Chapter 484

Isabella was the same daughter Eleanor had scolded and beaten as a child. She had despised this 'adopted daughter' so much she even removed her from the family registry. She had even brought men to attack her private manor! A tidal wave of guilt and regret crashed over her. She clutched Richard's arm desperately. "Oh, Richard, what do we do now? How can we possibly face Isabella? Will she ever forgive us? I'm too ashamed to even look at her!"

"I'm utterly ashamed as well," Richard sighed heavily.

At least Eleanor had been kind to Isabella when she first brought her home. Everyone else had fought against the decision, assuming Eleanor and Richard were just scheming for a larger share of the family fortune. It had caused a massive scandal back then. Because of that, Richard had never liked Isabella from the start. He had never shown her a single ounce of kindness.

Just then, Penelope approached Richard. "Brother, Father said no matter how ashamed you both feel, you must go and find Isabella."

"Look at the mess we're in," Gregory added, stepping out from behind Penelope. "We're fifty billion in debt. Bankruptcy is imminent, and there's no way we can find that kind of money. Only Isabella can save us now."

Eleanor was furious hearing this. "What right do you have to say that? When I first brought Isabella home, all of you thought I was just angling for a bigger share of the family assets! You all wanted her gone! For twenty-three years, have any of you ever stopped treating her with hostility? Have you ever stopped condemning her and hurling insults? Now that we're in trouble, you want her to use her own money to bail us out? Have you no shame?"

"Isn't Isabella the true heiress of this family? Saving the family is her duty!" Sophia declared, walking over.

It was true, Sophia did not like Isabella. But Isabella was the only one who could save them now. That was the only reason Sophia was joining in to persuade them to bring Isabella back. At least to save the family first.

Richard scoffed, "That's not what any of you said when she secured her share of the family trust. You're all well aware of how we treated her all these years! We looked down on her during our prosperous days, and now that we're drowning, we expect her to rescue us? I'm too ashamed to even ask! If you feel no shame, then you go find her yourselves!" His voice was firm and laced with fury. Since Theodore was on their side, Sophia and her parents shrank back under Richard's words.

Richard and Eleanor didn't care what the others thought. The moment they discovered Isabella was their biological daughter, their only desire was to see her, to apologize, to beg for her forgiveness. To ask her to come home and save the family's crumbling empire? They were far too ashamed for that.

Sophia pouted, slumping into a chair angrily. "Fine then! Let's all just live in this hospital forever! Let's survive on hospital meal boxes for the rest of our lives! This is our fate now!"

"The Montgomery family is so unlucky," Gregory muttered under his breath. "What's so difficult about keeping track of your own children? One daughter gets swapped and the real one isn't even willing to take responsibility…"

Richard exploded with rage. He slammed his palms on the table and shot to his feet. "Say that again! Who isn't willing to take responsibility?!"

"What I'm saying… what I mean is…" Gregory hastily hid behind Penelope, peeking out from behind her, "Whether she was the real daughter or the adopted one, they were both your daughters! Especially that Victoria. You raised her! Of course you have to take full responsibility for this mess!"

"That's not what you said when you were accepting gifts from Victoria worth tens of thousands of dollars!" Eleanor retorted angrily.

The scene was devolving into another family brawl.

Suddenly…

"Enough!"

A hoarse, aged voice cut through the chaos. Theodore anchored his walker heavily onto the floor. "A bunch of useless trash. Stop this squabbling immediately! Richard, you will go and apologize to Isabella. Right now. No matter what, you must secure her forgiveness. As for saving the Montgomery family, only ask if she is willing. If she is willing, the entire Montgomery family and all its assets will belong to her. If she is not, do not force it… I only wish for her to come home and share a meal with us."

Theodore desired nothing else—he merely longed to hear her call him 'Grandpa' one more time. All these years, she had addressed him as Grandpa while being the adopted daughter. Theodore yearned to hear it from the family's true heiress.

However, Sophia instantly jumped to her feet in protest. "No! The entire Montgomery family cannot go to her!"