CHAPTER 345

Bryson said with great difficulty, "Yes…"

Austin was speechless. He felt as if he had been struck one too many times by the lightning of shock and terror.

He couldn't believe that his guesses were spot-on.

"How can you do that?" He couldn't understand. "She's your biological daughter; how can you not look for her? What if she was sold to some poor mountain village as a child bride? How terrible would her life be?"

"Yes… I also regretted it afterward…" Bryson said remorsefully. "After that, I kept getting nightmares where your sister lived horribly. I regretted it, but it was too late… Back then, your grandmother was critically ill, and your mother sobbed and begged, so I got everything messed up… Also, we already put in a lot of effort and money, but we couldn't find her at all…"

"It had only been a little more than ten days, and you gave up just like that simply because you couldn't find her?" Austin asked in disbelief. "Dad, don't you know that most families would risk everything they have to look for their missing children despite their poverty? They'd refuse to give up for years or even decades, so why did you give up after searching for only ten days or so?"

Bryson could hear Austin's disappointment in the latter's voice. He said while feeling troubled, "Yes, I admit that I had been too rash in my decisions, and I have wronged your sister greatly… But that's just life. You may make a wrong decision because of your brashness, resulting in the wrong path, but you can never turn back again…"

Austin didn't want to say anything anymore as he abruptly ended the call.

He always knew that his uncle followed in his grandfather's footsteps, turning out to be as smart and capable as his grandfather. His father mimicked his grandmother instead, honest and mediocre, but he never thought of his father as any less than his uncle.

To him, even though his father couldn't be as talented as his uncle was, his father was still honest, sincere, and kind. His father was responsible to his family, and he was a good father and husband. He had always been proud of his father.

But now, he doubted it.

Was his father really that kind?

Would a kind man give up willingly after searching for only a little more than ten days when his biological daughter had gone missing?

He couldn't help but think that if he were the one who went missing back then, would his parents also give up after looking for him for more than ten days and leave him to his own devices?

This thought sent fearful shivers throughout his entire body.

He didn't want to think any further. He shook his head to chase away the messy thoughts in his mind, then returned to the corridor in front of the operating room.

When he got back, Luna was being wheeled out by a doctor and a nurse.

He hastily went over with his uncle and aunt.

Jennifer looked at her pale daughter, tears streaming down her face. "Luna, Luna?"

The nurse said gently, "She's still under anesthesia, and she'll only be conscious after at least six hours."

Luna was sent into the ICU, but family members weren't allowed inside.

Through the glass window, they stared at Luna for a moment before the nurse chased them out.

Jennifer's expression was horrible. Brandon hugged her shoulders and said, "Jenny, you need rest. You have to take care of yourself; when the hospital allows family members to stay with her, you can take good care of Luna."

"Yes, I have to take care of myself…" Jennifer wiped her tears and took out her phone, calling up Eddie. "Dad, I sincerely hope that you'd be kind enough to hold a family meeting. I have something very important to tell you."

Austin watched silently, not stopping her.

He suddenly felt that everything was meaningless.

Be it the family's unity, prosperity, or glory, he had no energy for any of that. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

He had parents who only looked for a little more than ten days when their biological daughter went

missing, and they gave up on finding her as soon as they adopted a girl to replace her. The blood running within the Penham Family was so thin, he really couldn't find any meaning in pursuing the unity and prosperity of the family any longer.

A family meeting wasn't something that could be held whenever they pleased.

It wasn't until dinnertime when every Penham, save for Luna, was gathered in Eddie's villa.

Eddie looked all around, but he didn't see Luna. Instead, he saw Ava with bruises on her face. He frowned and asked, "Ava, what happened to your face?"

Ava looked down, silent.

The person she feared the most in the Penham Family was Eddie. Since Eddie was the head of the family, everyone had to obey him. Eddie never liked her much, and he was very strict with the girl, picking on her flaws every time he saw her.

Usually, she would avoid seeing Eddie, but today, Eddie asked to hold a family meeting, and no one was allowed to be absent. That was why she had to come.

She sat beside her mother, her heart pounding with a fear she had never experienced before.

She knew that she was in big trouble.

Before this, every time she got herself in trouble, her mother would always be able to protect her.

When he got back, Luna was being wheeled out by a doctor and a nurse.

But today, she wasn't sure if her mother could still protect her.

She didn't want her grandfather to punish her. She was a girl, so if she were punished in front of so many people, how would she dare to go out again?

"I asked you a question. Why are you not saying anything?" Eddie questioned sternly.

Before this, every time Eddie reprimanded Ava, Penny would step in and protect her daughter.

Eddie was always more lenient with his in-laws, so if Penny persisted, Eddie would leave them be.

But today, even Penny didn't dare make a sound.

She already knew the sort of trouble her daughter had landed in.

In the past, she would always show off her power to those in the second son's family. She would flaunt her status as the eldest son's wife, whereas Jennifer didn't care for such things and didn't like getting into arguments.

But this time, Jennifer was very serious. The first son's family was in the wrong, and for a moment, she stayed deathly silent, not daring to utter a single word.

Ava never said anything after the question was repeated. The family meeting hadn't even started, but Eddie was already in a fit.

His daughter-in-law and granddaughter were both women, so he couldn't discipline them too strictly.

However, his son had his own blood, so he could discipline his son however he wanted.

He forcefully slapped the table and scolded Bryson, "Your daughter went mute, so you've gone mute too, is that it?"

"Dad… I…" Bryson spoke between hesitations, unable to form a complete sentence.

"I'll say it, then." Jennifer stood up and spoke word by word, relaying everything that had happened today. At the end, she stated her appeal. "Dad, I want to publicly announce that the second son's family will be completely cutting off ties with the eldest son's family!"

Her eyes were red as tears welled in them, but she persisted and withheld the tears from falling.

Eddie stared at her in shock for a long time after she finished speaking, and he eventually said, "Did you say that Luna almost died?"

"Yes," Jennifer said while nodding. "Luna almost lost her life, but I don't blame Austin. I know Austin didn't do it on purpose, and he truly adores Luna. He injured Luna by mistake, and I know he must be terribly sad about it too. I don't blame him at all, but I cannot forgive Ava!"

She turned to look at Ava, icy cold fury and hatred in her eyes. "She's cruel and vicious, and her heart is filled with poison. The second son's family refuses to be associated with her!"