Chapter 4294

An outsider listening in might have thought Hunter was cursing a sworn enemy rather than his daughter. Darren strode forward, his expression icy, until he stood directly in front of Hunter. The old man faltered mid-rant, momentarily silenced by the younger man’s intimidating aura. However, he then jutted out his chin defiantly, glaring up at Darren with a mix of bravado and wariness. “Y-you—what do you want?” Darren’s voice was steely cold. “Mr. Clark, your sons are in prison. Your grandchildren are minors. Your daughters-in-law want nothing to do with you. So tell me—who exactly is going to provide for you in your old age? “And not long ago, Ms. Caroline already gave you a substantial sum for your living expenses.” Hunter’s face twisted. “Y-you think you can threaten me with this? I-I have plenty of money! I don’t need her handouts!” Despite his bluster, his earlier arrogance had visibly deflated. His voice, too, had shrunk to a mutter. “Mr. Clark, my advice? Go home. Accept reality. If you truly push Ms. Caroline too far, your sons’ sentences will only get harsher.” Hunter opened his mouth to retort, but swallowed his words. Deep down, he knew it was hopeless for his sons. As for his daughters-in-law—the eldest had already divorced Adrian, while the other two did not do anything. Instead, they swiftly moved out. When he had gone to them, begging for funds to hire lawyers, they had initially humored him with brief meetings. Soon, though, they refused to see him at all. They even said his sons deserved to be punished for their crimes. The Clark brothers had never thought about the consequences of their actions and never considered what it would do to their children. Now, their kids would grow up with felons for fathers, and any dreams of working with the government were dashed. Wealthy families typically did not pursue civil service jobs, but choosing not to was different from being disqualified from the start. Hunter knew his daughters-in-law still resented his sons for cheating on them, but had they not forgiven them already back then? Their marriages had still seemed happy and harmonious. Yet the moment trouble hit, Ava and Ellie had turned their backs, refusing to spend a single cent on hiring a lawyer to defend his sons. The grandchildren were too young to understand. Though Belinda had bequeathed assets to them, they could not access them until they reached adulthood. Meanwhile, it was being managed by their mothers. So, they were rich, but they could not access the money. Hunter was furious and hatred simmered in his heart. He could not rely on his daughters-in-law and grandchildren. If his sons received maximum sentences of ten years or more, his current nest egg would not last. Hunter had no intention of dying anytime soon. He wanted to live another decade or two, preferably to a ripe old age. This meant he did need to think about long-term support. As his rage cooled, a grim realization settled over him. The only person he had left to rely on was the one he despised most—his biological daughter, Caroline. Caroline had more money than she could spend. Even her casual generosity could fund a lavish lifestyle for him. However, she would not be generous. At best, she would give him the bare minimum of a monthly stipend matching his hometown’s average living costs, which would amount to a few thousand dollars monthly. If she gave him a lump sum for a year’s expenses, it would only add up to sixty thousand at best. If she felt charitable, she might give him a little more, but that was it. Hunter gradually paled. His earlier bluster evaporated like morning dew and he suddenly looked every bit a withered, defeated old man. “Go home, Mr. Clark,” Darren said coldly. “Screaming lies in the streets won’t free your sons. If you’re so determined, hire them lawyers yourself. “That’s the most you can do. Or—if you’re willing—you could apologize to Ms. Caroline on their behalf.” Hunter trembled, speechless. Finally, he turned and shuffled away, head bowed. Back to his hometown. He had fought for his sons as much as any father could. In the end, he was powerless.