Chapter 193: Dad Has Gone Too Far
Maya Evans said, "Of course I recognize you! I heard you went to college, couldn’t even find a job, and ended up pregnant. What a disgrace! Mina Ford really is useless. She had two daughters, and each is more pathetic than the last."
Sharon Sutton’s face darkened when she heard the humiliating insults. She lunged forward to hit Maya Evans, but fortunately, David Hayes stopped her just in time.
Sharon Sutton asked, "Sis, who is this woman?"
A moment ago, she’d thought Anne was overreacting, but now she wanted to hit the woman herself!
Anne Sutton glanced at Sharon. She had hoped that if she just endured it, she could keep these matters hidden for a while. She never expected it all to blow up, and in such an embarrassing way.
Anne Sutton was livid and about to strike out again, but someone held her back.
Everyone was afraid she would cause a scene!
A few moments later, Anne was summoned upstairs by the hospital dean.
Even though she wasn’t on duty today, she was still one of the hospital’s doctors.
In his office, the dean pointed at Anne, distraught. "How could you be so impulsive? This has turned into such a huge mess. How am I supposed to cover for you now?"
Anne said, "I just couldn’t take it. You know my mother is ill. For that woman to come running here and make a scene like this..."
The dean looked at Anne with sympathy. "Tell you what. You’re already on a break, so I’ll approve a few more days of leave for you. Why don’t you take some time to rest at home, okay?"
Anne looked at the dean. She was about to refuse, but... she was also very worried about the situation at home, so she agreed.
...
As she left the dean’s office, Anne ran into Charles Prescott at the door. He had come to the hospital today to see the dean about some business.
He had already heard about the incident in the hospital, and seeing her now, he asked with concern, "Are you all right?"
Anne glanced at him, only to see Grace—the woman at the center of the recent incident with Yvonne Evans—standing right beside Charles.
Anne frowned. "Why is she with you?"
At Anne’s question, Grace lowered her head.
Charles said to Grace, "Go wait for me inside."
She nodded and went inside.
Anne looked at Charles. "Charles Prescott, you disgust me."
Hearing her words, Charles asked, "What did I do now?"
Anne said, "She nearly lost her job because of you last time. What are you trying to do now? Do you have to mess with every pretty girl you see to be happy?"
Hearing Anne’s words, Charles said, "What’s this? Are you jealous?"
Charles would have been gratified if she cared about him even a little.
People can be perverse like that; the less someone cares about you, the more you crave their attention.
...
He hadn’t cared when Anne was his fiancée, but now that she was with Ethan Linden, he craved her attention constantly.
Anne retorted, "I’m just nauseated. And I’m worried for that woman. You’re truly disgusting!"
Charles said to Anne, "I just hired her as my assistant; I haven’t done anything. Henry Underwood was transferred, so am I not allowed to hire someone new?"
"Just an assistant? Is it that simple?" Anne looked at Charles, finding his explanation utterly ridiculous.
’It wasn’t as if he hadn’t gotten involved with his assistants before!’
’Mia Shaw was his assistant before this.’
Charles said, "What else would it be? Do you think I’d force someone to be with me?"
"Of course you would. Weren’t you the one who was relentlessly pestering me before?"
Charles’s face darkened. "That was because it was you! You’re the only one in this world I need to ’force’."
’With his power and status, anyone who wasn’t blind wouldn’t reject him.’
’But leave it to Anne Sutton. She always managed to anger him, to disregard him completely. Sometimes, the thought of her and Ethan Linden together made him grit his teeth in frustration.’
Anne scoffed, "How ridiculous!"
The situation downstairs still wasn’t resolved, so Anne didn’t linger. She turned and headed back down.
...
Charles Prescott entered the dean’s office. "President Prescott," the dean greeted him.
Charles said, "I just saw Anne Sutton at the door."
The dean, who knew of their history, sighed and said to Charles, "She just got into a fight downstairs. She’s not normally such an impulsive person. This whole affair has left me rather speechless."
"A fight? Why?" Charles thought about it. When Sylvia Warren had come to the hospital to provoke her, Anne hadn’t even lifted a finger. But now... The idea that she’d gotten into a fight? He found it hard to believe.
The dean explained, "Some woman came to the hospital looking for Anne’s mother. I heard she’s her father’s mistress. Honestly, she’s in a very difficult position. But now this woman is making a huge scene, claiming Anne attacked her."
At this, Charles Prescott’s brow furrowed.
Downstairs, David Hayes poured a glass of water for Sharon, who by now understood who Maya Evans was.
’All this time, despite her father being strict, she had always seen him as a great man.’
’After all, he’d always worked hard away from home to provide for their family.’
’She never would have imagined that her father had illegitimate children, and now that woman had shown up right here.’
’No wonder her sister had been so furious.’
’She must have known all along!’
David Hayes glanced at her and poured a glass of water for Mrs. Sutton. "Mrs. Sutton, have some water."
Mrs. Sutton was in a terrible state.
’She had always known her husband was no saint.’
’But as long as it wasn’t thrown in her face, she could ignore it. She played blind and deaf every day, telling herself that if she didn’t see it, it hadn’t happened.’
’But now...’
’The whole thing had blown up so spectacularly, stripping her of her last shred of dignity.’
She said, "I don’t want any."
Anne came down from upstairs and entered the room. Seeing her mother, she said, "Mom."
Mrs. Sutton, sitting on the hospital bed, looked at Anne. "You know that woman?"
’From the look on Anne’s face, she must have known for some time.’
Anne said, "I saw her in Dad’s office the last time I went to see him."
"Why... why didn’t you tell me sooner?" Mrs. Sutton looked at Anne. "You let me be kept in the dark like a fool."
Anne replied, "Your health is poor, and I was afraid you’d worry. Mom, don’t worry. I’ll take care of you and Sharon from now on."
Mrs. Sutton looked at Anne, then lowered her head as tears fell. "It’s because I’m so useless... that’s why some other woman can be so brazen."
Sharon said, "Dad has gone too far! How could he do this to Mom? Men are such trash."
Hearing her words, David Hayes silently wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.
Anne asked, "Hasn’t Sean Sutton arrived yet?"
She wasn’t even calling him "Dad" anymore.
’Having a father like him was a disgrace; she couldn’t bring herself to say the word.’
David Hayes replied, "Not yet."
"Is that woman gone?"