The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 209 This Isn't Your Home

"Why have you come back? This isn't your home anymore. Can't you see that you're not welcome here?" asked Yvonne. She couldn't control her anger towards Aron at the thought of how he had helped Autumn with setting her up.

Simon slapped Yvonne across her face. The sound of the slap echoed throughout the living room. Yvonne looked at Simon with surprise. 'He has even never raised his voice to me, ever since I was a child, but now he has raised his hand against me for Aron's sake.' She couldn't accept this.

"You hit me?" Yvonne said, as she covered her face with one hand.

Simon instantly regretted slapping Yvonne. He didn't slap Yvonne because he disliked her. On the contrary, he was proud to have a daughter like her, and always doted on her. However, Yvonne had gone too far this time. He simply lost his temper...

Simon felt deep regret after slapping her. 'Yvonne shouldn't have spoken to her brother Aron in that manner. After all, he is my son as well as my only successor.'

"What are you doing? Why did you raise your hand to her instead of reasoning with her?" Wendy came in, seeking to use this opportunity to stop Aron from coming back. "Yvonne shouldn't have treated Aron in such a rude manner. Nevertheless, you shouldn't have slapped her because of that. You have never raised your voice to her before, but now you've slapped her because of your your son. Now that we're unwelcome in this house, we shall leave at once."

"Why?" Yvonne asked, her eyes filled with tears. She was heart-broken. She had never imagined that Simon would hit her. "Father, why should we be the ones to leave this house? Mom has served you, both loyally and wholeheartedly; She does not deserve this. What about him? What did he ever do for you? He is the one who should leave, not us, " Yvonne continued, pointing her finger towards Aron. Aron stood still, watching Wendy and Yvonne silently.

"Yvonne, don't you see? We're no longer welcome in this house. Your dad expects his son to take care of him when he gets old, and to take over the family business," said Wendy, resting her hands on Yvonne's shoulders.

Yvonne finally understood why Simon had insisted on asking Aron to come home. 'He is an old-fashioned man who thinks that only his son is qualified to inherit his business.'

"Dad, do you really think so?" Yvonne asked, staring at Simon. "Mom and I have done so much for the Gu Group. Without our sacrifices, the Gu Group wouldn't be as successful as it is today. Now you are just going to hand this company over to Aron because he is your son?" Yvonne said aggressively, pointing at Aron.

"All these years, he had never tried to contact you, not even once, and now you intend to let him take over the company. Do you think that's fair to me?" Yvonne raised her voice.

"Yvonne, you've misunderstood me," Simon tried to explain. Simon blamed himself for hitting Yvonne. He felt even more sorry for Yvonne, when he heard her cry foul. "Your mother and I have been managing the Gu Group for a long time, but... it was Aron's mother who provided the initial funding for the company. Besides, she supported the company when it was just founded. I have already wronged his late mother, I can't do the same to Aron...

But I promise you that I will get you and your mom well settled after I leave the company to Aron." he went on, as he had noticed the rage on Yvonne's face.

When Wendy realized that Yvonne's words had failed to change Simon's mind, she pretended to be aggrieved to win Simon's sympathy. "Simon, are you really going to treat us like this?" Wendy turned to Simon, with her eyes filled to the brim with tears. "Simon, I know that I am a shameless woman. I admit that I seduced you and stole you away from Aron's mother, which eventually led to her death. It was all my fault. So, is this how you intend to punish me?"

"Wendy, it's not like what you think..." Simon was caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, he felt sorry for Aron and thought that he should be the one to inherit the company. On the other, he could not simply cast aside Wendy's notable efforts for the betterment of the company...

"Then what do you mean?" Wendy asked, smiling bitterly. "It's true that Aron's mother provided the initial capital for the company. But have you forgotten the years of my irrefutable devotion to help with the company business? I've even worked overtime to ensure the benefit of the company's reputation. To save the Gu Group from bankruptcy, I sacrificed my own daughter's happiness and married her off to a man she didn't love. Is this how you intend to pay me back?"

"No, I..." Simon stammered, as his forehead wrinkled into a frown. He was at a loss for words.

"Enough! After all these years we've been together, I think I know you too well now. You're just trying to coax me into seeing your way, " Wendy interrupted. "Now your son has come home, so you don't need us anymore. We will leave and we won't stop you from reuniting with your son and living a happy life."

"Wendy, Yvonne, are you done?" Aron asked impatiently. "Is this why you've asked me to come home? Just so I can see how you quarrel over a company," he turned to Simon.

"You should give up on it if you think it's too troublesome, "Yvonne sneered and continued, "No one forced you to come home."

"I had already made up my mind before coming here. I am willing to leave this company to you, but..."

"You must give back the money that my mother invested in the company, with interest. Once you pay me off, I will disown the Gu family and renounce my right to claim ownership of the company. Do you accept my offer?" he continued after a pause.

"Done!" Yvonne replied with a satisfied smile on her face. Yvonne no longer desired a man's companionship, and all she yearned for was money. "After you get your money, you must sign an agreement renouncing all of your claims to the Gu Group."

"Of course! As long as I get the money back, I will sign on the agreement, "Aron responded with a cold smile. "We're a family. You don't need to sign any agreements. You're her older brother and he is just a little girl. You shouldn't take her words too seriously," Simon persuaded, looking unhappy.

"Little girl? She almost became a mother. She isn't an innocent little girl anymore." Aron's words were like a kick in the gut. Neither Yvonne nor Wendy expected this. In all his confusion, Simon didn't know what to make of what Aron had just said.