<b>Chapter </b><b>30 </b>


    “Jasper?” Laura pondered.


    Laura looked at him tearfully, slowly regaining her senses. “Jasper?“:


    Jasper nodded vigorously. “It’s me.”


    Laura suddenly burst into tears and jumped into his arms. “Jasper! They want to hit me. I don’t want to get beaten anymore. I didn’t do anything wrong. Please help me beg for mercy!”


    Jasper hugged her tightly as he caressed her backfortingly. “No one will hit you. Didn’t I say you’re a member of the Smith family? Our family does not need to be at others‘ mercy. You are the most powerful one.”


    Laura cried until her body shivered. It seemed she had suffered a great shock.


    Louis slowly regained his senses and felt guilty. “I wasn’t criticizing her. I was just angry.”


    Jasper scolded, “She’s only a four–year–old child. No matter how angry you were, you shouldn’t have flung things around!”


    At the side, Xander frowned. “No, I think something is wrong with her reaction, She has a conditioned reflex. Someone obviously had thrown something and beaten her. Try asking her.”


    Jasper’s heart skipped a beat, and he held Laura’s face. “Can you tell me if anyone has hit you before?”


    Laura nodded with tears in her eyes. “Yes. That guy threw a wine bottle and hit me a few times. After hitting me, he gave Mom money, and


    Mom let him hit me, but I didn’t do anything wrong.”


    Her soft voice made everyone’s heartache for her.


    Jasper breathed heavily and buried her in his arms. “Okay, you didn’t do anything wrong. No one said you did. It’s all right now. I’m here.”


    A malicious glint brewed beneath Antonio’s eyes as he watched Laura sob.


    The little girl’s delicate features were reduced to a sorry sight./


    He could imagine the girl being dragged out of the table and beaten violently.


    He suddenly clenched his fists. “I’ll find that man and make him pay.”


    Without saying a word, Xander turned around and made a phone call.


    Antonio slowly squatted down and looked at Laura calmly.


    Laura sniffed and tooked at him with big, teary eyes. “Mr. Smith…”


    Antonio subconsciously reached out and wiped off her tears as he gazed at her. “Remember this, Laura. From now on, <i>no </i>one will dare bully you. I will make those who bullied you in the past pay the price. Even if we don’t like you, we won’t let you go through an ounce of humiliation. I will break their arms and legs to avenge you.”


    Laura looked at him in a daze.


    Antonio’s eyes were freezing cold, like those of a gloomy viin portrayed on television.


    Yet, Laura thought he was a good man.


    She stepped back from Jasper’s embrace, opened her arms, and gave Antonio a hug. “Thank you, Mr. Smith. You’re so nice.<b>” </b>


    Antonio felt something tugging his heartstrings. He reached out and rested his hand on her petite back.


    This was the first time he embraced his child.


    Somehow, he wanted to hold her until she fell asleep.


    He could not help but pick her up and say, “Let’s get you to bed.”


    Laura buried her face in his shoulder and hummed innocently in response. She looked at Jasper and said, “I want Jasper <i>to </i><ie </i>with us.”


    Jasper followed her without hesitation. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”


    After she was put in bed, Jasper wiped her face with a wet napkin and handed her a teddy bear. “The teddy bear will sleep with you.”


    Laura nodded, holding the teddy bear in one hand and Jasper’s hand in the other. Then, she closed her eyes peacefully.


    Antonio stood aside silently, his eyes cold.


    Xander knocked on the door and reported, “I found him, Dad.”