CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER 60: HE TURNS OUT TO BE MY BIOLOGICAL FATHER!

Peter Sawyer was visibly shocked to see his wife arrive, demanding, "Faye Warren, what the hell are you doing here?"

Faye Warren sneered and strolled over to us, saying slowly, "I just wanted to see—what kind of slut manages to seduce men even after turning into a vegetable!"

I immediately walked over and blocked my mother’s hospital bed, snapping, "Watch your mouth! If anyone here is good at seducing men, it’s your daughter!"

Faye Warren raised her hand, trying to slap me, but Peter Sawyer grabbed her wrist.

He said, "Let’s go. We’ll talk at home!"

Faye Warren looked fierce and refused to leave, screeching, "You feel ashamed too, huh? I was wondering why you’ve been moping around and sneaking out lately! Turns out that old whore’s got you under her spell!"

She had barely finished speaking when Peter Sawyer slapped her across the face.

Faye Warren clutched her face, staring at him in disbelief, saying, "You dare hit me? That slut went after you, and her daughter seduced my daughter’s man, and yet you’re taking their side!"

Peter Sawyer barked coldly, "Faye Warren, you and I both know damn well who did the seducing!"

"Hmph. I know nothing!"

Faye Warren gritted her teeth and spat, "The only thing I know is, if it weren’t for us, the Warrens, you’d still be some lowly researcher at the bottom—nothing!"

I never imagined—even though my mom is a vegetable, with no consciousness—she’d still be humiliated with such foul words by Serena’s mom.

Fury made my eyes prick with tears. I turned to Peter Sawyer, "Professor Sawyer, could you kindly get this lunatic out of here? If she doesn’t leave, I’m calling the police."

"Fine, we’re leaving, right now."

Peter Sawyer dragged his wife away, apologizing to me as he left: "Zoe, I’m sorry. I didn’t think this through."

I had no interest in these pointless apologies and just shouted at them, "Get out—all of you!"

After they left, Faye Warren’s curses faded into the distance, but my heart was anything but calm.

I stared at my mother, lying peacefully on her bed, feeling so bitter and bleak inside.

All I could do was pray silently: If being a vegetable means losing all sense of hearing, unable to hear anything, maybe that’s a blessing.

I thought once Peter Sawyer dragged away that crazy woman Faye Warren, things would finally be over.

But I never expected—Serena and her mother are like snakes. Once they wrap around you, you’re doomed, unless they kill you.

That very night after Peter Sawyer left, Serena dominated the trending topics on every app all over again.

Only this time, it wasn’t Serena herself, but Faye Warren—who went online and started a livestream.

Her verified identity: Serena Sawyer’s mother.

I was still in my mother’s hospital room with her at the time.

Mrs. Ellison called me urgently, telling me to watch Serena’s mom’s livestream.

During the stream, Faye Warren wasn’t selling anything, nor putting on a talent show—she just poured her heart out to the viewers.

"Hello everyone, I’m Serena’s mom. My daughter doesn’t know I’m streaming tonight, but I had to say something—it’s been bottled up too long."

As soon as she started, crowds of "spectator" netizens piled in.

The on-screen comments started flooding in:

"Serena’s mom looks so wronged. Is this about the mistress thing with Serena?"

"Heard Serena was taken down by the mistress and lost her big lead role."

"Auntie, don’t cry! We feel so bad for you!"

"..."

Faye Warren went on, "I never expected, after Zoe ruined my daughter’s relationship with President Xavier, she’d go so far as to use her vegetative mother to get between me and my husband."

Every line she spat out had "going viral" written all over it.

In no time, the livestream viewership ballooned from thousands to tens of millions.

The comments flew up at lightning speed.

Crying, Faye Warren said, "Thanks to Zoe, my daughter and son’s careers are in ruins. Now, even my husband is going back to his old flame."

Even though scores of Serena’s fans were flaming my mom and me in the comments, a few reasonable ones piped up: "This is getting out of hand! Didn’t your son have it coming? How would a vegetable seduce anyone?"

Then, Faye Warren whipped out a pile of old photos: "Look, everyone—after I married my husband, her mother wormed her way into our marriage. I kept quiet, protected my family, swallowed it all. But I never thought, twenty-odd years later, even after Zoe’s mom ended up bedridden, she’d still use her mother to wreck our family."

She even showed hospital surveillance footage.

Unknown to me, Peter Sawyer was seen holding my mom’s hand, gently stroking her face, and even kissing her on the forehead.

I was floored.

But I believed—my mom couldn’t possibly be the third party who broke up someone’s marriage.

Except I was the only one who believed that—and it meant nothing.

The online hatestorm I just survived was now engulfing my mom, too.

"This is sick! She’s a vegetable and still seducing men?"

"Why isn’t she dead? No wonder Zoe turned out like that—her mom was no good either. Should’ve died a long time ago!"

"Serena’s family is tragic! Zoe the bitch is just wrecking them—what a plague!"

"..."

Just then, Serena jumped into the livestream and shouted at her mom, "Mom! What are you doing? Please stop spouting nonsense!"

The next moment, the livestream was shut off.

Perfect double-act by mother and daughter.

In just ten minutes, Faye Warren’s stream shot straight to the top of the trending search, hotter than any previous scandal.

Now, Mom and I were targets for the online public’s collective rage.

The "spectators" couldn’t be more sympathetic to Serena, with comments pouring in:

"Even now, Serena’s still swallowing her pride—won’t let her mom expose the homewrecker. She’s so kind—why does this have to happen to her?"

"I’m Serena’s fan—I feel so bad for her! I’m gonna cry my eyes out!"

"Can’t anyone stop that shameless bitch!? Zoe and her mom should just die! Die!"

"..."

The venom in the comments made my hands tremble around my phone.

I looked at my mother, still unconscious, and in a flash, tears spilled out.

She’d done nothing, hurt no one.

Why did she have to suffer this kind of insult?

Then, I heard footsteps—ones I’d come to know all too well.

I knew: That was Timothy Xavier.

Why would he show up now?

Shouldn’t he be comforting the "wronged" lover and her mother-in-law?

I quickly wiped my face and asked coolly, "What do you want?"

Timothy’s deep eyes showed a storm inside. He asked, "Are the things Serena’s mother said true?"

All my anger clawed up my throat.

I’m his wife. Serena is the one who barged in. Doesn’t Timothy know that?

Faye Warren’s lies turned everything upside-down, and he actually came to "verify" with me.

Who was he insulting here?

I glared hatefully, pointing to the door: "Get out!"

Timothy refused to leave. He asked, "What are you planning to do?"

"I’ll just post our marriage certificate online—no need for explanations. Everyone will see."

At those words, Timothy’s eyes flashed cold.

He said, voice low and harsh, "It was Serena’s mother who did the livestream. What does that have to do with Serena? Posting that certificate—what will it prove?"

I laughed coldly. "It proves Serena’s the homewrecker. It proves her mother’s a liar."

"Zoe Ellison, you’d better not."

Timothy’s words came out ice-cold: "Xavier Group’s got enough trouble right now. If you make things any harder for me, I won’t go easy on you again."

I never expected—with all the filth thrown at me and my mother—Timothy would show up just to threaten me, warn me to keep quiet, and not harm Serena.

Even though he knew it was all lies.

The burning in my nose, the ache in my eyes—I stared into his icy stare. "If I post the marriage certificate, then what?"

"Your mother’s life—is now in your own hands. Think carefully."

He left me with that, then walked out.

I closed my eyes in despair, but couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks.

So—I realized. He came all this way just to intimidate me, to warn me. To make sure my mother and I took the blame.

Even if everyone came after us; even if the insults rained down forever.

As long as Serena was safe and sound, Timothy Xavier wouldn’t care about us at all.

Timothy hadn’t been gone long when Jenna Sutton and Ethan Xavier showed up.

Jenna was furious at all the crap online. "Zoe, forget it! Just post the certificate! I don’t believe that bastard Timothy would really shut off your mom’s machines—watch her die!"

Ethan chimed in, somber, "But Timothy really would! If you go through with it, you’ll just hurt Zoe."

Jenna fell silent, crying, "Then what are we supposed to do? Are Zoe and her mother just supposed to suffer like this?"

For once, Ethan quit joking around and calmly analyzed, "Right now, that old Sawyer witch is targeting both Zoe and her mom. Even if Zoe blows up their marriage certificate, it doesn’t prove her mom didn’t have something with Peter Sawyer years ago!"

I argued, almost panicked, "My mom’s not like that! She’d never destroy a family!"

"I know, I know."

Ethan patted my shoulder gently. "But you have to prove it. Saying it isn’t enough. With so much noise online, you need hard evidence—to shut them up."

With Ethan’s calm, I settled myself.

After thinking hard, I decided to ask Jenna to go to Aurelia—to dig up anything from the university where Mom once studied.

Because both Mom and Peter Sawyer attended University of Aurelia. Maybe they knew each other back then?

Someone must know what happened between them.

But now, Mom and I are basically public enemies; I can’t show my face anywhere. I have to rely on Jenna.

"Okay. I’ll leave first thing tomorrow."

Jenna didn’t hesitate at all.

Ethan sighed, "Tomorrow I’ll ask Julian if he knows any good moves."

"Mr. Sinclair?"

I glanced at him, puzzled.

I always felt that sort of person was way out of my world. Would he help people like me?

Ethan nodded, "Yeah. He’s got experience, and deep roots in Aurelia. Probably better than what we can come up with!"

"Thank you both."

I bowed deeply to them—a move that dumped them both in shock.

"What’re you doing?"

Ethan said, "You act like I’m dead and you’re grieving or something."

Jenna glared at him, then told me, "We’re like family, Zoe. You don’t have to be so polite."

Just like that, they stayed with me at the hospital all night; no matter how I insisted, they wouldn’t leave.

At first light, the two headed off for Aurelia together.

Soon after, my adoptive parents learned what happened and rushed over.

Mrs. Ellison was a sobbing mess: "How could the Sawyers be so cruel? How can they spout such outrageous lies?"

I was about to ask them, "Dad, Mom, do you know anything about my mom and Peter Sawyer back then? Do you know about everything my mother went through?"

I thought—since they took me in back then, maybe they must know something about her.

Mr. Ellison’s face stiffened, and after a long silence, he said, "Actually, back then, your mom worked as a tech specialist at my company—she was brilliant at research. I wasn’t close to her, until that accident. Some staff told me she left a daughter, that’s how I brought you into the Ellison Family."

I felt a pang of disappointment.

Turns out, even they only knew that much about my mom.

They comforted me for ages, but there was nothing more they could do.

I reminded them not to get involved—after all, the Ellisons have enough troubles of their own right now.

...

After they left, I was shocked that Peter Sawyer—the heartless bastard getting blasted online as much as us—actually showed up anyway.

Since he was drowning in the backlash too, with his career nearly tanking, I really couldn’t help wondering if he and Serena’s gang actually planned to set us up!

"Zoe."

Peter Sawyer looked like he’d aged ten years overnight. "I came today because I wanted to talk to you about your mother. I imagine you’re curious too?"

I stared him down, one word at a time: "My mom’s not the kind of person Faye Warren described, right?"

"She’s not. It was all my fault. I did have a relationship with your mother—she was even pregnant with my child. When she found out about my marriage, she left Aurelia with the baby."

Peter Sawyer’s words were muttered and vague, but he kept his eyes fixed on me.

Suddenly, dread welled up in me, and I wanted desperately to stop him from speaking.

But he was determined: "Zoe, the first time I saw you, I knew you were a gift from the heavens. In the end, your mother softened and let my child live."

"Shut up!"

I was shaking all over, spitting out, "I don’t have a father like you! You got my mom pregnant and then married Faye Warren. From now on, you don’t deserve to call yourself my father!"

Peter Sawyer sighed, "Zoe, please—let me make it up to you both, all right?"

"Your wife and daughter join forces to smear me and my mom. She’s already a vegetable, but now gets stuck with these accusations. What exactly do you plan to do to ’make up for it’?"

I thought he’d at least act like a man for once—stand up and clear my mother’s name for the wrongs he committed years ago.

But his answer stunned me: "I’ll arrange for you and your mother to go abroad. I know you got married right after college and missed out on grad school. It’s a shame. So you can continue your studies overseas—I’ll help get you in, and pay for everything. For your mother, I’ve lined up a good hospital."

"Ha! Professor Sawyer, I always thought you were different from your wife and kids—but now I see you’re no different. Just as shameless and cunning as they are."

I snorted, disappointment sharp as I looked at the man who claimed to be my father.

Peter Sawyer rushed to explain, "It’s not like that—I genuinely want to make it right."

"Your way of ’making it right’ is sending me and my mom abroad to hide like rats? That just means you admit all those nasty lies. Once we’re gone, the gossip here dies down. Your wife and daughter get what they want—and you get to keep enjoying your reputation. Isn’t that it?"

I tore off Peter Sawyer’s mask of "kindness."

With every word I spoke, he looked more and more ashamed.

Finally, voice choked, he pleaded: "Zoe, I’m your real father. It took me so long to earn everything I have. You and your mom can’t destroy me! If you leave the country, you’ll never hear what people are saying in China. It’s best for everyone."

I glared at his shameless face, spitting, "You didn’t get ruined because of us—you ruined us! If you’d just stayed away, my mom and I could’ve lived in peace. You’re too cowardly to own up to what you did—what right do you have to call yourself my father!"

Peter Sawyer looked even more disappointed than me, shaking his head: "I thought, knowing your famous father, you’d be proud."

I curled my lips in mocking scorn, "With kids like yours, it’s no wonder at all."

I pulled out my phone, voice sharp: "If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the cops!"

This spooked Peter Sawyer—one more scandal could wreck his name for good. He rushed to stop me: "Fine, I’m leaving. But please, think about my offer."

Right then, I suddenly remembered: When I ran background checks on Miles Sawyer, I looked into Peter Sawyer too.

I remembered clearly—his biography boasted how he once donated lots of blood to save a student who’d lost too much.

That student had AB blood, and there was none in the blood bank, but Peter’s blood was type O—universal donor.

Even Baidu honored that as a sign that he cared deeply for his students.

But my mother is type B.

My blood is a rare type—and if my parents were "B" and "O," they couldn’t possibly have a kid with a rare blood type.

I called out to him at once: "Wait."