Eight Uncles' Beloved Treasure (Lily)

Chapter 3 Lilly’s Eight Uncles To The Rescue!

Everything happened so fast that the Hatchers had no time to react.

By the time Stephen rushed out, he saw Anthony preparing to get into his car and drive off. However, he had not been in time to see Gilbert brushing the snow off Lilly and picking her up from where she had been kneeling by the gate.

“My goodness! It’s Mr. Anthony Crawford!” Stephen plastered a bright smile onto his face and greeted the other cheerfully. “What brings you here? It’s an honor to have you visiting our humble abode!”

By then, Richard, Paula, and some of the Hatcher servants had hurried out to join Stephen as well, their faces wreathed in smiles of welcome.

When they saw Anthony’s stern, aloof countenance, they became even more fawning and obsequious.

Anthony Crawford was the current head of the Crawford family’s business empire and the CEO of Crawford Holdings!

The Crawford family was one of Clodston’s four influential families; everyone wanted to butter them up and curry favor.

A true aristocratic family like this with old money and such deep ties to Clodston was rare. The Crawfords were an elusive, mysterious entity; they kept themselves out of the limelight. The only thing anyone in Clodston knew for sure was that the Crawfords had eight sons, but even then, few had even set eyes on them.

Anthony was occasionally featured in the headlines of the financial news, which was why the Hatchers had recognized him.

“Mr. Crawford, please come in! It’s freezing out here. We’d love to have you stay a little while if you don’t mind such humble surroundings,” Richard said enthusiastically.

“Yes, yes, please do come in and have something hot!” Stephen chimed in, smiling.

Now that they were in the presence of a truly distinguished person, all the Hatchers could not help trying to ingratiate themselves with him.

The Ador Hatcher Corporation was in dire straits; for the Hatcher family, this was a catastrophe.

However, just a word from Anthony would revive their flagging fortunes!

If luck favored them, they might even become one of Clodston’s top ten influential families…

Anthony’s face betrayed no hint of expression; instead, he studied Stephen with keen eyes.

Was this Lilly’s father?

Still without expression, Anthony declined Richard’s offer coolly and enigmatically. “Very well, Mr. Hatcher and family.”

Without another word, he got into his car and drove off.

The Hatchers stood there, confused and dazed, watching him leave.

Paula was the first to speak. “Mr. Crawford said very well… Does that mean he’s intending to help us?”

Richard frowned. “Given his expression, I don’t think he meant anything complimentary.”

Stephen ordered the servants to enlighten him about what had happened earlier.

related how the Crawfords had shown up en masse at the Hatcher Mansion and taken Lilly away, and that a man in black had stripped off his coat and wrapped it around her, cradling her

this, he was thunderstruck. Suddenly,

had eight sons and a daughter. However, the

years ago was the Crawford family’s

the Hatcher family felt their hearts

was the Crawfords’ daughter… hurry, we need to go and

kneel in

treated her like a goddess

when he recalled how

to get her back? Do you think we can walk

a wrinkled prune. After a long moment of consideration, he said, “Well, regardless, we’re still Lilly’s blood relations. We’re her grandparents, after all! The Crawfords can’t deny that, no matter how angry they are. Then again, Lilly did cause Debbie’s miscarriage,

wanted to do was to teach Lilly not to be an irresponsible

had let his temper get the better of him and had

to have a satisfactory explanation for everything. Once that was settled, they would be able to look forward to a future

…

Lilly, the Crawfords went straight

in South Town’s best hospital was now a hive

extremely tense, punctuated by the sounds of hospital equipment beeping and doctors and nurses hurrying to and

help of his walking stick. “Why are they still

then gently told his father, “Dad, you should sit

emergency room as soon as they reached the hospital. Gilbert had gone with her; up until

room, Gilbert examined

happen in cases of severe frostbite. A more detailed examination revealed that Lily had been badly

of the areas

old, and she had been made

Uncle Gilbert. Can you hear me? If you

had the oddest sensation of her body feeling very light and warm all over. It was the first time she

was very quiet, except for a voice by her ear that constantly murmured, “Lilly…Lilly dear…little Tulip…Can you see

was this mysterious

open her eyes, but

to reply that she could hear this person talking to her as well, but she could not make a sound, no matter

…

hours of surgical procedures before Lilly was out of danger,

into a hospital room, IV tubes plastered all over

the report from Lilly’s examination. When the Crawfords

bunch, these Hatchers! They even had the nerve to lay hands on

background check on the Hatcher family. In a frosty voice, he replied, “The Hatcher family’s business goods are under suspicion of being contraband. The

laughed derisively. “Help them? They can count themselves lucky if I

enraged that he wanted to

answered.

fell silent. After a while, he murmured,