?Chapter 821:


    “No,” Hugh said tly.


    First it was lies about Freya. What woulde next? Would she move on to scheming against his daughters? He couldn’t afford to take that risk—not when his girls were involved.


    “My dad’s about to walk free from prison,” Vivien murmured, worry etched into her face like a fading bruise. “He’s probably still nursing a grudge against my mom for turning him in for domestic abuse. I fear peace will never set foot in our lives again.”


    Ethel’s brows drew together, a faint crease of unease appearing between them.


    She had always held contempt for those who raised their hands instead of their voices. Still, her father couldn’t be expected to be a lifelong pir for Vivien and Cheryl.


    Freya’s eyes shimmered briefly, betraying the still waters stirred beneath her calm exterior.


    It had all begun when Cheryl, after suffering her husband’s wrath, had reached out to Hugh for help. Hugh, seeing the signs, had helped her find awyer. That was the first domino to fall. A storm of emotions churned quietly within her.


    “The residence I arranged for youes with top-notch security,” Hugh said in a measured tone. “As long as you make no effort to reach out to him, the safety measures will ensure he remains on the outside, where he belongs.”


    Cheryl was no longer tethered to her husband. Even if that man returned like a ghost from the past, he wouldn’t make it past the gates of that ce.


    “But we’ll have to step outside eventually,” Vivien pointed out, her voice thin with anxiety.


    “If danger finds you—or even the shadow of it—report it to the police immediately,” Hugh responded with resolve. “Also, I’ve given you enough funds to hire two bodyguards. As long as you don’t pour it down the drain withvish spending, that money should keep you well for a long time.”


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    Cheryl and Vivien fell silent, realization dawning upon them like daybreak after a long night—Hugh had drawn a line in the sand. His daughters stood behind it; the rest were left to fend for themselves.


    No more words were exchanged. Cheryl could feel the ruin of her past two years settle around her like dust after a copse. She had ced too much weight on her perceived worth in Hugh’s eyes and failed to see the steel of his loyalty to his daughters.


    Had she not witnessed someone scolding their child for a lover’s sake, she might never have dared to test the waters.


    She’d tried to smear Freya’s name, hoping to tilt Hugh’s affections, but that had been her fatal mistake. He would forgive many things—but not a threat to his daughters.


    As the mother and daughter departed, Hugh arranged for a driver to escort them partway. It was a long walk from his ce, and he didn’t want shadows to follow them under the cover of night.


    Once they were gone, the living room sank into silence, like a theater after the final act.


    Hugh stood there, tongue-tied in the presence of his daughters.


    “Dad.” Ethel was the one to break the hush.


    “Yes?” he replied.


    “Where exactly did you settle them?” she asked, curiosity glinting in her tone.


    “I just purchased a house,” Hugh said, a flicker of guilt passing through him. “It’s in the northern district. A bit of a hike from the city center, but not isted.”


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