Timothy heaved a sigh. Shaking his head, he said, “When you were in America, I guess Master must
be so angry with you every day.”
As he spoke, he squatted down. Felicia immediately climbed up to his back cheerfully. Timothy carried
her into the villa.
After sending Rylee back to Carroll's Manor, Armand drove away.
Rylee held the bag of herbs while talking to Joseph on the phone.
“Rylee, you must deliver my message to master. Tell him I’m quite healthy. I can do fifty sit-ups in one
go. Really. I’m not lying.”
Rylee heaved a sigh. “Oh, please. Just fifty sit-ups and you're showing off? Wait until you can run thirty
miles nonstop.”
“What? You're brutal. Thirty miles. Do you want to kill me?”
“I’m just Mr. Wheeler’s maid. Do you think it will work as long as I recommend you? If Mr. Wheeler tests
you and finds out you can’t do anything, I guess he will toss us both to feed the sharks if he’s angry.
Dude, don’t drag me into this.”
Joseph faked crying on the other end of the line.
After arguing with Joseph, Rylee saw Manfred, who was waiting for her.
Due to the fight backstage, Rylee wanted to avoid him.
Since Deborah had said those words, she didn’t need to humiliate herself.
She decided to distance herself from Manfred.
Rylee lowered her head and wanted to bypass Manfred, but the latter walked over to block her way. He
asked with a smile, “Rylee, is your arm all right?”
Rylee looked down at her shoes and muffled, “It’s getting better. I’m going to my room now.”
She bypassed Manfred. Manfred bit his bottom lip and suddenly said, “I like you, Rylee.”
Rylee gaped.
She paused in surprise, and her herb bag dropped onto the floor.
She couldn’t believe her ears.
Manfred confessed his affection to her just now.
He said he liked her.
Rylee came back to her senses and blinked. Then she bent over to pick up the herb bag. However,
Manfred picked it up for her, so she had to look at him.
Manfred grabbed Rylee’s shoulders, bent over, and looked into Rylee’s eyes closely. He said solemnly,
stressing each syllable, “I planned to wait for you to grow up older before telling you, but I was afraid
you would flee away from me. Hence, I must confess my love for you now out of selfishness. Please
don’t distance yourself from yourself. Don’t push me away. Please let me see you and take care of you.
I’m already quite contented with just seeing you grow up. I just want to be like this while waiting for you
to fall in love with me.”
Rylee gaped at Manfred’s handsome face.
After almost more than half a minute, she stammered, “But... but you are my uncle.”
Manfred smiled faintly. “This is not a problem. We’re not blood-related, anyway.”
Rylee's eye widened again.
Manfred couldn’t help but laugh out. “Then... for the sake of an old man’s heart, could you kindly tell me
if you have a crush on me? Even just a little?”
Rylee’s mouth widened, and her eyes were blurred. Her heart was racing. Feeling shy, she bit her
bottom lip and lowered her head.
She blushed.
Manfred smiled. “Can I take it as a yes?”
Before Rylee was about to answer, she heard Brook roar at her from the porch. “Rylee Carroll, come
over! Hurry up! I need to talk to you.”
Rylee looked over at her father in confusion. Manfred frowned slightly.
Deborah was standing behind Brook in anger. Seeing that her brother standing so close to Rylee, she
gritted her teeth and added fuel to the fire. “Honey, if any of our girls has that kind of affair, that's gonna
be a disgrace to you. How can a daughter from a famous family become the mistress of other rich
guys? We’re not some cheap peasants. Alas... How could Rylee do that?”
Brook's face got even paler. Resting his hands on his hips, he roared, “Why are you still standing
there? Haven’t you heard me? Hurry up and come over. You wicked girl!”
Rylee had to walk to Brook in confusion.
Manfred was taken aback, following her.
“Dad...”
Rylee darted her glances between Deborah and Brook.
She wondered if her father finally thought of the injury on her arm, so he wanted to care about her.
However, her father looked so furious, and his tone was quite harsh.
Manfred stood next to Rylee and asked, “Brook, what happened?”
“It’s not your business, Manfred. Rylee, follow me!”
After finishing his words in anger, Brook turned around and walked to the house.
Rylee took a look at Manfred and followed her dad.
Manfred hurriedly followed her and said, “I’ll go with you.”
However, Deborah grabbed his arm. She roared, “It’s none of your business. What do you think you are
doing? Brook wants to talk to his daughter. You can’t go.”
“Deborah, can’t you just stop it? Step away from my business. Please.”
Deborah acted unreasonably. “You don’t want me to mind your business? Okay. I’ll kill myself. I don’t
want to live on anymore. I’m not your sister. I don’t know you.”
Manfred frowned, heaving a sigh. “Deborah...”
He worried about Rylee indeed, so he turned around and watched Rylee walk into the study. He was so
anxious that he wanted to follow her.
However, Deborah was still blowing up. She cursed and faked weeping, “Alas... My life is over! My only
brother doesn’t care about me at all. Now, you are a grownup, so you can dump your sister, right? All
right. Leave me alone. I’ll end my life now. It’s none of your business.”
“Deborah, why are you doing this to me?” Manfred stomped irritably.
Deborah stopped faking crying. Looking in the direction where the study was, she gritted her teeth and
whispered, “Let me tell you, Manfred. Stop being silly. Rylee Carroll isn’t simple. She’s so young, but
she has such close relationships with those rich guys. Don’t you know what she has done? I’m warning
you. Distance yourself from her. No matter how pretty she is, you can’t be with her. She’s just an
illegitimate daughter of this family without any status. If you want to choose one of the Carroll girls, you
should choose Caroline. She’s the oldest daughter and has a crush on you...”
Manfred’s face darkened instantly. “Deborah, how can you give such insulting remarks on her? Can my
feelings be manipulated? Do I need to pick up the girl as you like? Love cannot be forced.”
Deborah gaped when hearing his roar.
Manfred walked into the living room irritably. He sat down on the sofa, looking over at the study
worriedly.
Rylee walked in. From Brook’s frown, she knew that nothing good was waiting for her.
She could tell her father was angry, so she guessed it must be because he felt sorry for Andrea. She
decided to let him vent his anger.
Rylee had even planned no matter what Brook would say, she wouldn’t respond a word.
Brook walked back and forth in the room. From time to time, he threw a few angry glances at Rylee.
Then he heaved a sigh.
After doing that for ten times, he scowled at Rylee. Pointing at Rylee in anger, he said in
disappointment, “How could you do that kind of thing?”
Rylee took a deep breath, standing there expressionlessly while looking into a corner.
“Why don’t you speak? I’m your father. I have the right to educate you.” The more Brook spoke, the
angrier he became. Standing in front of Rylee, he looked down at her hair and roared, “You are just a
girl in seventeen or eighteen. How can you become so wicked?”
Rylee sneered and said, “I was forced to do so.”
If Andrea hadn’t provoked her first or hit her, Rylee wouldn’t fight back by using the skills that Mr.
Wheeler had taught her.
She didn’t understand why her father didn’t scold Andrea for hitting her first.
“Did he force you? You can’t do it no matter who has forced you.” Brook and Rylee completely
misunderstood each other. Knocking at his forehead, Brook said while feeling upset, “You should know
this matter is as important as your life. No matter who has forced you, you shouldn’t have agreed. Your
mother was a singer in the nightclub, and the rumors outside were bad enough. You should have a
backbone and respect yourself. You shouldn’t have disgraced your mother. How could you...”
Brook almost couldn’t finish his words.
Rylee listened to him but sensed something wrong. She looked up at Brook. “What are you talking
about? Why don’t I have a backbone? What have I done to disrespect myself?”
“How dare you talk back!” Brook roared. His eyes were full of anger. He snapped, “You’ve done such
shameful things. How dare you fake as if nothing has happened! Aren't you even ashamed? Others
stopped me from taking you in. I felt sorry for you and your mother, who passed away at such a young
age, so I took you back home against all their objections. I also regarded you as my daughter. I just
want to give you a better environment. How could you... I regret it so much! I shouldn't have brought
you back. No wonder the old and wise said the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Do you have to
prove that you must be a whore because your mother used to work in the
nightclub?”
“Why don't you speak? I’m your father. | have the right to educate you.” The more Brook spoke, the
angrier he became. Standing in front of Rylee, he looked down at her hair and roared, “You are just a
girl in seventeen or eighteen. How can you become so wicked?”
Rylee sneered and said, “I was forced to do so.”
If Andrea hadn't provoked her first or hit her, Rylee wouldn't fight back by using the skills that Mr.
Wheeler had taught her.
She didn’t understand why her father didn’t scold Andrea for hitting her first.
“Did he force you? You can’t do it no matter who has forced you.” Brook and Rylee completely
misunderstood each other. Knocking at his forehead, Brook said while feeling upset, “You should know
this matter is as important as your life. No matter who has forced you, you shouldn't have agreed. Your
mother was a singer in the nightclub, and the rumors outside were bad enough. You should have a
backbone and respect yourself. You shouldn't have disgraced your mother. How could you...”
Brook almost couldn't finish his words.
Rylee listened to him but sensed something wrong. She looked up at Brook. “What are you talking
about? Why don't | have a backbone? What have | done to disrespect myself?”
“How dare you talk back!” Brook roared. His eyes were full of anger. He snapped, “You’ve done such
shameful things. How dare you fake as if nothing has happened! Aren't you even ashamed? Others
stopped me from taking you in. | felt sorry for you and your mother, who passed away at such a young
age, so | took you back home against all their objections. | also regarded you as my daughter. | just
want to give you a better environment. How could you... | regret it so much! | shouldn't have brought
you back. No wonder the old and wise said the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Do you have to
prove that you must be a whore because your mother used to work in the
nightclub?”
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