Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Paying a Debt with a Person

To his surprise, Elaine Hughes replied, "We cut ties with her a long time ago. Of course she doesn’t live here anymore. As for where she’s gone, we have no idea."

Noticing Ethan Sutton’s skeptical gaze, Elaine Hughes quickly recounted the time they had disowned Sylvia in her hospital room.

Simon Lancaster’s eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing this.

The Lancaster and Sutton families had known each other for years, so Ethan Sutton was well aware of how much Robert and Elaine Hughes doted on their precious daughter, Sylvia. They doted on her so much it was as if they were afraid she’d break if they held her or melt if they kept her too close.

For Sylvia’s eighteenth birthday, Robert and Elaine Hughes had bought her an entire estate abroad. They threw a lavish coming-of-age party for her there, inviting socialites from every circle—treatment their two sons, Simon and Silas Lancaster, had never received.

To think they could just kick out the daughter they once doted on so excessively... Even Ethan Sutton was a bit shocked by Robert and Elaine Hughes’s heartlessness.

Seeing this, Ethan Sutton could only say in a cold voice, "Since you can’t come up with the money, this villa now belongs to the Sutton family."

Hearing this, Robert Lancaster’s previously servile and fawning demeanor vanished. He shot up from the sofa and shouted at Ethan Sutton, "No! You absolutely cannot have this villa! If the Suttons insist on tearing things wide open, then... then go ahead and sue us!"

Robert Lancaster stared at Ethan Sutton, his face grim. "First of all, Sylvia was never our biological daughter. And in terms of relationships, she’s been married to you for a while now!"

"Every cent you spent on her is considered a voluntary gift within a marriage! I’d like to see you try to reclaim marital expenses in court. What judge would rule in your favor?!"

A moment ago, Robert Lancaster might have wanted to save some face for himself and the Lancaster family. He was afraid Ethan Sutton would publicize Sylvia’s outrageous actions and humiliate him, which was why his tone had been so servile.

But now, Robert Lancaster didn’t care about any of that.

This villa was Robert Lancaster’s last nerve. ’To protect this villa, what is my pride worth? So-called face, dignity... none of it means a thing compared to this house!’

’This villa is the last symbol of my status as part of the elite, the foundation for my comeback. I absolutely cannot lose it!’

Ethan Sutton’s brow furrowed at the sight. He never would have imagined that the dignified President Lancaster—a man who perennially graced the business section of newspapers, the ever-arrogant patriarch of the Lancaster family—could change so completely. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

In just a few short months, Robert Lancaster’s former elegance and composure had vanished without a trace, replaced by this jaw-dropping, shameless persona.

Ethan Sutton grew increasingly irritated as he listened to Robert Lancaster.

He knew Robert Lancaster was right.

He and Sylvia were legally married. They were husband and wife in name and in practice, and they had lived together. If he tried to demand repayment for expenses during the marriage, the court most likely wouldn’t support his claim.

Even if he used the child’s parentage as grounds to sue for emotional distress, he probably wouldn’t get much out of the Lancaster family.

Besides, with the natural disasters ongoing for over a year, courts everywhere were buried under a mountain of cases.

Robberies, thefts, economic disputes, debt disputes, labor disputes... The judicial systems in many places were on the verge of collapse. A marital property dispute like this would probably take years just to be filed.

Robert Lancaster was banking on this, which was why he was acting so brazenly.

Seeing the shameless look on Robert Lancaster’s face—like a dead pig that no longer fears boiling water—Ethan Sutton let out a laugh of pure anger.

He sneered. "Simon Lancaster works at Rhodes now, doesn’t he? Tell me, what do you think would happen if I went to his office and told his colleagues that he seduced his own sister, knocked her up, and cuckolded his brother-in-law? Do you think he’d be able to keep his job?"

Elaine Hughes shot to her feet. "No!" she cried frantically. "You can’t do that!"

Robert Lancaster’s expression darkened as well.

Rhodes was known for being strict about employee conduct. The last time Silas made a mistake, even Simon was demoted. Once word of the affair between Simon and Sylvia got out at the company, Simon would certainly lose his job.

An affair with a married woman that resulted in a child was bad enough, but for that woman to be his own sister! It was a gross violation of public decency, no matter how you looked at it.

The Lancaster family was now entirely dependent on Simon’s job and its benefits. If Simon lost that job, the whole family would be reduced to eating sand vine cakes!

At this thought, Elaine Hughes threw all caution to the wind. She rushed forward, grabbing Ethan Sutton’s hand tightly. "Ethan," she sobbed, "I watched you grow up. When you were little, I used to take you out to play with your mother. Do you remember?"

"Ethan, please, for the sake of our families’ long friendship, spare Simon! If he loses his job, our whole family will starve!"

"As for Sylvia, I’ll give you a proper resolution. You wanted to see her, didn’t you? I—I’ll contact her right now. I’ll make her go back with you to the Sutton estate. How about we have her work for you as a free maid?"

"If you’re still angry, you can order her around however you please. Make her do all the chores, the most grueling work. You can hit her, curse her—do whatever you want to blow off steam!"

Ethan Sutton’s brow furrowed even deeper as he listened to Elaine Hughes. He couldn’t believe that the woman who had always doted on Sylvia could say something so cruel.

’Besides, I don’t even want Sylvia. She’s a spoiled brat. Forget housework, she doesn’t even know how to mop the floor. When she lived at our estate, she had maids waiting on her hand and foot. What chores could she possibly do if I brought her home?’

’What’s more, every time I see Sylvia now, all I can picture is her and Simon rolling around in bed together. If I really brought her home, I’d have to see her face every day. It would make me sick!’

Elaine Hughes was still clutching his hand. He wanted to wrench it away, but then he looked at her face, beautiful even as it was streaked with tears...

Though her face showed clear signs of age, her bone structure was exquisite. Even with the passing years, her beauty was undeniable. It wasn’t hard to imagine how stunning she must have been in her youth.

At this, Ethan Sutton’s thoughts drifted to Elaine Hughes’s biological daughter, Melody Summers, and an idea began to form...

Ethan Sutton pulled his hand free from Elaine Hughes’s grasp. He looked at her and Robert Lancaster, then said, "I don’t want Sylvia. The sight of her makes me sick. I recall you Lancasters have another daughter, a biological one. Why don’t you give her to me as compensation instead?"

Both Robert Lancaster and Elaine Hughes froze for a moment. Then, a surprised Robert Lancaster asked, "You mean... Melody Summers?"

Ethan Sutton nodded. "Have Melody Summers come back with me to the Sutton estate and do as I say. If she does, we can consider this debt settled."

Ethan Sutton didn’t spell it out, but Robert and Elaine Hughes understood his implication perfectly.

Ethan Sutton wanted Melody to be a live-in maid he could sleep with. As for any official title or status, the Suttons most likely wouldn’t grant her one.

Elaine Hughes snapped out of her stupor, her expression troubled. "But... but we have no control over her. She doesn’t listen to a word we say."

’Using Melody to pay off the debt was fine by Elaine Hughes, but Melody genuinely didn’t listen to them! Their agreement meant nothing if she wouldn’t go along with it!’

Ethan Sutton just assumed they were making excuses because they felt protective of their biological daughter.

’What daughter wouldn’t listen to her own parents?’

Ethan Sutton refused to believe that Melody would just stand by and do nothing if she knew her parents were in trouble.

He scoffed. "You don’t need to worry about that. Just play along with me in a minute."

With that, Ethan Sutton took out his phone and gestured for Robert and Elaine Hughes to call Melody Summers.

Melody Summers’s voice soon came through the line. "Hello?"

Ethan Sutton snatched the phone. "Hello, Melody Summers. Your parents owe the Sutton family money and are refusing to pay up. If you come back to the Sutton estate with me and... serve me well, we’ll call the debt square. What do you say?"