Chapter 230

Chapter 230

I paused mid-step and heard the words coming from Eliza's mouth. "At the time, he believed that I was

his biological mother and clung to me desperately as a result, but I... I have been cruel to him. I only

allowed him to meet me on his birthday once a year. He only appeared by your side because he

mistakenly believed that the kidney in your body belonged to me. That's why he took care of you and

protected you. Why else did you think he did that? Why would a man who had never even glanced at a

woman suddenly be so kind to you?"

I paused mid-step and heard the words coming from Eliza's mouth. "At the time, he believed that I was

his biological mother and clung to me desperately as a result, but I... I have been cruel to him. I only

allowed him to meet me on his birthday once a year. He only appeared by your side because he

mistakenly believed that the kidney in your body belonged to me. That's why he took care of you and

protected you. Why else did you think he did that? Why would a man who had never even glanced at a

woman suddenly be so kind to you?"

Shawn knew about me a long time ago!?

I asked stiffly, "What are you trying to say?"

"Do you really believe that Shawn loves you?"

I didn't turn back and maintained a stony silence.

"Let me ask you another question: Do you think Shawn understands love?"

Shawn once mentioned that he did not understand love. That was why he wanted me to teach him, but

his various behaviors showed that he understood love better than I did.

I remained silent under her provocation. On the other hand, she regained her composure and

continued, "Shawn is a man nurtured by the Xenos Family. He was raised in a lonely environment. As

such, he has a tenacious, cold, and cruel personality. How could a man like him understand love?"

I was speechless by her barbs and her complete ignorance when it came to Shawn.

I did not know how to answer her question.

But I was sure that Shawn truly loved me.

Nevertheless, she continued her cruel questions with a vicious smile, "Most men wish to get married

and start a family. What if he simply decided to be with you because he wants to build a family?"

I bit my lip, but she was not done as her smile widened a tad. "Renee, do you know that Shawn has

another secret? He once thought about killing you!"

…

"He once thought about killing you..."

Those words kept repeating themselves over and over again in my head.

Anthony noticed that my expression was rather stiff when I returned. Hence, he quickly crossed the

distance in large strides and asked concernedly, "Miss, did she say something to you?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing."

Afterward, Anthony and I arrived at the main hall. When I saw Shawn kneeling on the ground with his

back straight inside the hall, I recalled that he had kneeled before my biological father's grave in the

same manner one year ago.

To be honest, Shawn already knew that the person lying in the coffin would use me against him.

Despite that, he used his identity as the head of the Xenos Family to prepare a grand funeral to send

her off properly.

I wanted to go inside and stay by his side, but the words I heard from Eliza earlier caused me to

withdraw.

I shook my head vigorously and warned myself that I should trust him. I shouldn't let my thoughts run

wild!

I said to Anthony, "Let's go inside."

Just as I took a step forward, I heard a mocking voice coming from inside. "They said you're the

disgraced head of the Xenos Family, Shawn Xenos. How dare you shamelessly return to the Xenos'

Villa to keep vigil?"

Those words were clearly aimed at Shawn.

I walked inside only to see a short and chubby young man running his mouth off by the side. Judging

by his looks, he did not look older than twenty.

Shawn ignored the man. On the other hand, the chubby young man did not notice my presence and

continued in his grating voice, "My mother said that you dominated the resources and glory of the

Xenos Family for the past few years. Otherwise, you would still be a bastard child right now!"

This chubby young man did not bother to think before he spoke. He never even stopped to consider

whom he was provoking. Thus, I hurried over and reprimanded him. "Quiet."

When he heard somebody reprimanding him for his actions, he spun around and glared at me

aggressively. "Who do you think you are? How dare you ask me to be quiet!?"

Are the younger members of the Xenos Family that stupid? How can they not know who I am!?

I frowned and was just about to speak when Shawn abruptly informed the chubby young man of my

identity in a soft voice, "The person standing in front of you is Renee Xenos. Even your mother, Paulina

Xenos, would have to follow the rules and address her as 'Miss'. Did you ask her who she thought she

was to reprimand you? Indeed, she is certainly qualified to reprimand you. For her, it's as easy as

crushing an ant to get rid of somebody from the extended family like you."

Since this was a formal setting, I had no choice but to accept being addressed as Renee Xenos.

The Xenos last name was one of the reasons why I had the qualifications to inherit the Xenos Family in

the first place.

A middle-aged woman stepped forward and grabbed hold of the chubby young man upon hearing

Shawn's lightly worded threat. She apologized with an aloof expression, "I'm sorry, Miss. Unfortunately,

my child's ignorance has disturbed the late matriarch's rest. I will bring him back to his room

immediately."

She was most likely Paulina Xenos, the person Shawn mentioned earlier.

The crowd in the main hall could not be considered large, but many of them were the Xenos Family's

extended family members among the crowd. Be that as it may, she had allowed the chubby young man

to insult Shawn without stopping him. It was not until Shawn mentioned my status that she pretended to

come forward!

Hence, I clearly understood that she wanted to humiliate us.

What's more, Shawn had meant to remind the rest of the extended family about my presence when he

claimed that getting rid of them was as easy as crushing an ant for me. Regrettably, the chubby young

man was just the unlucky person who served as an example for the others.

He could only blame himself for being so unreserved.

Those who did not know their place and tried to bully others would always face the consequences in

the end!

I looked at the mother-and-son pair with a cold expression. "The Xenos Family has always upheld strict

rules and respect. The rewards and punishments have always been clearly written. Since your child

has failed to adhere to the rules, he will personally be punished by the Xenos Family."

A few months ago, I heard from Anthony about this department in the Xenos Family. This department

was in charge of punishing those who made mistakes, and their practices generally made life for the

criminals worse than death itself.

Needless to say, Paulina understood what it meant to be punished by the Xenos Family. Her

complexion went pale, and she immediately pleaded on behalf of her child, "Miss, please forgive my

child."

I curled my lips into a cold sneer. "He has made a mistake. Therefore, it is only proper for him to be

punished by the Xenos Family unless..."

After a pause, I finished my sentence. "Unless he is not part of the Xenos Family."

The expressions of the extended family in the main hall changed drastically with those words. They

were well aware of what it meant to leave the Xenos Family, so they quickly but tactfully separated

themselves from Paulina and her son. Meanwhile, Paulina was so frightened that she knelt on the

ground and begged for mercy, "Miss, I'm sorry. Brandon should not have been rude to Mr. Xenos. He

shouldn't have been disrespectful to you. I will make sure to punish him thoroughly."

I did not relent in my pursuit. "Choose one."

Either be punished by the Xenos Family or be kicked out of the Xenos Family.

I understood that mercy would not bring me their respect.

Only threats would work.

Paulina knew that I was determined to see this through, so she gritted her teeth and made her choice.

"Brandon has violated the rules and disrespected you, Miss. It is only right for him to be punished by

the Xenos Family."

I waved my hand in dismissal. "Leave."

Anthony took the chubby young man, who had been dumbfounded ever since his mother fell to her

knees, away for punishment. On the other hand, the rest of the extended family quickly left the main

hall.

After they left, I knelt on the ground beside Shawn. He chided softly, "You are too soft-hearted."

That was right. I had allowed them to remain in the Xenos Family.

Afterward, a period of silence stretched out between us. I couldn't help repeating the words that Eliza

said to me earlier over and over again in my mind

I trust Shawn.

But I wanted to ask him myself. I needed to hear it from him.

I would believe everything he said.

Hence, I secretly reached out to hold his little finger and pretended to ask him out of curiosity, "Do you

remember the scene when you first met me?"

"Yes, I remember," he replied.

"Sunny, do you remember where?"