value. Her brothers, no matter how ipetent orzy, were always treated like treasures by Franklin.


    Is gender really that important?'' Ruth thought.


    Before Ruth could recover from the crushing blow, Franklin''s gaze, as cold as ever, fixed on her.


    "You will do as I said. Otherwise, I''ll make you watch as your daughter and your son take your ce and endure even harsher punishment."


    In an instant, Ruth, who had been struck almost heartbroken by Franklin''s words, suddenly widened her eyes.


    She stared at her father in shock, her eyes filled with deep despair.


    Ruth thought Franklin had already been ruthless enough toward her.


    She believed he had reached the ultimate level of cruelty.


    But at that moment, Ruth realized she was wrong.


    To force herpliance, Franklin had actually resorted to threatening her with Raven and Zach.


    Before Ruth coulde to her senses, Eddie, who had just finished shopping in a small town next to Bastion and rushed back.to Regalhold, entered the party hall.


    Eddie first froze when he saw Ruth''s condition.


    The next moment, he quickly pieced together the situation.


    Eddie hurriedly said, "Grandpa, Mrs. Henderson and Mr. Grayson''s deaths have nothing to do with me. I didn''t kill them. The agreement between you and Aunt Ruth doesn''t count anymore. You have to let Aunt Ruth go."


    Franklin, however, sneered coldly, "You didn''t kill them? Then who else in Bastion could have done it?"


    "It was Aunt Ruth''s daughter, Raven," Eddie answered.


    Upon hearing Eddie''s response, Franklin looked at him with a clear look of disappointment in his eyes. "For her, you''d even dare to lie to me?"


    "Grandpa, it really was Raven. She''s your granddaughter. If you ept her, the Valor family could immediately be among the top families in Regalhold," Eddie said.


    Franklin''s expression suddenly turned icy, "Enough. Do you really think I''m senile? Not only do I not believe you, but no one in the Valor family will believe


    this."


    He roared, his voice filled with fury, "A girl who''s only just out of prison? What capability does she have to kill those two top figures in Bastion?"


    Franklin continued, “Also, I want the Valor family to be one of the top families in Regalhold, but that depends on the men of our family, not on


    women born to serve men.


    "Moreover, Raven is just a lowborn outcast. She doesn''t even have the right to serve the men of the Valor family, let alone take part in the responsibility of making the Valor family a top family in Bastion."


    However, almost immediately after Franklin finished speaking, a cold, bone- chilling voice suddenly echoed from the doorway. "I honestly don''t know what kind of men are worthy of being served by me, nor do I know of any matters in Vyrdenia that I''m not allowed to involve myself in. Perhaps you could enlighten me, Mr. Valor?",