After a pause, he suddenly blurted out, "Cameron''s quite the big shot, isn''t he? You''d think he wouldn''t just turn a blind eye to his wife''s well-being, right?"


    Miranda shifted ufortably in her seat. There are some things you just don''t air out in public.


    But with Lincoln pressing her, she had no choice but to admit, "Things have gone south between Greta and Cameron. Cameron wants a divorce, so naturally, he''s not keen on spending money on my daughter."


    "So that''s what''s going on."


    Lincoln gave Miranda a long, hard look. "I''m more than happy to lend you the money." Miranda and Greta exchanged a hopeful nce.


    But Lincoln wasn''t done yet. "There are a few things I need to clear up first."


    "Go ahead," Miranda replied.


    "There''s been some nasty stuff about my daughter making the rounds onlely. Have you seen it?"


    Miranda and Greta went pale, panic written all over their faces.


    "I don''t really go online much," Miranda stammered.


    Lincoln didn''t break eye contact. "The rumor is that even though my daughter Vivian was raised by her adoptive mother, the woman was downright cruel. They''re saying she sent little Vivian out with a broken bowl to beg on the streets just so she could live it up. Is any of that true?"


    Miranda looked like she''d seen a ghost.


    Greta jumped in, "Uncle, those online rumors are total garbage. The truth is, my mom was really sick, bedridden for years. Nathalie had no choice but to beg just to get by."


    Lincoln shut his eyes, pained. "So, no matter how you slice it, my Vivian had to beg for food at just three years old?"


    Greta was too scared to speak.


    Lincoln''s eyes snapped open. "And Cameron marrying my daughter-that''s true as well? You took Vivian''s husband, didn''t you?"


    Greta shook like a leaf in a storm.


    "Uncle, Cameron truly cared for Vivian. But she didn''t have much schooling and sometimes acted


    rough, which rubbed his mom the et


    wrong way. And she went and terminated her pregnancy without teffing him, which was something he couldn''t get past. Still, henever nned to leave her. He wanted to stick by her. It was Vivian who took


    off for a few years and filed for divorce when she got back."  swnovel


    Greta''s attempt to smooth things over was full of holes.


    Lincoln''s voice was sharp. "And what about the kidney Vivian donated? Is it with you?"


    Greta crumpled to the floor.


    "Vivian did it out of love for me. She offered it willingly."


    Lincoln felt as if his heart was being torn to pieces. The pain was unbearable.


    He shook his head, devastated. "My


    poor daughter, I left her enough


    money to live well, yet you all


    pushed her to such misery. You


    deserve to pay for this."  swnovel


    Greta backed away, terrified.


    "Uncle, it wasn''t like you think. Nathalie did everything of her own free will; we never forced her."


    Lincoln''s voice was cold. "She was young and naive, with no one to turn to, so she bought into your lies. But I''m no fool. Cameron imed he was adopting a minor, only to end up marrying her and taking her kidney. That''s kidnapping and


    intentional harm... I''ll make sure he


    doesn''t get away with it."


    belongs to swnovel


    Lincoln''s fury was palpable. "You and your mother, you''ve done my daughter so


    wrong. How dare you show your faces to me?"


    Greta saw the fury in Lincoln''s eyes and was so scared she almost lost control.


    "Uncle, I was just a kid back then too."


    "It was all my parents'' doing."


    "Beneficiaries have no right to ask for forgiveness," Lincoln thundered.