Chapter 442 Divorce
Eleanor's composure momentarily faltered as she exclaimed, "Winnie, what do you mean by that? Look, I only heard from the house staff that they saw you enter Sean's villa. I was worried you were being naive, maybe getting involved with Sean. You know Sean has a bad reputation, and I just wanted to make sure you were okay..." She was still trying to tarnish her reputation. Winnie let out a derisive laugh. "Sure, Eleanor. You and your entourage rushed over just in time to see me pinned under Sean, my reputation in tatters for all to witness. If you were genuinely concerned about me, you should have alerted Dad first. If you couldn’t find me at Sean's, you should have been relieved. Instead, you spread the incident far and wide, dragging the Rodriguez family into this mess, only to expose me in disarray!" With each pointed statement, Winnie was reminding Carlos of Eleanor's inconsistencies. Carlos suddenly realized. Indeed, when Winnie disappeared, he was one of the last to know — Eleanor hadn't alerted him first. Winnie reminded him, "Dad, do you remember the same red colored dresses my sister and I wore to the banquet earlier?" Carlos's gaze toward Eleanor turned icy. Winnie nearly faced isolation at the party, accused of being jealous of her sister. If she hadn't explained that she wore the dress first... Annoyed, he turned to Eleanor and scolded her, "I can't believe this, Eleanor. Winnie’s only been back for two days, and you’re already up to your old tricks. I never thought you couldn’t stand her, to go so far as to harm her within the Rodriguez family. Are you trying to destroy her?" "Dear, I didn't do anything. Why believe her side of the story? Winnie, you're being malicious. Are you trying to pin Camila's scheming on me? Tonight’s affair was clearly Camila’s plot. She wants Winnie's shares, so she incited Sean. I was also led by Camila while looking for Winnie!" Eleanor argued with persuasive urgency. Winnie met this with a pointed smile. "Dad, about the 10% of shares you gave to me, you didn't tell anyone, right? Funny, how would Camila know about my shares unless you have been cozying up with her?" Eleanor paled, realizing too late that her anxious response was an inadvertent admission. Carlos flinched, shaking with anger as he pointed at Eleanor. "Witch! You told Skylar, didn't you? You two are thick as thieves, thinking I don’t notice? I even saw you talking to her tonight. It all makes sense now." "Dad, please calm down. Mother's not like that. Winnie must be mistaken," Ishara interjected, teeth clenched in frustration. "Hold your tongue! What misunderstanding could there possibly be?" Carlos looked at Eleanor with sheer revulsion. "After all these years, I thought you might have changed but it seems your true colors haven't faded one bit. "Go upstairs and think about what you've done! If you dare lay a finger on Winnie again, I swear, I'll take you to the Blanchet family cemetery and have you confess your sins there!" "Carlos, how can you do this to me over an illegitimate child?" Eleanor, now seething with anger, glared at Winnie and complained with tears streaming down her cheek, "Ever since she came back, you've protected only her! You've forgotten our daughter Ishara, poor thing. She's always been considerate toward Winnie. I just lost my temper because of it." "Mom, how can you be so stupid? Winnie is family. Dad, Mom was just worried about me. Please, forgive her." Ishara, realizing Eleanor was trying to deflect the blame onto her, immediately defended her innocence, putting on a pitiful act. Carlos, softened by Ishara's coughing, conceded a little. "If it weren't for Ishara not being like you, do you think I would still tolerate you two? Enough. Ishara, you rest. Angela, escort your auntie back to her room. Take some time to reflect on your actions!" Eleanor shot a venomous look at Winnie. Ishara tried to hide her glower, but her resentment toward Winnie was undisguised. Winnie looked on coldly, watching the mother-daughter duo play their parts, succeeding in detaching Ishara from tonight's incident. A sacrifice for a greater strategy; in Carlos's heart, Ishara was still viewed as the good daughter. It seemed that uncovering Ishara's true nature wouldn't be easy, but one thing was certain – Eleanor and Carlos's relationship would never be the same. He would be on guard against her now.
'Tonight was not in vain,' Winnie thought coldly inside. Carlos turned and gently patted her head. "Winnie, she's just looking out for Ishara, not wanting you involved with the Blanchet family. As for your dreadful stepmother, I've considered divorce but now is not the time. Don't worry. In a few days, I'll take you back to the old home, have you meet your grandfather, and then we'll arrange for you to join the company." Winnie was slightly taken aback. Joining the company was one thing, but Carlos contemplating divorce from Eleanor came as a surprise. It seemed he really loved her mother. A warmth crept into her chest, but the Blanchet family’s ties with Eleanor’s family would make a divorce complicated… - Angela was eavesdropping from behind the door before she dashed upstairs and knocked on Eleanor's room. Fiercely, she said, "Auntie Eleanor, Uncle Carlos is planning to take Winnie back to the old house to see Grandfather, so she can join the company!" Eleanor seemed unsurprised. "Did your uncle say anything else?"
Angela muttered with hesitation, "I also overheard Uncle tell Winnie... that he wants to divorce you." Eleanor stiffened, yet she managed to keep up a calm façade with a forced smile. "Oh, they are just words said in the heat of the moment, Angela. Your uncle and I have been through thick and thin for so many years. How could he possibly divorce me over Winnie stirring things up? Let's keep this between us, okay?" It was indeed a warning. Angela, trembling slightly, nodded. "I know he didn't mean it, Auntie Eleanor. I won't breathe a word." "Good, you can leave now." After Angela left, Eleanor, seething with rage, slammed her hand on the desk, scattering its contents. She had always known — Carlos, that bastard, had never truly cared for her and now he even dared to think about divorce, plotting to cast her and Ishara out of the Blanchet family. With a cold expression, Eleanor sat down and grabbed her phone, sending off a text filled with hurt: "You need to come out with me tomorrow. Carlos, that jackass, is talking about divorce. It's time you step in, for the sake of the Blanchet family, for Ishara. How long are you going to hide?" - Over at the Rodriguez estate, Lawrence was looking into tonight's affair. He had Jeremy recount the course where Winnie had been kidnapped by Sean, making sure the woman was indeed unharmed. "Mr. L, I've got some intelligence too. The servant who took Winnie to Sean's villa was greased by Mrs. Bryan," Jeremy reported. Bryan's thoughts puzzled Lawrence no more; he had it all figured out. The man strolled up to Sean's villa nonchalantly while flicking away his cigarette. His tall figure then disappeared inside. Jeremy arched an eyebrow in the shadows. Sure enough, Sean's cries of agony soon echoed from within. If Mr. L was getting his hands dirty, Sean was in for it...
Jeremy, frowning, rushed in. "What the... Lawrence, why the hell are you hitting me? Ah! Ah!" Sean was already reeling from Jeremy's earlier beating and was waiting for Skylar to call a doctor. Suddenly, he found himself pinned down by Lawrence and pummeled without expression. Lawrence called out to Jeremy, "Mind coming over here and lying down for a photo?" Jeremy paused, then realizing Mr. L's intent, his expression growing complex. "Lawrence, am I really your buddy or what?" "If you're really my buddy, then take one for the team." Jeremy was speechless, but complied nonetheless, lying down. Click went Lawrence's camera after he finished his assault, then he stood up as Sean, battered and wailing, protested, "You're trying to frame me, but I've never slept with a man."
"Mr. Lawrence, what gives you the right to hit my son?!" Skylar burst into the room, her voice a mix of shock and rage, with a doctor in tow. "Someone fetch the head of the household and Bryan — Mr. Lawrence has bullied Sean!" Lawrence looked down at Skylar indifferently, searching for a reason to justify the assault. "Your son messed around with a man who happens to be my buddy — I couldn't just stand by." Jeremy felt totally speechless. Lawrence wouldn't admit that he was avenging Winnie. But such an excuse was unbelievable. "You're full of it! My son has no interest in men. Don't smear your own brother’s name!" "His scandal is already the talk of the Rodriguez family," Lawrence calmly countered, his eyes turned icy. "And do you really want tonight’s scandal with Camila to become known as well?" Skylar’s face stiffened, turning pale. She had orchestrated a scheme against Winnie that evening. If word got out, she’d be in deep trouble. She suddenly found herself speechless. After leaving Sean’s villa, Lawrence was stopped by a maid carrying a lantern. "Mr. Lawrence, your grandmother would like a word with you." "Leah? Does she need anything?” Lawrence frowned.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
