Chapter 279 Stingy
The moment the words "Ava Anderson" left Victoria's mouth, William immediately froze.
Victoria extended her hand, "Give me back my phone."
Victoria Bennett, let's make a deal," William Bennett said with a cold smirk. "Either you unlock your phone and let me see what you two have been chatting about, or I'm calling dad right now to tell him that you broke his beloved antique and asked for my help cleaning up this mess. I refused, and I'm going to be the one to tell him how you tried to hide the evidence. What do you think dad is going to do?"
Victoria's complexion grew increasingly sullen. "William Bennett, we're in the same boat."
William waved the phone. "If you don't show me the chat history, then we're not on the same boat anymore."
Victoria clenched her fists. "As far as the antique is concerned, you're involved now too."
"I decide whether I'm involved or not. Who do you think dad will believe, you or me? If he finds out that you broke his favorite vase and tried to cover it up, he'd cut off your allowance and maybe even kick you out of the house to fend for yourself before he'd even think of punishing you. Then you'll come begging to me, and I won't give you a cent," William threatened.
"You..." Victoria's eyes went wide. "Then I'll just tell Ava that you..."
"Don't use her to threaten me," William said with a smile. "There are plenty of ways your brother can teach you a lesson. Once dad kicks you out and cuts up your credit cards, I'll truly add insult to injury."
His tone was soft but laced with malice.
William wasn't one to shy away from manipulation; the business world was like a battlefield without gunfire after all. He could never be just a naive and kind man. His attitude and scheming depended on who he was dealing with. If the other party was cunning, William would show them what true cunning was. But with someone like Ava Anderson, he was all gentleman. He treated scoundrels and people differently.
William took control of the situation, gave a slight smile, and pushed the phone into her hands. Crossing his arms, he stayed silent, watching her.
Victoria was fuming, puffing up her cheeks as she stared him down. In the end, she had no choice but to unlock the phone with her fingerprint and handed over the chat history to him.
"Bad brother," she swore under her breath. "Just you wait!"
William took the phone, glanced at his little sister resignedly, and said, "You brought this on yourself. Did you really think I was someone to be trifled with?"
He started scrolling through the chat records.
Victoria Bennett fidgeted nervously with the hem of her shirt.
From the outset, William Bennett's expression had been composed, but as time passed, his brows knit together tighter and tighter.
The chat logs between Ava Anderson and Victoria Bennett were brief, and William quickly scrolled through them.
By the time he finished reviewing the messages, his face was a dark storm cloud, his eyes like sharp blades ready to unsheathe.
William Bennett gritted his teeth and said, word by word, “Victoria Bennett, do you have a death wish?”
The audacity of this brat! She actually had the nerve to call him stingy, petty, jerk!
Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he couldn't have imagined that she'd speak so ill of him behind his back, especially to Ava Anderson!
Seeing William Bennett’s almost predatory gaze, Victoria Bennett took several steps back. “Brother... Big brother, listen to my explanation, it isn’t what you think.”
“Oh, is that so?” William Bennett stepped closer, a cold smile curling at the corners of his mouth. He lifted his phone, reading aloud, “Stingy as can be, jerk, petty.”
