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.”

servants to enlighten him about

how the Crawfords had shown up en masse at the Hatcher Mansion and taken Lilly away, and that a man in black had stripped off his coat and wrapped it around her, cradling her in his arms. He had

this, he was

eight sons and a daughter. However, the daughter’s health

rescued four years ago was the Crawford family’s one and only precious

rest of the Hatcher family felt their hearts sinking. How they bitterly regretted their

lips trembled. “So Jean was the Crawfords’ daughter… hurry, we need to go and get Lilly

forced Lilly to kneel in the snow

they would have treated her like a

how he

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

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

wanted to do was to teach Lilly not

Stephen had let his temper get the better of him and had disciplined her more severely than

felt confident that they would be able to clear 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 to a future of

…

rescuing Lilly, the Crawfords went straight to the nearest

hitherto vacant VIP suite in South Town’s best

was extremely tense, punctuated by the sounds of hospital equipment

with the help of his walking stick. “Why are they still in there?” He

the time, then gently told his father, “Dad, you should sit

soon as they reached the hospital. Gilbert

emergency room, Gilbert examined

severe frostbite. A more detailed examination revealed that Lily had been

were numerous patches of frostbite all over her body. Some of the areas were so

or four years old, and she had been made to undergo

eyes. Leaning down, he murmured, “Lilly, this is your Uncle Gilbert. Can you hear

feeling very light and warm all over. It was the first time she

her ear that constantly murmured, “Lilly…Lilly dear…little Tulip…Can you see me? Can you

this

her eyes, but she was unable to

her as well,

…

out of danger, and the

little girl was wheeled into a hospital

was stony as he handed Anthony the report from Lilly’s examination. When

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

background check on the Hatcher family. In a frosty voice, he replied, “The Hatcher family’s business goods are under suspicion of being contraband. The company is in pretty desperate straits. Recently they’ve been trying to find some point of connection

laughed derisively. “Help them? They can count themselves lucky if

enraged that he wanted to tear the entire Hatcher family to