CHAPTER 2: CHAPTER 2: I’M YOUR DADDY

Stanton Manor.

The entire manor was set up for a birthday party.

Clarissa Stanton, dressed in an LV spring limited starlight gown, was surrounded by a group of socialites singing her praises.

"Clarissa, your dress is so beautiful, like a nebula!"

"This is the LV spring limited edition, right? I couldn’t even get one on loan, and you bought it. Your dad really spoils you!"

"Happy birthday, Clarissa. I heard you got a role in Director Sutton’s film. You’ll certainly be this year’s most popular actress. Don’t forget about us when you’re famous in the entertainment industry."

"What entertainment industry? Clarissa is just there for fun. With her status, how hard could it be to become famous?"

Amidst the adulation, Clarissa Stanton suppressed the smugness in her eyes and said, "Thank you all. Let me go check when the cake will arrive."

Clarissa Stanton returned to the villa and nearly bumped into her mother who was just leaving.

"Mom!" she whispered, pulling Stella Monroe aside to speak quietly: "Haven’t the people my cousin sent returned? Today is my twentieth birthday, and I don’t want people to know our family still has some wild girl abducted by traffickers!"

Stella Monroe lovingly adjusted Clarissa Stanton’s skirt hem and said, "No news is good news. Don’t worry, she absolutely won’t come back. Even if she does return, she’s been sold by traffickers to some remote mountain village. What threat could a village girl pose?"

Clarissa Stanton was completely convinced, even somewhat eager for that village girl to return.

Only by comparison could one create harm, allowing her to truly stand out as the real heiress.

"It’s not good! Madam!" a servant rushed in to report: "There’s a Knight helicopter parked on the party lawn."

"The Knight Family?" Clarissa Stanton’s eyes lit up: "Mom, you and dad wouldn’t have invited Damian Knight over for me, would you?"

Stella Monroe was equally surprised.

Although the Stanton Family is also a top company in the nation and holds its own in Crestfall...

The Knight Family stands at the pinnacle of the global pyramid, and Damian Knight is the heir to The Knight Corporation. Their family isn’t worthy to invite Damian Knight to attend their daughter’s birthday.

Could it be... that the business deal that Old Master Stanton discussed with the Knight Family made Damian Knight take it seriously?

"Let’s go see!" Stella Monroe felt suspicious but even more delighted.

If their family could forge a connection with the Knight Family, they wouldn’t have to worry for generations to come.

Mother and daughter touched up their makeup and hurried excitedly towards the lawn.

A group of Crestfall’s nouveau riche had already gathered on the lawn.

As soon as Clarissa Stanton approached, she was surrounded by socialites full of envy.

"Clarissa, you actually got someone from the Knight Family to come. You’re amazing!"

"This is such an important event, and you didn’t even tell me. If I had known, I would have hired a professional makeup artist."

Clarissa Stanton only smiled outwardly, while inwardly feeling disdain.

The people from the Knight Family were here for her—what makeup were these people trying to fix?

It must have been that Damian Knight noticed her at the Knight Corporation’s anniversary banquet last month!

She was about to become the esteemed Mrs. Knight!

At that moment, the helicopter door slowly opened.

In eager anticipation, a ragged girl jumped down from the helicopter.

Her figure was slender, but her face was covered in black soot, making her original appearance unclear. Her hair seemed unkempt for a month, sticking to her scalp, appearing very disheveled.

"This is..."

The crowd turned to Clarissa Stanton, and someone who disliked her taunted, "Clarissa, is this your esteemed guest? A... beggar?"

Clarissa Stanton was furious and walked over to question, "Who are you? How dare you attend my birthday party?"

"Birthday party?" Summer Monroe immediately recognized the arrogant girl.

Documents showed she was Stella Monroe’s adopted daughter, but the detective told her this girl was her aunt Stella Monroe and her biological father Henry Stanton’s illegitimate daughter.

Her biological daughter was missing, yet they hosted a birthday bash for the illegitimate one?

Ha!

"Who am I?" Summer Monroe glanced deeply at the girl and said, "I’m your dad’s..."

"You—"

Just as Clarissa Stanton was about to lash out, Summer Monroe bluntly added, "Biological daughter."

The expression on Clarissa Stanton’s face instantly froze, while the party guests showed eager anticipation for the unfolding drama.

Clarissa Stanton came to her senses and asked in shock, "You’re... you’re Summer Monroe?"

That village girl?

Indeed... very much a village girl!

Stella Monroe was relatively calm, swiftly stepping forward to say, "Summer, is that you? I’ve been waiting for you for so long. Poor child, you’ve finally come back..."

Summer Monroe curled her lips: "Auntie, I see you’ve been well."

Though she smiled, her tone was filled with sarcasm.

Her mother’s own sister married her biological father? Her brother-in-law married the sister-in-law?

What a ridiculous affair!

There was definitely something suspicious about them!

The guests whispered among themselves: "I heard Mrs. Stanton is the sister of the former Mrs. Stanton..."

"So, this must be the Miss Monroe who was kidnapped by traffickers ten years ago?"

"The Stanton Family was originally surnamed Monroe, and Old Master Stanton was just a live-in son-in-law. After Miss Monroe’s death, the family took on the Stanton name."

"There’s really such a backstory? How... amazing..."

Stella Monroe felt her face burning from the whispers, and she awkwardly cleared her throat: "Darling, it’s good you’re back. Let me take you to clean up. Look at yourself... so dirty. Life in the countryside must be very harsh, right?"

At this moment, she still couldn’t help but remind everyone that she was from the countryside; clearly, she was displeased with herself.

As Summer Monroe was about to speak, a low voice suddenly echoed from behind: "Hey."

Everyone turned to look and, seeing who had stepped out of the helicopter, was left dumbfounded.

Damian Knight!

Damian Knight, whose slightest move could cause tremors in the global economy?!

"Young Master Knight?!" Clarissa Stanton rushed forward excitedly and asked, "Are you... here for my birthday party? Thank you..."

The delight in her eyes was impossible to hide, and her face was visibly flushed with shyness.

She had originally thought Damian Knight might just send someone to congratulate her, but she hadn’t expected Damian Knight himself to show up!

Her time had come, her happy life was about to begin!

If she could, Clarissa Stanton really wished to leap up and cheer.

Those around her cast envious glances at Clarissa Stanton.

Even as an adopted daughter, forging a connection with Damian Knight promised a bright future!

But in the next instant—

"Who are you?"

Damian Knight frowned, seemingly noticing Clarissa Stanton only then, with visible impatience and confusion.

Damian Knight had no idea who she was!

"Pfft..." someone nearby couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"What’s this? I thought Young Master Knight came to wish Clarissa Stanton a happy birthday, but he doesn’t even know who she is."

"Hahaha... I’m dying of laughter! If I were her, I’d find a hole to crawl into and seal it up with glue so I’d never come out again!"

Clarissa Stanton’s expression shifted from delight to bewilderment, then from bewilderment to shame, finally glaring angrily at the two socialites who spoke.

Still, Stella Monroe reacted quickly, stepping forward to speak on her daughter’s behalf: "Young Master Knight, it’s such an honor to have you here. Today is my daughter’s birthday; she misunderstood and thought you were here to celebrate with her. I see you’re actually here to discuss cooperation with Old Master Stanton. He’s upstairs, please come in and have a cup of tea."

The guests immediately curbed their mocking looks.

Having Damian Knight personally visit to discuss cooperation was also a tremendous honor.

Yet, the next moment, Damian Knight once again—

"Do I know you?"

Stella Monroe’s hand, poised to invite, hung awkwardly in mid-air.

Could it be that Young Master Knight... didn’t know her either??