Chapter 14 Miguel Arrives, Cressida's Identity Exposed?
# In the Ancestral Hall Courtyard
The auspicious hour was approaching. The nearly ninety-year-old clan elder spoke: "Prepare for the ceremony!"
Rose watched the ceremony, excitedly clenching her hands beneath her sleeves.
Once she became a true daughter of the Hamilton family, she could firmly establish herself in Emerald City. With a noble title, everything would be much easier.
Just then, Noah rushed over and lowered his voice beside Patrick: "Mr. Patrick Hamilton, Mr. Donny Hamilton is here. He says he's waiting for you in the front hall."
Patrick frowned: "The ceremony has already started. Why is he still in the front hall? Tell him to come here."
Noah looked troubled, covering his mouth as he lowered his voice even more.
"But Mr. Donny Hamilton says if you don't go, he'll bring Ms. Cressida Hamilton over."
Patrick's brow twitched. He glanced at the courtyard full of clan members and said to Saul beside him: "Mr. Pena, I need to handle something."
"Why did Father leave?" Rose asked Clio.
At such an important moment, how could he leave?
Both Rose and Clio saw Patrick walk away with Noah, his face dark.
Clio's eyes shifted: "Rose, you stay here. Tatum will keep you company. Mother will go see what's happening."
She also quietly left.
In the main hall, Donny leaned on his cane and shouted: "I don't agree to Rose being added to the family registry!"
Patrick was displeased: "Donny, why are you shouting? I'm not asking you to raise her. Can't I adopt her myself?"
"If Cressida doesn't agree, then it won't work! You want to register Rose as Cameron's sister. I thought Cressida had agreed, but you kept it from her. Is that right?"
"Exactly. If Rose becomes Cameron's sister in the family registry, what about Cressida?" Jessica chimed in.
Unexpectedly, Patrick shot Jessica a look: "Jessica, help your father sit down. He's already in poor health—don't let him get upset."
After speaking, Patrick turned to scold Cressida.
"I told you to find Ingrid, yet you dare come back and cause trouble. Think having someone backing you means I won't punish you? Cressida, you have no manners!"
Cressida stood before him, deeply disappointed, her expression cold.
"Father, why are you blaming me? I never said you couldn't adopt Rose."
"But you want to register her in the family records as my brother's twin sister. Are you planning to have her replace me?"
When Cressida stated it so bluntly, Patrick, who had a guilty conscience, was immediately provoked.
"Nonsense!" Patrick thundered.
An urgent voice also came from the doorway: "Cressida! How dare you talk nonsense! Rose doesn't compete or fight for anything. Why can't you tolerate her?"
Clio entered, looking at Cressida with apparent heartbreak.
"While you were away, Rose kept us company, showed filial respect in your place, and even healed your father's leg. Doesn't she deserve to be in our family registry?"
Cressida said coldly: "What she's done is enough to replace my position in the Hamilton family?"
Her words had a double meaning. Clio was instantly speechless, glancing at Donny who didn't know the truth.
Patrick: "Making her your brother's twin sister is just borrowing your brother's status. After all, Rose has done us a favor."
Clio held her forehead, looking distressed: "I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid you'd make a scene. Look, you're being difficult as expected. Since you came back, you haven't given me a moment's peace."
Cressida pressed her lips together: "If you treated me as family, you would have told me the truth instead of tricking me away with Ingrid. That's why I'm so angry."
Donny nodded: "Too much, Patrick. I didn't expect you could do such a thing. Why must two children compete for one identity?"
"I didn't think that much about it. It's just a title—what's the big deal?" Patrick argued.
Cressida wouldn't back down: "Of course it's a big deal. If there are two people claiming to be the only daughter of the Hamilton Mansion, how will others tell them apart?"
"If Father and Mother are determined to have her replace my identity, then please remove my name and my brother's name from the family registry first."
"How dare you!" Patrick's eyes widened in fury. "You dare drag your brother into this? If you want to leave, leave alone!"
Donny pulled Cressida behind him.
"Cressida, I'm here. No one can remove you from the family registry unless I'm dead!"
Donny looked at Patrick: "Patrick, if you're going to be this foolish, I'll go tell the clan elder right now that I don't agree to this adoption. Having an outsider steal our own child's identity is absolutely impossible."
Cressida looked at Donny's back as he argued forcefully for her, feeling somewhat stunned.
Donny and Patrick's relationship was actually quite poor.
Cressida had heard that before she was born, Donny had earned his official position through merit and was rising in prominence in Emerald City with an immeasurable future.
But Patrick, relying on Donny's reputation, got into a fight with someone and broke the other person's arm.
After hitting someone, he hid at home. When Donny went to settle the matter, he was attacked by the other party's guards and had his leg injured. He's been limping ever since.
At that time, Donny had just married Mabel Simpson. Mabel came to Cressida's house, wanting to file a joint complaint with the authorities.
But unexpectedly, Patrick and Clio learned that the other party had connections to the royal palace's power center and didn't dare provoke them, refusing Mabel's proposal.
That's how the two families became enemies.
Donny, like a falling star, was in a daze for several years. His health deteriorated, and they didn't even have children.
When Cressida was eight, Donny and Mabel finally had their first child—Jessica.
This family feud led Donny to block the connecting passage between the two houses after their mother passed away.
Donny didn't want to blame Patrick though. After all these years, they still occasionally visited each other during holidays.
When Cressida was in Emerald City before, following Clio's advice, she rarely interacted with Donny's family.
But whenever Donny saw Cressida, he always smiled kindly.
It wouldn't be wrong to say their whole family owed Donny.
If Donny were her father, she probably wouldn't have suffered so much.
Thinking this, Cressida suddenly felt a bit sad.
Patrick and Donny argued back and forth, neither able to convince the other.
Finally, Patrick said: "Donny, I've never asked you for anything in my life. Can't you agree to this one thing?"
Jessica suddenly spoke up: "Who says you never asked? My mother said you once got into trouble and asked my father..."
Patrick quickly interrupted: "That's all in the past!"
Clio took a deep breath: "How about this, Donny? Today the clan elder and relatives are all here, and Mr. Pena is here too. We're at a point of no return. Otherwise, all of Emerald City will laugh at the Hamilton family."
"Let Rose enter the family registry today. As for her ranking, I'll discuss it properly with Patrick."
Patrick nodded: "Donny, if you keep blocking this, you're being unreasonable."
Donny said nothing because he had no grounds to object further.
He just looked back at Cressida with a pitying gaze.
Because he could tell these words were just excuses from Patrick and Clio.
Just then.
Noah rushed over.
"Mr. Patrick Hamilton, Mrs. Clio Hamilton, Mr. Chambers is here. He says he wants to help witness the adoption and has already gone to the ancestral hall courtyard!"
Patrick and Clio exchanged glances, delighted.
The Chambers family—that was the family of the former Queen Autumn Chambers!
"Donny, you see, Mr. Chambers is here. Let's proceed with this!" Patrick had no time to delay and hurried to the ancestral hall courtyard to welcome Charlie Chambers.
Cressida wondered if this was the help Ivan had arranged for her.
Perfect timing.
"Cressida, things have come to this. There's nothing I can do. If you feel wronged, tell me."
"Father, what's the use of telling you? They won't listen to you anyway," Jessica stated the obvious again.
Cressida smiled gently: "Thank you for speaking up for me today. I'm already very grateful. Since we can't stop it, let's accept it. Let's go watch Rose be added to the registry together."
Cressida, Donny, and Jessica also went to the ancestral hall courtyard.
From a distance, they saw a group of people surrounding Charlie.
Beside him stood a tall, imposing man.
His cloak billowing, he wore dark clothing with a gold crown binding his hair, his bearing quite striking.
Cressida involuntarily slowed her pace.
She felt the person looked somewhat familiar.
She saw Saul bowing to the man in dark clothing with a flattering smile.
The man simply raised his hand, interrupting the greeting about to leave his lips.
"I'm not the main guest today. Mr. Chambers is."
His attitude was cold, his voice even more steady and decisive.
The moment Cressida saw his face clearly, her steps froze as if turned to ice.
He also looked toward her. At that moment, as he gazed at her, he suddenly narrowed his eyes.
Cressida's heart raced.
It was Miguel!
When did he return to Emerald City?
In the previous battle, she had led troops to flank the enemy and rendezvous with him.
It was also then that she had blocked an arrow aimed at his heart, and he had seen her face.
But Miguel should be at the border taking over her army at this time. Why would he return to Emerald City early?