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.”

the servants to enlighten him about what had happened

man in black had stripped off his coat and wrapped it around her, cradling her in his arms. He had also identified himself as

heard this, he was thunderstruck. Suddenly, everything

However, the daughter’s health was frail, and she had never appeared in public

rescued four years ago was the

their hearts sinking. How they bitterly regretted their

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

never have forced Lilly to kneel in the

fact, they would have treated her like a goddess and worshiped at her

actions as well; when he recalled how he had

snapped, “How are you going to get her back? Do you think we

Lilly’s blood relations. We’re her grandparents, after all! The Crawfords can’t

wanted to do was to teach

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

All they had to do was to have

…

Clodston after rescuing Lilly, the Crawfords

Town’s best hospital

The atmosphere was extremely tense, punctuated by the sounds of hospital equipment

forth with the help of his

time, then gently told his

as soon as they reached the hospital. Gilbert had gone with her; up until

the emergency room, Gilbert examined Lilly’s bruised

happen in cases of severe frostbite. A more detailed examination revealed that Lily had been badly beaten; in fact, her arms, ribs, and shins

of frostbite all over her body. Some of the areas were

only three or four years old, and she had

Can you hear me? If you can, please hang

had the oddest sensation of her body feeling very light

was very quiet, except for a voice by her ear that constantly

this mysterious

to open her eyes, but she was unable to do

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

…

before Lilly was out of danger, and the

wheeled into a hospital room,

report from Lilly’s

fury, “A fine, upstanding bunch, these Hatchers! They even

suspicion of being contraband. The company is in pretty desperate straits. Recently they’ve

“Help them? They can count themselves lucky if I don’t ruin them

so enraged that he wanted to tear the entire Hatcher family