My Child and I Married a Billionaire

Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Moving

What?

The moment the old woman heard that the entire incident had been recorded, her wailing abruptly stopped.

"Who are you trying to fool? She’s clearly the one who hit me and pushed me to the ground. I’m not afraid even if you recorded it! Accusing me of fraud? Of faking an accident? I see you’re just trying to get out of paying!"

"Everyone, you have to be my witness! This woman is an absolute bully!" frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

Damien Vaughn paid her no mind. He unlocked his phone, and footage of the recent argument began to play.

The onlookers craned their necks to get a look. When they saw the old woman lowering herself to the ground, they all fell silent.

Damien Vaughn put his phone away. "We can let the police sort out the truth when they get here. I’ve already called them. If you don’t mind the heat, feel free to keep lying there."

Hearing that he had not only recorded the whole thing but also called the police, the old woman’s expression changed. She grabbed her grandson and scrambled to her feet.

"I... I’ll be the bigger person and won’t stoop to your level. I can’t be bothered to argue with you! Hmph!"

"You’d better hope I never see you again, you horrible woman! If I do, I’ll curse you out every single time!"

With that, she held her grandson and started to leave. Damien Vaughn raised his foot to block her, but Cecelia Archer grabbed his arm.

"Just let it go. We’re neighbors; we’ll be seeing each other all the time. Besides, she’s old. It’s not worth fighting with her."

It was the same old logic—the elderly are always right. The onlookers chimed in to agree.

"Exactly. She’s old, she doesn’t know any better, and it’s not easy looking after a child. Don’t argue with her. Go on now, you two. Go about your business."

Damien couldn’t stand these unruly, small-minded people. He looked over at Candy, only to find her shaking her head at him too.

"Let it go, Uncle. Let’s not argue with an old person."

For Candy’s sake, Damien Vaughn let the old woman go.

Only then did Cecelia Archer notice he was carrying a pile of things.

"Why did you buy so much stuff again?"

"It’s snacks for Candy. What floor are you on? I’ll carry them up for you."

Cecelia Archer really didn’t want to take advantage of him again, but he had already bought everything. Asking him to return it would seem petty, so she had no choice but to lead him upstairs.

The old apartment complex had no elevator or property management. The stairwell, which was never cleaned, saw no sunlight and was dark and damp.

Cecelia Archer stepped inside and stomped her foot, but the motion-sensor light in the stairwell was broken too.

She was a bit embarrassed. "Watch your step, and don’t touch the handrail. Who knows how long it’s been since it was cleaned. It’s filthy."

The moment Damien Vaughn stepped inside, he was hit with a musty smell. He set his foot on the first step and felt something sticky, so disgusting he wanted to turn right back around.

"How did you even find a place like this? How much is rent per month?"

Cecelia Archer didn’t want to tell him.

’The rent here wouldn’t even cover one of his meals. But for someone like me, who might be renting for the rest of her life, every little bit adds up. It’s a death by a thousand cuts.’

Pretending she hadn’t heard, Cecelia Archer led Candy up the stairs and opened their apartment door.

The apartment, though small, was neat and tidy. The warm color scheme created a cozy atmosphere, a stark contrast to the outside that finally put Damien Vaughn a little more at ease.

"Do you have any slippers?" he asked, standing in the doorway.

Of course she didn’t.

It was just her and Candy at home, and men never came to visit. Why would Cecelia Archer have a pair of men’s slippers?

"It’s fine, you can just come in. I’m going to do a deep clean later anyway."

Damien Vaughn couldn’t bear the thought of tracking dirt from his shoes onto the clean floor. He glanced at the shoe rack, grabbed Cecelia Archer’s pink shower slippers, and squeezed his feet into them.

After placing the items on the coffee table, he began to survey the apartment’s layout.

The weather was still scorching. It was a little after one in the afternoon, and though it was bright and sunny outside, not a single ray of sunlight made its way into the room.

"Didn’t you consider sun exposure when you rented? Does your apartment ever get any direct sunlight?"

Not wanting to discuss anything related to the apartment, Cecelia Archer went to the sink and began rinsing the electric kettle.

"Are you thirsty? I can boil some water for you to drink."

There was no water purifier in the kitchen, nor was there any bottled water. Damien Vaughn’s brow furrowed once more.

"You two normally just drink tap water?"

If he said another word, Cecelia Archer felt she would die of shame.

’I’m a failure. I know I provide terrible living conditions for Candy! But... I grew up in an environment just like this, too...’

"I won’t renew the lease when it’s up at the end of the month. I’ll find a place with better sunlight." freewebnoveℓ.com

’She’s going to wait until the end of the month?’

Damien Vaughn couldn’t bear the thought of Candy living in these conditions for another minute!

"That’s enough. Pack your clothes and come with me."

He snatched the kettle from her hands.

They were only inches apart. Cecelia Archer just had to look up to see his grim expression and feel the palpable anger rolling off him.

She didn’t understand what he had to be so angry about. It wasn’t like *he* had to live here.

"Go where? This is our home. Where do you expect us to go?"

Damien Vaughn glanced over his shoulder. Candy was curiously unwrapping the things he’d bought. He lowered his voice.

"Candy is sick. She’s just a child and doesn’t know any better, but you’re an adult. Are you going to pretend you don’t understand, too? If she keeps living in an environment like this, when will she ever recover? You’re letting her condition worsen just to save a little money. Have you even thought about what’s truly at stake?"

Cecelia Archer was speechless.

"What are you spacing out for? Go pack your things."

Fine. Cecelia Archer admitted it. Candy really shouldn’t be living in a place like this. They had to move. But she couldn’t just go with Damien Vaughn.

"I get it. We’ll move tomorrow. I’ll start looking for a new apartment tonight."

’As if she’ll really move tomorrow,’ Damien Vaughn thought. He didn’t believe her for a second. ’When someone is that desperate for money, they’ll say anything.’

"If you want to stay here, fine, but Candy is coming with me right now. Cecelia Archer, I’m practically a stranger, and even I can’t stand to see her living like this. What are you, her own mother, thinking?"

"And those neighbors... They’re so crass and nasty. Aren’t you afraid of her growing up surrounded by people like that...?"

There’s an old story about a mother who moved her home three times just to find a good environment for her son. Mothers have always gone to great lengths for their children.

’But what about me? I put my own daughter in an environment like this, all to save a little money.’

Cecelia Archer was already wracked with guilt. Hearing Damien Vaughn lay it all out made her wish the ground would swallow her whole.

’I already owe Damien Vaughn so much,’ she thought. ’For Candy’s sake... what’s one more debt?’

"Where are we going?"

Damien Vaughn was just about to answer her when his phone rang.

He pulled it out with a grim expression. It was his grandfather.

"Just a moment, I need to take this... Grandpa."

The old man’s voice boomed through the phone, full of fury. "So, you do remember you have a grandfather? And you still know how to answer my calls? I was starting to think the great President Vaughn was so busy with his endless affairs that he’d forgotten all about this useless old man."

"..."

"Do you remember what day it is?"

Damien Vaughn switched away from the call screen to check his calendar. It was his grandfather’s 80th birthday, and he had completely forgotten!

"Your eighty-eighth birthday. Don’t worry, I remembered. I’ll be back tonight to celebrate with you, I promise."

"Hmph! You be here by five-thirty on the dot! If you’re one second late, I’ll disown you as my grandson!"