Chapter 468: Chapter 468: Her Name is Finally Cleared
"What’s all this racket... Get back to work or I’ll dock all your work points!"
Preston Thorne hurried over. Just looking at this bunch of women gave him a headache. They were slowpokes when it came to work, but each one was more skilled at stirring up trouble than the last. That, of course, included the women from his own family; none of them were saints.
"Village Chief... This hussy just tried to choke me to death! I almost died! Look... COUGH COUGH..."
Mandy York tilted her neck back for Preston Thorne to see. A ring of bruises was visible, and her throat burned with pain. Other than the times she’d lost to Phoebe Huxley, she hadn’t suffered a single defeat since marrying into Millstone Peak. But today, she had stumbled—and stumbled hard—at the hands of the very hussy she’d always looked down on. Mandy York felt utterly humiliated, wishing she could flay Rosalind Green alive.
Preston Thorne glanced over. The marks were indeed severe, but he truly didn’t believe Rosalind Green was the one who did it. Phoebe Huxley, on the other hand, was a far more likely culprit.
"Don’t listen to her bullshit, Fourth Uncle! This old bitch started it, running her filthy mouth, saying Rosalind slept with men last night—two of them, no less! With that much dirt being thrown on her name, how could she not get angry? I was sleeping over at the Hawthorne family’s place last night, and I saw the whole thing clear as day! A couple of ruffians did show up, but Rosalind Green drove them off with a chopper!"
Phoebe Huxley shouted, glaring disdainfully at Mandy York. "Your mouth does nothing but spew shit all day long," she jeered. "Even King Yama would find you too foul to take. What’s your hurry to get reincarnated?!"
The crowd burst into knowing laughter. Preston Thorne’s lips twitched, but inwardly he felt helpless. His niece-in-law, Phoebe Huxley, was a powerhouse when it came to work, but her talent for causing trouble was even greater. She was a real thorn in his side, and he was honestly scared of her.
"You and this hussy are in it together! You conspired to bully me... You Thornes are tyrants... Always bullying us Goldings... Why doesn’t heaven strike you all down with a bolt of lightning!"
Mandy York beat her chest and stomped her feet, wailing like a banshee. Just like that, she had escalated the issue into a feud between the Golding and Thorne families. Preston Thorne’s face darkened. As much as he disliked Phoebe Huxley, he detested Mandy York even more. She was more repulsive than a rat.
"If I were really bullying you, do you think you’d still be able to wail like that? I would’ve chopped you to bits and sent you to King Yama for his midnight snack long ago!"
Phoebe Huxley shot her a vicious glare. Mandy York shrank back, and her wailing subsided a little.
Preston Thorne roared impatiently, "Doesn’t she have a name? All you do all day is call her ’hussy.’ What did the Chairman teach us? ’To unite in friendship, help one another, and advance together.’ I think you people just have too much time on your hands! Get back to work! Any more shouting and I’m docking today’s work points from all of you!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the others immediately returned to their posts and resumed working, though their hearts weren’t in it. Preston Thorne couldn’t be bothered to call them out on it. Having chewed everyone out, he left with a dark expression.
Preston Thorne had barely left when the women broke ranks again, forming another impenetrable circle.
"Ooh, Mandy’s neck is really bruised! Whoever did it didn’t hold back!"
"Looks like she really did fight off those ruffians last night. She’s stronger than she looks."
With the ring of dark bruises on Mandy York’s neck as proof, everyone now believed Rosalind Green. Lying on the ground, Rosalind’s eyes instantly filled with hot tears, but inside, she felt an even deeper sense of grievance.
After being called a hussy for so many years, she had finally cleared her name today. Rosalind Green covered her face, tears streaming down her cheeks. Phoebe Huxley snorted in annoyance. Startled, Rosalind quickly stopped crying, but her hiccuping sobs were even more grating to listen to.
"Alright, let’s all get back to work. If the village chief comes back and sees this, he’ll really dock our work points. Mandy, you should watch what you say from now on," an older woman advised.
Mandy York snorted indignantly but didn’t say anything out loud. ’A wise person knows when to retreat,’ she thought. ’I’ll just say it again later. A hussy is a hussy. Hmph. She reeks of promiscuity. How could she ever change her ways?’
"Didn’t you just say that if Rosalind Green dared to slash at you with a knife, you’d eat this clump of mud?" Juliana Rhodes walked over, a ball of mud clutched in her hand.
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