After the lawyer was done explaining the law, Carlos said nonchalantly, "Ten years... Miss Gu, if you are locked up in jail for the next ten years..." He smirked evilly, leaving his words unfinished.
'Ten years in prison?' Portia could hardly take in that information.
Breaking down into fresh tears, she ran up to Carlos and fell to her knees. "Mr. Huo, please. I already regret my actions. Please don't have me locked up." If she were to be locked up behind bars, she would have a criminal record and her promising future would be ruined forever. On top of that, she could hardly imagine how her life would be in prison for ten years!
Seeing such a heartbreaking scene, Hayden felt his head ache. As he held her up from the floor, he asked, "Mr. Huo, please tell me what to do so that you will let Portia go."
"Let her go?" Carlos sneered. "Do I look that benevolent to you? Or do you think I am an easygoing person? Or maybe... you think I'm a pushover."
Both Lewis and James shuddered as they listened to his cold voice. They were well aware how merciless and ruthless Carlos could be if someone crossed his line. He was never a benevolent or an easygoing person, nor could anyone ever bully him.
When Hayden didn't respond, Carlos continued, "I will give Portia two options to choose from. The first one is that she will go to England and apologize to my wife in person, then come back to fulfill her ten-year imprisonment. The second one is that she will go to England to apologize to my wife in person and then..." He paused, shifting his gaze to Lewis, as everyone held their breath. "And then, you will marry Lewis."
"What? Marry Lewis?" Everyone was taken aback. His verdict was beyond their expectations.
No one understood what Carlos' intention of marrying Portia to Lewis was.
Portia made eye contact with Lewis. Seeing the disgusting man, she shook her head and rejected in a choked voice, "Please, no! I will never marry Lewis Huo!" 'This good-for-nothing creep doesn't deserve me, ' she cursed in her mind.
On the other hand, Lewis didn't mind at all. He actually felt lucky. Marrying Portia wouldn't bring him any loss in any way.
Valerie helplessly reminded him, "Carlos, marriage is an important event in a person's life and it requires approval from the parents. How can you decide his marriage without consulting Wade and Miranda?"
Carlos raised his eyebrows at her. "Uncle Wade and Aunt Miranda have always wanted to ally with the Gu family by marriage. Correct?"
Wade and Miranda were lost for words. Before they had a grasp of Portia's true colors, they did want Lewis to get engaged to her. But now, seeing such a disgraceful and
here was complete silence in the living room once again.
After a few seconds of absolute shock, Tabitha said with a sob, "You won't change your mind? Carlos, why are you so merciless towards your own family? Have you considered your uncle's and aunt's feelings? You've turned the whole Huo family upside-down. How could you come back to us in the future? How are you going to face all of us?"
Carlos' face darkened. "Mom, you're mistaken. It's Lewis who hadn't considered his parents' feelings when he did all those inexcusable things."
Miranda inhaled deeply. "Carlos, do what you have to. It's time to teach Lewis a good lesson."
Valerie pounded her cane on the floor loudly. In a fit of fury, she blurted out, "Miranda! Lewis isn't your biological son, but you brought him up. How can you be so cruel to him?"
Her words shocked everyone in the room, including Carlos. It was...a rude awakening! Lewis couldn't stay on his feet and slouched down on the floor, his eyes wide in shock. He stared at Valerie blankly.
It was already too late when Valerie realized what she had said. She shook her head in defeat and let out a long and heavy sigh.
"Grandma... What...do you mean?" Lewis asked her in disbelief.
A dash of sadness flashed through Valerie's eyes as she looked at the stunned Lewis. "Nothing. Carlos, since my words carry no weight to you, just do as you please. I'm tired. I'm going upstairs to rest."
She stood up from the sofa and walked towards the staircase with Megan's help.
After taking a few steps, she turned to the angry man on the sofa. "Punish everyone as you see fit. But leave your father alone. As an elder, it's justified for your father to teach Debbie a lesson or two. He didn't mean to hurt your wife. So, just let him go, please."
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