George Mason tossed his phone and slammed his fist on the table. Mariana Mason, who was carrying the coffee cup, paused for a moment.

"George?" She went to him in concern and placed the cup down, "What is it?"

George didn’t speak for a few minutes and sat there with a clenched jaw, "Your daughter... the one you brought from the orphanage. She’s going to the office," he balled his hands into fists, "To my office."

Mariana started fiddling with her hands as she took the seat across from him, "I’m... I’m sorry, George...." The poor lady wasn’t at fault but still had to apologize.

"I don’t need your apologies, Mariana," He was suddenly on his crutches as he limped away to the window that offered the view of the small backyard, "You were the one who decided to bring a girl, Mariana. I still remember... I specifically asked you to bring a boy from the orphanage... a perfect healthy boy... and see..." He slapped the window, making Mariana jump in her seat in fright.

So many years had passed, and still, he hadn’t forgiven her for the sin she committed. When he pulled her first tooth, after she brought Sienna from the orphanage, she kept screaming, kept begging for his mercy, but he had turned deaf at that time.

After Ruby’s birth, she calmly allowed him to pull her second tooth. Later, George never allowed her to go to a dentist and get them fixed.

He wanted her to remember the punishment, as there were consequences to disobey him.

After that, Mariana went to a gynaecologist and silently asked for her help. She didn’t want any more babies, or she might lose more of her teeth.

George was not obsessed with having a son. He desired to own a boy. That’s it. There was a difference, and only she knew it.

Even Ruby and Sienna didn’t have the idea. She kept them safe in her own sick way, but now she was getting tired of it.

After George lost his leg, he wanted to do the same to Sienna. He wanted to pull her front tooth. But for some reason, he didn’t. Mariana had a feeling that it was because of Hunter.

"Why don’t you sell Sienna’s property, George?" She suggested to her husband, "You haven’t lost everything, after all."

With a few wrinkles creasing his forehead, George came back to his seat and dialled a number, "Hey, Sam."

Sam was not only his friend but also represented Mason Traders. Mariana took a sigh of relief when she saw George laughing while talking to Sam.

"I’ve asked Sam to sell the property ASAP," He informed Mariana when he got done with the phone call, "He was telling me how my pathetic, useless daughter contacted him. He didn’t even talk to her. Ha-ha." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Mariana tried to smile. She knew why George was doing it. He wanted Sia to give up on the company and return it to him.

She had seen him making calls to his former employees and instructing them to give her a tough time.

"Mariana! Mariana!" George’s voice kept getting louder, making her gasp, "Come back to Earth!" He waved his hand before her eyes.

"I’m...I’m sorry... I just..."

"Whatever," He waved his hand casually, "Did you talk to Ruby? Usually, she calls me every other day, complaining about one thing or another."

Mariana realized that George was right. It had been two days since Ruby attempted to contact them.

"I think we should give the couple some space. They might be trying to make their marriage work."

George nodded in agreement and then took a sip of his coffee, "Urgh... It’s cold. Go and make me another cup!"

Mariana got up with a smile. Obviously, George loved her— that was why he always wanted her to make fresh coffee for him. He didn’t like anyone else doing it for him.

After making another cup of coffee, she also added some crunchy snacks to the tray. While carrying the tray, she shook a little when she heard screams from the study room.

In her panic, she dropped the tray and ran towards it, thinking that George might have fallen. When she opened the door, a paperweight barely missed her face by inches.

The whole room was scattered as if some brutal warriors were here to fight some savage battle. All his files lay scattered, and shards of glass glinted on the floor.

He tried to stand on his crutches and then managed to get to the table that had delicate crystal decoration pieces at the top. Without thinking, he ran a hand over it, causing all of them to crash on the floor.

While destroying the room, he didn’t even pause to breathe and kept screaming the entire time. Even their butler hurried over when he heard the commotion.

"Sir..." He rushed to his employer and held him from behind. Mariana couldn’t move. George didn’t seem in his senses.

What happened? He was fine a while back.

George seemed to sense her query because he moved his bloodshot eyes at her, "It’s fake!" He roared, "It’s fake!"

Their butler gave her a questioning glance in confusion, but Mariana thought someone had sucked the breath out of her lungs.

She understood. She knew what he was talking about.

The next moment, he confirmed her worst fear, "Sienna’s property from her biological mother! It’s fake, Mariana!"

No. It can’t be true. How could it be?

"I’m not a fool!" Saliva sprayed out of his mouth, "She thinks I’m a fool, but I am not!"

Mariana scrunched her nose and then started shaking her head, "N...no..."

George fixed his bloodshot eyes on her, "What did you say?" There was a challenge in his eyes, but this was not the time to get scared.

Mariana went to her husband and held his arms, "Sienna... our daughter Sienna... this is not Sienna, George. And you know it. She is an innocent soul."

George gave her a look like she had gotten crazy. But Mariana didn’t back off.

"Sienna might not be our daughter, but we both know she isn’t like Ruby. George, I’m sure it’s Hunter."

George’s anger deflated like a burst bubble, "Hunter?"

Mariana nodded her head, "Don’t you understand, honey? He’s a worthless donkey... an illegitimate child of the Levisay family who isn’t even worth a coin."

George dropped himself on his seat, but Mariana kept hounding him, "He is doing it. He has the original papers. And I’m sure he is the one who wants your company. We both know Sienna. She would never utter a word, even if we take away all her assets. It’s Hunter who is taking advantage of her."

George could see things now. For the first time in his life, his wife assumed to be correct.

Sienna never played such games, and it was that worthless bastard who was snatching away their assets one by one.