After the stunt Elizabeth pulled back then, Derek had nned to force Elizabeth to divorce Keh and leave the Fullbuster family.


    But he thought that it would be prudent to wait a few months after the fire, when things had cooled down somewhat, before he arranged for the divorce.


    Who could have known that Keh would father an illegitimate daughter in the following year-and that Elizabeth would learn about it?


    Even though the child was born with a congenital heart defect and passed away within two months, the Fullbusters had, in a sense, wronged Elizabeth again.


    Despite everything that happened, she stubbornly refused to divorce.


    Derek ultimately decided to drop the matter, out of consideration for two reasons: His friendship with her father and the fact that she was still Jonathan''s biological mother.


    He had also given the ude family substantialpensation, particrly in terms of financial support. Out of guilt, he even agreed to Jonathan''s request to bring Anneliese into the Fullbuster family for care—but her grandmother refused.


    It never urred to him that, yearster, Anneliese would fall in love with Jonathan, marry into the Fullbuster family, and drag the buried truth to light again.


    Shocked by Derek''s sudden, furious outburst, Elizabeth flinched. Her heart sank as an ominous feeling unfurled within her. She could sense that something bad was about to happen.


    However, she wasn''t the one who started the fire. She was a victim-one who had been scared and injured, too.


    Besides, so many years had passed since then. Why were they still dwelling on that incident?


    In her eyes, Anneliese was just causing trouble for nothing!


    Elizabeth simply couldn''t wrap her head around the current situation. Anneliese, a woman with no family background and a divorce on her record, was currently suspected of having had a daughter with Steven.


    Yet neither Derek nor Penelope was interrogating her about the matter. On the contrary, they were protecting her-and turning their scrutiny on Elizabeth instead.


    Her hands were embedded with shards of broken ss, her blood soaking into the white fur trim on her sleeves. But none of them cared; they only ignored and med her.


    How was she, in the future, supposed to stand before Anneliese or the Fullbuster family? Her pride had been ripped to shreds!


    Seeing the look of simmering defiance on Elizabeth''s face, filled with resentment and concealed anger, Derek knew that she had not reflected on her mistakes in the slightest. In fact, she did not think she had done anything wrong.


    His eyes filled with disappointment and fatigue. Even his back seemed to slump with exhaustion.


    He nced at Anneliese. "The


    Fullbuster family was indeed at fault for concealing the truth back then hereby sincerely apologize to you Afterwards, Penelope and I wil formally visit your grandmother to exin everything. But Gerard, the arsonist responsible for the ificident, has been dead for years. I''m afraid he can no longer be brought to justice."


    Shifting his attention to Elizabeth, he continued grimly, "You and Keh are getting divorced."


    Elizabeth could hardly believe what she heard, abruptly lifting her head in shock. "Dad, what did you say?"


    Out of regard for the Fullbusters''


    close rtionship with the Hoffs


    Derek and Penelope had always


    been lenient and indulgent toward


    Elizabeth ever since she married into


    the family.


    Though Elizabethter exhibited some reckless behavior, Keh was no better


    either. Life in their household was always a chaotic mess.


    Both Derek and Penelope initially tried to intervene. Whether through harsh


    punishment or kind advice, their efforts showed little effect.


    Keh did not reform, and Elizabeth only got worse. Yet neither of them wanted a


    divorce; they tacitly agreed to live their separate lives instead.


    Exhausted and powerless, Derek and Penelope eventually decided to turn a blind


    eye to the couple''s antics and left them to their own devices.


    The result was a pair of reckless individuals living a miserable life. Unfortunately, the biggest victim of their unstable lifestyle was their on only child, Jonathan-he had never experienced real parental love before.


    Although the elderly couple had been dissatisfied with Elizabeth in many ways over the years, they had never once demanded she divorce her husband or leave the Fullbuster family.


    Elizabeth assumed Derek would continue tolerating her behavior forever. Who could have imagined he would now demand she divorce Keh?


    What''s more, she understood perfectly well that it wasn''t a discussion-he had made his decision.


    She was being ordered to divorce and leave the Fullbuster family, but how could she possibly agree?


    Aside from her status as a member of the Fullbuster family, she had nothing else


    left!


    "No way! I won''t agree to a divorce! Why should I—" She exploded, hysterical and emotional, her pale face flushing red with panic and anger.


    However, she was met with the calm and unyielding eyes of an old man, who had made a decision as head of the family—an authority that brooked no negotiation or disobedience.


    Her chest tightened in panic, and she instinctively turned toward Jonathan.