Chapter 2 The Daughter-in-law Selected By The Patel Family

After Caroline put on the shirt with trembling hands and pushed open the door, she walked out of the room into the midst of Patel family members crowding the corridor. They were taken aback to see Caroline in nothing but a shirt, covered in hickeys, and treading barefoot.

Caroline could feel their gazes like daggers piercing her skin, so painful that she wanted nothing more than the ground to swallow her up right there.

Iris immediately came to her senses, wrapped Caroline's trembling figure in a blanket, and ushered her past the cold gazes and back to her room.

Caroline was in a daze. She sat in her room, staring into space, and overheard a conversation from the next room. "Many people saw Caroline walk out of your room in that state. You will take responsibility for her, won't you?"

"Responsibility?" Rafael sneered in contempt. "Then I'll do as she wishes!"

That afternoon, someone from the Hughes family arrived at the house.

Caroline's luggage was hastily packed and thrown out of the house like rubbish.

It had become the Patel family's sole priority to drive Caroline out of their home and back to her biological father.

Drops of heavy rain battered down on Caroline as she stood outside shivering and devoid of an umbrella. She turned her pale face to look at the man standing on the veranda, staring at her with an icy expression.

"Rafael..." Caroline's lips trembled uncontrollably, perhaps because of the cold or her despair, and she could barely keep her eyes open in the heavy rain. She tried to beg Rafael for the last time, hoping desperately that he'd find a glimmer of clemency in his heart.

She knew the reason why Rafael had forcefully slept with her was that he was set up by someone. He didn't mean to do it, and she didn't blame him for what he had done to her. But how could he blame her and push her away so ruthlessly? He was driving her back to the Hughes family when he knew that the last place she ever wanted to go was there!

As cold as the stormy grey sky, Rafael was indifferent to her plea and turned his back on her to return to the house. The intricately carved metal door slammed shut before Caroline.

Over the next few days, news that Caroline and Rafael had slept together spread through Ardver like wildfire.

Rumor had it that Caroline's mother had fled with a billion dollars stolen from the Patel family, leaving Caroline alone with the Patel family. To protect herself and continue to leech off of the Patel family, Caroline had done such a shameless thing.

A month later, Caroline was discreetly sent abroad. The Patel family and the Hughes family chose to remain unresponsive to this matter. Considering the high status of the Patel family in Ardver, no one mentioned it again.

Three and a half years later, at the Hughes family's home

"The driver went to the airport to pick up Miss Hughes, and they have returned," the servant reported diligently to Killian Hughes in a hushed whisper.

Killian peered down at the Audi parked below without saying a word.

Originally, Caroline wasn't supposed to return home this early. She hadn't completed her school studies yet and had every intention of continuing, but Ashton Hughes, her grandfather, had suddenly fallen seriously ill and insisted on seeing Caroline for it might be the last time. Killian was reluctant to bring her here but had no choice but to summon Caroline back.

It was a dull day with rumbles of thunder accompanied by heavy rain. The Audi's door swung open, and a woman's shoes clicked on the sodden ground as Caroline got out of the car with a black umbrella in hand.

When she stood straight, the umbrella tilted back slightly as she raised her head to look at the house. Her eyes happened to meet with Killian's. The two of them looked at each other for two seconds until Caroline withdrew her gaze expressionlessly.

It rained on the days she was kicked out of the Patel family and sent abroad. It was raining somberly again on the day she returned. What a coincidence.

"Caroline, you're back." Eloise Hughes, Killian's second daughter, greeted Caroline at the door with a sweet smile.

"Yes," Caroline replied indifferently, closing the soaking umbrella with a brisk snap.

Then she hauled her luggage through the door and strode into the Hughes' residence with her head held high.

On the way here, Caroline was informed by the Hughes family's trusty butler that Eloise had been admitted to the Film and Television School. She was a well-studied sophomore and obtained many resources for her success. Not long ago, she had just finished shooting a big-budget costume drama, a show destined to become a hit before it was even released.

It was said that the Patel family had personally stepped in to help Eloise obtain the resources for her budding project. Because Eloise was the future daughter-in-law selected by the Patel family.

The pang she used to have in her heart at the thought of the Patel family was gone. Caroline was calm and apathetic now.

What was the relationship between the Patel family and the Hughes family? Was Eloise going to marry that powerful man in Ardver? The question did pop into her head out of curiosity, but she could not care less what happened between them.

After visiting her sickly grandfather in the detached building behind, Caroline returned to the living room. Killian was patiently waiting for her as he seemed to have something to say.

"Since you're back, you might as well stay here," Killian said to Caroline. Something was weighing on his mind, and it showed on his brow.

Caroline walked to the sofa and sat down, leaning back leisurely and crossing her legs. She looked at Killian as a light smile appeared on her lips. "What's wrong? Do you need my help with something?"

It had been nearly four years since the last time Killian had seen her, and he felt that Caroline had changed drastically. He frowned and replied curtly, "You will attend a dinner party tomorrow. There will be several big shots, including Mr. Clark. Hopefully he will like you and even marry you. Rest well tonight."

A dinner party? Killian obviously just wanted to trade her for benefits, right?

Caroline's confident smile didn't falter. Her calculating eyes surveyed him as she said, "Mr. Hughes, I am a woman of ill repute. Who would dare to marry me? It caused a stir back then. Don't you think it was a disgrace to the Hughes family?"