Two Reborn, One Throne novel Chapter 23

Amber scoffed in disbelief.

"Dad, I hope you heard that clearly. Neither mother nor son needs you rushing in to play the hero. They've got plenty of pride, and plenty of cash," Amber said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

No wonder he was acting so calm. He was banking on the Olympiad prize money.

Arthur furrowed his brows, his face caught in an agonizing conflict.

While Grace was thrilled that her son was going to win her fifty grand next week, she was firmly against the idea of him spending any of it on a nurse. "Lucian, I know you're just trying to be a good son, but there's really no need to hire a nurse. Arthur is here, and I'm totally committed to building a life with him. The adults will handle adult matters; you kids shouldn't meddle so much."

"Right, Arthur?" Grace reached out, tugging gently on Arthur's sleeve, looking up at him with eyes brimming with manufactured affection.

Hire a nurse? Why on earth would she do that? Wasn't Arthur already a free nurse? Would some random nurse be as attentive as him? Would a nurse know how to manage the diner's inventory and run the register?

Her dramatic crying fit was nothing more than an excuse to put Amber in her place, a warning that read: *Stay out of adult business. You're just a girl who's going to get married and leave eventually. Your dad is going to have to rely on my son to care for him in his old age.*

Blood relations? Didn't everyone know daughters always belonged to someone else's family in the end? Amber could try to drive a wedge between them all she wanted, but her dad knew exactly where his bread was buttered. If Amber just learned to behave like she used to, Grace might turn a blind eye and let her be a decent plaything for Lucian before he actually settled down.

Who knew what the future held? Maybe after finals, Grace wouldn't even need to play the villain—the kids would just naturally drift apart, and all this drama would be left in the past.

The moment Grace's lower lip pushed out in a pout, Amber knew exactly what kind of garbage was running through her head.

Did she really think her precious son was going to bring home fifty grand from the physics Olympiad? Ha! Amber desperately wanted to tell her: *Your son stealing from you to spoil Joanne is the least of your worries. He's even planning to enroll in the same trash community college as her.*

Right now, Grace had only thrown her back out. Whether she'd end up losing her life down the line, Amber couldn't say. But the real show hadn't even started yet. They'd see who got the last laugh.

"Alright, adult matters. As the daughter, I'll step back. Dad, is that what you think too?" Amber figured her dad would need a little more time before he truly saw the mother and son for what they were.

Was that truly building a life together? Was that just about a piece of paper? If they weren't legally married and had no physical relationship, the law wouldn't recognize him. If he ended up facing a fate as miserable as hers, who would he cry to?

Amber didn't want much. In this life, aside from taking back what was rightfully hers, she just wanted her family—the father who loved her—to enjoy a peaceful old age.

"Amber..."

Arthur's eyes grew red. "Aren't you forcing my hand? How could I ever abandon you? Even if I stay single forever, I will always be on your side."

"Then leave with me right now."

Even knowing her dad might still secretly meet with Grace later on, Amber was determined to block it whenever she could. She absolutely refused to let that mother and son recklessly and repeatedly rub salt in her wounds.

"Amber, that's enough. My mom and Arthur both want to take care of each other. Why are you constantly trying to sabotage them? They aren't us; there's no need to calculate every little detail. Besides..." Lucian glared at Amber with intense disdain. "Your dad isn't you. He hasn't made my life a living hell. In all fairness, this is between us. Dragging the older generation into it is going too far."