Sean didn’t want his grandmother to make any decisions during the meeting. If she did, Bruno’s position in the family could be in jeopardy.
At this point, no relative was willing to speak up for Bruno. The relationships among relatives was painfully evident.
Teresa’s face was calm, but her heart was in turmoil.
The situation had reached a point where it couldn’t be neatly resolved. Not giving Sophia’ justice would chill the hearts of the family members, and her own reputation would suffer.
But if she used family authority to expel Bruno from the Henley family, she found it impossible. After all, in Teresa’s mindset that favored male descendants, Bruno was the sole heir of the Henley family, destined to carry on the family legacy.
Over the years, Sophia’s cosmetics company had brought significant benefits to the Henley Group under her management. Teresa knew this well. But no matter how well Sophia did, she was still a woman. She couldn’t be compared to Bruno at all. The future of the Henley family could only be entrusted to Bruno’s shoulders.
Teresa hesitated in her heart for a while, then looked at Scar and said, “You’ve clarified the truth today. On behalf of the Henley family, I thank you. What reward do you want?”
Scar didn’t come today to ask for money, of course. Bringing Philip as a witness was Leo’s idea, and the task for today had been completed.
“The matter of rewards can be discussed later. Today, I’ve only brought Philip here to testify. I hope, Madam, that you can handle today’s situation justly. With that, I’ll take my leave.”
Having said that, Scar and Philip exited the meeting room.
Outside, Scar made a phone call to Leo.
Leo informed him that Philip’s territory would now be handed over to Scar. Although Scar didn’t fully understand how Leo accomplished this, it only strengthened his determination to follow Leo in the future.
Since the day Leo had broken his leg, Scar realized Leo wasn’t the wasteful son-in-law that people talked about. He was a rising lion, and following him was undoubtedly the right choice.
Regarding how to deal with Philip, Leo told Scar to handle it as he saw fit.
Philip’s usefulness had run its course, and Leo had no interest in dealing with him any longer.
Inside the meeting room.
After Scar had been gone for quite a while, the room remained eerily quiet.
Especially Bruno. He stood beside Teresa with an uneasy heart, bowing his head like an elementary school student who had made a mistake and was waiting for the teacher’s punishment.
The other Henley family members at the table were each calculating their own thoughts, wanting to see how Grandma would handle Bruno so they could plan accordingly.
The silence was finally broken by Teresa. She turned to Sophia and said, “Sophia, since this issue involves Bruno, I’m passing the authority for his punishment to you. How do you want to handle it?”
Teresa was quite shrewd. She didn’t want to directly punish Bruno herself, preferring to delegate it to someone else.
From this perspective, it was clear that Teresa wasn’t inclined to punish Bruno.
Sophia was clever enough to see through Teresa’s intentions immediately. If she were to propose a severe punishment for Bruno now, it would undoubtedly fail.
Although Sophia felt uncomfortable, she knew that in this family, Teresa’s word was final. After careful consideration, she could only respond, “Grandma, as the chairwoman, it’s still best for you to handle this matter.”
Teresa was pleased with Sophia’s understanding. She nodded and turned to Bruno, saying, “When a mistake is made, punishment must be accepted. Bruno, from now on, you’re stripped of all your roles, and you’ll reflect at home for a month!”
Even though Bruno had stepped down as the general manager of Breeze Cosmetics due to the bet with Sophia, he had quickly become the deputy general manager of the company, apparently under Fanny’s supervision but effectively in control of Breeze Cosmetics.
That’s why Teresa now mentioned removing all his roles.
As for the second part, the month of reflection at home was somewhat of a joke. It sounded more like a month off rather than a punishment.
Bruno’s anxious heart finally settled, and a smile tugged at his lips. He thought, “I truly am Grandma’s favorite. Despite the seriousness of Sophia’s incident, Grandma gives me this kind of punishment. I really love Grandma.”
Bruno quickly responded, “Grandma, I will earnestly reflect on my mistakes.”
Teresa looked at the people present and declared loudly, “Listen carefully, everyone. Today’s matters stay within these walls. Not a word is to be spoken.”
The mood among the Henley family relatives was as turbulent as a roller coaster. They had thought Bruno would be in trouble today, but turned out there was nothing to it.
This unabashed favoritism made it clear once again how highly Teresa regarded Bruno.
Sophia had foreseen this outcome. Although she was angry, she was powerless.
Simultaneously, she was defiant. Teresa’s bias only fueled her determination to prove herself. She wanted everyone in the Henley family to see that she was the most capable one in the Henley Group.
And so, a family meeting ended in a blur.
Teresa announced the adjournment and promptly left the meeting room.
However, the other Henley family relatives didn’t rush to leave. Instead, they approached Bruno to express their support.
“Bruno, don’t take what I said earlier to heart. I wasn’t targeting you. I just didn’t want to upset your Grandma.”
“Yeah, Bruno, you know your grandmother’s temperament better than anyone. If we all spoke on your behalf, she might punish you even more severely. We’re all doing this for your own good.”
The behavior of those relatives truly disgusted Sophia.
Each additional minute here felt uncomfortable. She stood to leave, but Bruno called out to her, “Sophia, remember your place in this family. Remember it well. You got lucky last night. I hope your luck continues.”
Seeing Sophia’s icy glare, Bruno’s smugness only grew. “No need to give me that look, Sophia. I’m ahead of you in Grandma’s heart. The Henley family relies on me for its legacy. After all, you’re just a woman.”
Even with her patience, Sophia couldn’t tolerate Bruno’s arrogance any longer. “Bruno, mark my words: one day, I’ll make you leave the Henley family!”
“Hahaha!” Bruno burst into laughter. “Alright, Sophia, my dear sister, it’s a deal. Just make sure to kick me out sooner rather than later.”
With her hands clenched, Sophia turned and left the meeting room.