Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Mason Lawson’s Late-Night Meeting with a Mystery Woman

Jason Vaughn’s face was livid. "Eve Vaughn, stop trying to drive a wedge between us. This is a matter for the elders. It’s not your place to interfere."

Eve Vaughn shrugged, saying helplessly, "Fine, then. You can all sort this out behind closed doors. In any case, Grandma had two sons. Now that my dad has passed away, it should be your duty to care for her, Uncle. Why are you coming after me?"

Eve Vaughn had effortlessly shifted the conflict from the ownership of the property to the issue of caring for their elderly mother.

Theresa Thompson was taken in, looking pitifully at her son and daughter-in-law. An eighty-year-old woman would naturally want to live with her son and his wife.

Who would want to be all alone?

Jason Vaughn looked to Lana Chambers as well, seeking her approval. He hoped she would relent and agree to let his mother live with them for good.

Lana Chambers snapped at Jason Vaughn in a rage. "Don’t you forget, we had an agreement before we brought your mother over! What is this stunt you’re pulling now? If she needs looking after, you do it. She’s your mother, not mine!"

Theresa Thompson already had a bad temper and had always argued with her daughter-in-law. Hearing Lana Chambers’s words, she immediately exploded. "You shameless hussy! If it weren’t for my son’s sake, do you think I would have helped you fight for this house? I’m an eighty-year-old woman, and you won’t even let me in the door for the New Year! You’re utterly heartless!"

Lana Chambers glared at the old woman and muttered, "What an old hag. I knew I never should have brought her here. She’s completely useless!"

When Theresa Thompson heard her daughter-in-law curse her like that, she immediately turned to her son. "Jason, if you don’t divorce this hussy today, I won’t help you fight for this villa! Everything I fight for is for you. I can’t let the villa—half of which I’ve fought for with my old life—go to this bitch who wishes I were dead!"

’Lana Chambers couldn’t believe it. That damn old woman actually dared to egg Jason Vaughn on to divorce her!’

She seethed through gritted teeth, "You old hag, you can forget about it! I won’t divorce Jason, even if you drop dead!"

SLAP! A sharp smack landed squarely on Lana Chambers’s face.

"You... you dare hit me?"

Lana Chambers stared in disbelief at her normally docile husband.

Jason Vaughn’s eyes were bloodshot with fury. "On any other day, I don’t care how you yell at me, I’ll take it! But you can’t do this to my mother. She’s swallowed her pride for years. How has she ever wronged you? You want a divorce? Fine! I’ve had fucking enough of this!"

With that, Jason Vaughn took his mother and returned to his own house in Rivaster, leaving his wife right where she stood.

Lana Chambers felt like her lungs were about to explode from rage. At the same time, she began to feel afraid.

’If they really got a divorce, how would she be able to maintain this luxurious lifestyle of hers?’

’She never imagined her husband would just turn on her like that, taking his mother’s side and leaving her completely isolated and helpless.’

’And based on her twenty-plus years of living with Jason Vaughn, she knew he was absolutely serious this time.’

Lana Chambers was filled with a rage she had nowhere to vent. ’It was all because of that Eve Vaughn, stirring up trouble.’

She searched for a long time but couldn’t find Eve Vaughn anywhere.

So she gritted her teeth and muttered to herself, "That little bitch. Stirring up trouble and then running away. Sooner or later, I’m going to skin her alive!"

...

After dealing with things at the villa, Eve Vaughn rushed back to campus.

By that time, her afternoon class had already started.

When Aria saw her sneaking in, she whispered, "Evie, what’s been going on with you these past two days? They just did roll call, and you were marked as late again."

While taking out her books, Eve Vaughn whispered back, "You saw what happened yesterday, didn’t you? I’m dealing with some family issues."

Aria understood immediately and said comfortingly, "Every family has a few problematic relatives; mine is no different. Have you sorted things out now?"

Recalling the scene of Theresa Thompson and Lana Chambers screaming at each other, Eve Vaughn couldn’t help but feel an urge to laugh.

Suppressing her amusement, she said, "Yeah, more or less."

’At least for a while, no one should come to harass her again.’

After class, Eve Vaughn borrowed Aria’s notebook to catch up on the lessons she had missed over the past two days.

As Aria waited for her, she remarked, "Now that Sharon Lowe has moved out, the dorm is so much more comfortable! Nina Steele might be a total wallflower, but she’s not a bad person or annoying at all. I just wonder if the school will assign someone else to our room after a while?"

"They’re bound to. The school isn’t going to leave a bed empty for that long. Don’t forget, we still have over two years until we graduate."

Eve Vaughn chatted with her idly.

Bored, Aria began scrolling through her phone.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I’m discovering that the lives of the rich are an absolute mess. And it seems like no matter what public image they build up, it’s bound to crumble!"

Just then, Eve Vaughn finished copying the notes.

She asked curiously, "What makes you say that?"

Aria handed over her phone. "Look at this trending topic. ’Head of Rivaster’s Top Family Spotted at Five-Star Hotel, a Nocturnal Tryst with a Mystery Woman.’ But I swear I remember reading an exclusive interview with this Crown Prince before. That report clearly stated he was extremely self-disciplined and stayed away from women. And look how long that lasted before it all came crashing down!"

Holding Aria’s phone, Eve Vaughn felt her chest tighten, as if she couldn’t breathe.

She stared at the phone for a long time. The photo was blurry, but she could still make out the back of Mason Lawson as he opened a car door for a woman with a graceful figure in a white pantsuit.

But neither of their faces was clear. Eve Vaughn couldn’t tell if the woman was Joanna Sullivan.

’In any case, regardless of who it was, her fears had come true.’

’A man like Mason Lawson—mature, charming, and incredibly wealthy—how could he possibly be lacking for female companionship?’

"Evie?" Aria nudged her with an elbow. "What’s wrong? You’re being weird."

Eve Vaughn forced a smile. "It’s nothing. Come on, let’s go eat. The cafeteria will be out of food if we’re any later."

"Oh, right! Let’s hurry, then."

Aria took out her meal card and pulled Eve Vaughn along, hurrying toward the cafeteria.

In truth, Eve Vaughn had no appetite. Her mind was completely consumed by that photo.

’The last time Mason Lawson said he was on a business trip, it was Joanna Sullivan who answered his phone.’

’He explained it later, and she’d believed him.’

’So what about this time?’

’Could things really be this coincidental every time?’

’Or was she just being too naive?’

And so, Eve Vaughn went to the cafeteria absentmindedly, ordered the same stir-fry as Aria, and then sat blankly in her seat, waiting.

While Aria was off buying drinks, a call came in from Mason Lawson.

Eve Vaughn rejected the call and sent him a message. "I’m in class; the professor is keeping us late. Do you need something?"

Mason Lawson’s reply came back quickly. "What time will it be over? I’ll come pick you up."

Eve Vaughn: "I have class tonight, too. From now on, I have classes scheduled every evening, Monday through Friday."

Sitting at his desk, Mason Lawson furrowed his brow slightly when he saw the young woman’s curt explanation.

’This wasn’t about having class at night. She was clearly telling him that she wouldn’t be able to spend her evenings with him anymore.’

Mason Lawson’s thoughts shifted. ’She must have seen that sensational entertainment news story and is sulking.’

So, he called her again, but she rejected it once more.

’Eve Vaughn was the first person who had ever dared to hang up on him—and she had done it more than once.’

Mason Lawson’s expression grew colder, and he tossed his phone to the side.

’He had probably spoiled her too much,’ he thought, ’indulged her to the point that she thought she could get away with giving him the cold shoulder like this.’