Chapter 1110:
Ellis adjusted his glasses and cast a sharp, disapproving glance at Brody. Sensing he wouldn’t find an ally in Ellis, Brody quickly ducked behind Mara for cover.
Ellis turned away, offering no reaction.
Louis let out a low, derisive chuckle. “You’re trying to lecture us now? Mara, maybe you should focus on that grandson of yours. A kid like him is on a fast track to real trouble.”
Mara’s hand flew to her chest, her face contorting in fury. “You’re the one who’s going to end up in trouble!”
Mara had always doted on Brody—her one and only grandson—he was her pride and joy. Louis’s comment stung. The way she glared at him made it seem like she was ready to lash out right then and there.
At the same time, Jolie had already contacted Alexander and asked him to return from the mansion next door.
As Alexander climbed the stairs, the first thing he heard was Mara’s voice, shrill with outrage. She pointed at the Harper siblings, her tone furious. “Every last one of you needs to be taught an unforgettable lesson!”
A shadow darkened Alexander’s expression as he glared at Mara. “Exactly who do you think needs an unforgettable lesson here?”
Spotting Alexander entering the room, Mara quickly reshaped her narrative to her advantage, saying dramatically, “Oh, Alexander, thank goodness you’re back! Look at the daughter you’ve brought up! My poor grandson just spilled a bit of her makeup, and she’s relentlessly hounding me for sixty million! Tell me, isn’t that absurd?”
Amusement flickered briefly in Elena’s eyes. Mara was hardly confused and had cunningly avoided confronting Jeffry, Ellis, or Louis, and instead targeted her.
With deliberate calmness, Elena remarked coldly, “Did you conveniently forget something? I never demanded compensation for the cosmetics. The sixty million is strictly for the design drafts your grandson destroyed. Interesting how that slipped your mind.”
Mara’s confidence visibly faltered, her gaze darting uneasily about the room. Hastily, she retorted, “Even if my grandson accidentally ruined your design drafts, isn’t it your responsibility to secure them well in the first place? Besides, as your elder and a guest, it’s outrageous you’d even consider asking me to pay!”
Elena maintained her poise and replied pointedly, “Since you’ve already shamelessly twisted the truth when recounting the story to my dad, why should I hesitate to demand compensation for the damage?”
“Did you hear that, Alexander?” Mara burst out indignantly, gesturing toward Elena. “How disrespectful she is to me! She’s completely out of line! This is what happens when someone isn’t raised in the Harper family—no proper manners at all! Making such a fuss over a few design drafts, as if they’re worth anything!”
“That’s enough!” Alexander’s voice thundered sharply, instantly quelling the escalating argument.
Misinterpreting Alexander’s stern tone as support, Mara smirked confidently. She folded her arms smugly, casting a victorious glare at Elena, eagerly awaiting Alexander’s reprimand.
Alexander’s next words froze Mara in disbelief: “Consider that sixty million an advance deducted from the Harper Group’s future investments into your family’s business. Effective immediately, the Harper Group’s financial support ends, and you are no longer welcome in our home.”
“Are you serious?” Mara’s façade shattered into panic. “You can’t just abandon us like this!” Their entire livelihood hinged solely on the Harper Group’s generous funding. Losing it would mean catastrophe.
Kylo and Lisette exchanged horrified glances.
Kylo immediately begged, “Mr. Harper, please reconsider! It was just a childish mistake. If you withdraw support, our business will collapse overnight!”
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