20
Despite everything, Qiana made one last attempt.
She called Ethan’s mother, her voice breaking with feigned distress.
“Aunt, Ethan… Ethan’s kicking me out…”
Her voice trailed off, leaving room for interpretation.
Ethan’s mother’s temper flared at Qiana’s whimpering.
“Qiana, wait there. I’m coming right now!”
She hung up and rushed over.
Ethan glared at Qiana, his face grim.
“What do you think you are? Slandering me?”
He lost his composure, his fingers digging into her jaw, bruising her skin.
But she clung to the phone, as if it were a lifeline.
Mason patted Ethan’s shoulder, speaking calmly.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about her. She’s a petty, insignificant person. Aunt won’t be so foolish as to not believe her own son.”
Ethan calmed slightly, releasing his grip.
As Mrs. Ethan entered, before she could utter a word of rebuke, Ethan handed her the investigation report.
Her face darkened as she read it.
She strode towards Qiana, disregarding her composure, grabbing her hair and slapping her hard.
Qiana’s cheek instantly swelled.
“Aunt, why… why are you doing this? Ethan… he’s saying this to deny what happened…”
“Enough!”
Mrs. Ethan cut her off, her voice cold, mirroring Ethan’s demeanor.
“Qiana, I know my son best. And as an older woman, I can tell if there’s been something going on between you two.”
“Because of what you did, Lanie chose to forgive you, but the Ethan and Mason families will not!”
Lanie had been cherished by her own family, the Ethans, and the Masons.
The appearance of Qiana on Mid–Autumn Festival had caused considerable embarrassment to everyone.
It wasn’t about her humble background, but the fact that both families had planned for Lanie to marry into their families.
Mrs. Ethan and Mrs. Mason had been looking forward to seeing their sons choose her.
Qiana’s sudden appearance had thrown them off guard.
Even though they considered her manipulative and unsuitable, they couldn’t overrule their sons‘ choices.
They’d initially treated Qiana with a mixture of compensation and guilt, showing her family heirlooms and offering to give her everything if she were to marry their sons.
Now, with the truth revealed, Mrs. Ethan showed no mercy.
She called Mrs. Mason.
Mrs. Mason arrived, equally furious after hearing the account.
She was a fiery woman and didn’t mince words.
She found their revenge plan too lenient.