She Quit Her Family and Found Herself novel Chapter 220

Looking at Finn's frail, kneeling figure as he sobbed and begged, a wave of pity and guilt washed over Herbert.

Contrasting this with Miles's violent outburst, stubborn refusal to apologize, and screaming defiance, Herbert's expression darkened further. "Sylvie, this isn't Finn's fault. This is entirely on Miles for being unreasonable. He refuses to share, resorts to violence, shows absolutely no remorse, and then screams at us. That boy is spiraling completely out of control."

With a single sentence, Herbert firmly passed judgment on the entire situation.

He stepped forward and looked down at the weeping boy. "Finn, you don't need to apologize. Your sister and I are not sending you back. We brought you here, which means this is your home now. Moving forward, whatever Miles gets, you will get too."

Overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, Sylvie threw herself into Herbert's arms. "Thank you... Thank you for being so good to me, and so kind to my family."

Caught completely off guard by the embrace, Herbert's body tensed. His instinct was to push her away, but with the child watching them, he suppressed the urge. Instead, he awkwardly patted her back and spoke in a low voice. "It's the right thing to do. Alright now, Finn is right here."

It was as if Sylvie had completely forgotten her brother was in the room. She slowly pulled back, delicately wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, and turned to the boy on the bed. "Finn, say thank you to Herbert."

Finn looked at the man who was old enough to be his father, pursed his lips, and mumbled awkwardly, "Thank you... Herbert."

Herbert's expression stiffened slightly. It felt deeply unnatural to act as a father figure to a child even younger than his own son.

Out in the hallway, Miles's crying hadn't stopped. It had only dialed down to a miserable, exhausted whimpering.

The sound grated on Herbert's nerves, leaving him thoroughly irritated.

He stepped out of the bedroom and called down the hall toward the nanny. "Callie, tell Miles that if he doesn't apologize to Finn today, he isn't getting any dinner!"

The moment the words left his mouth, a fresh, bloodcurdling wail echoed from the end of the hall.

Watching the young master break down into hysterical sobs again, Callie looked like she was suffering from a migraine.

She still hadn't received her paycheck. She had dropped several hints, but none of them had landed. She was too proud to outright demand the money, terrified of coming across as greedy or petty.

She knew the Jewell family was incredibly wealthy. It wasn't like they were going to run away; they would pay her eventually.

But the sheer amount of chaos in this house was piling up. And with it, her workload was increasing by the day.

Before all this, the household had run like clockwork. Her job had been peaceful, predictable, and easy.

"Zane, these are esteemed researchers from the city. Watch your tone," Mr. Miller scolded lightly.

He called it a warning, but everyone present knew exactly what he was doing.

Even the even-tempered Dr. Lynch had reached his limit.

The only reason this was happening was because Hulda's identity and research were highly classified. At the massive press conference, every attendee had been forced to sign NDAs. If not for that, a quick internet search would have instantly brought up her face, her credentials, and her staggering list of achievements.

Hulda calmly slipped her water bottle back into her pack, stood up, and brushed the dirt off her pants. She pointed directly at the towering, jagged mountain in the distance. "No rush. We're going up there next."

Zane's face dropped. "Are you out of your mind?"

Hulda completely ignored him and looked straight at Mr. Miller. "You two don't have to come. I'm perfectly happy going down to the village and paying a local to guide us up."

Mr. Miller's face hardened. He was clearly nearing the absolute limit of his patience, but after a long, tense standoff, he finally gritted his teeth. "Fine. I'll take you."