Chapter 588 The Man from the Past

Peggy scoffed in disbelief. “Of course I know Elsie. Her father was the great Dr. Will, my father-in-law. I’ve never seen a photo of him, but he sure wasn’t some greasy old lowlife like you! Quit trying to scam me. I’ll give you two hundred bucks—take it and get out, or I swear I’ll have someone beat you to death.”

She yanked two bills from her wallet and arrogantly tossed them at the man.

He let the money fall to the floor, unmoving. “I really am Elsie’s father. Call Owen. Or Lily. I know them both.”

Peggy’s patience wore thin. “Ugh, I don’t have time for this. Just get out of my car already…”

But before she could finish, something cold and sharp pressed against her neck.

The man held a knife and growled, “Call Owen and Lily. Tell them to come home. Or I’ll kill you.”

Peggy turned pale. No matter how loud her mouth, she wasn’t about to play tough with a blade at her throat.

Raising her hands in surrender, she stammered, “Okay, okay! I’ll call! Just take the knife away!”

She quickly dialed Owen, only for the bastard not to answer.

Panicking, she kept calling while cursing him under her breath.

On the third attempt, Owen finally picked up, sounding annoyed. “Didn’t I say not to call unless it’s important?”

“You think I want to call you? The study’s on fire! Get back here now or the whole house is gone!”

“What?!” Owen instantly believed her.

His and Lily’s passports were in the study. If they burned, it’d take time to replace them and delay their emigration plans.

He immediately called 119 and rushed home.

He arrived at the same time as the fire trucks—only to find the house perfectly fine.

Realizing he’d been duped—and now potentially charged with making a false emergency report—Owen was about to explode on Peggy when he froze.

There, behind her, stood the middle-aged man, gripping her wrist tightly.

Recognition struck Owen like a blow.

He quickly masked his reaction as firefighters approached, explaining calmly that it was a misunderstanding caused by a marital spat, and accepted the fine without complaint.

He had to keep things quiet. If anyone discovered that man’s identity, Elsie’s reputation—and the truth about her background—would unravel.

That man was counting on it, standing boldly right in front of him.

Once the firefighters left, Peggy started yelling, panic giving way to rage. “You son of a bitch! You were gonna let this guy kill me, weren’t you? Just so you could be rid of me!”

Owen shot her a glare. “Shut up, idiot.”

Then he turned to the man, face grim. “Come inside. We’ll talk.”

He locked Peggy in a room before returning to face the man, his expression furious.

“Timothy. You dare show your face at the Saunders house? Are you looking to die?”

Timothy—the man Lily once sold Elsie to—was her biological father.

Back when Lily was rescued, Elsie hadn’t come with her. Owen had gone into the mountains himself and bought Elsie back for 200,000 dollars.

At the time, Timothy had called her a worthless burden and promised never to show up again.

But now here he was, breaking his word.

Unbothered by Owen’s fury, Timothy sat on the couch like he owned the place. He picked up an apple, bit into it with his rotting teeth, and said lazily, “Didn’t Elsie die? Why so cautious?”

Owen snapped, “She may be dead, but her name lives on. If people find out she was the daughter of a human trafficker, and that she lived under someone else’s identity…”

But Timothy only smiled oddly, sending a chill down Owen’s spine.

“What are you smiling at?” Owen asked warily.

Timothy raised his hands in mock surrender. “Relax. I just didn’t expect you to still care about that worthless girl. But now that I know you do, I’m relieved.”