Chapter 231: Chapter 231: A Gentleman Always Avenge His Grievances
Cecilia Vaughn’s voice wasn’t loud nor soft, but just clear enough for everyone to hear.
"Auntie, who are you calling some bastard man?"
Florence Warner was suddenly tongue-tied. She stared at the diamond ring on Cecilia’s left ring finger, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
"I... I didn’t mean The Eldest Young Master Law."
She’d have to be insane to admit it!
The Law Family’s Eldest Young Master—the guy’s mind and methods were anything but gentle. If she took the fall for something like this, telling people Cecilia was involved with another man, she’d be as good as dead!
Cecilia lazily flicked her sleeve, a hint of cold sarcasm crossing her almond eyes.
"Auntie, weren’t you just telling me not to live as some nameless, title-less canary? Now I’m proudly wearing Adrian’s engagement ring—this so-called ’bastard man’ you mentioned, if it’s not him, who else could it possibly be?"
Florence Warner: "..."
Her plastic-surgery-enhanced fake face turned crimson on the spot, then instantly darkened to a mottled purple.
"You... You set me up! I never said anything like that!"
"I was only saying you haven’t been home for three years, now you’re shamelessly leeching off The Eldest Young Master Law. If word got out, your reputation would be ruined. I’m your stepmother, your legal elder. What’s wrong with me advising you to learn a little restraint from Fiona?"
"No status? No title? Adrian and I went and got legally registered at the civil affairs bureau. Or do you think your approval is more credible than the law?"
Florence Warner was instantly speechless.
"I... I..."
Cecilia swept her eyes around at all the shareholders present, her almond eyes bone-chilling, the kind of clear coldness etched into the marrow, making everyone present shudder unconsciously.
"I believe all of our shareholders here are smart and perceptive people. Earlier, Ms. Warner didn’t just mock me repeatedly; afterwards, she even insinuated that Adrian and I are just a pair of illicit lovers. Tell me, does that count as defamation by the legal standard?"
"You’re slandering me! When did I ever mock The Eldest Young Master Law?"
Florence Warner never saw this coming—Cecilia could turn the tables this quickly? In just a few lines, that sharp tongue dug her into such a deep hole!
Fiona Vaughn’s face fell further, and she quickly clung to Florence Warner’s arm, her gaze toward Cecilia completely changed.
She spoke in a delicate, aggrieved voice.
"Sister, Mom’s just worried about you. Why do you have to trap her like this?"
"Since we were young, Mom’s always cared more about you than me, always giving you the best food and drink. Don’t you feel a little guilty treating her this way?"
Staring at Fiona’s delicate, fragile lotus-like face, Cecilia couldn’t help but laugh instead of getting angry.
"Setting up Florence Warner? Fiona Vaughn, you’d better watch your mouth—and your actions."
Cecilia took another slow glance around at the shareholders, her eyes colder than a hint of early winter snow—so cold it made everyone’s hearts tremble.
"People say those involved are muddled while bystanders see clearly. Today, all of you should know very well who’s trapping whom between me and Ms. Warner."
"Who was it that first called me rude and uneducated? Who was it that brought up this ’bastard man’ business? What, have you all come down with selective amnesia now?"
Facing Cecilia’s questioning, all the shareholders on both sides fell silent. Truth be told, none of them wanted to wade into these messy waters.
On one side was Miss Fiona, engaged to The Second Young Master Law at the end of the month. On the other, allegedly already married to Adrian Law, was Cecilia Vaughn.
No matter who you side with, there’s no winning here.
After hesitating a moment, an elderly shareholder with graying hair stood up.
"Eldest Miss Vaughn, my hearing’s not what it used to be; I really didn’t catch much."
He eyed Cecilia thoughtfully, speaking earnest and slow.
"But I remember an old Veridian saying—’forgive others when you can.’ Have some mercy, Eldest Miss Vaughn."
...
Cecilia smiled faintly at the corner of her lips.
"Really? I know another old saying: ’A true gentleman always settles his debts.’"
The old peacemaker’s face instantly turned red.
"You—"
Casually, Cecilia shot Wyatt Law a sideways glance. Wyatt immediately stepped forward, bowing respectfully, holding up a recording device.
"Young Madam, I’ve recorded everything from the moment you arrived."
"As for someone’s talk about bastard men—I don’t think The Law Group will tolerate that kind of slanderous talk from anyone."
"And as for those who hide behind reason to shield their cronies, acting like their age gives them authority—I believe Young Master Law wouldn’t want to see that kind of person in Stellerton, either."
As Wyatt spoke, he pressed playback on the recorder. Soon, Florence Warner’s smug laughter filled the room.
—The Eldest Young Master Law’s gift is so tacky. I know you’re not my biological child, but looking at your engagement ring compared to Fiona’s, my heart aches. The Vaughn Family isn’t short on money. If The Eldest Young Master Law looks down on you, why don’t you just move back home?
—You’ve been gone for three years, and the other side refuses to give you any title, doesn’t even want to meet me or your father. Do you really want to spend your whole life nameless and statusless with some bastard man?
The old shareholder who’d just tried to lecture Cecilia: "..."
As for Florence Warner, her face turned a pearly white with shock!
"You, you all—"
"Cecilia Vaughn, you set me up from the start didn’t you? Dug a pit for me to jump into!"
Cecilia glanced at Florence Warner, then swept her gaze across the so-called mediator shareholder.
"You claim your hearing’s failing because of your age. Did you hear Ms. Warner call my husband a bastard man this time? If not, I can play it back for you a few dozen more times in private."
The old shareholder shivered and hurried to bow his head repeatedly.
"I heard! I heard!"
"Even the ’deaf’ old man heard it, so I trust the rest of you aren’t any worse off." Cecilia cast a meaningful look around, before landing her gaze back on Florence Warner.
"Auntie, you can’t cry injustice this time, right? You weren’t content just attacking my relationship with Adrian, you also called what we have ’nameless and statusless.’ I’m curious though, Auntie—when you climbed your way up from mistress to legal wife, did that really count as having a proper title?"
Exposed in front of all the shareholders, Florence Warner was so angry she nearly ground her teeth to dust.
"You—you’re making things up!"
"You little bitch! Let me see if I don’t rip that filthy mouth of yours apart! Ah—"
Florence Warner hadn’t even raised a hand for a slap before Wyatt Law clamped down on her arm, making her wince in pain, tears exploding from her eyes, half her face going numb.
"Ow, ow, it hurts so much!"
She closed her palm on her sore cheek instantly, protective and flustered.
...
"What are you doing! Sister, aren’t you going to control your people?"
Fiona Vaughn stared at Wyatt in shock, wanting to grab his arm, but when she realized he was nearly six foot three, she instantly backed away.
What if she got smacked, too?
Cecilia looked unhurriedly at Fiona, her voice calm and measured.
"Wyatt isn’t my subordinate. Consider that slap interest for the trouble Ms. Warner’s mouth has brought upon Adrian."
"You—you’re twisting things around—"
Fiona was practically shaking with anger, but then the room erupted in astonished cries from the shareholders.
"Oh my god, Mrs. Vaughn’s nose... it fell off!"
"Holy shit, is that nose fake? That’s terrifying!"
