Free Web NovelChapter 485: Chapter 485: He’s Not My Brother
Zoe Kane was holding a little boy of about two. Caleb Summers held an umbrella over Zoe and the child with one hand, while his other hand held onto a slightly older boy. They looked for all the world like a happy family of four.
Looking at the family of four before her, and then thinking back to the sight of Nina Summers squatting by the villa gate drenched in rain, Grace Sutton couldn’t help but roll her eyes. "What are you doing here?" she asked irritably.
Caleb Summers acted as if he hadn’t seen Grace Sutton’s eye-roll and answered with a smile, "Grace, I heard Nina is here. I’ve come to take her home. I also brought Zoe and the children to visit Mom."
Grace Sutton snorted. "Your mother isn’t here! Didn’t you cut ties with the family a long time ago?"
Caleb Summers looked a little embarrassed. Seeing this, Zoe Kane, who was standing to the side, suddenly spoke up. "You must be my sister-in-law. It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Zoe!"
"I’m a little embarrassed, really. Caleb and I married in such a hurry that I never got to meet his family. I’ve always heard Caleb mention what a capable woman you are. I’ve been wanting to meet you, and now I finally have the chance!"
Zoe Kane’s smile was as gentle as a clear spring. She patted Chester Summers in her arms and said warmly to Grace Sutton, "Chester is almost two, and he’s never met his grandmother. We brought him today so Mom could see her grandson."
After speaking, Zoe Kane turned to Chester Summers. "Quick, Chester, say ’Auntie’."
Chester Summers blinked at Grace Sutton and cried out, "Auntie!"
As the saying goes, you can’t slap a smiling face. Hearing Zoe Kane’s words, Grace Sutton felt she couldn’t just throw them out. She stepped aside and let them in.
Zoe Kane walked in holding the child, her eyes furtively scanning the villa’s courtyard. An unconcealable greed colored her gaze.
’I can’t believe Caleb’s family is this well-off!’
Looking at the vegetable sprouts in the garden patch, Zoe Kane thought, ’If only I could live in a villa like this. It’s so much better than the place we’re living in now...’
The group entered the living room. Grace Sutton said flatly, "Have a seat. Mom’s upstairs. I’ll go get her."
After Grace Sutton left, Melody Summers and Nina Summers heard the commotion and came out of the kitchen. When Nina saw Caleb Summers, her expression changed instantly.
’She couldn’t believe it. She’d hidden all the way out here, and Caleb Summers still managed to track her down!’
When Zoe Kane saw Nina, she immediately put on a concerned smile. "Nina, you silly girl, how could you just run away from home like that? Your father and I were worried sick!"
Caleb Summers chimed in. "That’s right, Nina. How could you just run off without a word? That’s completely out of line. You’re coming home with us later!"
Facing their well-rehearsed act, Nina simply kept a cold expression and answered decisively, "I’m not going back."
Caleb Summers was stunned. He never expected the usually docile Nina to dare defy him.
When he came to his senses, he seemed enraged by Nina’s attitude. His brows shot up, and he looked ready to explode.
Seeing this, Zoe Kane quickly tugged on Caleb Summers’s sleeve, signaling him to calm down.
Then, Zoe Kane turned to Nina with a helpless smile and said softly, "Nina, how could you do this? Do you have any idea how worried everyone was when you ran off without a word?"
"We know we’ve been neglecting you lately because of your two little brothers. Your father and I have reflected on it. All four of us came to get you, so please, just come back with us. Don’t make your father worry anymore, okay?"
After she finished, Zoe Kane glanced at Melody Summers with a slightly apologetic look. She put on a helpless expression and sighed. "Melody, Nina has been spoiled by the family. I’m sorry you have to see this embarrassing display from your cousin."
Melody Summers just smiled and didn’t reply. She knew Zoe Kane was deliberately trying to paint Nina as a spoiled and willful girl in front of her. She just found it laughable. ’To think Nina was being bullied half to death by a woman of this caliber.’
’No, that’s not right. The real reason Zoe Kane can bully Nina is because of Caleb Summers, the one who’s always invisible...’
Caleb Summers then put on a show, clearing his throat and saying in a good-natured tone, "That’s right, Nina. You haven’t been home for days, and we couldn’t reach you by phone. Miss Kane and I were terrified! Be a good girl and come home with Dad, okay?"
Nina snorted with disdain. ’As if Caleb Summers and Zoe Kane actually cared about her!’
’She’d been locked up in The Crestview Hotel for days, and Caleb Summers hadn’t even called the police. Now he’s saying he cares about her? Yeah, right!’
Nina’s intuition told her that Caleb Summers and Zoe Kane showing up was like a fox guarding the henhouse—they were definitely up to no good.
Seeing Nina just sneering silently, Caleb Summers started to get anxious. ’He had to take Nina back today, no matter what!’
Nina’s guess was correct. Caleb Summers hadn’t come to get her out of concern, but because he was in a hurry to drag her back to discuss the marriage alliance with the Sheffield family.
Ever since Ivy Draper died, Mrs. Sheffield had been worried that her youngest son, Jim Sheffield, had no one to take care of him. She was pushing for Nina to marry into the family quickly to look after her precious son.
The Sheffield family had already promised to help Caleb Summers secure a director position as soon as Nina married in. With the city undergoing reconstruction, Caleb was desperate to climb the ladder and get a piece of the pie. His future would be truly limitless!
Caleb Summers was about to try persuading Nina again, but before he could speak, his godson, Howard Fletcher, who was beside him, suddenly piped up.
The reason was simple. Howard had just noticed the half-eaten peach clutched in Nina’s hand.
’A peach!’
’He hadn’t eaten any fruit since the cataclysm!’
Howard’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement. He shouted at Nina, "I want a peach, too! Give me the peach!"
Howard was used to snatching things from Nina at home. Without a second thought, he lunged straight for her!
Howard charged like a rampaging little wild boar. Nina was too slow to react, but thankfully, Melody Summers was quick. The moment Howard was about to touch Nina, she lifted her foot and kicked him away!
Kicked by Melody, Howard tumbled across the rug. He burst into tears with a loud "WAAAH!" and screamed at Caleb Summers and Zoe Kane, "Dad, Mom, help me! This mean woman is bullying me!"
Zoe Kane was instantly frantic. She put down Chester Summers, ran over to help Howard up, and yelled at Melody, "What do you think you’re doing?! How could you lay a hand on Howard? He’s just a child! You’ve gone too far!"
Melody Summers sneered. "He’s already acting like a little bandit at his age. Since you two as parents won’t discipline him, I’ll have to do it for you."
"You!" Zoe Kane shot Melody a hateful glare, then turned to Caleb Summers for help. "Honey, look at this... Howard is just a child! Your niece was way too rough!"
Caleb Summers also looked at Melody with disapproval and began to scold her. "Melody, you’ve gone too far! Howard is my godson now, which makes him your little brother! How could you treat your brother like that? Is that any way for an older sister to act?"
Melody almost laughed at Caleb’s antics. She waved her hand in disgust and replied, "Only those who share my grandmother’s blood are my siblings. Your adopted son is just your son, not my brother. Don’t go trying to force connections here!"
