Mr. Valentine paused for a moment.

The sound of a fierce struggle came from inside the room.

His brow furrowed as he quickly stepped forward.

Was Evelyn being bullied?

He rushed into the living room and saw bodies strewn across the floor.

A familiar figure stood proudly, casually dusting off her hands.

Evelyn scanned the room with a look of contempt, a cold smirk playing on her lips. "Penelope, Fiona. Is this all you've got?"

Penelope stumbled back in shock.

She was this skilled in combat!

Fiona kicked the nearest bodyguard in frustration. "Useless! All of you, get up!"

She pointed a trembling finger at Evelyn and shrieked. "Grab her! Now!"

The bodyguards writhed in pain on the floor.

There were no visible wounds, but their struck limbs felt weak and numb, making it impossible to stand.

Evelyn ignored the struggling guards and walked straight toward Penelope and Fiona.

Penelope kept backing away.

Fiona blustered with a threat she couldn't back up. "Evelyn, if you dare lay a hand on me, the Valentine family will never let you go!"

This successfully caught Evelyn's attention.

She changed direction, closing in on Fiona step by step.

Fiona retreated in panic, turning to flee.

Evelyn grabbed her by the collar, yanking her hair and forcing her down.

Fiona was forced into a half-kneel, grimacing in pain.

"Evelyn! You're asking for death!" Fiona roared. "Penelope, help me!"

Evelyn raised an eyebrow, glancing at Penelope.

She saw her frantically scrambling toward the door. "Sis, hold on! I'll go get help!"

Fiona stared in disbelief, her eyes wide.

Evelyn scoffed. "Such sisterly devotion. Fiona, use your brain. Stop letting others use you as their pawn."

Fiona's eyes reddened, ready to curse, but a sharp pain shot through her scalp.

"It hurts! Let go!" she screamed.

"Let go?" Evelyn's cold gaze swept over the wrecked room. "My furniture is destroyed. How do you plan to compensate for that?"

"You broke it when you were hitting people!" Fiona retorted.

Evelyn increased the pressure on her grip.

Fiona immediately begged for mercy. "I'll pay! I'll pay, alright?"

Evelyn took out her phone and pressed record. "After I let you go, will you pursue this further?"

"No! Absolutely not!"

Evelyn released her.

Fiona scrambled to her feet, tears welling in her eyes.

Evelyn shook her phone, playing back the recording.

Fiona flushed with humiliation and anger.

Just then, a group of people suddenly rushed in from outside, blocking Penelope's escape.

Penelope saw who it was and cried out in relief. "Uncle!"

Mr. Valentine entered, pausing briefly at the scene inside. "What's going on here?"

Penelope immediately lodged her complaint. "We came to talk to Evelyn, and she suddenly attacked us! Uncle, save my sister!"

She pointed at Evelyn, her eyes red. "She grabbed her by the hair and hit her…"

Evelyn looked calmly at Mr. Valentine.

Since learning he was Mr. Valentine, she had kept her distance.

Her mother disliked him, so she would too.

She was a mama's girl. She held no affection for Mr. Valentine and had no desire for a reunion.

Would he want to acknowledge her?

Fiona had already rushed to Mr. Valentine's side, clutching his arm and sobbing. "Uncle! Evelyn bullied me! She has no respect for the Valentine family!"

Mr. Valentine looked surprised, his eyes moving from the bodies on the floor to Evelyn. "These people… you did this?"

Evelyn nodded. "What if I did?"

Penelope hurriedly interjected. "Uncle, she's always bullying us! She thinks just because she's close to Mrs. Ashcroft, she can look down on us!"

She lowered her head, her eyes red.

She expected Mr. Valentine to be furious. Instead, he looked at Penelope. "Why did she hit you?"

Then he turned to Fiona. "And why did she hit you?"

Fiona stammered, unable to form a response.

Mr. Valentine looked at Evelyn, his tone gentle. "Did they bully you?"

The concern in his voice made Evelyn pause for a moment.

When they had interacted before, she only saw him as a handsome older man. She hadn't thought much of it.

Now, standing before her in his role as a father, showing such concern, an inexplicable sense of委屈 welled up inside her.

Since childhood, she had longed for a father.

Like how William Ashcroft carried Isabella on his shoulders…

But she never had one…

Now she had her mother…

If she could also have a father who loved her…

Was fate making it up to her?

Fiona couldn't stand it any longer. "Uncle! Why are you asking her? She's an outsider! You should help us get revenge!"

Mr. Valentine's eyes turned cold instantly. He snapped sharply, "Who said she's an outsider!"

He strode over to Evelyn, his voice steady but carrying a barely perceptible tremor.

"Evelyn, your father is here. Will you… come home with me?"