Autumn Linton grabbed her hand. "Chloe, it’s not what you think. Sunny just got back, too. We really weren’t planning on having a party."

Chloe Reed tilted her head slightly, her eyes beginning to redden. "Oh, I see. She can come back, but I can’t."

"Mom, Dad, Sunny is your real daughter, isn’t she? I must be the one you picked up off the street, right?"

"Chloe Reed!"

Charles Reed snapped, "We didn’t call you precisely because we know you don’t like Sunny. Now that you’re here, just behave yourself. It’s my birthday today. Don’t do anything to upset me."

Chloe Reed looked from one person to the next. The way they all looked at her—wary, guarded, cautious...

’Are they really that scared of me?’

She walked over slowly and placed the gift box on the coffee table. "Dad, happy birthday."

Seeing this, Charles Reed thought she had listened, and a hint of a smile touched his face. "Alright. I accept the sentiment. Since you’re here, sit down."

But Chloe Reed didn’t sit down. Instead, she turned to look at Sunny.

"Congratulations. You win."

"You don’t have to try and steal him anymore. My husband is all yours. We’re planning to divorce."

"And as for Mom and Dad, since you seem to want them so badly, they’re yours too."

Sunny’s face paled. "Sister, I didn’t..."

"Chloe Reed!" Charles Reed shouted. "Stop spouting nonsense! There’s a child present!"

The rims of Chloe Reed’s eyes were red, but she fought to keep her tears from falling.

’Can’t ruin my makeup.’

"A child? Why don’t you ask him who was with him yesterday?"

She looked at Noah Grant, who had already shrunk into Sunny’s arms. "Noah, was your uncle with you last night?"

Noah answered timidly, "Yes."

After he spoke, Chloe looked at her parents.

Neither Charles Reed nor Autumn Linton spoke.

An unnerving silence fell. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Noah, seemingly frightened by the atmosphere, started to cry.

Sunny covered his ears and said urgently, "Sister, Noah had a fever! I didn’t know what to do, so I had no choice but to call Walker."

"If it bothers you, I won’t call him anymore."

"I’ll leave right now."

As she spoke, tears began to stream down her face. She then picked up her crying son and headed for the door.

The mother and son looked for all the world like they were the ones being bullied.

"Get out!"

Charles Reed shot to his feet, pointing at Chloe. "The house is never peaceful when you’re home! Sunny is Walker’s sister-in-law, and Noah is his only nephew. What’s wrong with him helping them out?"

"Was it necessary to throw such an unreasonable tantrum? I regret ever having a daughter like you!"

In the end, Chloe couldn’t hold back her tears.

She looked at her parents calmly, her nails digging into her palms.

"Since you think she’s done nothing wrong, I’ll be the one to leave."

"Don’t worry, I won’t come back ever again. It’s not like I’m your real daughter anyway. If we’re cutting ties, then so be it."

With that, she turned to leave, her expression one of utter resolve.

"Sister," Sunny cried, running over with Noah in her arms and dropping to her knees.

"It’s all my fault. Please don’t be angry, okay?"

"I won’t come back anymore, and I won’t call Walker. It’s all my fault."

Tears streamed down her face, making her look even more aggrieved than Chloe, the one who was actually wronged.

Kneeling there, she wrapped her arms around Chloe’s leg. "Sister, please don’t be angry."

A sharp pain shot through her calf, and Chloe kicked out instinctively.

"Ah!" Sunny cried out, tumbling to the ground while still clutching her child.

And that was the scene Walker Grant saw when he strode into the room.