Chapter 876

It was already late afternoon when the family left the room. The scorching noon heat had passed, but Zachary was still hunching in the yard. He was clearly on the verge of exhaustion.

He didn’t see Julian, but he noticed Diana approaching with Betty in her arms. He was quick to use his seniority to manipulate her. “Diana, I’m your grandfather. Why don’t you help me to the nearby bench to rest?”

He thought he had played his cards well—if Diana helped him, he could argue that he wasn’t disobeying Julian’s command.

Diana saw through his intentions. She couldn’t believe she had a relative like him. Had he asked about Betty’s condition or showed the slightest bit of concern, she wouldn’t despise him to this extent.

Diana held Betty in a shaded area, watching Zachary stand under the scorching sun. “I won’t. I’m not here to help you. I’m here to see how miserable you are.”

Julian had already made him stand for six or seven hours. Given his age, if he continued like this, he would be severely dehydrated-or worse.

“Sweetie, look at that trembling old man. He’s not scary at all,” Diana said patiently to Betty. “Mommy’s holding you, okay? When you look at him, doesn’t he resemble a fluffy little dog?”

The word “dog” perked Betty’s interest. She had always liked furry things, and was sensitive to such words.

Following the advice of the renowned doctor under Julian’s hire, Diana associated Zachary with a dog.

It seemed to be effective.

She had to admit, the medical resources on Julian’s side were infinitely better than the ones she had found. Even bringing Zachary here wasn’t a wrong move on his part.

However, his method of forcing Betty to overcome her fear was too harsh. Children needed to be gently guided through such issues.

Diana’s analogy infuriated Zachary. He fumed, “You stupid girl! How dare you call me a dog! I’m your grandfather!”

Diana had asked Simon before, and he told her that the Winningtons never treated her as family. Why did this old man keep insisting on being her grandfather, as though it mattered?

Zachary probably figured out that she was of some use now, which was why he referred to her as family. If not, he would immediately turn hostile and disown them, leading to their current predicament —just like last time, when he thought the two children weren’t Julian’s.

Diana had no intention of addressing him as her grandparent. She smiled as she watched him almost roast under the scorching sun.

She said to Betty, “Look, dear. He’s still barking at us, but we’re both fine, aren’t we?”

Betty still didn’t respond, but Diana could sense that she wasn’t as tense as when she stood before Zachary before.

Diana relaxed slightly and said, “Zachary. I’ll let you go for now, but it’s not to save you. I’m keeping you alive for future revenge.”

For the slap he gave her and the fright he caused the children that day, she would repay it to him twofold with her own strength.

As for Julian’s punishment, it was probably enough. If it continued, it might lead to a tragedy. The psychological trauma for the children might grow even greater.

She glanced in the direction of the second floor. There was a figure lurking there.

It was Julian.

Julian wondered how she could read his mind so well. Just as he was about to open his mouth and let Zachary leave, she waved her hand towards someone. Zachary’s chauffeur immediately took him back to the car, driving him away from the villa.

In the past, she had always understood Julian the same way. Whenever he got angry, she was the first to notice. Whether he wanted to reward or punish someone, she would be the first to detect it.

Sometimes, she would give her opinion. She always had that ability.

On the surface, she seemed delicate. In reality, she was strong and determined.

A typical example of how wrong it was to judge a book by its cover!