Chapter 5

When Ophelia returned to the Tudor family villa, she found that it was particularly lively inside. Vera, who had been checked and found to be fine, had returned home before her and was currently having dinner with Maddox and Zachary.

Before entering, she heard Maddox’s concerned voice from inside, “Vera, come on, you just got out of the hospital, have some bone soup to replenish your body.”

Vera obediently accepted it with a sweet smile, “Thank you, Dad.”

This kind of harmonious scene had played out countless times before Ophelia. This was supposed to be her home, but it seemed like it wasn’t. There were supposed to be her family members here, but it seemed like there weren’t.

Ophelia took a deep breath and suppressed the feeling of loss that didn’t belong to her one by one, then stepped into the villa.

Vera noticed her sharp-eyed and saw Ophelia’s figure. She flashed a glance at Maddox and acted like a spoiled child, “Dad, I just twisted my ankle, the doctor said I’m fine, you don’t have to worry. Ophelia’s situation is more serious. She almost drowned yesterday…”

It would have been fine if she didn’t bring it up, but as soon as she did, Maddox was filled with anger.

“Don’t mention that wicked girl! I don’t have such an unscrupulous daughter! If she hadn’t acted maliciously, you wouldn’t have fallen down the stairs, too! What use is there for such a wicked girl? She’d be better off dead outside!”

Ophelia, who had just walked in, paused and felt as if her heart had been struck bluntly. She could clearly feel the few remaining traces of consciousness belonging to the original owner let out a mournful cry when she heard those words.

What had she done wrong? Why did even her own blood relatives hate her so much that they wished she was dead?

After the mournful cry, the remaining traces of consciousness dissipated completely and disappeared without a trace.

Ophelia sighed lightly, and whispered with some pity, “Silly girl, it’s not your fault, they just don’t deserve you.”

Inside the villa, the servants noticed Ophelia’s pale complexion and suddenly shouted, “Oh, Miss Five is back?”

The Tudor family originally had only three sons and a daughter, and Ophelia was the fourth child. But since Vera arrived, she had become known as Miss Five of the Tudor family.

Maddox also heard the servant’s shout, and he banged his chopsticks on the table and turned his head in anger, “You worthless thing, you come back and don’t even know how to greet people. Do you even see me as your father?”

“Oh.” Ophelia calmly brushed off the imaginary dust on her body and said leisurely, “No.”

The few traces of father-daughter relationship that remained in this body disappeared completely because of his words just now. This kind of father, Ophelia could not afford to associate with.

The two words almost made Maddox’s nose crooked in anger!

“You rebellious girl! How dare you talk back to me, your own father? What else are you not afraid to do?”

“There are plenty of things,” Ophelia turned her head to look at Maddox with sharp black and white eyes, and sneered, “At least I can’t be blind to the facts and unable to distinguish right from wrong.”

“You worthless thing!”

Where does Maddox fail to perceive Ophelia’s subtle mockery and sarcasm? He stands up abruptly, and shouts, “Fine! You’ve grown wings and courage, daring to challenge me openly! But don’t forget, I’m your father! I have the right to teach you a lesson!”

After that, Maddox turns to the servant next to him and bellows, “Bring me my whip!”

The servant runs off and quickly returns with a wooden box.

The box is opened to reveal a long, shiny black whip with sharp spikes hanging from it.

This is the same whip that Maddox used to beat Ophelia mercilessly for a whole month when she was falsely accused by Vera of stealing.

Every night during that month, the little girl cried until she was emotionally drained and completely disappointed in the love of her family. Even though she has since passed away, whenever she sees the whip, a residual fear and resentment still stir within her.

Maddox gives the whip a heavy shake, making a dull thudding sound as it hits the floor.

He looks at Ophelia with a fierce gaze and says, “You disobedient girl, I’ll give you one last chance. Either kneel down and apologize or I’ll keep whipping you until you learn your lesson!”

Vera still harbors a grudge over the slap that Ophelia gave her in the hospital.

Seeing that Maddox is going to use corporal punishment, she inwardly rejoices but outwardly pleads anxiously, “Dad, don’t be angry. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t fallen down the stairs last night and ruined Ophelia’s birthday, she wouldn’t have talked back to you because of her bad mood.”

Her words sound noble, demonstrating her kindness and making everyone sympathize with her.

As expected, Maddox pats Vera’s head tenderly and says, “You’re such a good child, always taking the blame for everything. Don’t worry, as long as Daddy’s here, I’ll make sure you get justice today!”

Justice?

Ophelia hears this and chuckles softly, “Justice is just a matter of condemning me without investigating the truth, and then using force to make me confess? What if you’re wrong about me? How will you compensate me then?”

She speaks for the drowned little girl who died last night: “What if you’re wrong about me? How will you compensate me then?”

A fresh life has been snuffed out, who can make up for that?

This sentence is light, yet it carries a heavy weight.

Maddox hesitated for a moment, while the former Ophelia hardly spoke, transparent like an invisible person. It was the first time he had been left speechless by someone who now spoke so eloquently.

At this point, Zachary couldn’t take it anymore and snorted, “At the time, only you and Vera were on the stairs. If it wasn’t you who pushed her, could it have been Vera falling by herself?”

Hearing this, Maddox’s temper flared up again.

“You wretched woman, kneel down for me!” he shouted, brandishing his whip and striding towards Ophelia.

Ophelia didn’t even blink, her face expressionless as she said, “I’m right here, you can hit me, and you’d better beat me to death.”

Her father was the Chicago War God, a towering hero, a superhero who defended the country! He was not this biased, short-sighted, and fatuous father before her!

He was unworthy!

Provoked by Ophelia, Maddox’s whip was about to strike.

Just then, a clear, low voice came from the door, with a magnetic and pleasing tone, but a strong hint of wickedness.

“Mr. Tudor, who commands respect and awe, seems to be disciplining his daughter. It seems… that I have come at an inopportune time.”

Everyone turned towards the sound.

A tall figure appeared at the door, backlit by the light.

As the figure walked towards them, his sharp and handsome face appeared almost devilish, and his beautiful eyes, with a hint of a smile, seemed to captivate everyone at first glance.

Maddox was stunned and stammered, “Young Master Gonzales?”