Lucille’s face regained its lofty arrogance, with a hint of cold composure. “Sylvia, this is a matter between the Hogan family and the Clarke Family. I advise you to stay out of it.”
She stood in the center of the crowd, dressed in striking red, dazzling and commanding even at over forty years old.
In front of her, Sylvia was tall and slender, her stunning face confronting Lucille’s well-maintained visage. Her red lips parted with unwavering resolve, “How can what happens in the Hipps Family be called interference? Lucille, shouldn’t Marco apologize to Mrs. Clarke for today’s incident?”
Sylvia looked at her expressionlessly. “If today’s events had occurred elsewhere, the Hipps Family would have stood by. But… now you are on Hipps family territory.”
Her words were powerful and unyielding!
Lucille’s expression tightened; this wasn’t her first confrontation with Sylvia.
It seemed she had underestimated her!
Just a mere girl, a bastard born to that wretched Madeleine, daring to flaunt herself before her?
She could deal with Madeleine, and she could certainly deal with this bastard.
Lucille laughed coldly, “It seems you are unwilling to back down today?”
Sylvia spoke firmly, her red lips shimmering, “In front of everyone, Mr. Hogan harassed the nursing Mrs. Clarke. Shouldn’t he apologize and report it? Or… Lucille, are you more authoritative than the police? In the face of the law, everyone is equal. Haven’t you heard that even the emperor is subject to the same laws as commoners?”
“He is young and ignorant. Besides, it was unintentional; perhaps he just entered the wrong room. He needs to reform rather than have you act as judge and jury,” Lucille said expressionlessly to Sylvia, glancing at her incompetent son. “Come here!”
Marco flinched at his mother’s stern voice but obediently walked over, lowering his head and murmuring, “Mother.”
“Apologize to Mrs. Clarke. You didn’t intentionally enter the wrong room, did you?”
Even with surveillance video evidence before her, Lucille still refused to admit her son had harassed a woman.
Her gaze swept over those present, “Everyone saw the surveillance earlier; Marco merely entered the wrong room accidentally. Right?”
She was clearly distorting the truth.
But Lucille was second only to one person in power. Even if the president were here today, he would have to give her face.
Seeing everyone either silent or avoiding eye contact, Lucille nodded in satisfaction. She turned back to Sylvia with a victorious smile, “Sylvia, my apologies. Everyone can testify that Marco simply entered the wrong room.”
Lucille’s gaze shifted to Mr. Clarke, her voice carrying an inexplicable threat and warning, “Isn’t that right, Mr. Clarke?”
Mr. Clarke looked sadly at his wife, Mrs. Clarke; the best outcome was admitting Marco entered the wrong room.
He swallowed his humiliation and hoarsely replied, “Lucille is correct…”
Upon hearing his response, Mrs. Clarke couldn’t hold back her tears in his arms.
Mr. Clarke’s eyes were bloodshot as if crying blood, but faced with such power, for his family’s sake…
“Aren’t you going to apologize? What are you standing there for?” Lucille pushed Marco forward. Marco stumbled before Mrs. Clarke, “I’m sorry; I accidentally entered the wrong room today and saw what I shouldn’t have. Please forgive me.”
A clear case of harassment was forcibly twisted by Lucille into an accidental room entry.
Sylvia’s chest filled with anger; she wanted to speak but was held back by Mr. Hipps, who gently shook his head.
Her gaze hardened; her expression stiffened but she said nothing further.
She understood his meaning.
Mrs. Clarke said nothing; she merely cried in Mr. Clarke’s arms.
Mr. Clarke opened his mouth painfully several times before finally speaking with effort, “Mr. Hogan, be careful next time.”
Franklin silently observed everything; once again witnessing Lucille’s terrifying power firsthand.
And today’s situation was all due to the president’s own father favoring her!
He had given her this power.
His heart surged with intense hatred and resistance.
If this woman continued to wield power in the future, what would become of the empire?
At that moment, a butler suddenly rushed over, “Madam, Sir…”
“What happened?” Queena turned to the butler who was panting heavily, “A distinguished guest has arrived downstairs; you’d better hurry down!”
“A distinguished guest?” Queena frowned; with Lucille here already, who could be more distinguished?
Thus the Hipps Family led their guests downstairs in a grand procession.
Upon reaching downstairs they saw two rows of uniformed guards lined up along both sides of the banquet hall.
Such a display…
Mr. Hipps and Queena exchanged glances; they couldn’t help but entertain the same suspicion.
Could it be him?
Everyone also curiously eyed these familiar guards.
As they prepared to whisper among themselves, the sound of a wheelchair gradually approached from afar until a familiar face appeared before them.
Sylvia was visibly shocked upon recognizing the middle-aged man in the wheelchair.
She rarely felt shocked but now she truly was.
“The President?”
His condition wasn’t suitable for leaving the hospital; he had just undergone surgery four days ago yet he left on his own?
How absurdly reckless!
Mr. Hipps stepped forward, “Mr. President, why are you here? Your health…”
The president’s sharp gaze swept over everyone in the banquet hall before settling on Franklin and Sylvia as a couple, “You held a banquet behind my back without inviting this child’s god-grandfather; do you even regard me? Ah? Do you wish for my early demise?”
“Cough! Cough! Cough!” He coughed violently while speaking.
Franklin suspected this old man had lost his mind; he claimed to be Alex’s god-grandfather? How ridiculous!
After such a fierce argument he came forward claiming kinship?
His eyes scrutinized the president who had recently undergone surgery; although pale-faced he appeared noticeably better than when first leaving ICU.
He could now speak fluently despite remaining physically weak which didn’t prevent him from causing trouble.
He perfectly embodied one saying: life persists through constant turmoil.
Seeing the president coughing Lucille quickly approached him kneeling gently beside his wheelchair softly patting his back tenderly speaking like water flowing gently over stones “Look at yourself acting like a child again? Didn’t doctors advise against getting angry?”
Her demeanor was so gentle it seemed as if she wasn’t just upstairs using power to oppress others distorting truth earlier.
Her swift transformation left Sylvia feeling mixed emotions akin to swallowing flies disgusting her stomach.
“Lucille I’ve grown old eventually needing to pass my position onto their brothers I’ve thought things through these past few days forget it since he insists on acknowledging this child let him go ahead” The president appeared aged by ten years after illness losing previous vigor entirely even lacking former confidence.
Lucille knelt before him speaking softly like coaxing children feather-like voice brushing over “Since you’ve come around don’t get angry anymore okay? Health matters most everyone awaits your recovery discharge!”
Sylvia finally understood why Lucille could behave so arrogantly this marked her first time witnessing how Lucille interacted with the president firsthand.
This woman was stunningly beautiful even past forty retaining enough allure driving men insane.
She possessed beauty intelligence clearly grasping hold over this most powerful man president himself.
At that moment she wore a gentle smile gazing admiringly like an understanding flower at aging president.
“If you fall what will we do? We’re all relying on you!”
The president’s eyes flickered involuntarily gripping Lucille’s hand “Lucille only you care about me Isaac is somewhat better Franklin constantly angers me despite my condition he insists on acknowledging that child”
Lucille continued soothing him speaking directly reaching president’s heart “We’re family no need for division anger means fortune better than closing eyes unable even feeling anger since acknowledged let it be ultimately not Maskelyne family bloodline later… just consider extra bowl rice Franklin if has biological child then won’t matter don’t be angry”
“You truly understand me!” The president sighed deeply glaring at Franklin “Since your aunt said so I won’t oppose acknowledging that child I’ve come personally aren’t you bringing child here?”
Franklin quickly glanced at Sylvia “Is child asleep?”
Facing so many people he couldn’t embarrass president refusing meant taking blame otherwise tomorrow’s headlines would criticize him directly.
Lucille would seize opportunity suppressing him further.
Sylvia nodded “So late already he’s long asleep”
However hesitating briefly she instructed nanny bringing child from resting room.
Alex slept soundly exhausted meeting so many people today indeed wore him out completely.
He lay quietly within Franklin’s arms small face delicately carved skin fair long eyelashes covering eyelids clearly indicating handsome child.
The president gazed upon Franklin approaching focusing attention on child’s face.