Ch. 2261..2270

Chapter 2261 "We could have been the relatives of the richest man in the country. What happened in the end? Everything is now screwed because of you bunch of greedy people. We're going to be homeless! We are being chased by debt collectors! We may even die in the streets tomorrow..." Abigail sobbed.

Abigail, being the youngest daughter, had always been used to being a spoiled and wilful person, when things have developed to such a state, she would be the best at pointing fingers at the others. She even had the cheek to say that she was the closest to her brother growing up. since childhood, Abigail had beaten up vireo countless times, she had always bullied her brother as she wished. Nobody knew how she still dared to say such things without a sense of guilt at all at that moment. Hmph! She could say whatever she wanted to because her days were numbered, anyway. They were homeless and they had a crushing debt from gambling. These were enough for the Payne family to be stuck at a dead end with no way to escape.

Vireo sneered in his heart. He did not want to listen to that because these people no longer have the slightest bit of relation with him anymore. However, he was still stuck in the traffic, so he had no choice but to continue listening.

"Dad, what should we do? Is there really nothing we can do anymore? Is vireo no longer going to forgive US this time? If he doesn't take US in, we truly will die in the streets." Not only was Abigail the most spoiled and wilful one, but she was also the most cowardly one.

Abigail's crying and wailing were simply the beginning of it all. The family of five no longer cared that they were on the streets, much less they were glamorously dressed and were wearing fur. Abigail was the first to sit on the floor and bawled her eyes out. "

We're dead. If our brother doesn't want US anymore, we're surely dead..."

"Our brother, our brother, our brother! Now, you know that he's our brother now? You had bullied him a lot since childhood. You're always the one who had beaten him up to the point that he was bleeding from both his nose and mouth!" Ashnah kicked Abigail.

"Aren't you the same?" Chloe grabbed Ashnah's hair at that moment. "You're the one who had egged me on and insisted that we join hands with you to control our brother. You even said that Vireo's properties could then be firmly secured in the palm of our hands this way. You said if we had vireo, this endless source of wealth, we would be able to live very comfortably for the rest of our lives. You even said that we can't let him settle down and start a family in this life because once he has his own family, a wife, and his children, he will no longer put us as his priority anymore. The money that he earned will no longer be ours anymore!

Ashnah, these are all said by you! You're the fucking bitch that led US to our doom!"

"Abigail, are you asking for a beating? Do you think I'm not your match? You're already fifty while I'm only forty-six! I'll beat you to a pulp!" After shouting that, Abigail, who was originally stepping on Ashnah, suddenly changed her target and knocked right into her eldest sister, Chloe.

At that moment, the Payne sisters were already completely at each other's throats. The three sisters fought each other on the streets so violently that each of them was covered in dirt and dust, and their hairs were all yanked out.

The traffic was already bad, to begin with, but their fight attracted many people to get out of their cars and gather to watch in excitement. Vireo wanted to leave, but nobody cared even if he honked. He had no choice but to continue sitting in the car and watch the people, who were once his family, fight each other on the streets at the South city train station. 1 "Stop it! Stop fighting, all of you!" At that moment, their mother suddenly bawled and cried at the top of her lungs. "You'll get yourselves killed even before others even get to do it! Look who is behind you! We're doomed..." There was a sense of terror in her miserable cries.

Chapter 2262 As soon as they heard their mother's miserable cry, as well as her asking them to look who was behind them, the three sisters stopped fighting at the same time. They looked toward their mother altogether.

"How could you still have the mind to fight? First, take a look at who is behind you!" Their mother's cries became even more miserable and hopeless.

The three sisters turned around and looked behind them at the same time. There were six tall and strong men dressed in all black standing behind them. One of the men, who was the leader, said coldly, "You said your brother is the most outstanding and the youngest doctor at the best hospital in South City, and he also has a property here. Not only does your brother have a property, but he also has many friends in South city, who were all the wealthy relatives of his patients. Your family has truly made such exaggerated empty promises to US. At first, we didn't even believe you. We then followed you to South city. After we saw your brother, we believed you. You bunch of broke fools truly had such an outstanding brother. It's just such a pity that all of you are too vicious. In the past, those thieves who stole pigs, cows, and whatnot from others in the middle of the night would even leave some loose change behind to take it as they've already paid for it. On the other hand, not only did you not even spend a single penny, but you even want to leech off your brother till there's nothing left of him. We're debt collectors, but we can't be compared to you. We are not as cruel as you!"

He continued. "However, you've shot yourselves in the foot! You were so vicious and you thought your brother would obediently submit to you, but you didn't expect that he would have even stronger support! Never would you have thought that your brother truly is a young master of the Ford family in South City! There goes your hope, right? Damn it! We're truly unlucky! We had followed you all the way here. Not only did we not get any interest, but we can't get back the slightest bit of our capital as well!

We can't afford to afford the Ford family in South City! However, you, as well as your children, will have to be ours! Get up and come with us obediently! The oldest one..."

The man surveyed the eldest sister, Abigail, from the top to bottom. "You're rather old. You're fifty, right? Shit, you truly aren't worth anything anymore. It's a good thing that you've kept yourself in good shape. It's still passable if you pretend to be forty.

We'll send you to the worst place then. No matter what you do, you have to pay twenty-thousand dollars a month! You will have five years. I think you'll probably also be ruined after five years!"

Abigail was so scared that her legs immediately turned to jelly, she was unable to cry out loud anymore, she barely supported herself and begged the man dressed in black. "No, please...you can't be this cruel. This is a public street..." 1 The man in black smiled calmly. "Alright, I'll be your daughter then II "No, no, no, I'll go, I'll go!" Chloe said frantically.

"Yes, that's how a mother should be. The way your parents treated your brother truly is not something a human should have done, let alone parents. Get in!" The man criticized lightly.

Chloe obediently followed the men behind the man in black and got in a black car not far away. She did not dare to scream and shout at all. Immediately after that, it was the second sister of the Payne family, Ashnah's, turn. The man, who was dressed in black, had a slightly better attitude toward Ashnah compared to how he was with Chloe.

"You're slightly prettier than your sister, but you owe US more money than her. You'll be given five years as well, but you'll get a slightly better treatment compared to your sister. It's up to you if you want to walk to the car or...." the man dressed in black said.

Ashnah still had blood on her face. It was from the fight she had with her sisters earlier on. she did not even bother wiping off the blood on her face, and she looked at the man dressed in black with a miserable expression. "H-How much do I-I have to make every month?"

"Fifty thousand," said the man casually.

"F-Fifty thousand? Then, I'll have to..." Ashnah's face went pale. She was already forty-six years old. If it was the charm for an elegant lady, she did have that, but what about the beauty of a youthful girl?

Chapter 2263 She truly was not considered young and beautiful anymore. At the age of forty-six, she was asked to earn fifty thousand dollars a month to pay off her debt. Would she still make it out alive?

"Could it be less..."

"Sixty thousand dollars a month, then." The man dressed in black was still as calm.

"I'll go, I'll go, I'll go..." Ashnah knew that if she were to continue bargaining there, the amount may be raised to two thousand dollars a night, she then frantically crawled over to that black car not far away from her.

Abigail was the only one left on the ground, she lifted her tearful face and smiled as she looked at that man dressed in black, "sir, I-I am only one year shy of forty. With my figure and my looks, I..."

"Mm-hmm. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars a month." The man did not even look at Abigail.

"No..." Abigail was so frightened that her face was as white as a sheet.

"Three hundred thousand dollars then."

"I СЭП...І can accompany the..." Abigail was very tempted to say that with her beauty, she was able to accompany the leader of their gang. When she was taking a loan from them back then, it was because of her beauty that she was able to loan one million dollars more than her sisters.

"Yes, I know that it's very easy for you to make three hundred thousand dollars a month. That's why I gave you a bigger target compared to your sisters. If you think it's very easy, I can set the target a little higher..."

"No, no! No need. I'll get in the car myself." Abigail dejectedly crawled toward that car not far away.

The men had dirt on the three sisters, so they did not dare to resist them at all. Their conversation was extremely vague. From an outsider's point of view, it was simply a dispute among a family, especially when Abigail was smiling at that man dressed in black the whole time. How would the outsiders know what was going on? However, when Lucius and his wife watched their three daughters being held in the car without knowing if they would ever be able to make it out alive, they were simply stunned.

Those were their daughters. Their three daughters. They only had these three daughters in their life, and they had always loved them more than life! They had never treated them with inequality even when they had a son. Were they really going to be destroyed and defiled by others like that? However, what other ways do they have?

"Both of you are already so old. We are civilized people and never disrespect the elderly. I will buy train tickets for both of you in a while and send you back home. What do you think? We're still quite humane, right?" The man dressed in black looked at the old couple extremely seriously.

The couple was speechless.

A full minute later, the old lady suddenly threw her head back and threw up a mouthful of blood. "Karma! This is all karma! Us spending money to buy a baby is the greatest harm we've caused others! We had never even loved him after we bought this child. We only harmed and leeched off him. Not only did we stand idly by and not save the child, but we even rubbed salt into his wound and attempted to have him killed. After we saw that he had made a comeback, we still wishfully thought of continuing leeching off him. This is truly retribution for us! God! I've made too many mistakes in this life, and I'm too ashamed to be living in this world anymore."

After saying that, the old lady, who was feeling hopeless beyond measure, suddenly rushed toward the concrete pillar of the overpass next to her and knocked herself on it.

There was a loud bang and the old lady died on the spot.

"Dear..." Lucius shouted at the top of his lungs and quickly rushed over to his wife.

Chapter 2264 That scene was truly tragic. Even though vireo had made up his mind to cut off all ties with the Payne family, he had never expected that things would end up being like that, vireo teared up. " Mom."

However, calling out to her was all that he did because he knew he had already done his best for the Payne family a long time ago. He had long paid them back a hundredfold and even a thousandfold of whatever he owed them. The reason why the Payne family was in such a state where they had no way out was indeed their own fault. They only had themselves to blame for this.

Therefore, even if vireo was covered in tears, he still remained seated in his car without making a move at all.

The traffic got worse. Many people, who had great guts, got out of their car and went to have a closer look, so the traffic got worse.

Lucius was on the ground hugging his wife and was shouting at the top of his lungs in tears. "My dear, o-our family is going to be broken. What was even our point in this? I know I'm wrong. I know I'm wrong. I have made mistakes in this life. I deserved this.

Woman, why did you have to die before me? My dear...wait for me."

After he bawled out again, Lucius also followed in his wife's footsteps and knocked his head on that thick concrete pillar. He died instantly.

That tragic situation happened too suddenly. Some of the people who wanted to check out what was going on did not dare to get any closer anymore. Many people then quickly get in their cars. Vireo, who was sitting in his car, was already covered in tears.

"Dad, Mom. Daddy and Mommy, how I've wanted to call you dad and mom, to rush into your embrace, and to act like a spoiled child while laying on your knees and looking up at you. Even if it was just once. I wanted so badly for both of you to always be by my side, watch me get married and have one child after another. After that, my wife and I let you take care of our children while we worked. I wanted that so badly. But, why? Dad, may you rest in peace. Mom, may you rest in peace as well. Ah..." Vireo suddenly shouted in a suppressed manner. "My parents are dead!" 1 That morning, vireo did not manage to go to the Ford Residence to visit his biological father. He turned his car around and parked it under the overpass. He rushed to his adoptive parents' side, and then took out his phone to call the police. He had no idea where that black car that was parked at the side earlier on had gone. At that moment, all he could do was call the police. 1 Police arrived very quickly. After an autopsy was performed on his adoptive parents' bodies, they were sent to the crematorium.

Vireo handled all of the arrangements for his adoptive parents. Even though he had already cut off his relationship with them, even though he did not want to get involved with his adoptive parents' matter anymore, both of them still died an untimely death and he also could not just sit idly by. His family in South City was very supportive of him. He had also applied for leave from the hospital. Therefore, he was able to handle all of his adoptive parents' matters in those few days.

Three days later, the bodies were all prepared, and they were about to be pushed into the cremation chamber. Right at that moment, Vireo received a call from the police. They had arrested a criminal gang that specialized in human trafficking. Most of those victims had debts and needed to use themselves to pay their debts. Most of the people in debt were women.

Chapter 2265 They were usually targeted in advance, and step by step, they were then lured into the trap that had already been set up beforehand. Step by step, they were tricked into gambling all of their family fortunes away. As a result, they would be in a lot of debt. In the end, they would have a crushing debt that could never be repaid, so they had to use their bodies as the capital to pay off their debts until their bodies were completely worthless. In the end, they would be secretly executed.

Such a vast and despicable criminal gang was quickly destroyed by the police with the clues provided by vireo.

However, no one knew what the Payne sisters had been through in those three days. By the time the police found them, they were already dead. Their bodies were covered in bruises and not a single part of them from top to bottom was spared. The mouth of the eldest sister, Chloe, was even slit open, when Vireo saw that the sisters died so miserably, he could hardly bear to look at them. 1 In the short span of three days, the entire Payne family had died. Vireo was the one who was in charge of handling the Payne family's funeral arrangements. After everything was all settled, a week had already gone by. Vireo also lost a lot of weight. On Sunday, all of his relatives in South city came to his house, and he was still in great pain. 1 "Holden, don't be sad. They deserved what they got. You weren't the one who got them involved in gambling. You also weren't the one who had asked them to buy a baby back then. All the years of abuse they had inflicted on you were also their crime. It is said that people who do bad things would get punished. This is the retribution that they deserved to get. Don't be sad anymore, son. If you're sad, I'll also be sad." Elsa was standing in front of Vireo while holding a bowl of refreshing soup in her hands.

Elsa had been a nun for decades, so she believed in divine retributions the most.

After he had two days to cope with everything, Vireo seemed much calmer. He looked at his mother and smiled a little.

"Thank you, Mom. You have been so concerned about me. I'm fine. In fact, I had already figured it all out. It's just that they were once the people whom I've lived with, after all. I have also once treated them like my parents and sisters. All of them died so suddenly, so it was a little hard for me to accept it."

"I know." Elsa teared up. Her son was a caring person who valued relationships.

"In the future, I'll go and visit your adoptive parents' grave with you every year," said Isadora, wrapping an arm around vireo's shoulders.

Vireo nodded, and then he raised his exhausted eyes to look at all of the loved ones that came to visit him. Sean, Sebastian, Sabrina, as well as Sebastian and Sabrina's three children, including Sabrina's mother, Gloria, came over.

Sabrina's cousin, Marcus, as well as Yvonne also came. At the side, there was also Zayn and his wife, as well as their child. The person who sat on Vireo's left side was Minerva, who had been addressing him as her uncle as if he was truly her uncle, as well as her boyfriend, Nigel. There were also a group of children running and playing on the balcony while Ruth was watching over them. A smile gradually appeared on Vireo's face.

"That's right. My heart and soul will be in South City from now on. I no longer have anything to do with the people in the small county. Their deaths have nothing to do with me as well. I will be a very good doctor. At home, I will be a good husband and a good son."

After saying that, he stood up and looked cheerfully at everyone present. "Tell me, what would you guys like to eat today? I'll personally cook for you. Not only am I good with knives on the operating table, but I'm just as good with knives in the kitchen!"

"Uncle Holden, I want to have porkchops. The kind that has bread crumbs and sesame on top," said Aino, who was on the balcony.

"Uncle Holden, I also want to have that. I haven't had enough of that fried pork chop you made last time for Aino and me," Minerva also immediately said.

Minerva had been sent to outstation for her studies in the past few days. She had only heard about everything that had happened at her uncle's place from others. However, she could not help but tear up after she heard all about it. She truly felt very sorry for her uncle. The best way she was able to comfort her uncle was to say that she wanted to have the food her uncle made, she knew that what her uncle liked the most was the feeling of home.

"Alright! I will fry some pork chops for all of you today!" He headed for the kitchen while saying that.

Just as he reached the entryway, the doorbell rang, vireo suddenly stopped in his tracks. He first turned his head around and glanced at the large living room. All the people that he knew were already in the living room. Who could be knocking at the door, then? As soon as he opened the door, vireo saw the face of an unfamiliar man. "You are..?"

Chapter 2266 "Uncle Holden, you must be Uncle Holden!" said the man in a straightforward manner while smiling.

vireo was confused. "Looking at your age, you should be..."

"I am calling you uncle because of your age but your position in the family," said the man with a smile.

Vireo was speechless.

"It's like this, Uncle Holden, I need to explain to you about this. My Uncle Alex and your brother, which is my Uncle Sebastian, are blood brothers. Their relationship is so great that both of them are willing to sacrifice themselves for each other, г 11 let you in on a secret. Back then when Uncle Alex and Uncle Sebastian were very poor, they had once shared the same pants. Therefore, their relationship is not much different from your relationship with Uncle Sebastian. Say, since I addressed Sebastian as my uncle, I can't be just calling you like a friend now, can't I? Uncle Sebastian would skin me alive that way." Ryan was already a father of two children, but he was still like a child when he was in front of Sebastian, Vireo, and all these people.

Vireo was still confused. "Your name is..."

"Oh, Uncle Holden, could you first let me in? I miss my wife, and I miss both of my sons even more." Ryan impatiently wanted to squeeze through to enter.

"Don't come in! If you dare to come in, I'll kill you!" Somehow, Ruth was already standing behind vireo.

Not only did she have a kitchen knife in her hand, but she also had two fierce-looking bodyguards standing next to her. However, both her bodyguards were too short. They were not even up to Ruth's waist. If the two bodyguards were to stand next to Vire and Ryan, who were even taller, they probably were only able to come up to their knees. However, even though they were short, both the bodyguards were tough fighters. Without waiting for Ruth to give them the order, both the bodyguards already charged at Ryan with anger. Both of the little children hugged one of Ryan's legs each.

"Oh..."

"Ah!"

Both the little children exerted all of their strengths as they wanted to make the giant that they were holding onto fall over.

However, the giant did not move at all. Both the bodyguards were so pissed. They had no choice but to change their strategy.

Both of them started stepping on Ryan's shoes at the same time. They just kept stepping on his shoes. Ryan's shoes were originally very shiny, but after they were stepped on by the two little bodyguards for a couple of minutes, they were all messed up.

However, Ryan did not mind at all. He just smiled and happily watched the two bodyguards hugging his legs while stepping on his foot.

Vireo, who was standing opposite them and watching everything, had never met Ryan before, but he already figured out who the man in front of him was from his analysis.

"You're Ryan, right?" asked Vireo.

"That's right, Uncle Holden." The way Ryan addressed Vireo was as if he was truly his uncle, but vireo still did not know him.

Also, Ryan heard that vireo was gentle and also very well-educated. He was most likely the best person Ryan could get who could help put in a good word for him that day. Therefore, Ryan had to be a little nicer to him.

"Hurry up and come. Look how great your children are. Both strong and adorable. Oh, they are really very strong." While Vireo complimented them, he took a step back as he intended to let Ryan enter the house.

As soon as Vireo said that, he heard voices saying in unison, "No way!"

One of them was Ruth. The other two voices were very child-like, and they came from the mouths of the two little bodyguards who were going after and attacking Ryan.

Chapter 2267 Both the little bodyguards were still stepping on Ryan's shoes. When they saw that they were already stepping on his shoes with all their might, but Ryan still did not budge at all, the two little bodyguards were so angry that they kept screaming. Suddenly, the older child came up with a plan. After that, he gave a signal to his brother with his eyes. Both of the brothers immediately had a mutual understanding. They immediately titled their heads together, and then immediately charged and put their mouths on Ryan's legs. Before Ryan was able to react, both the brothers have already started biting on him.

The teeth of children who were three years old were still unable to bite down hard enough, so as they bit down on Ryan, he felt so ticklish that he kept laughing without stopping. "Little brats, little brats, hurry up and stop! I can't take it anymore. I can't take it anymore. I am here today to apologize to your mother for my mistakes. Can you guys forgive me?" Ryan immediately looked toward Ruth with a pleading gaze. His expression was also very funny. "Ruth, do something about our sons. I am their biological father."

Ruth sneered. "Biological father? Maybe not, right? I am such an unfaithful woman. I may not even remember how many times I've cheated on you."

"Ruth!"

"Ruth, you can't say such a thing!"

Both Sabrina and Yvonne reprimanded Ruth. Only Sabrina and Yvonne dared to reprimand Ruth. Also, Ruth did not get angry at them. That was because Ruth knew that both Sabrina and Yvonne were her best friends in this world. Both of them were doing it for her own good.

Ruth smiled miserably at Ryan, and there was a sense of relief in her tone as she said, "I'm sorry."

Ryan was not used to it for a moment. "Ruth, you.Jf you suddenly be so polite to me, I'll feel that you...you and I are not that close anymore. It's better for you to just use that loud voice that is unique to you and scold me with a rude tone, Ruth," said Ryan in a wicked manner.

Ruth shook her head. "There's no need for that, Ryan. I'm thinking that no matter how bad my situation is now, it can't be as bad as Sabrina's situation back then when she was fleeing for her life out there, right? At the very least I am able to find a high-paying job with my own abilities now. At the most basic level, I am able to raise my two children. I think I'm not suitable to be a wife of a rich man from a noble family. I don't have an education, don't have anybody powerful to back me up, and I don't come from a good family. I don't even have my biological parents, let alone a good family. I truly don't want to live my life in fear every day where everything I do is wrong. I think..." 1 There was a pause before Ruth said again, "Ryan, I think both of US should give each other some space to cool our heads. Just for half a year, alright?"

"No, not even a day! I miss you and I miss our children! since you're in South City, then I'll also stay in South City!" Ryan was just like a child when he was shamelessly unreasonable. Ruth did not know whether to laugh or cry.

At that moment, Isadora suddenly said very coldly, "Fuck off!"

Ryan was stunned. "Isadora, don't you forget that it's because my Uncle Alex had let you off easy that you're able to return to Kidon City. For the sake of my uncle, who has shown you kindness, you also have to side with me, don't you? You can't be siding with outsiders."

While he said that, Isadora already came in front of Ryan. "I'm sorry, Mister Poole! I know that it's your uncle who had let me off easy! However, that's your uncle, that's not you! I don't know about other things, but I only know that when I got back to Kidon City, Sabrina had given me some missions. Firstly, she asked me to protect Jane! Secondly, she asked me to protect Ruth! I don't care if you're Alex's nephew or not. I only know that Ruth is feeling aggrieved now and she is unhappy! she is now in my house.

The house that belongs to my husband and me! Please leave immediately. If you don't, I'll beat you up!"

Isadora meant business. She had always been a very straightforward and pure girl. Sabrina asked her to protect Jane and Ruth, so she would always keep her promise. After saying that, she raised her hand as she wanted to beat Ryan up. In the end, before her fist landed on Ryan, she saw two little children rushing toward Ryan angrily. "I'll beat you..."

Chapter 2268 The two children kicked, bit, hit, and attacked Ryan in various ways. Ryan truly did not know whether to laugh or cry. Isadora, who was originally going to attack Ryan, was suddenly amused by that scene, she kept fanning the flames at the side. "Kids, beat him up hard! He's the one who made your mom sad!"

The pair of twins then hit Ryan even harder. Ryan was left in a wretched state after being beaten up by the two children, but he also could not bear to smack his own children. After all, they were only three years old. Ryan then looked at Sabrina in embarrassment. "Aunt Sabrina, I...Aunt Sabrina, I have never treated Ruth badly. Please help me persuade her and let her stop the children from beating me up. In the future, the children will be spoiled..."

Before Sabrina said anything, Ruth, who was still holding the kitchen knife, said, "Ryan Poole! I swear on my character that I've never urged my children to beat you up! Whenever you're not at home, I've always been telling them that their father is a good father, and their father loves them very much! I have never encouraged them to do such things!"

"I know. I know that, Ruth. I know," Ryan said repeatedly.

Ruth suddenly teared up. "since you know that, that means the children did not beat you up because I told them to. The fact that they beat you up can only mean that they truly had seen their mother being sad and they are seeking justice for me. As a father, you also have the responsibility to educate your children! If the children beat you up, then you can only blame yourself for not fulfilling your responsibility as their father!" What she said made Ryan speechless.

In Ruth's eyes, Ryan was indeed a fully grown man. However, in the eyes of the entire Poole family, Ryan was still like a child to them, so everyone in the Poole family was still doting on Ryan. As a result, when Ryan was at the Poole Residence, especially in front of his own children, he did not act like a father at all. Also, as he had his freedom at the Poole Residence and because his parents doted on him, Ryan lived very freely there. He was already a father of two, but he still often went to gatherings with his friends and played his heart out with them. Sometimes, it would even be normal for him to travel somewhere for a few days. Also, Ryan spent the majority of his time doing investments all over the country.

Most of the Poole family were in politics. Even his father, who did not like to fight and compete with others, was also in politics.

However, Ryan simply did not want to do that. He did not like to be in politics, so he chose to do business. He was also quite business savvy, so much so that he has quite a number of successful investments around the corner. Therefore, he actually spent two- thirds of the year flying back and forth.

In this case, both of his children were already three years old, but Ryan actually was hardly at home interacting with them. He had always felt that in any case, the children were growing up in the Poole family, so they were loved by their grandparents, and they were also very much loved by their great-grandparents. Even Alex and Jane were also so fond of this pair of grandnephews that they loved them almost the same as their own children. Therefore, Ryan, who was hardly at home all year round, also felt that his two precious children were not lacking in love. They were the most precious fourth generation of the Poole family. Who would not love them? Ryan, as their father, was then able to take it easy, instead.

It did not matter if he took it easy once in a while, but after three years, the two little children did not have any feelings toward their father at all. Even though their mother kept praising their father as a good person, kept telling them how much he loved her, and whatnot, once they saw their mother moving out of the Poole Residence while taking them along, both the little children immediately sided with their mother and became hostile toward their father. They simply wanted to protect their mother just because their father made their mother sad. Hmph! Also, just as Ruth had said, as their father, he was also responsible for his children's rude behavior of hitting their father. He did not do his part in educating his children. 1 Ryan was left speechless.

Chapter 2269 He awkwardly looked at Ruth and then his two children. He was only able to let the two children vent their anger at him for the time being. Lucky for him, both the children were not that strong. After they kept hitting him for a few minutes, they were then so tired that they were gasping for breath. Both of them sat on the ground while breathing heavily and then looked at their own father very fiercely.

"Hmph! If you bully my mom again, I'll beat you up again!"

"Do you accept that?"

Both the three-year-old little brats sounded just like an adult when they spoke. Everybody in the house was so amused by the two little ones that they laughed uncontrollably. Even Ruth, who was still holding the kitchen knife, could not help but laugh.

Taking advantage of the moment, Ryan took over the knife from Ruth's hand, but he was still smiling. "Ruth, look, there are so many people here today. Just let me in and don't make me look bad, alright? We can talk it out and resolve everything."

Ryan was already considered to have humbled himself very much. In that case, if Ruth continued to make a big deal, it truly would seem a little unacceptable in the eyes of the others. Ruth then angrily looked at Ryan. "Come in quickly, then!"

Ryan smiled. "Ruth, you still can't let go of me."

While saying that, Ryan showed himself into the house. He had never been to Vireo's house, not even once. However, other than vireo and his mother, Elsa, Ryan was familiar with everyone else in the house. Ryan made himself at home once when he entered Vireo's house, and he kept addressing him as Uncle Holden. At first, vireo was not quite used to it, but got used to it after only a few minutes.

While sitting on the couch, Vireo surprisingly even took the initiative to comfort and advise Ruth. "Ruth, it's not easy for two people to be married. I also know that I shouldn't be advising you when I've not been in your shoes, but you already have two children, after all. You'll have to talk it out for everything."

Ruth respected Vireo very much, so she smiled. "I know. Thank you for your concern. I will seriously consider what you said."

"Alright," said Vireo.

Ryan looked at vireo with gratitude. "Thank you, Uncle Holden. Thank you very much."

At that moment, Elsa said, "Let's first share a meal together. It so happened that everyone is here today. Since it's going to be very lively with so many people here, then let's just have fun and enjoy ourselves today."

Only then did everyone stop discussing Ryan and Ruth's matter.

After more than an hour's worth of work, the food was officially served. Vireo was undeniably a great cook. The pork chops covered in breadcrumbs and sauce that he fried were so tender, crispy, and juicy. Not only did the children love it, but even the adults loved it so much that their mouths were covered in the juice and sauce.

After they finished their meal, both Yvonne and Minerva took the initiative to take the children to the balcony for a game of tag.

Both Ruth and Ryan's children were also involved. The majority of the people that were left in the living room were adults. At that moment, Ryan solemnly looked at Ruth again. "Ruth, don't be wilful. Go back with me. The Poole family is such a big family. You didn't even let the elders in the family know and you took the children back to South City on your own. Do you know how worried the elderly people at home were? Do you know how worried my parents were? Also, both my grandparents cried. However, even so, they still asked that I personally come to South city to bring you home, which is already considered giving you an out. Be good and follow me home."

Ruth looked at Ryan solemnly. "No. I won't go back with you, Ryan.

Chapter 2270 Ryan's face immediately turned pale for a moment and a sense of anger even flashed by. Immediately after that, he covered it up and he softened his tone as much as he could as he said, "Ruth, knock it off!"

"Гт being serious!" Ruth said calmly. She looked at everyone present and smiled sadly. After that, she took a deep breath. "Ryan, I know that other than you, all of my friends here today, including Sabrina and Yvonne, whom I've treated as my family, would probably persuade me to go back with you. Because all in all, you indeed treated me quite well. You care for me and you love me. Ever since we got married, you have also never been involved with debauchery. Everyone in this house will certainly persuade me by telling me that both of US are already married with two children and they are a pair of twins, what a great family I have. They will also tell me that as a girl who has nothing, I'm already considered very blessed to be able to marry into such an eminent family as the Poole family. Also, a million girls would kill to become married into the Poole family and be a wife of a rich man."

Speaking of that, Ruth smiled again. That smile had a sense of helplessness, of her giving up, and also a feeling relaxed. After she smiled, she continued, "However, without truly being a part of the family, who could understand what it's like? I had worked so hard to imitate the lifestyle of the rich people. I had also worked hard to not let myself make a sound when I eat and chew slowly, when I attended some banquets, I also worked hard to learn how others drink red wine, and eat steaks and foie gras.

However, the way I looked after I had worked so hard to pretend was still ridiculous in the eyes of others because I'm clumsy. I didn't grow up practicing all that. I really didn't want to participate, but my mother-in-law insisted that I participate. Because she enjoyed it so much and she had always been living such an incomparably elegant life, all of her movements came very naturally to her a long time ago. But I can't do it. It takes a lot of effort for me. I felt like I was a clown jumping up and down in that social circle being laughed at. I wholeheartedly hoped that my mother-in-law was able to help me and back me up, but she never gave me the slightest sense of security, what she felt toward me was not disgust, but it also was not tolerance either.

What she made me feel was that she was simply putting up with me. For the sake of the family and for her son, she had to pinch her nose to put up with me. It was like if she did not pinch her nose, she would be able to smell my stench. However, she had never thought about how much I've changed to fit into this family."

She continued. "I was already living so cautiously that I had lost all my sense of direction. I couldn't even make my own decision on how and what I feed my children and what I wear. No, I can make my own decision, but my decision will always be criticized by your mother in the end. To me, the way your mother's best friends, those wives of rich men from eminent families, looked at me was mocking me. They did not do it openly, but that kind of secret mockery was already enough for me to bear. Ryan, I had already told you about this countless times, but how did you answer me every time?"

When he heard Ruth saying that, Ryan could not help but defend himself. "Ruth, we...we can't be unreasonable, right? Didn't I coax you every time you complained about these to me? I had also spoken to my mother right away. However, my mother indeed bears no ill-will toward you. she just hoped for the best for you and she wanted to let you fit into this big family as soon as possible. She had long accepted you as her daughter-in-law."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Ruth suddenly burst out in anger. Her shouting instantly stunned Ryan and he was left dumbfounded for a long time.

"Why is it that it's your family that has to accept me? why is it that all of you are the ones that have put up with the way I act? why are all of you the ones that have to tolerate me? Your acceptance, tolerance, and endurance!"