Chapter 3

As soon as the words left my mouth, the entire hall fell silent for a moment before erupting in roaring laughter.

"That's hilarious! Everyone knows Mr. Ashford married a daughter from a prestigious medical family---beautiful, brilliant, and accomplished. You, an ordinary woman, dare impersonate Mrs. Ashford? You've got some nerve!"

"Exactly! Look in a mirror---you even have a kid in tow. How dare you mention Mr. Ashford?"

Nora's little face flushed red with anger at the crowd's mockery. She put her hands on her hips and shouted back:

"Don't talk about my mom like that! My mom is a medical doctor!"

Seeing this, the crowd laughed even more brazenly: "Like mother, like daughter---look what she's taught the child!"

"Just like her mother---both pathological liars! Shameless!"

Rowena grabbed Hugh Shaw's sleeve, her face full of alarm:

"Huai'an, is Claire trying to destroy the Shaw family? Impersonating Mrs. Ashford---if word gets out, our entire Shaw family will be ruined!"

Provoked by her words, Hugh Shaw angrily ordered those behind him:

"Someone, teach this arrogant woman a lesson!"

Several ill-intentioned attendants immediately rushed forward and began groping me without hesitation.

To avoid hurting Nora, I held her tightly in my arms.

Slaps landed hard, and a metallic taste rose in my throat.

"Mom!" Nora broke down crying, her small hands clutching my clothes tightly.

Chloe Shaw, who'd been standing beside Rowena, suddenly pointed at Nora and screamed:

"My brooch is missing! It was her! That little beggar! She stole my brooch!"

My gaze turned cold as I clearly saw a flash of jealousy in Chloe's eyes.

Ethan immediately stepped forward, grabbed the necklace around Nora's neck, and yanked it hard. The necklace was torn off, and he shoved Nora to the ground in the process.

"Little beggar, how dare you steal my sister's necklace? Shameless!"

Nora fell to the ground, her eyes red as she shouted back:

"I didn't steal it! Dad gave it to me! You big meanie! Give it back!"

My heart clenched. I stumbled forward to help Nora up and saw a vivid red mark on her delicate neck from being strangled.

I trembled with rage and glared at Ethan: "Give the necklace back to her!"

But Ethan completely ignored me and handed the necklace directly to Chloe.

Chloe happily put the necklace around her own neck and smugly lifted her chin at Nora.

Hugh Shaw looked at me with a dark expression, his tone disgusted: "Unrepentant! Teaching a child to be a thief like you! No---I won't let Shaw family blood be ruined by you! She must come back with me!"

A flash of malice crossed Rowena's eyes before she stepped forward gently: "Huai'an, perhaps we should investigate first. What if she's someone else's illegitimate child with another man? We can't let an outsider taint the Shaw family bloodline."

Hugh Shaw nodded and immediately barked: "Someone get me a paternity test kit!"

Several assistant-like figures rushed forward like wolves, reaching out to snatch Nora away.

One of them was holding a sampling swab.

I held Nora tightly and backed away, screaming:

"Don't come near us! I'll say it one more time---she has nothing to do with the Shaw family! She is Pierce Ashford's daughter!"

But those people only followed Hugh Shaw's orders. They ignored my cries and kept pressing forward.

In the chaos, the sampling swab jabbed viciously toward Nora. I instinctively raised my arm to block it.

The sharp plastic rod pierced straight into my arm. Blood immediately gushed out, staining my sleeve red.

"Mom!" Nora cried out in terror, her small body trembling.

I endured the piercing pain and still held Nora tightly in my arms.

Hugh Shaw impatiently barked: "Pull her away!"

Several attendants immediately stepped forward, roughly twisting my arms behind my back with such force it felt like they'd break my bones.

Just as the sampling swab was about to jab Nora, a figure suddenly broke through the crowd and grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it sharply.

A scream instantly echoed through the hall.

The next second, a cold voice laced with fury shook the entire venue into silence: "You dare touch my daughter? Who gave you that nerve?"