My Child and I Married a Billionaire

Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Go Pin Your Hopes on Your Son

She rushed to the bedside, spreading her arms wide and weakly placing herself between Mrs. Vaughn and Candy.

"Candy is just a child! She’s only three, she doesn’t understand anything! If you’re angry, take it out on me! I’m begging you, please don’t make things hard for her!"

"She’s barely had a single good day since she was born, and now she’s come down with such a serious illness..."

When Cecelia Archer thought about how her poor daughter’s surgery still wasn’t scheduled, her heart ached as if someone had grabbed hold of it, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

She had never intended to show weakness in front of Mrs. Vaughn, but this touched her soft spot, and she couldn’t control herself.

"I truly have no fantasies about Damien, and I’ve never dreamed of marrying into the Vaughn Family. I just want my daughter to be well. Please, I’m begging you, just give me a little more time. We’ll leave as soon as her surgery is over. You can have someone watch me every day. If I don’t leave by then, you can kill me for all I care..."

Even a vicious tiger won’t eat its own cubs, as the saying goes.

At that moment, watching Cecelia Archer tearfully shielding her daughter, Mrs. Vaughn couldn’t help but feel a stir of emotion.

’Sure, she’s a gold-digger who likes to play games with me, but her love for her child doesn’t seem like an act.’

’On account of her having this one redeeming quality, I won’t be too hard on her.’

After locking eyes with Cecelia Archer for a few seconds, Mrs. Vaughn silently left the hospital room.

All day, Cecelia Archer was on edge, and Mrs. Vaughn was just as distracted.

It was as if a subtle change had occurred in her heart the moment the doctor said Candy might be Damien’s daughter.

She no longer disliked Candy, much less found her an eyesore. Cecelia Archer’s pleas from today echoed over and over in her mind.

’She’s just a child, only three years old... She’s barely had any good days, and now she has such a serious illness...’

’If she really is my precious granddaughter... Just the thought of it is heartbreakingly unbearable.’

But there was something Mrs. Vaughn couldn’t figure out.

’If Candy really is Damien’s daughter, why wouldn’t Cecelia Archer use this perfect opportunity to latch onto Damien and never let go?’

’How could she and Damien, two such intelligent people, not know that Candy is their daughter?’

’What the hell is going on? What happened in the past?’

Since she had nothing better to do and was tormented by curiosity, Mrs. Vaughn started to investigate herself.

In no time, she learned of Claire Clark’s existence.

It turned out that Damien and Cecelia Archer had only started interacting frequently recently. For the past few years, he had spent most of his energy and money on a woman named Claire Clark!

After Claire Clark was fired from Central Hospital and then spent a few days in jail for falsely accusing Cecelia Archer at the mall, she was left with a criminal record. With no hope of finding a proper job, she just lazed around at home all day.

At first, when she returned with the title of an overseas student, was Damien Vaughn’s girlfriend, and had found such a respectable job, her family was quite pleased with her.

But as time went on, she stopped going to work, the Vaughn Group stopped sending people to their house, and the supermarket’s business was poor. With no one to help them with the new business they’d long wanted to start, her family began to have a problem with her.

Today was another day she slept in past ten. Claire Clark had just gotten out of bed, her hair a mess, when her mother unleashed a torrent of criticism.

"Look at you! And you call yourself a university student who studied abroad? You don’t go to work, you don’t even wash your face, all you do all day is sleep at home. What kind of way is that to behave?"

"Your father and I are so old, yet we still have to support you every day! Business is bad, and we asked you to talk to Damien about helping us start a new business, but you won’t even do that! My dear princess, when are you ever going to grow up?"

The reason Claire Clark had the audacity to be lazy at home was because she knew that everything her family had was thanks to her; it was all given to them by Damien Vaughn for her sake.

Without her, they’d be nothing, so no one had the right to criticize her. Therefore, she was utterly dismissive of her mother’s complaints.

"Get out of the way! I’m bursting, I need to use the bathroom! Stop bothering me!"

She was like this every time she was criticized. Her mother had finally reached her limit.

"What is wrong with you? Why did you just up and quit a perfectly good job? Was it because you couldn’t adapt to the hospital, or was someone making things difficult for you? If you were unhappy, you should have told Damien! He could have moved you to a cushy, comfortable department. If you keep skipping work like this, how are you going to keep your job in the long run?"

"Fine, don’t go to work. But for Damien’s sake, are they still paying you?"

’When it all comes down to it, isn’t she just complaining that I’m not making money?’

Her mother didn’t move, so Claire Clark plopped right down on the toilet in front of her.

"They’re not. I hate that stupid hospital, and I’m never going back. Can you please stop asking?"

Her mother was so shocked her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"Such a good hospital! People are dying to get a job there, and you’re saying you don’t like it? Then you... No wonder Damien hasn’t sent anyone to visit us lately. It couldn’t be because he’s angry at you over this, could it?"

"Oh, Claire, Claire, what am I going to do with you?"

"If you don’t know what to say, then don’t say anything. What else can you do all day besides yell? You’re just an illiterate country woman, and you have the nerve to lecture me with your so-called principles? Why don’t you go preach to your son? As if he’s so promising. Go ahead, turn your precious son into a dragon if you’re so capable!"

As the two were arguing, her equally useless brother walked out of his room, phone in hand.

He was dressed neatly and stylishly, chewing gum, and smelled strongly of cologne. He clearly had a date.

His mother stopped him. "Stop! Where are you going?"

"I’m not eating lunch at home today. I’m meeting a friend."

"You stop right there! All you do all day is fool around, eating and drinking with your good-for-nothing friends! When are you going to find a decent job? You’re old enough, but you’re not even trying to find a girlfriend and get married. All you do is fool around..."

Before she could finish, her son had vanished in a puff of smoke.

Unable to control her son, the mother had no choice but to turn her attention back to Claire Clark.

Just as another world war was about to break out, her son’s voice called from downstairs.

"Mom, customer! Come down!"

Muttering to herself, the mother slowly made her way downstairs.

In front of the cash register downstairs stood a slender, exquisitely dressed woman.

She was wearing sunglasses and holding a bottle of water.

With a dark expression, Ms. Clark scanned the water and said listlessly, "Five yuan."

Mrs. Vaughn paid her the five yuan. Through her sunglasses, she studied the hostile-looking woman for a few seconds.

"Excuse me, is Claire Clark home?"

Business had been terrible lately, with barely any customers coming in all day. Ms. Clark was already in a foul mood, and upon hearing the question, she looked at Mrs. Vaughn in disbelief.

"What did you say?"

"I’m looking for Claire Clark. Have her come out."

"You’re looking for Claire Clark? What for? Does she even know you? Who are you?"

Mrs. Vaughn elegantly removed her sunglasses, looking down at her condescendingly.

"I am Damien Vaughn’s mother. Do you think she knows me?"