"Ma~ I was scared so much..." Jillian Hayden wept.
"My daughter... my precious daughter..."
Tears streamed down her father’s face, "We failed you..."
Jillian Hayden’s own tears flowed freely.
The pain she had buried for so long erupted all at once.
She buried her face against her mother’s shoulder and sobbed.
"I thought you abandoned me..."
"No, never!"
Her mother’s arms wrapped around her tightly, trembling as though afraid she would vanish if she loosened her grip. Her father held her shoulders, repeatedly looking at her face as though making sure she was fine.
The warmth of her parents’ embrace was everything Jillian Hayden had dreamed of for the past month, and she had finally gotten it again. Perhaps they might’ve made a mistake, but as long as they saw their ways and changed them, she was willing to love them again, trust them again.
She couldn’t forget them for they were here only parents.
"How could we abandon you? You’re our daughter."
Her father’s voice cracked as he said, "We still kept thinking of ways to save you, but the more we thought about it, the more we became helpless. Our Hayden Family... has fallen. This is the price we paid to come here and establish ourselves. There’s no longer any choice left other than to protect ourselves to the best of our ability."
Jillian Hayden’s expressions kept changing. She forcefully wiped her tears and quickly asked.
"What happened to your Hayden Family?"
As soon as she asked, her father fumed.
"It’s those damned Miredon Family bastards! They colluded with someone to kill us all and then also inflicted damage on themselves just to avoid responsibility. The Miredon Family has never been united. They were split between Exalts and Primarchs, and now only Primarchs remain! Clearly, the Transcendent cultivator faction in the Miredon Family used this chance to eliminate those old farts and then place the blame on a mysterious cultivator."
"Really...?" Jillian Hayden looked confused.
She heard more from her father but was still confused.
This wasn’t what she heard from the City Lord, but the results appeared to be the same.
The Hayden Family and the Miredon Family were really done for, but the Miredon Family seemed to have more Primarch survivors compared to Exalt survivors in their family. This raised suspicion that there had been an internal clean-up within the Miredon Family, while they also took this opportunity to eliminate their immediate rival, the Hayden Family.
Her father had also temporarily become the Patriarch since the old Patriarch seemed to have been arrested and kept inside the prison.
"Since our youths and children are still alive, the Hayden Family can rise from the ashes. Father, I believe you can restore the family."
Jillian Hayden quickly said, momentarily forgetting about her own plight as she imagined the difficulties her father would face. Since the Patriarchs got caught, it was possible that they would be executed to warn the masses, so her father would enjoy this new position.
Suddenly, her father lowered his head.
"We’re truly sorry. We made you suffer."
For a moment, Jillian Hayden felt as though she had returned to her true home.
The darkness that had consumed her heart receded. The pain, the loneliness, and the despair, all of it seemed to fade beneath the love of her parents.
It made her give a lovely smile before her expression froze.
"The Saint..."
Jillian Hayden clenched her fists, "That old monster ruined everything. He lied to us. He treated me like some servant and sold me away like property. And that damned City Lord-"
"Jillian!"
Suddenly, her father’s expression changed sharply, and her mother quickly covered her mouth, leaving her frozen.
"Don’t speak nonsense."
Jillian stared blankly.
Nonsense?
She then discovered the sound of footsteps echoing behind, causing her to nod.
Right, her parents were here to save her. They couldn’t badmouth the City Lord.
City Lord Davis entered the hall.
The moment he appeared, Jillian Hayden’s parents released her and hurried forward.
"Greetings, City Lord!"
"We thank the City Lord for his benevolence!"
"We thank the City Lord for protecting our daughter!"
Their voices rang through the hall.
Jillian Hayden felt embarrassed, but she knew they had no choice but to be incredibly polite if they wanted to leave this place alive. To not embarrass her parents, she also appeared by their side and bowed to the City Lord.
Her father continued speaking enthusiastically.
"If not for the City Lord’s intervention, our daughter might have suffered greatly!"
"You protected her during these chaotic times, even provided her shelter and ensured her safety."
Her mother repeatedly nodded, "The City Lord’s kindness is something our Hayden Family can never forget."
Jillian Hayden felt her ears ringing.