Chapter 783 - 771: The Little Detective (Part 1)

Chapter 783: Chapter 771: The Little Detective (Part 1)

Archie Lockwood’s gaze turned icy as he looked at Yvonne Tate, who was holding onto Rory and chattering away. "I’m sorry, I have something to take care of, so please excuse us. Rory, let’s go."

With that, he turned and left, paying no mind to their reactions.

Shirley Lockwood had no desire to put on a show for these strangers anyway. Hearing that her dad had business to attend to, she quickly trotted after him.

The elders—Wendy Warren, Yvonne Tate, and Jasper Vance—had been enjoying their conversation, so they were all quite displeased by Archie Lockwood and his daughter’s abrupt departure.

Shannon Vance’s father, Jasper Vance, was particularly offended. "Shannon, what does your boyfriend mean by this?"

"It’s one thing not to greet his elders, but to just storm off in front of our faces like that?"

"Yes, Shannon, what on earth does your boyfriend mean by that? Does he think a daughter of the Vance family isn’t good enough for him?" Yvonne Tate chimed in angrily.

Shannon Vance watched the direction Archie Lockwood had gone, feeling anxious. But after hearing her parents, she had to give up the idea of chasing after him and stay to explain. "Mom, Dad, I’m sorry. My boyfriend really does have something urgent to handle."

Yvonne Tate retorted in disbelief, "Urgent business? Hah! What kind of urgent business makes him storm off without a single word?"

"I don’t think he cares about you at all, Shannon. You should break up with him sooner rather than later. He’s not nearly as sensible as Jue," Wendy Warren added, equally upset.

Listening to everyone, Shannon Vance’s eyes turned red. She mumbled defensively, "Mom, Dad, my boyfriend really is busy. He’s not normally like this. He treats me so well, he really does."

"Shannon, I don’t care how he usually treats you. What he did today was wrong. You tell him to come and apologize on another day. Otherwise, this relationship is over. The Vance family will not accept such an ill-mannered man as a son-in-law." In the end, not wanting to see her daughter so upset, Yvonne Tate relented slightly.

"That’s right. My daughter—Jasper Vance’s daughter—is not someone he can treat however he pleases. Shannon, never mind that he’s dragging along that baggage of his. Even if he weren’t, our Vance family is more than a good enough match for the Lockwood Family."

"Mom, Dad, I love him, and I’m going to marry him! And Rory is not ’baggage’! After I marry him, Rory will be my daughter—Shannon Vance’s daughter! My very own biological daughter!" Shannon Vance, who had been anxious to run after Archie Lockwood to see what was wrong, finally snapped after hearing her parents’ increasingly harsh words.

With that, she ignored her parents’ anger, turned, and rushed out the door.

***

Archie Lockwood led Shirley Lockwood out of the guest room and straight out of the Vance residence.

「In the car.」

Shirley Lockwood tilted her head, her focused gaze making Archie Lockwood feel distinctly uncomfortable.

’This little rascal only stares at me like that when she’s plotting something.’ He coughed twice, then turned to Shirley Lockwood, raising an eyebrow. "Spit it out," he said coolly. "What do you want?"

"Dad, I discovered something incredible tonight," Shirley Lockwood said, blinking and giving him a mysterious little smile.