Stewing in his mixture of suspicion and wounded pride, his mood darkened further as the others began their chorus of lectures.

“Taylor, pull yourself together! Don’t chase after some girl simply because she possesses a pretty face.”

“Precisely. If Cole and Jason hadn’t intervened, you might have gotten yourself killed over this Lilah girl.”

“I don’t wish to sound critical, Taylor, but you can be remarkably shallow. You’re entirely focused on appearances with no regard for substance. You should follow Cole and Jason’s example—perhaps open a book occasionally!”

With each word, Taylor’s irritation climbed to new heights. He wouldn’t dare unleash his fury on Cole or Jason, but he harbored no such restraint toward those relatives of his age.

“Get lost!” Taylor bellowed. “What the hell do any of you understand? Shut your mouths, all of you! If you keep running those flapping tongues, I’ll slice them out one by one and serve them to the tigers at the zoo—Ow!” ? FιndNovel.net

Before Taylor could complete his vicious threat, he cried out, clutching the side of his head.

Louisa had delivered a resounding slap.

When the ringing in his ears finally subsided, he gazed up at his mother.

Louisa’s beautiful eyes blazed with fury, practically protruding from their sockets. “You brat!” she snapped, her voice razor-sharp. “Not one single day passes without you behaving like a complete fool. I have no idea where you acquired such shameless behavior! They’re absolutely…”

“Right—you should heed their words! Cole and Jason issued that stern warning for excellent reasons, and you’d better engrave it into your memory!”

Taylor, still defiant, parted his lips to offer a retort, but before he could speak, Emmanuel strode forward and delivered his own slap. “Obey your mother!” Crack! The sound rang much sharper than Louisa’s initial blow.

Every journey starts at gα?ησν?s?c?

Louisa, despite her anger, might have restrained herself as a loving mother, but Emmanuel showed no such mercy. Though he presented a gentle, kindly facade to the outside world, with his own son, he remained an unyielding disciplinarian.

Taylor’s head spun like a carnival ride.

Just then, Ruben’s voice thundered from the top of the staircase. “Why did you strike Taylor?”

Ruben wasn’t particularly upset about Taylor’s decision to abandon high school for the glittering world of entertainment.

The Evans clan sprawled like a vast oak tree, its branches heavy with descendants. Beyond Taylor, Ruben cherished countless grandchildren. He refused to demand cookie-cutter perfection from each one; instead, he took pleasure in watching them bloom into their authentic selves.

Taylor had carved his name into showbiz, transforming from a family dreamer into a celebrated screen legend. Pride swelled in Ruben’s chest whenever he thought of Taylor’s achievements, and each homecoming brought pure joy. The old man would beam with affection, sometimes even joining the younger crowd in their starry-eyed celebrity worship.

Now, witnessing Taylor endure his parents’ harsh words, protective instincts flared within Ruben. His weathered features darkened with disapproval.

Taylor recognized that familiar spark of protectiveness in his grandfather’s eyes and seized the moment. He stepped forward with theatrical sadness. “Grandpa, thank heavens you’re here! I simply mentioned finding a beautiful girl attractive—haven’t even pursued her—and suddenly the entire family treats me like a criminal!”

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