She took a deep breath and spoke in a soft voice.
“Holly, thank you for coming. Our dilemma might finally be resolved.”
Holly, having failed to persuade Mason herself, found herself in quite an awkward situation.
Yet, the Coopers allowed her to retain some dignity, and she could only tactfully say,
“You overstated my role. Mason has been troublesome since childhood, and the family has little control over him.”
“But I will keep a close watch on him from now on.”
Hailey nodded in satisfaction.
Suddenly, Angela spoke up.
“Wesley, Holly has helped us. Aren’t you going to say thanks?”
Hailey snorted coldly.
“Holly has sacrificed her face for our sake. The least you could do is invite her for a meal.”
Holly immediately responded,
“Wesley must be too busy to take me out.”
Hailey, displeased, retorted,
“Of course, he will make time for you.”
Wesley was uncompromising.
“I don’t have time.”
His words stripped Holly of her pride.
She felt too ashamed to linger here any longer.
With an awkward smile, she spoke,
“Actually, I didn’t arrange my schedule well for today. There’s something I need to address now, so I shall take my leave.”
Knowing she couldn’t persuade her to stay, Hailey coldly turned toward Wesley.
“Wesley is leaving too, why don’t you give Holly a ride?”
Wesley replied, “For overload.”
Sandra couldn’t help but chuckle at his unexpected humor.
Her laughter caused Joey to laugh as well.
Hailey’s face turned ashen.
Holly, unable to withstand such humiliation, turned to leave.
Hailey quickly stepped forward to soothe her.
“Holly, don’t be angry. He’s always been that way, as you know.”
Angela immediately chimed in,
“If Wesley truly had no feelings for you, why would he have given you such a large diamond ring three years ago?”
Her words drew everyone’s eyes to the ring on Holly’s finger.
Coming from a wealthy family and being pampered, Holly was adorned with many fine things. They should not have been surprised now.
But seeing the diamond ring on her finger, they were surprised.
“This appears to be the piece auctioned three years ago by a mysterious buyer.”
“Worth 500 million!”
“And it’s a globally limited edition. One worn by a queen in Terlandia, and the other, incredibly, on Miss Campbell’s finger.”
“I get it now. Wesley is still upset about Miss Campbell’s abrupt departure. That’s why he showed no mercy today.”
“A pair of ill-fated lovers.”
“Two people who harbored mutual affection, but due to a quirk of fate, she’s unwed and he’s married.”
“It’s a romance that touches the heavens, yet is devoid of destiny.”
Holly purposefully lifted her hand, allowing the diamond ring to catch the gaze of more people.
Then, she looked at Sandra.
Her eyes conveyed a defiant challenge.
“Our past is past.”
She sighed, yet once again looked tenderly at Wesley.
Wesley’s face remained expressionless, although a hint of impatience flashed in his eyes.
Wesley’s tone was devoid of the warmth of humanity.
“Should I call the police now?” he said.
There was collective puzzlement among the crowd.
Joey hastened to explain.
“After Wesley acquired the diamond ring at the auction, he intended to exhibit it in the jewelry store of the Cooper.”
“It was stolen en route to the store. Wesley instructed me to call the police, but…” He glanced at Holly.
“The police have yet to apprehend the thief.”
Holly’s face drained of color, her lips quivering, but she uttered not a word.
Joey continued,
“We can contact the police now that we have a lead.”
He implied without accusing Holly of theft, saving her face.
But after his words, a hush fell upon the Cooper family.
If one listened closely, the pounding of their hearts could be heard.
They were unconcerned with the details of the diamond ring’s fate.
They were aware that Wesley had deeply offended Holly. Perhaps tomorrow, the Campbell family would sever all contracts with the Cooper Group.
The Cooper had already lost its former glory.
If they lost the support of the Campbell,
The Cooper was on the brink of downfall.
Sandra couldn’t help but admire Wesley’s resolve.
Despite yearning to elevate his family’s status to its peak once more, he stood unwavering in the face of temptation and had thoroughly offended Holly instead.
Maybe, this man proved to be quite different from her initial impression.
He was quite… cute.
Holly, as if only then coming to terms with the situation, ceased to cry.
Her countenance was rife with embarrassment and hatred.
“Wesley, just remember how you treat me today!”
She left, dismissing any attempts by the Coopers to detain her.
Hailey, in a fit of rage that nearly led to a heart attack, approached Wesley with the intent to slap him.
Yet, her hand was intercepted by Sandra.
“Sandra, get away! You want to fight with me?” Hailey struggled to reclaim her hand but to no avail.
With a cold laugh, Sandra released her grip.
“Why would I fight with you? I don’t want to compensate you for your medical expenses,” she retorted.
Hailey’s face turned angry.
“I believe Wesley’s actions are right,” Sandra remarked.
“Just call the police. That’s what citizens should do.”
Hailey struggled for breath, her hand clutching her chest. Still, her breathing remained unsteady.
Eventually, she fainted.
“Call an ambulance!”
“Wesley, you’ve gone too far,” someone accused.
“Wesley, what you’ve done today is…” The others began their reproach.
Unperturbed, Wesley watched Hailey being lifted onto a stretcher.
“If you are trying to flatter Holly, I won’t stop you. But,”
His words resonated through every corner of the household like a hammer to the chest.
The other members were rendered speechless, as if they were quails caught by the neck.
Once more, Wesley’s voice rang out.
“We abide by the rules of our family. Those unwilling to follow the rules should know the consequences.”
With that, he grasped Sandra’s arm.
“Let’s go.”
She nodded in agreement, weary of the pretentious people surrounding them.
Hailey was sent to the hospital. The others dared not speak up.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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