Spoiled by Eight Uncles

Everything happened so fast that the Hatchers had no time to react.

By the time Stephen rushed out, he saw Anthony preparing to get into his car and drive off. However, he had not been in time to see Gilbert brushing the snow off Lilly and picking her up from where she had been kneeling by the gate.

“My goodness! It’s Mr. Anthony Crawford!” Stephen plastered a bright smile onto his face and greeted the other cheerfully. “What brings you here? It’s an honor to have you visiting our humble abode!”

By then, Richard, Paula, and some of the Hatcher servants had hurried out to join Stephen as well, their faces wreathed in smiles of welcome.

When they saw Anthony’s stern, aloof countenance, they became even more fawning and obsequious.

Anthony Crawford was the current head of the Crawford family’s business empire and the CEO of Crawford Holdings!

The Crawford family was one of Clodston’s four influential families; everyone wanted to butter them up and curry favor.

A true aristocratic family like this with old money and such deep ties to Clodston was rare. The Crawfords were an elusive, mysterious entity; they kept themselves out of the limelight. The only thing anyone in Clodston knew for sure was that the Crawfords had eight sons, but even then, few had even set eyes on them.

Anthony was occasionally featured in the headlines of the financial news, which was why the Hatchers had recognized him.

“Mr. Crawford, please come in! It’s freezing out here. We’d love to have you stay a little while if you don’t mind such humble surroundings,” Richard said enthusiastically.

“Yes, yes, please do come in and have something hot!” Stephen chimed in, smiling.

Now that they were in the presence of a truly distinguished person, all the Hatchers could not help trying to ingratiate themselves with him.

The Ador Hatcher Corporation was in dire straits; for the Hatcher family, this was a catastrophe.

However, just a word from Anthony would revive their flagging fortunes!

If luck favored them, they might even become one of Clodston’s top ten influential families…

Anthony’s face betrayed no hint of expression; instead, he studied Stephen with keen eyes.

Was this Lilly’s father?

Still without expression, Anthony declined Richard’s offer coolly and enigmatically. “Very well, Mr. Hatcher and family.”

Without another word, he got into his car and drove off.

The Hatchers stood there, confused and dazed, watching him leave.

Paula was the first to speak. “Mr. Crawford said very well… Does that mean he’s intending to help us?”

Richard frowned. “Given his expression, I don’t think he meant anything complimentary.”

enlighten him about what had

Hatcher Mansion and taken Lilly away, and that a man in black had stripped off his coat and wrapped it around her,

was thunderstruck. Suddenly, everything became terrifyingly

a daughter. However, the daughter’s

years ago was

Hatcher family felt their hearts

the Crawfords’ daughter… hurry, we need to go and

Lilly to kneel

like a goddess

regretted his actions as well; when he recalled how he had disciplined Lilly so harshly, he

going to get her back? Do you think we can walk in and take

After a long moment of consideration, he said, “Well, regardless, we’re still Lilly’s blood relations. We’re her grandparents, after all! The Crawfords can’t deny that, no matter how angry they are. Then

wanted to do was to teach Lilly not to be an

temper get the better of him and had disciplined her more severely than he should

up any misunderstandings with the Crawfords. All they had to do was to have a satisfactory explanation for everything. Once that was settled, they would be able to look forward

…

Clodston after rescuing Lilly, the Crawfords went straight

best hospital was now a hive of

atmosphere was extremely tense, punctuated by the sounds

his

the time, then gently told his father,

the emergency room as soon as they reached the hospital. Gilbert had gone with her;

the emergency room, Gilbert examined Lilly’s bruised body

examination revealed that Lily had

of

or four years old, and

Gilbert’s eyes. Leaning down, he murmured, “Lilly, this is your Uncle Gilbert. Can you hear me? If you can, please hang in there. You’ll make

of her body feeling very light

quiet, except for a voice by her ear that constantly murmured, “Lilly…Lilly dear…little Tulip…Can you see me?

was this mysterious

tried very hard to open her eyes, but she was unable to do

she could hear this person talking to her as well, but she could not make a sound, no matter

…

Lilly was out of danger, and the doctors all felt this was

wheeled into a hospital room, IV tubes plastered

from Lilly’s examination. When the

“A fine, upstanding bunch, these Hatchers! They even had the nerve to lay hands

family’s business goods are under suspicion of being contraband. The company is in

They can count themselves lucky if I

old gentleman was so enraged that he wanted to tear the entire Hatcher family to pieces