The Billionaire's Hidden Affection-Chapter 505 - 502 Honey, Give me a hug 10_1

Since she was two or three, she had been traveling by small airplanes, served by multiple nannies at home, with different chefs preparing her three daily meals to her various tastes. At fifteen, she took her first solo trip, guarded by seven or eight personal bodyguards. And when she turned eighteen, her coming-of-age ceremony was held at one of the most famous social balls, where she danced the opening number.

She was always the biggest star in the social scene.

She was once hailed as the most beautiful flower in the business world.

From childhood, she was constantly the object of envy and admiration among her peers and the center of attention for countless men. She even remembered receiving over thirty love letters in one night at her high school graduation banquet.

A goddess!

Even through college and into her career, she remained the goddess in the eyes of the rich and handsome. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

She had always assumed this life, one she was born into, would endure for millennia.

It wasn’t until a trip abroad that she realized how many destitute women there truly were in the world: fallen women, victims of domestic violence, women trapped in poverty, those forced into abortions, or suffering from AIDS. The number of women in such desperate straits far surpassed that of men.

Countless women, merely for a basic Louis Vuitton handbag, would not hesitate to sleep with an unattractive man for a month.

One wrong step, and every step thereafter was wrong.

She remembered one incident most clearly: when she was younger, traveling, she had gone into a department store. There, she saw a beautiful woman in ragged clothes, her wrists riddled with needle marks. When the shop assistant wasn’t looking, the woman quickly scooped a large dollop of skincare tester from the counter and smeared it all over her face.

At that time, someone nearby whispered, "That woman graduated from Mo City University. She used to be the daughter of some magnate."

The magnate met with disaster, his entire family was ruined, and his daughter became a fallen woman.

The once high-and-mighty princess could now be had for a night by any man for just two gold coins, forced to endure their picky scrutiny.

How terrifying.

At the time, her mother had whispered to her, "Tingting, we must send you abroad. Never come back."

She hadn’t understood its meaning at the time.

Fairytales always said, "And so, the prince and princess lived happily ever after."

But even in the most liberal of countries, no one ever dared to proudly proclaim, "And so, the bounty hunter and the courtesan lived together, shamelessly and blissfully, forever after..."

It was because of this that she finally, deeply understood the benefits of a prosperous family: dignity, honor, the constant admiration and attention of others, an existence like that of a princess. All these things were inextricably linked to one’s family; its prosperity meant glory for all, and its decline meant ruin for all.

She remained leaning over the railing, admiring the colorful flowers in the garden, until her father’s car drove in.

Old Zhou seldom saw his daughter waiting for him at home like this.

Zhou Ting went to her father and poured him some hot tea.

Old Zhou sat in the chair, pressing his temples, looking utterly exhausted.

"Tingting," he said, "I’ve been under immense stress lately. It’s all that bastard’s fault! He partied too much, was set up by those rotten friends of his, and his death has put me under enormous pressure. Today, the company’s stock price plummeted, just as I feared. There’s a new project I’ve been discussing; the other party had already agreed to it. But as soon as they heard this news, they immediately put it on hold..."

Zhou Ting’s heart sank.

So that’s why Liu Daqing was so quick to switch allegiances. The situation is indeed becoming clearer.

She said quietly, "Dad, I finally understand the heavy burden you’ve been carrying."

"Sigh, Tingting," he replied, "I’ve failed you. If it weren’t for me, the Wan Family wouldn’t have broken off the engagement like this."