Chapter 325
Being tossed aside like some dirty rag p>
Honestly, that felt a thousand times worse than being called trash.
Grace Coleman froze for two seconds, cheeks burning with humiliation, then snapped, voice shaking with anger, “Lisette Cavendish, don’t you dare get smug p>
Just yesterday, Vernon Turner was still acting all gentle and tender with her. Now he’d flipped his face faster than the weather, dragged her here just to serve her head on a platter to Lisette. Grace was so mad she could explode.
She could put up with bowing and scraping in front of Vernon, but being embarrassed in front of Lisette?
Absolutely not.
This was humiliating on a whole new level.
And the worst part—Lisette just kept throwing insults at her like it was a sport.
Grace dug her fingers into the floor, trying to push herself up. She struggled for what felt like forever, but her legs were so limp it was like someone had glued them to the ground. She couldn’t move an inch.
She looked like a busted grasshopper, dragging herself across the floor with her hands.
Her eyes, full of icy hostility, snapped toward Tobias Hastings. “Mr. Hastings, you really think Lisette Cavendish actually loves you p>
“What a joke p>
Grace had always been someone who lived for pride, and now her pride had been stomped flat in front of everyone. Laughter in the corners, whispers around her, all cutting like knives. The humiliation twisted her so badly she felt half-crazed.
Her expression turned wild, almost ghostlike. “She’s not even the Cavendish family’s biological daughter! They’re using her to tie you to them. I heard you two never got along, right? Because Lisette already had someone in her heart p>
“She doesn’t love you! The person she loves is Lennox Gray p>
“Do you have any idea how much she’s done for him p>
“Everything Lennox wears—all of it—Lisette paid for! His financial aid? That was from Lisette too! She contacted the school behind everyone’s back to make sure he got it p>
“If that’s not love, then what is p>
“Whether someone loves you or not isn’t about how sweet they talk. It’s about how much they’re actually willing to spend on you p>
“Think about it, Vernon Turner. How much has Lisette Cavendish ever spent on you p>
Grace Coleman’s voice was so hoarse it sounded like some busted metal plate dragged out from a damp cellar—muffled, cold, carrying a kind of rage that could ruin anything decent.
Tobias Hastings lowered his eyes and looked at her. “Done p>
Grace’s eyes widened. She let out a brittle smile. “Oh, I’ve got plenty more. Want to hear it p>
Tobias didn’t bother responding to her. Instead, he turned to Vernon. “You put her up to this p>
Vernon instantly shook it off. “Not me. I cut ties with her completely last night p>
To prove how heartlessly “righteous” he was, he barked, “Zhou Lang p>
Zhou Lang rushed over with two bodyguards, not caring at all that this might blow up. With a sharp wave, he sent the two men forward. Their faces were stone-cold as they started kicking and punching Grace.
The pain was blinding.
Her voice cracked from screaming.
Every punch felt like a sledgehammer crashing into her, shaking her organs and pounding her bitterness to the surface.
“Vernon Turner, you jerk!” she shrieked. “When you were chasing me, you said I was perfect, flawless. Then once you got my body, this is how you treat me? No wonder your first love died because of you—men as cold as you only bring doom p>
She had learned bits of the story over time—how Vernon’s first love had died because of him.
That one phrase, “first love,” stabbed right into Vernon.
Whatever last bit of mercy he had evaporated. “Stop p>
His gaze went icy as he strode toward her.
The bodyguards stepped aside without a word.
Vernon Turner stood right next to Grace Coleman. He lifted his right foot and slammed it down on her face, his heel grinding against her already?broken nose. The sharp pain made her eyes blur with tears.
But right now, her tears couldn’t buy her even a shred of mercy from him.
His heel pressed harder, twisting cruelly as he spoke, voice low and venomous. “Grace, you know why I ever bothered spoiling you? It wasn’t because you could fake innocence, and it sure wasn’t because you’re pretty. It’s because you happened to look like her p>
“Anyone else can mention her. You’re the only one who doesn’t get that right p>
“If not for her, you’d have died who?knows?how?many times by now. You think you’d still get to scream in my ear p>
Grace froze, stunned despite already giving up on Vernon long ago.
How… how could this be?
So she’d been nothing but a stand?in all along?
And she’d actually thought he treated her differently because she was beautiful.
A dull thud echoed as Vernon kicked her aside. Then he strode toward Tobias Hastings and Lisette Cavendish, his tone instantly changed to respectful. “Grace Coleman has terrible conduct. In an hour, the Shadow Fox crew will announce her dismissal. I’ll also blacklist her and her agent across the industry. Miss Cavendish, is this outcome to your liking p>
Lisette watched the whole show play out before curling her lips into a teasing smile. “Mr. Turner, you’re joking, right? You think that’s enough to make me satisfied p>
Vernon asked, tense, “Then what does Miss Cavendish want p>
“Well Lisette paused, deliberately sweeping her gaze over Vernon, Grace, and Sophia Craig as if savoring their reactions. Only then did she speak lightly. “Mr. Turner, hand over your connections and resources p>
Vernon’s brows locked tight. “Miss Cavendish, that’s going too far p>
He’d swallowed his pride just to keep his company afloat. That empire was built on the ashes of his first love—how could he just give it away?
Lisette tilted her head and shot a glance at Tobias. “Too far p>
“Not excessive p>
Tobias Hastings kept it short, every word cutting like a blade. “Since you won’t agree, then you can go down with your company p>
A threat.
A straight?up, no?filter threat.
Vernon Turner’s fists tightened, the veins on the back of his hand jumping. The redness in his eyes deepened, making him look almost unhinged. “I might not know every industry, but entertainment? I’ve been in this game for over twenty years. I’ve got resources, connections, and a mountain of people who owe me favors p>
“Tobias Hastings, even if you take me on yourself, it won’t be that easy p>
“I’m lowering myself to talk this out today—not because I fear you, but because I don’t want us both ending up screwed p>
“Then wait and see p>
Tobias shot back, voice icy, giving him a deadline. “Ten days. I hope by then you’re still standing in front of me with some shred of backbone left.” If he really went all in, even the tallest, most unshakeable mountain—he’d level it without blinking.
As his words faded, footsteps echoed through the room.
And with them came Velton King’s unmistakably domineering voice. “Two days p>
Too wild.
Too arrogant.
Too in?your?face.
Vernon Turner instinctively looked over. A man in a black?and?gold outfit strode in like he owned the world, nearly twenty elite bodyguards tailing him like his shadow.
The same man who claimed to be Lisette Cavendish’s father.
His presence was overwhelming—so much so that even Tobias Hastings, the richest man around, seemed less sharp by comparison.
Vernon couldn’t read him. Couldn’t guess what kind of terrifying identity he had.
“Dad p>
The moment Lisette saw Velton King, she darted toward him like a little swallow, light and quick.
The cold, authoritative man melted instantly at the sight of her, a rare smile softening his features. He ruffled her hair with a fondness that didn’t match his fierce aura. “I heard from Wade you went to a ball yesterday p>
“Yeah… yeah p>
Lisette Cavendish kept her voice soft. “It was something hosted by a cosplay costume designer. I got back late, so I didn’t want to bother you, Dad p>
Velton King let out a low chuckle, lifting his hand slightly, as if telling her not to worry, that nothing could scare her with him around.
Then he turned to look at Vernon Turner, his gaze instantly turning cold enough to freeze someone, sharp like a blade.
“You’ve got two days to sort yourself out. One day to wait for the news that your company’s gone under. The other day? To let your family know when to come collect your body p>
Vernon Turner: p>
Damn, who the hell is this guy? How can he be this outrageously arrogant?