Chapter 193



Sarah looked serious. “What’s happening out there? Are those people just hanging around?”

“Miss Miller, you had quite an army keeping me away earlier. They looked beat, so I let them catch some shut-eye. Pretty thoughtful of me, right? Or maybe you’re uneasy about me being here because of what you did to the Hayes family?” Brent’s expression stayed icy.

Several onlookers gave Sarah strange looks. Boris, a Hayes family member, managed to get in. Why was Brent being blocked?

Sarah clenched her teeth. “It’s my birthday bash. I can invite whoever I damn well please. And you and I aren’t exactly friends. Instead of grilling me, why don’t you ask Kallie why she brought Irene here without giving you the heads-up?”

Brent glanced at both Kallie and Irene after hearing Sarah’s retort.

Irene felt a pang of guilt. She hadn’t seen this coming, so, following Kallie’s lead, she kept it all from Brent.

Brent’s voice softened as he said to Irene, “What are you scared of? I know Kallie asked you to keep this from me. I’m not blaming you.”

Kallie, looking tired, mustered a smile for Brent and signaled that he shouldn’t have come since it brought him trouble.

Brent shook his head. “How could I just stand by and let them trash-talk you?”

Nearby, someone chimed in, “Mr. Hayes, you and Kallie seem tight. Do you know about the shady stuff she’s been up to?”

Before Brent could reply, someone else cut in, “He’s probably clueless. Don’t tolerate that!”

“Mr. Hayes, now that you’re here, your cousin’s got video evidence and witnesses. Don’t let Kallie keep pulling the wool over your eyes. See her for who she really is.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” another voice echoed.

Brent’s face went cold. He spoke with intensity, “Even though I wasn’t here today, I already know everything. I insisted on coming here to straighten this out. My grandpa has always treated Kallie like family, and she’s always shown him respect. There’s never been anything improper between them. So, for those spreading these rumors, what’s your game?”

As Brent said this, he locked eyes with Boris.

Boris felt Brent’s intense stare, and it sent a chill down his spine. But there was no turning back now. Facing almost certain doom, he decided to take a gamble, hoping his plan might still work.

Boris raised his voice with a wounded expression. “Brent, you’ve always looked up to our grandpa, and you’ve been kind to Kallie. Now, with this scandal between the two people you trust most, I get you don’t want to face it, but can you really ignore the video I have? How do you explain our grandpa wanting to leave part of his estate to Kallie, who isn’t even family? I think Kallie tricked our grandpa. He’s as much a victim as we are. We need to stick together and make Kallie pay!”

Boris spoke with an air of righteousness. It seemed he genuinely cared for Brent and the Hayes family.

Brent’s smile was cold as he questioned, “You’re certain about the dynamics between my grandpa and Kallie? Care to swear on it?”

Boris stood confidently. “I’m absolutely certain. I saw it with my own eyes, and the video backs me up.”

Ignoring Boris, Brent turned and suggested, “There’s no use arguing. Let’s ask the person directly. That will reveal the truth.”

Boris sneered instantly, “You think Kallie will admit to it? She’ll deny everything to save her own skin. Asking her is pointless.”

Brent smiled strangely at Boris. “Who said I planned to ask Kallie?”

Suddenly, Boris realized something, and his smile faded. Yet, there was a glimmer of hope within him. Jerome was too ill to leave his bed. Brent likely hadn’t contacted him.

Boris had briefed his mother before putting his plan into motion. If needed, his mother could expedite Jerome’s demise. By then, it would be too late for Kallie to clear her name, and Brent, due to his closeness with Kallie, would also be implicated.

At that moment, supported by the Miller and Reeves families and various branches of the Hayes family, Boris felt he and his mother would have the entire Hayes family in their grasp.

With these thoughts in mind, Boris’s panic subsided. Instead, he regarded Brent with a hint of smug satisfaction. He despised anyone who had looked down on him and his mother. Despite Brent receiving the finest education from the Hayes family, what difference did it make? Brent would still be getting trampled on.

Boris was far from reconciled. He and Brent were both from the Hayes family. If Brent could inherit the family estate, why couldn’t he?

Just then, the crowd parted, making way for someone pushing Jerome’s wheelchair forward.

Boris wore that smug smile on his face, but when he saw Jerome roll in, safe and sound, looking refreshed, fear flashed in his eyes.

So, even as Boris smiled, his eyes widened in shock. It was quite a ridiculous sight.

“No way!” Boris panicked, fumbling for his phone to call Sophia.

Brent seemed to grasp Boris’s thoughts and spoke deliberately, like dousing him with ice water. “Don’t bother calling your mom. I reported her for poisoning my grandpa. She’s probably at the police station already. Boris, forget about scheming with Sarah against us and Kallie. Your mom’s the real issue now. You should figure out how to get her out of jail.”

Sarah brushed off Brent’s sarcasm. Even if she was a moron, she could see things hadn’t gone as planned.

“What’s happening?” Sarah glared at Boris. “Spill it, Boris!”

Boris glanced at Jerome’s rosy face and felt like the world was ending. His body went weak, and he kept muttering, “No way… no way…”

The crowd hadn’t reacted yet and exchanged puzzled glances.

Kallie’s eyes welled up when she saw Jerome sitting there, completely unharmed.

“Hey, Kallie.” Jerome smiled warmly and waved.

Kallie walked over and embraced Jerome tightly. As long as Jerome was safe and sound.

Jerome felt sorry for Kallie and shot Brent a furious look. “I’ve told you, if anyone messes with her, you better show up pronto. Look at how upset she got.”

Kallie stood up and signed quickly that she was okay.

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