Chapter 3 No.3

Gloria clenched her fists as she uttered her theory, controlling herself desperately for fear that she might rush forward and punch the man she had called Daddy for more than twenty years.

Her heart ached.

The people around knew that Moonlight Group was no different from worthless already, but a lot of them were still interested and kept bidding. Their voices calling out bids rang in her ears.

Gloria hated that she could do nothing but stand by and watch them. She clenched her fists harder, letting her nails sink into her palms.

"You've run Moonlight Group too well," Patrick said meaningfully. He reached out and unclenched her fists gently.

Gloria gritted her teeth and thought, 'You are right. I've run the company so well that even though everyone here knows Moonlight Group is a shell now, they're still bidding because the company's reputation is still there.'

"Any other offers?" Alger said to the guests who showed up today in high spirits. "Moonlight Group was founded by my late father. It attracted everyone's attention from the very beginning, and I'm sure all of you here have a picture of its reputation. If no one offers a higher price, Moonlight Group will be sold to Mr. Middleton today."

Gloria gritted her teeth tightly.

She glared at Alger without blinking, thinking, 'How could he say that out loud? How could he have the nerve to mention my grandfather on such an occasion?'

"Alright then. Congratulations, Mr. Middleton. I'm sure that if my father were still alive, he would be glad to see the company in the right hands," Alger made a few conventional remarks.

Daley grinned. "I agree with you, Mr. Carter."

Hearing Daley's words, the others present had strange expressions on their faces. Everyone knew Alger's father, the late Mr. Carter. Now that Moonlight Group was in others' hands, he would be furious, instead of feeling glad.

Alger's face froze as embarrassment flashed through his eyes. Sensing something wrong, Camille hurriedly smiled and said, "Mr. Middleton, you're right."

Gloria's entire body trembled as she heard Daley's laughter, Alger's formalities, and Camille's shameless mediation.

"Daley Middleton, did you ask my grandfather yourself whether he was glad or not?"

A rough, dissonant voice rang out abruptly.

In an instant, the venue fell deadly silent. The crowd followed the sound and saw a woman with her head lowered under the light. It was she who uttered the gruff voice.

In the next second, several voices rang out at the same time.

"Gloria, apologize to Mr. Middleton now!" Camille said.

"You bitch! Who gave you the nerve to come here to make trouble?" said Alger.

"Bitch! How dare you curse my father to die?" Warren said.

Though Daley did not speak immediately, he pulled a long face and glared at Gloria gloomily.

Gloria tried to keep her head lowered, but she could no longer hold it in.

Under the people's gaze, she slowly raised her head, and her eyes fell on Alger and Camille's faces.

"Grandpa has passed away. Alger, Grandpa was your father. I'm sure it never occurred to him that he would be humiliated by his son in front of so many people years after his death. Not only that, but his son also allowed others to humiliate him in public!"

It took all Gloria's strength not to rush forward and tear apart the man she called father.

"Alger! Grandpa would be ashamed of you! You don't deserve to take what belonged to Grandpa!"

Gloria's words caused an uproar from those around her.

"Nonsense! When have I ever insulted him?" Alger rebuked angrily.

"Haven't you? You knew all he cared about was the company. Do you think he would be glad to see you sell the company to someone else? You are humiliating him! Ten million dollars? Alger, why are you so desperate for money? For ten million dollars, you sold Moonlight Group! It was his painstaking efforts! And you claimed that he would be glad? Weren't you insulting him?"

Gloria let out her feelings because he hated what her father had done. And she had mixed feelings.

She addressed the man as her father, yet he let her down greatly.

"You bitch! You don't get to have a say here! You don't belong to this family anymore. What happens to Moonlight Group and how I deal with it have nothing to do with you!" Alger roared angrily.

He looked at Gloria and said, "If anything, he'd be pissed off about that absurd thing you did if he were still alive!"

Gloria trembled. She thought, 'I can't believe it. On an occasion like this, in front of all these people, Alger insinuates to everyone that I'm no longer a member of the Carter family, that I'm a murderer!

How am I supposed to contradict him? Where do I stand to contradict him?'

She clenched her fists hard, overwhelmed by a sense of fatigue. She closed her eyes and opened them again, and her eyes lit up again. She collected herself and said, "If my grandpa was still alive, Alger, he'd fight to take my side, because he always trusted me!"

Gloria's eyes glistened with tears. Under the light, everyone's attention was on the farce, and no one noticed that she was getting paler.

Harry had been standing aside. For some reason, he walked over and said to Gloria, "Stop being ridiculous."

He walked in front of Gloria, his handsome face full of anger. "Stop making a fool of yourself. Do you want our family to be the laughingstock of Gabbs once again because of you? When our grandpa was alive, he doted on you and taught you himself. He was a wise man his whole life, yet it never occurred to him that he saw you wrong. I don't think he ever thought you'd do something like that. Would he still choose to trust you after knowing what you've done? Would he still take your side? Gloria, don't think someone is always there for you. Your willfulness is the reason why you end up like this."