your scapegoat 5

My father stormed in with Mr. Brooks, the group’s vice president, at his side, along with a dozen men in black. 

His gaze was colder than I’d ever seen, sharp enough to kill. 

As such, the room fell into stunned silence, every drop of blood draining from their faces. 

With the last of my strength, I turned toward the doorway. My vision was hazy, but I knew it was him. The man I had relied on my whole life was finally here. 

Without wasting any more seconds, Dad rushed to my side. The moment he saw me, soaked, trembling, and barely conscious, the murderous rage in his eyes became almost tangible. 

Dad pulled off his jacket and wrapped it tightly around me. 

“Dad…” I used the last of my strength to call out before everything went black in his arms. 

Third Person’s POV 

Eddie Brooks waved his hand, and the bodyguards immediately pinned everyone to the ground. Sylvester looked from Conrad to Sapphire in disbelief, mumbling, “That can’t be. Sapphire’s last name is Shillingford. How could she be Mr. Shepherd’s daughter?” 

Conrad let out a cold laugh. “Why? My daughter can’t take her mother’s surname?” 

Realization finally hit Sylvester, and his face turned ghostly pale. With a loud thud, he dropped to 

his knees. 

“Mr. Shepherd, I didn’t know! I swear, I had no idea she was your daughter!” 

Melinda and Herman collapsed to the floor as well, their expressions filled with despair. 

Herman’s voice shook as he stammered, “Mr. Shepherd, I… I truly didn’t know…” 

“Didn’t know?” Conrad’s fury burned in his eyes. “You’ve worked by my side for thirty years, and you expect me to believe you don’t know what my daughter looks like?” 

Herman’s face turned ashen. He couldn’t get another word out. 

Ted, who earlier had been leering with shameless eyes, was now trembling in terror. 

“Mr. Shepherd, this… this is just a misunderstanding!” 

“Misunderstanding?” Conrad tightened his hold on Sapphire, his gaze sharp enough to cut through bone. “You forced alcohol on my daughter, planned to do God knows what to her, and you dare call that a misunderstanding?” 

Sylvester slammed his head into the floor, blood smearing across his forehead. “Mr. Shepherd, it was my fault! I was blinded by greed. Please, just this once, spare me!” 

“Spare you?” Conrad’s laugh was ice–cold. “My daughter nearly lost her life because of you, and you want me to forgive you?” 

Melinda finally snapped out of her shock and cried out, “Please! Sapphire and I are coworkers. Please show me mercy!” 

Mr. Brooks stepped closer and whispered, “Mr. Shepherd, should we get Miss Sapphire to the 

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7:42 pm 3 

“Mr. Shepherd, I didn’t know! I swear, I had no idea she was your daughter!” 

Melinda and Herman collapsed to the floor as well, their expressions filled with despair. 

Herman’s voice shook as he stammered, “Mr. Shepherd, I… I truly didn’t know…” 

“Didn’t know?” Conrad’s fury burned in his eyes. “You’ve worked by my side for thirty years, anc you expect me to believe you don’t know what my daughter looks like?” 

Herman’s face turned ashen. He couldn’t get another word out. 

Ted, who earlier had been leering with shameless eyes, was now trembling in terror. 

“Mr. Shepherd, this… this is just a misunderstanding!” 

“Misunderstanding?” Conrad tightened his hold on Sapphire, his gaze sharp enough to cut through bone. “You forced alcohol on my daughter, planned to do God knows what to her, and you dare call that a misunderstanding?” 

Sylvester slammed his head into the floor, blood smearing across his forehead. “Mr. Shepherd, i was my fault! I was blinded by greed. Please, just this once, spare me!” 

“Spare you?” Conrad’s laugh was ice–cold. “My daughter nearly lost her life because of you, anc you want me to forgive you?” 

Melinda finally snapped out of her shock and cried out, “Please! Sapphire and I are coworkers. Please show me mercy!” 

Mr. Brooks stepped closer and whispered, “Mr. Shepherd, should we get Miss Sapphire to the 

hospital first?” 

My father gave a short nod and instructed, “Lock down the hotel. Call the police. No one involved tonight leaves.” 

Soon, the ambulance arrived. 

They lifted Sapphire onto a stretcher. Through her hazy, alcohol–blurred vision, she realized he father wasn’t following her. He stayed behind. He wanted to deal with every last one of them himself. 

Inside the private room, Sylvester had already fallen apart. 

Still on his knees, he pounded his head into the ground until it was covered in blood, his voice hoarse from screaming. “Mr. Shepherd, I was wrong! It was Herman and his daughter who tricked me! I didn’t know Sapphire was your daughter!” 

“We’ve been together for three years, and I truly loved her! I was just misled. I thought she ha betrayed the company!” 

His pleas grew more desperate by the second as he tried to crawl toward Conrad. 

But Conrad kicked him with full force, sending him crashing into the wall, and blood spraye from his mouth. 

“You didn’t know she was my daughter, so you thought you could hand her over to anothe man?” 

Sylvester’s eyes widened in despair. He shook his head frantically. “No, Mr. Shepherd! That’s no it. I never meant to hurt her! I just wanted her to apologize, I never intended-” 

“Never intended?” Conrad’s steps thundered across the room as he stonned in front of Ted 

Chapter 5 

212586! 

SDG 

7:42 pm mospital IST? 

My father gave a short nod and instructed, “Lock down the hotel. Call the police. No one involved tonight leaves.” 

Soon, the ambulance arrived. 

They lifted Sapphire onto a stretcher. Through her hazy, alcohol–blurred vision, she realized her father wasn’t following her. He stayed behind. He wanted to deal with every last one of them himself. 

Inside the private room, Sylvester had already fallen apart. 

Still on his knees, he pounded his head into the ground until it was covered in blood, his voice hoarse from screaming. “Mr. Shepherd, I was wrong! It was Herman and his daughter who tricked me! I didn’t know Sapphire was your daughter!” 

“We’ve been together for three years, and I truly loved her! I was just misled. I thought she had betrayed the company!” 

His pleas grew more desperate by the second as he tried to crawl toward Conrad. 

But Conrad kicked him with full force, sending him crashing into the wall, and blood sprayed from his mouth. 

“You didn’t know she was my daughter, so you thought you could hand her over to another man?” 

Sylvester’s eyes widened in despair. He shook his head frantically. “No, Mr. Shepherd! That’s not it. I never meant to hurt her! I just wanted her to apologize, I never intended-” 

“Never intended?” Conrad’s steps thundered across the room as he stopped in front of Ted. “Then what the hell was this old bastard doing here?” 

Ted was trembling so hard he could barely stand, then the stench of urine spread from his soaked pants. 

“Mr. Shepherd, I… I was only here to discuss business! I didn’t do anything!” 

But Conrad’s eyes narrowed at the hotel key card on the table, and his rage practically spilled out of him. 

“Room 1208. You really went to great lengths preparing, didn’t you?” 

At that moment, Sylvester finally realized it was over. No excuses, no explanations. Nothing could save him now. 

Conrad’s gaze slowly shifted toward Herman. 

7:42 pm 

E 

Third Person’s POV