Chapter 260 Return to Admit Mistake
"I'm the daughter of the Smith family. What right do you have to stop me from going in?" Olivia mustered up her courage to introduce herself.
She even lifted her chin contemptuously.
But the servant looked her up and down. "The Smith family only has two sons. Where did this daughter come from? Did you get the wrong place?"
Actually, ever since Olivia left the Smith Villa, her name had become taboo in this household.
Many new servants had no idea that the Smith family once had a daughter.
When had Olivia ever been humiliated like this?
She got angry right away. "I want to see Xander! Whether I'm the Smith family's daughter or not, we'll find out soon enough!"
The servant looked troubled. "I'm really sorry, but if you don't have any proof of identity, I can't let you in."
She was just doing her job as a servant.
If she let someone in and something went wrong, she'd get fired.
Olivia had no choice but to call Tyrell again.
However, Tyrell had already blocked her. After several failed attempts to get through, she paced around anxiously.
The commotion outside was so loud that it disturbed Zane, the butler inside.
"What's going on?" Zane came out from inside, looking somewhat displeased.
When he saw Olivia, he froze. "Ms. Smith? Is that really you? You..."
Olivia was angry, but when she saw Zane come out, a wave of bitterness suddenly welled up in her heart.
Twenty years had passed, and Zane had aged a lot compared to her memories.
He still wore a well-tailored suit, but his hair had turned gray, and he now wore metal-framed reading glasses.
The wrinkles on his face showed the marks of time.
The only thing that hadn't changed was probably his eyes.
When he looked at her, he was always so gentle, kind, and doting.
Those memories she thought she had long forgotten suddenly came flooding back like a tide.
"Zane."
Zane's eyes immediately turned red.
Even though he was just a servant, Olivia had always treated him with respect.
"Ms. Smith, why have you come back?" Zane invited her into the house.
Olivia walked beside Zane, and as she passed the maid, she glared at her viciously.
The maid who got glared at scratched her head, a bit confused. Where was the demeanor of a socialite?
People who didn't know her identity would think she came from the countryside.
Olivia hadn't been back to the Smith Villa for over twenty years. The place had changed a lot - some of the decor and layout were different from her memories.
As soon as she stepped into the living room, she heard a series of urgent coughs.
Then, an elderly figure suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs on the second floor.
"Zane, what's all that noise outside?"
Zane excitedly went forward, helped Maddox down, and pointed at Olivia. "Mr. Smith, look who's come back!"
Maddox looked in the direction Zane was pointing and froze.
His hand gripping the cane began to tremble, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he didn't react for a long time.
Fortunately, Maddox was someone who had seen a lot in life and quickly adjusted his emotions.
But Maddox's already expressionless face now looked frighteningly gloomy.
"Dad..."
Olivia spoke cautiously, her heart filled with anxiety.
That lunatic Hayden had actually threatened her with the children's safety, forcing her to come to the Smith Villa to ask for help from Maddox and Xander.
She hadn't had a good night's sleep in days, lying awake in bed, tossing and turning every night.
Whenever it got late and quiet, her mind would replay the past twenty-plus years of her marriage to Hayden.
Some things couldn't stand up to close examination.
She had been deceiving herself all along.
Hayden had been lying to her from beginning to end.
Before, it was for her money. Later, he was worried that if the three sons found out the truth, they would team up to get revenge on him.
"Don't call me dad. I'm not your dad. From the moment you walked out of this house twenty years ago, you've had nothing to do with the Smith family." Maddox was so angry he couldn't help but cough violently.
Hearing the coughing, Zane quickly reached out to pat his back. "Mr. Smith, you're not well. Don't get so worked up."
Maddox waved his hand with an ugly expression, his sharp eyes fixed on Olivia. "Get out. You're not welcome here."
"Dad, don't be like this. I know I was wrong. I came back this time to apologize to you." Olivia was worried about Maddox's health and quickly stepped forward.
"If you can't understand what I'm saying, I'll have the security guards throw you out." Maddox's voice was cold and heavy, like an ice pick stabbing straight into Olivia's chest.
Her heart felt like it was being slowly cut apart, the pain almost making it impossible to breathe.
"Dad, I really know I was wrong." She dropped to her knees with a thud, her eyes red as she begged.
Zane couldn't bear to watch and also pleaded on her behalf. "Mr. Smith, I can see Ms. Smith really knows she was wrong. Why don't you forgive her?"
If even Zane felt sorry for her, how could Maddox not?
But he knew clearly what Olivia's purpose was in returning to the Smith Villa this time.
He didn't bother beating around the bush with Olivia. "I heard the Brown family recently declared bankruptcy, and that adopted daughter of yours was also arrested by the police."
Maddox's voice was calm, but these few sentences were like a thunderbolt striking Olivia's mind.
She looked at Maddox in disbelief. "Dad, how do you know?"
Maddox snorted coldly. "Never mind how I know. Dare you say you didn't come here because of these two things?"
Olivia guiltily lowered her eyes, which flickered.
Seeing her like this, what didn't Maddox understand?
His eyes looking at Olivia were full of disappointment. "Go back. I won't help you."
Even after all these years, he still didn't like Hayden and never acknowledged Hayden as Olivia's husband.
As a man, Hayden had no sense of responsibility, actually making Olivia willing to give up her family and everything to elope with him.
Now that the Brown Group had gone bankrupt, he was making her come back alone to ask for help.
"Dad, please help Hayden. After this bankruptcy, our family is really struggling."
Olivia knew she was in the wrong, but she had no choice.
Maddox had another fit of violent coughing. His blood suddenly surged, he coughed up blood, his vision went dark, and he passed out.
When Xander came home from work, this was the scene he saw.
Although Maddox's health wasn't great, it shouldn't have caused him to faint on the spot.
When he walked in and saw Olivia's face, he understood everything.
He told Zane to help get Maddox upstairs and called the family doctor Ryder.
Because of Maddox's condition, the Smith Villa briefly descended into chaos.