Chapter 161: Warning

Ana rushed to Briena’s side, helping her to her feet. Tears streamed down Briena’s face, breaking Sephina’s heart.

"You vile creature," Sephina snarled. "The more you behave like this, the more I know I made the right decision not to accept you."

Natalie took a step toward Sephina, staring her down without a trace of fear. "I’ve always known you hated me, but I never realized your hatred ran so deep that you’d go this far to ruin my life."

Though Natalie’s gaze was cold, the pain in her eyes betrayed the hurt she was trying to hide.

"You didn’t deserve any of it, but Briena," Sephian spoke, thinking Natalie was referring to the plagiarism scandals or anything that was taken away from her.

"Yeah, what you did with me yesterday, your precious granddaughter deserves it instead of me," Natalie scoffed. "Then why did you spare her? You should have fed her that drug...."

"What’s going on here?" Clara immediately interrupted Natalie, "You, get out from here," and turned to Sephina quickly, "Mother, she keep hurting Breina, are you going to allow her." "Guards," Sephina ordered.

"Don’t bother," Natalie interrupted, her sharp gaze locking with Sephina’s. "I don’t enjoy seeing all your disgusting faces, but you keep dragging me back. Next time you make me come here, it won’t end simply like this. It will be a bloodbath." With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out.

Ryan followed her back, realizing this woman needs no protection at all.

"Security," Sephina snarled, fury radiating from her voice. "Make sure that wretch never steps foot in this building again. If she does, every one of you will be fired."

"Yes, Chairman Ford."

Clara exhaled with relief, grateful she had interrupted before Natalie could expose the truth about the drugging scheme. She pulled Briena into a comforting hug.

"Don’t cry. You know she had always hated you. She couldn’t digest your engagement with Ivan and is now taking it out on you."

Sephina’s cold voice interrupted them. "What was Natalie trying to say?" She could clearly see through panicked Clara.

Clara stiffened but kept her voice steady. "I-It’s nothing, Mother." Briena buried her face in her mother’s shoulder, pretending to sob, avoiding Sephina’s piercing gaze.

Sephina studied them both for a moment, then turned. "Come to my office, Clara," she ordered curtly and left.

As they watched Sephina leave, Briena whispered urgently, "Mom, will Grandma be angry if she finds out about the drug?"

"Don’t worry," Clara whispered with a sly smile. "We have Lily to take the fall."

Clara entered Sephina’s eyes where the old woman was sitting in her chair, her expressions serious as she glared at Clara. She didn’t even ask her to sit. "Speak!" Sephina commanded.

Clara swallowed, trying to keep her composure. "Mother, it wasn’t Briena’s fault. She didn’t even know what Lily was planning behind her back."

Sephina’s expression darkened. "What exactly did Lily do?"

Clara hesitated but pressed on. "She... she spiked Natalie’s drink with a drug."

Sephina’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "A drug?"

Clara nodded nervously. "Lily hates Natalie. She thought spiking her drink would teach her a lesson... but things got out of hand."

Sephina slammed her hand down on the desk, the sound reverberating through the room. "That disgusting video—the one that humiliated our family—was the result of a drug?"

Clara trembled under Sephina’s furious glare. "W-We didn’t know Lily would do something like this. I’m sorry, Mother."

"That girl Lily, I don’t want Briena to have anything to do with her," Sephina ordered.

"Yes, mother."

As Sephina said nothing more, Clara gave a quick nod and turned to leave, eager to escape the suffocating presence of the terrifying old woman. Despite Sephina’s age, Clara had always feared her.

Just as Clara reached the door, Sephina’s cold voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Clara, though I despise Natalie, I would rather see her dead than have her involved in a scandal like that. I will not tolerate anything that tarnishes our family’s name. No matter how I feel about her, Natalie is still considered a Ford in the eyes of the public. If she’s dragged into something this dirty, it will stain our entire reputation."

"I understand, mother," Clara gave out a sigh of relief and left.

------

Natalie went to meet Albert as the previous night she had to leave without even saying bye to him. Though John had taken care of it, she still found it necessary to go to him.

Spending some time with the old man who made a fun of her for leaving him alone for husband’s sake, and that she forgot her grandpa, Natalie was on the way to her office. Her mood seemingly cheered after spending time with Albert.

But she was not aware that when she thought she had warned her family enough for creating trouble for her, they were ready to slander her again.

She recived the call from Ella and heard it. Natalie frowned and checked the news in her phone. The video of how Natalie assaulted Briena in her office just now, was published while slandering her badly for it.

"They won’t stop unless I really do something bad to them," Natalie mumbled.

"Why do you bother holding back?" Ryan asked, while focussed on driving "Your patience is commendable, Ms Natalie. If it was Mr Harper...."

"I know your boss is invincible," Natalie interrupted him with a frown, "But I have my own reasons and way. I bet, even your boss won’t question me."

Ryan didn’t comment on it but said, "If you want anyone of your enemies gone, just order me."

"Don’t worry, if that moment comes, I would be the one holding gun at their temples," Natalie replied and asked, "Were you a mercenary as well?"

"You can say that."

"Was your boss truly running business while being abroad or leading a mafia group by collecting mercenaries from here and there?" Natalie questioned in disbelief.

Ryan didn’t answer, and said, "I am sure, reporters are waiting for you."

"That’s a good thing," she said, her lips curved into a smirk.