Chapter 53 In Defense of Lilian
Lilian was taken aback by his initial inquiry, her gaze flickering with surprise as she looked at Jackson. Wasn't he supposed to be preoccupied with Wendy, having left her and Jeffrey in the dust? What could his sudden interest signify?
Her confusion was palpable, and before she could decipher his intentions, Jackson swiftly closed the distance between them, pulling her into a firm embrace. In his haste, he inadvertently collided with Grace, causing her to twist her foot. York, however, was quick to steady her.
"Does it hurt?" Jackson's hand hovered over Lilian's bruised cheek, his hesitation evident. He was afraid his touch might cause her further pain.
A sharp sting shot through Lilian's nose, and her heart swelled with a myriad of emotions. For reasons she couldn't quite fathom, she felt the sting of imminent tears.
She blinked rapidly, her voice barely above a whisper as she said, "You don't need to bother."
Jackson's smile was gentle, his words teasing, "You're so capable, yet you let the bad guys get the best of you. How could you let that happen?"
Grace, the 'bad guy' in question, bristled at his words. "Jackson, what are you implying? She's the one who's been causing trouble for Wendy time and again, and we've been patient. This time, we merely wanted to teach her a lesson. She had a thousand retorts and gave me a headache! If you don't want to discipline her, that's fine, but why are you defending her?"
Lilian listened as Grace twisted the truth, anxiety gnawing at her. She had come here to set the record straight.
She made to step forward, to defend herself, but found herself restrained by the man, held securely against his chest.
Jackson's voice was icy, "You didn't hold it against her? My wife, Lilian, was slapped by all of you, and you still want to hold something against her?"
Grace was visibly taken aback by his intensity, her expression rigid.
York interjected, attempting to defuse the situation, "Jackson, Wendy has suffered a lot, and your aunt loves her daughter dearly. She was simply worried. Lilian said some hurtful things earlier. Despite her upbringing in the Frane family, your aunt and I have always cared for her as if she were our own. Seeing her act so recklessly, we felt it was our duty as elders to discipline her..."
Jackson's gaze remained frosty, his demeanor unyielding. "My wife is patient and gentle, with a mild temper. If the elders spoke reasonably, she would naturally listen. The idea of disciplining her is preposterous. I wasn't aware that the Sivan House had so much free time to meddle in the affairs of the Frane family."
York's expression hardened, the atmosphere turning palpably awkward.
The heated argument outside seemed to have reached the ears of the patient within. The door to the hospital room creaked open, revealing Wendy standing in the doorway, her arm in a sling, a look of surprise etched on her face.
"Dad, Mom? Jackson, what's going on?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion.
Grace, her nerves frayed, quickly moved to support her. "Wendy, why are you out of bed? You need to go back and rest," she urged. She and York attempted to guide Wendy back into the room, hoping to use this opportunity to evade Jackson's scrutiny.
Their plan was thwarted when Jackson spoke up again. "Mrs. Walker, aren't you going to apologize to my wife before you leave?"
Grace spun around in disbelief, her eyes wide. Wendy, too, looked taken aback. Even Lilian seemed surprised. Jackson was actually willing to confront his future in-laws for her sake?
"Why should I apologize, Jackson? Look at what happened to Wendy's hand!" Grace's face flushed with indignation. Lilian, seizing the moment, interjected.
"Where's your proof? What gives you the right to claim that today's incident has anything to do with me? It's all conjecture on your part."
York's expression hardened. "Then let Jeffery come here and explain himself!"
Jeffery rose to Lilian's defense, and she found herself unable to push him away. A sneer curled her lips. "If Wendy hadn't been playing the mistress and taking things that weren't hers, she wouldn't have been hurt. Jeffery may have made some mistakes, but the root of the problem lies with Wendy. Who made her cross the line?"
Wendy's face crumpled with shock and a sense of injustice. "What did I take that I shouldn't have? Why is my sister accusing me of theft out of nowhere?"
Lilian reached out and grabbed Wendy's arm, lifting her injured hand for all to see. The emerald bracelet was still there, trapped on her swollen wrist, a comic sight amidst the tense atmosphere.
"This bracelet is a Frane family heirloom. Miss Sivan shouldn't have taken it, should she? Jeffery was only trying to retrieve what rightfully belongs to the Frane family. Miss Sivan resisted, and Jeffery, being a child, may have reacted excessively. But it's understandable.
He's just a child who doesn't know any better. Shouldn't Miss Sivan, as an adult, know better? Don't touch things that don't belong to you. Isn't that a basic principle?"
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