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.”

to enlighten him

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 also identified himself

Stephen heard this, he was thunderstruck.

Crawfords had eight sons and a daughter. However, the daughter’s health was frail, and she had never

rescued four years ago was the Crawford family’s

felt their hearts sinking.

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

would never have forced Lilly to kneel in the snow if

have treated her like

as well; when he recalled how he had

to get her back? Do you think

moment of consideration, he said, “Well, regardless, we’re still Lilly’s blood relations. We’re her grandparents, after all! The Crawfords can’t

do was to teach Lilly not to

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

to have a satisfactory explanation for everything. Once that was settled, they would be able to look forward to a future

…

of returning to Clodston after rescuing Lilly, the Crawfords went

in South Town’s best hospital was now a hive

their voices. The atmosphere was extremely tense, punctuated by the sounds of hospital equipment beeping and doctors and

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

time, then gently told

emergency room as soon as they reached the hospital. Gilbert had gone with her; up until now, neither

the emergency room, Gilbert examined Lilly’s bruised body with shaking

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

her body. Some of

was only three or four years old, and she

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

she had the oddest sensation of her body feeling very light and warm all over. It was the first time she had

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

this

tried very hard to open her eyes, but she was

as well, but she could not make a sound, no matter how frantically she

…

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

hospital room, IV tubes

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

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

suspicion of being contraband. The company is in pretty desperate straits.

merely laughed derisively. “Help them? They can count themselves lucky if I don’t ruin

wanted to tear the