Chapter 511

Scales' birthday banquet was ruined beyond repair. Kali and Jeanette's reputation in Crestwood lay in tatters.

Once she saw her work was done, Citrine slipped away from the chaos.

Hilda and Monica, brother and sister, immediately followed her out. The remaining guests, caught in a web of discomfort, hesitated a while before deciding to leave as well.

Soon, the grand hall stood empty, echoing with the aftermath. Upstairs, Scales suddenly remembered something and wheeled himself toward the centerpiece of the room—a large koi pond.

He glanced around, his eyes downcast. The pond was deserted. The water, murky and disturbed, didn't even hold a single scrap of koi.

Scales' face twisted with grief and anger. "My pond, my beautiful pond... Those damn fools," he cursed.

Letting out a heavy sigh, he turned and rolled away, grumbling under his breath the whole time.

"Useless lot. They trashed my koi pond, fine, but couldn't they have at least left this old man one fish?"

Kali stood off to the side, frozen. She stole a timid glance at Scales, then mustered her courage and walked over, calling out in that sweet tone she'd used since childhood, "Grandpa?"

"Let me take you to your room to rest," she offered, forcing an uneasy smile.

She didn't wait for his reply and moved behind him, hands reaching for the wheelchair's handles.

But before she could push, a wrinkled hand came down with a sharp smack across her knuckles, knocking her hands away.

"Don't," Scales snapped.

"Grandpa, are you angry with me?" Kali stared at him, stunned, blinking back the pain in her hand, disbelief clouding her eyes.

He had never so much as raised his voice to her, let alone hit her. Yet now, just a few pointed remarks from Citrine had changed everything.

Scales remained silent, gazing at the granddaughter he'd cherished all her life. There was no warmth in his eyes.

Kali rushed to explain, "Grandpa, Citrine Carmichael said those things on

purpose. I swear that's not what I meant-please, don't let her fool you."

After a moment, Scales spoke. "Of course I know she said those things to stir up trouble." He wasn't an idiot.

A surge of hope filled Kali. "So you believe me, Grandpa?"

But Scales turned away, his voice cold and final. "She may have done it on purpose, but you're not innocent either. You really are ungrateful.”

She had Vitaflux in her hands and hadn't given it to him. Whatever her reasons, her actions had chilled his heart.

Scales had been ruthless in his youth, and though age had mellowed him, his suspicion—an instinct of anyone in power-remained unshakable.

Now, something irrevocable had shifted between them. There was no going back to how things used to be.

He looked at Kali with unfamiliar,

distant eyes. "That place outside et

town is empty now. Move in there.

From now on, don't come back here

unless you have to."

"Grandpa, you're kicking me out of the Glenwood family?" Kali's heart plummeted.

She stared at him, unable to believe what she was hearing.

Theo, who had overheard, was equally shocked. He stepped forward to defend Kali. “Grandpa, I get that you're upset, but Kali's your granddaughter. You can't just send her away."

Scales' reply was ice-cold. "I won't have an ingrate in this family. You and Kali have always been close, and you're my blood, so I won't hold this against you. But if you keep defending her, I'll have no choice but to tell everyone I've cut ties with her."

His words left no room for argument. In this house, Scales' word carried more weight than even Talbot's.