No matter what, Jason would never admit to Lina’s claim. He had sold almost all the properties, leaving him with only the villa, and the company which had also been put up for sale in order to pay off his bank loan. Trying his best to act tough, Jason slammed his fist on the coffee table, making the delicate china cups rattle as his face turned beet red.
“What nonsense are you talking about Lina?”, he bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls. “When did I deceive you to sign a property document?” He took a step closer to Lina, his eyes bulging with rage. “Don’t you dare slander me, Lina!” He screamed, saliva flying from his lips as he denied Lina’s claims.
“Whether I’m slandering you or not, you know better Mr. Robert,” Lina said, shedding all cordiality, her expression as calm as possible as she looked at her father like she was looking at a clown.
“You…” Jason pointed a shaky finger at Lina. When has his obedient daughter turned into this? He can’t remember when last Lina had looked down on him this way.
“What about me?” Lina’s eyes dimmed slightly as she tapped the rim of her well-trimmed finger on her lap. “I don’t expect any better from a man who has lived off a woman for more than two decades,” Lina said mockingly as her gaze sharpened, her eyes taking in the anger that seemed to burst out of her father, who clenched his fist tightly.
The last thing Jason wanted to be reminded of was Lina’s last statement. Though he doesn’t like admitting it, since he met Lina’s mother, Laura, he had never worked for once until now. The money he had been lavishing on his mistress, and her daughter were all Laura’s hard-earned money she left behind for her daughter.
“Mind your language, Lina. How dare you talk to your father like that?” Rebecca said, anger evidenced in her words, not liking the way Lina was talking to her husband. “He is your father and you will show him the respect he deserves.” She muttered.
“And when did a mistress have the right to interfere in me and my father’s matter? You’d better shut up before I throw you out of my property.” Lina said, her voice dripping with venom.
“How dare you call me that Lina? I’m legally married to your father. I won’t take such insults from you, ever!” Rebecca spat as her frame shook a little bit as she stood tall in her glory. What Rebecca hated the most was the reminder that she was a mistress, before becoming the madam of the Robert family. Some socialites she goes out with still discuss this in private.
“And by the way, if we are looking for mistresses, your mother should be the number one because she was the one who snatched your father away from me just because she was a little rich. I and Jason were together before he met her.” Rebecca felt happy saying this. How she wishes it was Laura who was standing in front of her, so she could directly say this to her. Before Rebecca could grin triumphantly, she felt a stinging pain on her right cheek.
Lina’s hand connected to her face with a loud crack, sending her head snapping to the side. ” I dare you to say one single bad word about my mother.” Lina, who was sitting earlier, was now standing in front of Rebecca.
Rebecca’s eyes immediately saw stars as her eyes became blurry with tears from the impact of Lina’s powerful strike. Her cheek immediately reddened from the brute force. Lina uses all the strength in her hand to slap her. Her mother was her bottom line.
“Mom!
“Rebecca!”
Mira and her father shouted as they stepped forward. They were shocked at Lina’s actions. The Lina in front of them wasn’t familiar at all. She looked like she was possessed by something.
“How dare you slap my mom Lina? Are you tired of living?” Mira shouted in anger, the rim of her eyes was red with fury. Before Lina could reply to Mira, her hands closed around the delicate neck of the flower vase on the coffee table beside Lina, her fingers tightening like a vice. She lunged forward, the vase raised high, its crystal edges glinting in the light. Lina’s eyes widened as Mira charged towards her, the vase poised to strike.
Gasps of surprise filled the room as Mira charged forward. Lina dodged to the side, avoiding the vase by mere inches. With a swift motion, she shoved Mira away. Mira stumbled forward, her arms flailing wildly. The vase slipped from her grasp, and she crashed to the floor, her head connecting with the vase with a sickening thud.
Her forehead instantly cut open and blood began to flow, immediately staining the white polished marble floor. Mira winced in pain, her vision blurry, and her body went limp, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.
“Mira!!” Her parents both shouted as they rushed forward. Rebecca squatted, her hand raised forward to touch Mira’s forehead, her eyes filled with worry and concern. “Call the ambulance.” Her voice echoed all over the room.
“You bastard! What have you done?” Jason exclaimed as he glared at Lina with killing intent.
“What a joke. Didn’t you see that she was the one who almost hit me with the flower vase first? I’m just defending myself. Had she succeeded, I would be the one lying there by now.” Lina shouted, pointing at Mira, who was on the floor groaning in pain. She was also shocked by the turn of events.
“Why don’t you go to hell then? If anything happens to my daughter, I will fight you to death.” Rebecca said, her eyes filled with hatred for Lina. “Oh my God! Who did I offend to have such a heartless and ungrateful stepdaughter in my family.” She wailed as she cradled Mira’s head on her lap.
Jason’s face turned purple with rage. He angrily pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “You guys should assemble in the living room immediately.” He barked into the phone as he glared at Lina.
Lina was scared by now. How can she face off three people alone? She came here alone after all. She didn’t plan for all this to happen. She had a plan to just come here and get what rightfully belongs to her. And with her father’s rage right now, she knew whatever he planned to do with her would be a disaster.
Within seconds, three burly bodyguards rushed into the room, their faces expressionless. “Sir,” one of them stepped forward, waiting for Jason’s order.
“Throw this insolent wretch out of my sight!” Jason thundered, his voice dripping with contempt. “And make sure she’s taught a lesson she’ll never forget. I want her to be taken to the security room and held there until I decide what to do with her. And make sure she’s… persuaded to behave. Use any means necessary.” His eyes blazed with fury, and his jaw was clenched in a tight, unforgiving line.
The bodyguards nodded, their faces expressionless as they stepped forward.
Lina’s eyes darted between the three bodyguards as she backed away, her hands raised in a defensive gesture. “Don’t come any closer,” she warned, her voice low and even, but a faint tremble underlying the words. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps, and her pupils dilated slightly as the bodyguards took another step forward.
As they were about to grab Lina’s arms, powerful strides were suddenly heard from inside the room.
Five bodyguards in black suits and dark glasses rushed forward. Before anyone could come out of the shock at the sudden change of events, Jason’s bodyguards were already intercepted and pinned against the wall by the bodyguards, who no one knew when they entered.
Lina, who was shocked the most at the thought of who had saved her, raised her head. On seeing the man walking towards her in powerful strides, her eyes widened in shock, relief, and awe. Raymond’s imposing aura filled the room.
The room was filled with an unbroken silence, leaving only the sound of Raymond’s soft click of shoes on the marble floor, each step echoing through the stillness like a deliberate heartbeat. The silence was oppressive, heavy with unspoken tension, as all eyes turned to watch Raymond’s approach.
“Raymond? Why are you here?” Lina asked in surprise as Raymond approached her, breaking the deafening silence.
Instead of answering her silly question, Raymond held her arms, turning her over to check if she was hurt anywhere. “Are you okay?” He asked. Lina shook her head, intending she was fine.
“Thank goodness, she was fine. I would have blamed myself if anything happened to her again on my watch.” Raymond thought as he drew Lina into a warm embrace as if assuring her and himself everything was fine.
“Pre…president Walton?” Jason stammered, his face widening in shock, seeing the live Raymond in front of him. Mira had informed him about Lina’s marriage to the ruthless billionaire Raymond before, but he didn’t believe it one hundred percent, but seeing the domineering CEO in front of him, he knew he was in trouble.