The next morning, Eve Vaughn woke up early as usual for her classes, but Mason Lawson pulled her back under the covers.

"Where are you going?"

He held the soft young woman in his arms like a pillow, his voice laced with languor. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Eve Vaughn said, "I have class today. If I don’t get up now, I’ll be late."

Mason Lawson rubbed his temples, opened his eyes, and said unhurriedly, "Just rest. It’s already Wednesday. I’ll have my assistant call you in sick until Friday. You can go back to class next week."

"Take time off?" Eve Vaughn quickly refused. "No way. Do you know how many classes I’ll miss?"

Mason Lawson frowned, his eyes fixed on the medical bandage on her face. "Are you planning to go to class all banged up? You want the whole school to know that Eve Vaughn gets into fights?"

Under Mason Lawson’s orders, Eve Vaughn had no choice but to give in, even though she didn’t want to miss class.

After breakfast, Mason Lawson picked up his jacket and briefcase to head to the office.

As he was leaving, he delivered a parting shot. "Eve Vaughn, if you ever let yourself get this battered over a house again, see if I let you off easy!"

Thinking of her predatory aunt and uncle, Eve Vaughn asked cautiously, "Then... is there anything you can do to make them give up on taking my house?"

"We’ll deal with that later," Mason Lawson said, exasperated. "You still don’t get it. Your face was nearly disfigured, and your arm is covered in injuries. Shouldn’t you be the most important thing right now? Why are you still worried about a house?"

Eve Vaughn’s heart sank with a little disappointment. ’It looks like Mason Lawson doesn’t want to get involved.’

’Then again, he was never obligated to deal with her family’s messy problems.’

’Some paths you have to walk alone. You can’t rely on anyone.’

As Mason Lawson left, he stroked her hair. "Be good. Get some rest."

In the car, Mason Lawson listened to his assistant go over the day’s schedule, but his thoughts kept drifting to Eve Vaughn, giving him a headache.

After a moment’s thought, he said, "Neil Kane, have Leo shadow me this morning. You go and investigate the company Eve Vaughn’s uncle is running. Find out its current situation."

"Yes, sir."

Neil Kane found this odd and couldn’t help but ask, "President Lawson, are you planning to acquire the Vaughn Family’s company? I hear it’s just a small, privately-owned business. It doesn’t have much value."

Mason Lawson shot him a look. "Just do as I say. You think I don’t know what you know?"

Chastened, Neil Kane didn’t dare say another word. He prepared to call his colleague and have him shadow Mason Lawson for the morning while he handled the task his boss had given him.

’In any case, the president’s mind is as inscrutable as a needle at the bottom of the ocean. Who could possibly know what he’s really thinking?’

...

「At the hospital.」

Despite having only a minor fracture, Charlotte Vaughn had caused a huge fuss, summoning both her mother and Julian Lawson’s family to the hospital.

Seeing Charlotte Vaughn so injured, Mrs. Lawson, Autumn Woods, seemed even more distressed than Lana Chambers. She fussed over Charlotte endlessly, and whenever Eve Vaughn’s name came up, she practically gnashed her teeth in fury.

Julian Lawson stood to one side, thinking to himself, ’Perhaps Eve Vaughn still can’t get over me.’

’That must be why she keeps causing trouble for Charlotte and Lana’s family.’

’But for some reason...’

’...Julian Lawson found he wasn’t the least bit angry. Instead, he thought, ’Eve Vaughn really is a girl who says one thing but means another.’

’She clearly said she’d never come back to me, yet she’s always doing things to vie for my attention out of jealousy.’

"Julian, what are you doing just standing there like a fool!"

Autumn Woods said angrily to her son, "Charlotte has been bullied into this state by that little savage Eve Vaughn, and you won’t even comfort her? All you do is stand there gawking!"

At his mother’s command, Julian Lawson sat by the bed and comforted Charlotte for a good while.

Charlotte Vaughn put on a show of tears. "I don’t even know if my leg will be healed in time for our wedding."

Lana Chambers chimed in from the side, "Serious injuries take a hundred days to heal! You two are getting married next month. I’m telling you, Eve Vaughn did this on purpose to ruin your wedding!"

Julian Lawson pressed his lips together, saying nothing.

It was Autumn Woods who spoke, her voice decisive. "Charlotte, don’t you worry. Whether your leg is healed or not, the wedding date is not changing! As for that Eve Vaughn, your auntie here will deal with her for good, sooner or later!"

Julian’s heart skipped a beat when he heard his mother’s words. He was worried, but he didn’t dare object.

A short while later, Mrs. Lawson and Julian left, as they had a banquet to attend.

After they left, Lana Chambers said, puzzled, "That’s strange. Didn’t you say Eve Vaughn was in a detention center? It’s been a whole day, and there’s been no news at all. Shouldn’t the police have come to question you and take your statement by now?"

Charlotte Vaughn reassured her, "Don’t worry. I’m sure Eve Vaughn is suffering in there right now. My friend’s older brother works there. He’s a minor supervisor, so he’s got some influence. In any case, there’s no way she’s getting out of there easily."

Lana Chambers asked skeptically, "But is that friend of yours reliable? Can she really help you?"

"Of course!"

Charlotte Vaughn said confidently, "Now that everyone knows I’m the future young mistress of the Lawson family, who wouldn’t be looking for a chance to suck up to me? I’ve given her this opportunity, and you have no idea how grateful she is!"

Lana Chambers squeezed her daughter’s hand, pleased. "Oh, Charlotte, you’re so capable. You’re mommy’s good girl! That little bitch Eve Vaughn dared to push your father to divorce me, so we absolutely cannot let her get away with it!"

Charlotte’s eyes darted around as a plan formed in her mind. "Mom, is Dad still refusing to see you?"

Lana Chambers said hatefully, "It’s all because of your grandmother, that old hag. As long as she’s around, your dad is dead set on divorcing me this time!"

Charlotte Vaughn offered her mother a suggestion. "Why don’t we use me being injured by Eve Vaughn as an excuse to get Dad to come here? He’ll definitely come to the hospital to see me. Once you two meet, it’ll be easier to talk things out."

Lana Chambers couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. "Oh, Charlotte, you’re getting more and more cunning. That’s for the best. At least you won’t be at a disadvantage when you’re living in a grand, complicated household like the Lawson family’s."

And so, Lana Chambers called her husband and described how gravely Charlotte was injured, her exaggerated words making it sound as if her daughter was on her last breath.

Hearing how serious it was, Jason Vaughn rushed over immediately. With him was Theresa Thompson.

Although the old matriarch disliked Lana Chambers, she doted on her youngest son. And because love for the house extends to the crows on its roof, she was also very fond of her granddaughter, Charlotte.

Besides, this granddaughter was about to marry into a wealthy and powerful family, which was an event that would bring great honor to their ancestors!

Soon, Jason Vaughn arrived at the hospital with his mother.

Theresa Thompson walked to the bedside. "Oh, my dear granddaughter, you’ve really suffered. Grandma’s here now. I’ll make things right for you! Where is that little hussy, Eve Vaughn? Did she just run and hide after beating you up like this?"

Lana Chambers recounted the incident, embellishing it with every detail, and Jason Vaughn was instantly enraged.

"Where is Eve Vaughn?" Jason Vaughn raged. "That girl! Does she really think we’re pushovers she can just walk all over? If this keeps up, is she going to kill us all next?"

Lana Chambers seized the opportunity to say to her husband, "That’s why we absolutely can’t be fighting amongst ourselves right now. Eve Vaughn is trying to tear our family apart so she can take us down one by one. Today, she dared to beat our Charlotte until she broke a bone. Who knows what she has in store for us next?"

Jason Vaughn hesitated. He had brought up divorce in a fit of anger, but after a few days of cooling down, he was starting to regret it.

After all, he and his wife had been together for over twenty years.

But just then, Theresa Thompson fixed him with a dark stare, and Jason Vaughn felt too awkward to say he had forgiven his wife.

In her head, Lana Chambers was cursing the old hag, but to maintain her current status as a wealthy wife and to secure the Vaughn family villa, she decided to swallow her pride and compromise for now.

’First, I’ll use the old bat to get my hands on the villa. When that’s done, I’ll make sure she gets what’s coming to her!’

And so, with a look of remorse and grievance, Lana Chambers choked back sobs and said, "Mom, I’ve been reflecting constantly these past few days. I know I was unfilial and too competitive in the past. I realize now that you are the backbone of this family. Only when you are well can our family be well."

The old matriarch looked at her daughter-in-law in astonishment. This was the first time in her entire life that Lana Chambers had ever backed down.

More than that, Theresa Thompson felt that her status in the family had finally been acknowledged.

Charlotte also chimed in to support her, "Grandma, Mom really knows she was wrong. She’s been crying every day, saying how wrong she was in the past."

Just then, a phone rang.

Charlotte Vaughn answered the phone, and her friend’s frantic voice came through the line.

"Charlotte, what the hell is going on? Why didn’t you tell me your cousin has powerful connections? Now look what’s happened! She was bailed out last night, and my brother was suspended from his job. You have to take responsibility for this! He did it all for you!"