It was evident that the old Mrs. Henley had a greedy desire for power and status. She clung to her authority, not only seizing what should have rightfully belonged to Bruno but also taking it upon herself to lecture him. Once evil thoughts took root, burying them became impossible. Bruno had grown tired of waiting.
You want vision and a broad perspective, don’t you? Well, I’ll give you that.
Bruno said with a look of being understanding. “Grandma, I know I was wrong. In the future, I will heed your teachings, prioritize the interests of the Henley family, eliminate my impatience, and focus on the long term.”
Upon hearing these words, the old Mrs. Henley nodded with satisfaction. Fanny, seeing her grandmother’s improved mood, decided to speak up. “Grandma, about the stolen betrothal gifts…”
The old Mrs. Henley’s mood soured at the mention of the stolen money, and thinking about Leo’s audacity earlier only added to her displeasure. It seemed she needed to find an appropriate opportunity to deal with that wastrel; otherwise, he might not know his place.
“As for the stolen betrothal gifts, let’s put an end to it now. The remaining gifts must not be touched. We’ll wait for the person sending them to come forward. That’s enough for today; I’m tired. You can all go back now,” she declared.
Back at their home, Leo and Sophia were about to go upstairs when they heard a stern voice from behind.
“Leo!”
Leo turned around to see Jessica, hands on her hips, glaring at him.
“Mom, what’s wrong?” Leo replied calmly.
“From now on, don’t call me ‘Mom’! Leo, you really surprised me today. You dared to offend even the old Mrs. Henley. Do you want to ruin our family?” Jessica couldn’t hold back her frustration any longer.
On the way home, Jessica couldn’t help but vent her anger. Leo’s actions against the old Mrs. Henley made her increasingly anxious. If the old Mrs. Henley blamed her and Martin for Leo’s disrespect, and if they lost the opportunity for Sophia’s general manager position, it would be disastrous.
Jessica suspected that Leo might be acting out because he felt humiliated by his four years in this family. He might be intentionally provoking the situation to take revenge on them. This thought only fueled Jessica’s resentment toward Leo. She believed she had finally seen his true colors. Upon arriving home, she couldn’t help but confront him.
She wanted Leo to understand that in this family, her word was law. He could never destroy their family.
Sophia, displeased, interjected, “Mom, what’s gotten into you?”
“Sweetheart, Leo is a schemer. He has an evil side. You are so pure and innocent that you’ve been blinded by him. Mom doesn’t blame you.”
“Leo, listen to me. No matter how successful you are now, if you dare to have ill intentions toward Sophia or destroy this family, I will fight you!”
Leo stared at Jessica in disbelief. He wondered if this woman was going through a severe case of menopause, as her thoughts were utterly absurd. What did she mean by having ill intentions toward Sophia? And why would he want to destroy the family? It was downright ridiculous. Leo had no regard for the Henley family, except for Sophia.
“Mom, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I won’t destroy this family, and I will treat Sophia well for the rest of my life.”
With Sophia present, Leo didn’t want to engage in a conflict with Jessica.
Jessica had initially thought that Leo would react to her the way he did with the old Mrs. Henley. However, she was surprised to find that Leo had actually backed down.
“Leo, today, you laid hands on the old Mrs. Henley in the Henley family estate. Do you realize what the consequences could be?” Jessica persisted.
Leo wore a nonchalant expression. “I don’t care about the consequences. If the old Mrs. Henley or Bruno want to cause trouble, I’ll make them pay a painful price.”
“You…” Jessica was left momentarily speechless by Leo’s words, thinking that this son-in-law of hers must be mentally unstable.
In the end, Jessica had no choice but to turn her gaze toward Sophia. “Sweetie, has Leo gone crazy? If the old Mrs. Henley decides to blame us for today’s incident, our family will be in trouble.”
“Mom, you don’t need to worry about this. Whether it’s the stolen betrothal gifts or my kidnapping, it’s all Bruno and Fanny’s doing. Grandma knows it very well. Since she’s protecting them, she won’t do anything to us,” Sophia’s mind was clear as she explained.
Hearing Sophia’s words, Leo silently nodded in agreement. Sophia indeed had a deep understanding of Teresa.
Jessica wasn’t foolish either and, after some consideration, realized that what Sophia said made sense. However, she was still unhappy with Leo’s actions today. “Regardless, what Leo did today is a complete disregard for authority, and it must be sternly addressed.”
Sophia couldn’t ignore the subtle resentment in her mother’s heart and countered, “Mom, it’s the modern era. Roles and authority are not set in stone anymore. I believe Leo did the right thing today!”
“Sweetheart, you’re defending a stranger against your own mother. Is that appropriate?”
“Mom, Leo is not a stranger; he’s my husband.”
Meanwhile, Martin quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. “Jessica, please calm down. What’s most important is that Sophia is safe and sound today. Let’s not worry about other matters.”
Hearing Martin’s words, Jessica’s anger flared up again. “Martin, I haven’t settled accounts with you for what happened today. Don’t you dare speak up!”
“Settle accounts? What are you talking about?” Martin was baffled.
Jessica pointed her finger at Martin, shouting, “Today, when Bruno and Fanny slandered Sophia in front of your mom, you didn’t say a word. Are you even a man?”
“What do you expect me to say in that situation? I was just as worried as you were about Sophia…”
Once again, they found themselves arguing.
In the midst of the dispute, Sophia gave Leo a meaningful look, and the two quietly retreated upstairs to Sophia’s bedroom.
Inside Sophia’s bedroom, while Leo was taking a shower, Sophia made a call to Karen.
“Sophia, is that you?” Karen’s voice was joyful as soon as she answered the call.
“Karen, it’s me.”
“Are you okay? Where are you now?” Karen asked anxiously.
“My dear, I’m fine. I’ve safely returned home.”
“How did you end up being kidnapped? What exactly happened?” Sophia briefly recounted the events to Karen.
Karen’s voice was filled with disbelief and a hint of envy. “Is it true that Leo came to your rescue just in time when you needed him the most?”
Sophia affirmed, “Yes, he appeared when I needed him the most.”