Chapter 161 Kneel

Chapter 161 Kneel
Sapphire's eyes turned cold, and she instantly raised her fingers in a meaningful way.

Upon seeing Sapphire's action, the guards who had initially stood calmly while pointing their guns at the group instantly cocked them. Their eyes frosted and filled with killing intent. It was as if receiving just a slight hum of approval from Sapphire meant the group would be gone.

Sapphire's eyes fell on Valencia, and she felt a surge of fury and loathing overwhelm her.

The Austeegard couple were such a peerlessly beautiful pair, with beauty enough to topple nations and ruin cities. Meanwhile, Sapphire's face was just one that was easy to bypass in a crowd.

Although people had always restrained themselves from speaking the truth in Sapphire's presence due to fear, nevertheless, the words they spoke behind her back had always somehow invaded her ears. That served one purpose.

People never failed to comment on their shock—how such a beautiful couple could give birth to someone with such an average face like Sapphire. It just felt implausible, no matter how they thought about it.

Regardless of whether Sapphire knew the truth or not, hearing such words had always affected her. Those words had always touched her sore spot and damaged her esteem.

Now, seeing the peerlessly beautiful Valencia, who looked exactly like Hazel Austeegard, how could she not be filled with envy?

Just the sight of Valencia was more than enough to confirm who the real daughter of the Austeegard family was.

Just seeing Hazel and Valencia standing next to each other—even a fool would easily point out that they were mother and daughter. The little actions. That temperament. That aura. That bearing...

Not to mention that Valencia had two heirs of top wealthy families fawning over and accompanying her. How could Sapphire not be filled with envy and loathing?

Even without her family, Valencia had steadily climbed to the top of the ladder. While Sapphire...

Clearly, if it weren't for the Austeegard family, no one would pay attention to Sapphire.

The Austeegard family had always taken care of Sapphire, believing she was their daughter. That meant the Austeegard parents were Sapphire's parents.

Sapphire couldn't give Valencia the chance to crawl her disgusting way into the Austeegard family. No. She couldn't.

Sapphire could only kill them all if they ever tried. Her happiness—she would never let anyone ruin it!

The more Sapphire thought like this, the more hatred, jealousy, and fury surged through her.

Immediately, Sapphire's eyes shone with a cruel glint, and her lips curved up. She purposely focused on Corbyn and Maverick, choosing to ignore Valencia and her words. "As businessmen, I believe you are all good at weighing the pros and cons. And I presume none of you want to die, do you?" she enunciated straightforwardly and calmly.

Sapphire's bodyguards were very skilled and powerful.

She believed that the four couldn't even lift a finger before her guards shot them down. Definitely, the four wouldn’t dare act rashly when their lives were at risk.

Not to mention, Sapphire had purposely let her guards at the gate act rashly so the group would send out their guards to control hers.

With the guards fighting each other, it could delay and stop the group’s guards from entering the mansion to save their masters, giving Sapphire the chance to do whatever she wanted with them.

This kind of thinking gave Sapphire an unprecedented level of confidence.

Suddenly, Sapphire's eyes fell on Roman, and she instantly turned up her nose in the air in contempt. She chided, "Siding with an outsider—this is the reason lowly children from side families are no good. In case you’ve forgotten, your parents are currently in..."

Roman's fist clenched, his eyes turned cold, and his vein throbbed with fury.

Hearing Sapphire's brazen and confident words, Valencia finally realized something.

For Sapphire to speak these kinds of words in front of the Austeegard’s guards, it meant Sapphire and the Relling family had completely taken over the Austeegard family. This realization made Valencia a bit worried on behalf of the Austeegards.

Valencia’s lips curved up, and she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, clearly indifferent about the guns pointed at her. It was as if she was used to such danger all her life.

Maverick’s eyes dilated, and an indecipherable glint flickered past them. Daring to point guns at the woman he wanted to pamper for the rest of his life... Sapphire must be really tired of living.

Maverick’s fist clenched. Just a little time. Yes. Just a little time left.

A disparaging sneer spilled from Valencia’s lips as she coldly spoke, her back straightened and her chin lifted. It was clear she was fearless. “You finally stopped faking?”

Sapphire's cold eyes immediately fell on Valencia, and she scoffed as if she couldn’t believe her ears. “Faking? You think you’re worthy of it? You’re just a sinking ship.” Why would Sapphire need to fake in front of someone like Valencia when she could ruin or end her life within minutes? Such a joke.

Sapphire suddenly puckered her lips and clicked her tongue in mockery. “Oh, daring to come here with confidence? What? You think you can finally have Mommy and Daddy’s attention? Oh, poor child.”

She retracted her mocking gaze and stood straight, collecting herself and becoming cold. She spoke again, clicking her tongue in distaste. “Valencia, is that your name?”

Suddenly, Sapphire’s voice was filled with sympathy. “You could’ve just continued living your life being clueless. Well, even though you would ultimately end up dead, at least you’d have your life preserved for a few more days. But right now…”

Sapphire straightened her back, her eyes cold. “I changed my mind. I don’t want you to leave with just injuries. I want your life. Guards, shoot her.”

“Don’t you dare!” A cold and masculine voice roared at the top of his lungs, halting the guards and freezing them in place.

Immediately, the door was flung open, and Quist Austeegard stepped out of the mansion hand in hand with his wife, Hazel.

Upon seeing a healthy-looking Quist, Sapphire froze, her eyes widening in complete shock. “Dad? Dad... You—I—I…”

The calmness Sapphire had originally emanated disappeared into thin air. It was replaced by confusion and disbelief. Wasn’t Quist Austeegard taken down by a stroke? How could he be here—standing and healthy? What was going on?

Pronounced fear immediately overwhelmed her. Her eyes darted about, her mind reeling, trying to decipher the situation.

Earlier, the doctor had pronounced her dad a stroke patient and claimed there was no hope unless the world’s technology advanced beyond what it currently was, due to the amount of toxins in his system.

The doctor also claimed Quist only had a few months left—further shattering the whole family and giving Sapphire more courage.

Sapphire believed that even if she went out of line, the Austeegards would have no choice but to swallow it due to their current state.

The news of Quist’s grave condition—the Relling family had gotten it from a direct and true source: the doctor.

Yes, even the Austeegard household had long been bought over to the Relling family’s side. It was right to say that the Austeegard couple were surrounded by enemies in their own home. So how... how could this be?

What was happening?

The group of four, who had thought they’d be the ones to reveal their move, stood stunned as the situation slipped completely out of their control. Even the guards were frozen stiff in fear and shock.

The master who looked near death minutes ago—how could he look so radiant now? Hazel, too, looked ever radiant.

Quist Austeegard’s shoes struck the floor with authority as he took step after step. One hand wrapped around Hazel, while the eyes he cast at Sapphire and the guards were frigidly cold.

“Put the guns down and kneel!” Quist bellowed ruthlessly. His voice was so powerful and dominant that they all fell to the ground with a thud, not daring to display even a hint of resistance.

Hazel and Quist’s eyes landed on Sapphire, filled with disappointment.

They had raised Sapphire with the best—trained her, nurtured her to be a good person. How could it be that she would dare do this to their family? Such an ungrateful child!

Even after they found out she wasn’t their daughter, they never would’ve dumped her. Yet she dared...

At that moment, how could Sapphire not understand one thing?

The Austeegard family had already known the truth at some point—they had purposely acted out a drama for the Relling family’s eyes, which everyone had fallen for.

It turned out that Valencia wasn’t the sinking ship. Sapphire and the Relling family were.

If Sapphire wanted to preserve her life, she had only one choice...

With a loud thud, Sapphire fell to her knees, hitting her head on the floor with a bang—so loud that her head rang, and the skin on her forehead broke. Blood dyed her skin.

Sapphire’s eyes pooled with tears as she stared at them pitifully. “Mom. Dad. I’m sorry. I had no choice. I was forced. I…”

Tears streamed down her cheeks like a broken string. She cried out pitifully, as if she were the victim forced against her will.

Sapphire hurriedly stretched out her hand to grab Hazel’s leg. Hazel was always gentle. She had raised and pampered Sapphire. There’s no way Hazel would easily watch her die.

Sapphire just had to squeeze out more tears and feign more pity, and Hazel would let her go—just as she always had.

Unfortunately for Sapphire, before her hand could touch Hazel’s leg, a cold, pronounced smile appeared on Quist’s face. He kicked her fiercely.

Immediately, Sapphire collapsed in an ungraceful heap.

“Guards, seize her and lock her in the prison, along with those traitors,” Quist declared ruthlessly.

Before Sapphire could make a sound, she and her guards had already been dragged away by Quist’s loyal men.

Sapphire thought she could plead for pity and make them soften—that they would take pity on her and forgive her. So what if they raised her?

The family had raised Sapphire with love, yet she had collided with and turned against them. She had even dared to attempt to kill Valencia.

How could the Austeegard family ever forgive someone so vile?

“Darling. Our daughter. My daughter,” Hazel’s voice trembled, her eyes pooling with tears. Instantly, she let go of Quist’s hand and rushed toward Valencia.

Ever since Hazel stepped outside, she hadn’t been able to focus on anything or anyone.

Her eyes were fixated on Valencia. Her daughter. Their daughter. Her poor, wronged daughter.

She had raised a wolf—and the enemy’s child—while her real daughter had lived in a pitiful state her whole life.

Just thinking about it brought tears to Hazel’s eyes. It was as if she’d been stabbed in the heart, making her feel unbearably uncomfortable.

If she hadn’t fallen unconscious after giving birth—if she had only taken a look at her daughter before she was taken away—if...

Valencia would never have suffered the pain and hardship she had endured.

The moment Hazel arrived in front of Valencia, her eyes roamed her daughter’s figure, inspecting that she was fine. And indeed, there was nothing wrong.

Valencia’s body unconsciously tensed. She felt nervous, lowering her face and holding her dress tightly, as if afraid of being unwelcome.

Her eyes studied Hazel’s face, trying to gauge her expression—and soon, her heart calmed down.

Unable to take it anymore, Hazel stretched out her hands and whispered in a shaky voice, holding back tears, “Can I?” As soon as she said this, tears slipped down her face.

Quist wrapped his arms around her and gently comforted her.

“Can I, Valencia?” Hazel whispered again, her voice coaxing and afraid she’d scare her daughter away.

Valencia’s lips trembled. She sniffed, her body trembling—and she softly nodded her head.

Immediately, Hazel wrapped her arms around Valencia, engulfing her in a tight hug. She cried out, “My baby. My innocent baby. Mommy let you down. Mommy has failed you.”

Quist reached out and wrapped both women in a hug, his eyes red and filled with pain.

He was the one who had failed his family the most.