Chapter 343 Marriage Alliance?
On the other side, the Clark manor
Like Byron, Maurice did not live with his sons but had his own enormous estate, slightly smaller than Riverside Villa, but still one of the top ten estates in the country.
Now, the entire Clark family, from top to bottom, knew about Jessica's situation.
Adding to Jessica's embarrassment was the fact that neither Edward himself nor the Wellington family had made any statements so far.
"Has Miss Clark arrived?" The maids gathered to gossip.
"Yes, she's in Mr. Clark's study, crying!"
"What's the use of crying?"
"Stop talking, Mr. Clark is here!"
The maids quickly retreated to the walls, bowing their heads and greeting, "Hello, Mr. Clark!"
The man walking up the stairs, dressed in a dark blue tailored suit, was Maurice's second son, Eric's uncle, Neil.
With a smile on his face, Neil casually remarked as he passed by, "Watch what you say. If I hear it, it's one thing, but if Eric hears it, you might lose your tongues."
The maids shivered in fear.
"Grandpa, Grandpa! You have to stand up for me! I'll never be able to show my face again!" Jessica threw herself into Maurice's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Don't cry! You'll ruin your eyes if you keep crying!" Maurice patted Jessica's trembling back, his eyes red with distress. "Don't worry, I'll stand up for you this time!"
"Dad, you're absolutely right." Neil walked in, feigning seriousness. "We can't let this matter slide."
Jessica cried even harder.
In her mind, Neil had always been kind to her, always smiling when he saw her.
"Neil, you know about this too?" Maurice's expression was grim.
"Yes." Neil lazily sat down on the sofa. "In my opinion, just let Edward marry Jessica."
Maurice frowned.
Jessica, hiding in Maurice's arms, heard this and a dark smile appeared on her lips.
"Although Edward is an illegitimate child and his status is somewhat lacking, Caleb is weak and sickly, and the Wellington family will eventually belong to Edward. Jessica marrying him would make her the mistress of the Wellington family, which isn't a bad deal."
"Neil! What are you saying?" Jessica bit her lower lip, her cheeks flushed.
"I've thought it through. Publicly, we'll say that Jessica and Edward have been dating for a while and that both families didn't want to take up public resources, so they kept it private."
Neil, who owned an entertainment company and a PR firm, was well-versed in the art of hype and reputation management.
"Neil, your ability to talk nonsense is truly top-notch, something we should all learn from." A mocking cold laugh suddenly rang out as Eric strode into the study, his tall and imposing figure exuding an overbearing aura.
"Eric." Jessica's heart trembled, and she burrowed further into Maurice's arms.
Neil's smile froze for a moment. "Eric, in a bad mood? You always pick on me when you see me."
"Eric, how can you speak to your elders like that?" Maurice's tone was tinged with reproach.
Eric's lips curled in a contemptuous smile, his handsome face sharp and cold. He sat down opposite Neil. "Ever since you became the CEO, your scope of business has expanded. Now you even want to meddle in my family's affairs.
Is it because you don't have children that you want to take charge of Jessica's marriages and play the role of a father?"
Neil was furious.
Not having children was his lifelong pain, his lifelong shame!
Publicly, he blamed his wife, saying it had nothing to do with him. But only his wife knew that he was impotent!
But in front of Maurice, he couldn't lose his temper, his eyes reddening with frustration.
"Eric! How can you speak to Neil like that? That's too disrespectful!" Maurice slapped the armrest of the sofa.
"Grandpa, I'm just joking with Neil. Neil has always doted on me since I was a child; how could he bear to be angry with me?" Eric immediately put on a childish demeanor, grinning at Neil.
Neil still wore a smile, but in his heart, he had already executed Eric a thousand times!
"As for Jessica's marriage, you don't need to worry. I'll find a suitable match for Jessica, but Edward is absolutely out of the question."
After Eric finished speaking, the atmosphere in the study plummeted.
Jessica's expression shifted from secret satisfaction to gloom.
"Eric, I don't understand what you're saying. If Jessica doesn't marry Mr. Wellington, who else can she marry?" Neil adopted a stern elder's demeanor. "With things as they are, if the Wellington family doesn't accept Jessica, it would be a severe blow to our family's reputation."
Before he finished speaking, Jessica started crying again, wailing, "Grandpa, Neil, I can't face anyone! I might as well just die!"
"Don't cry! I will stand up for you!" Maurice, who had been a dominant figure all his life, couldn't swallow this insult. "Edward wants to abandon you and not take responsibility? He's asking for trouble!
"Eric, is your mother also injured because of this? Is she recovering in the hospital now?"
Eric's throat tightened, and he remained silent.
Maurice went on, "When your mother is discharged, you will immediately go and discuss the marriage. If you don't go, I will go myself!"
"Grandpa! Can you calm down?" Eric couldn't hold it together when he heard about causing a scene.
Neil chimed in, "Eric, if I remember correctly, Mr. Wellington is your good friend. Jessica marrying Mr. Wellington would make you even closer. I don't understand why you're so opposed."
"Precisely because I'm close to Edward, I know what kind of person he is." In his urgency, Eric could only say coldly, "Edward already has someone he loves, it's Evelyn!"
At the mention of "Evelyn," the expressions of the three members of the Clark family all froze.
Even Maurice's eyes showed a hint of apprehension.
"Jessica, you've confessed to Edward more than once before, haven't you? You've used all the tricks you could, right? Did it work? Did Edward ever look at you twice?" Eric stared coldly at Jessica, lowering his voice.
Jessica shivered, "Eric, what are you talking about?"
"You've tried everything and still couldn't get Edward's attention. How could he possibly have a private meeting with you in a hotel room? Jessica, do you really want me to spell it out so harshly? What will it take for you to learn your lesson?" Eric grew angrier, the veins on his forehead throbbing.
He could tolerate Jessica's arrogance and willfulness, but he couldn't stand her insidiousness and scheming!
"Grandpa, Grandpa, listen to what Eric is saying!" Jessica steeled herself and decided to play the victim to the end, "I'm his own sister, but in his eyes, I'm just a seductress!
"I do admire Edward, but if he didn't have feelings for me, that night wouldn't have happened."
She blushed and sobbed. "Even if, as you say, Edward likes Evelyn, I don't see him and Evelyn ending up together now."
Maurice gently stroked Jessica's hair, gritting his teeth, "Since Jessica admires Edward, there's nothing more to say. I have only one granddaughter, and whatever she wants, I will help her get!"
Jessica's eyes were filled with tears, but inside she was ecstatic!
"Grandpa!" Eric clenched his fists.
"If the Clark family can form an alliance with the Wellington family through marriage, it would be a great thing." Neil said and then left.
As soon as Neil left Maurice's villa, his face fell.
The secretary, following closely behind, asked in surprise, "Mr. Clark, why would you support Miss Clark's marriage to Mr. Wellington? You know very well..."
"Do you think Edward will marry Jessica?" Neil smirked mockingly, "Edward has done so much for Evelyn, and not long ago, he almost lost his life for her.
"Edward won't marry her. Because I know Edward won't easily make a mistake, I have to fan the flames and support Jessica's marriage to Edward. This will create chaos, strain Eric and Edward's relationship, and the more chaotic it gets, the more it benefits us."
He was about to step down the stairs when he suddenly remembered something and asked in a low voice, "By the way, what was the name of the Wellington family daughter that Eric is keeping outside?"
"Molly!"
"Keep a close eye on her. She might be a valuable card for us."
"Eric, it hurts! It hurts! Let go of me!" Jessica exclaimed.
Eric's eyes were fierce, his face icy, as he dragged Jessica by the arm like a sack, pulling her into an empty room.
As soon as he slammed the door shut, Eric swung his strong arm and threw Jessica harshly to the ground!
Jessica fell awkwardly, her body aching from the impact, and her arm was bruised from his grip!
"Jessica, tell me honestly, what really happened at the hotel that day?" Eric suppressed his anger with all his self-control.
"What do you mean, what happened? I don't know what you're talking about!" Jessica gasped in pain, refusing to tell the truth.
"Your couldn't come up with such a complex scheme. Who would believe there's no one helping you behind the scenes?"
Eric stepped closer, bending down, his red eyes glaring at her, "Spill it! Who set this up for you? Who's behind all this?"
Jessica's heart pounded like a drum, and cold sweat poured down her back.
How could she tell Eric? Besides, she was just following that person's instructions; she didn't even know who they are!
So she gritted her teeth and said fiercely, "No one helped me; it was all my idea!"
"Jessica! How dare you lie at this point?"
"So what? What's with that look on your face?"
Jessica laughed mockingly, "Not happy? Then hit me, kill me!"
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