"Face," Kallie Rayno stared at Linda Kent with furious anger: "If you care so much about face, why didn't you send your daughter to the marriage alliance?"
"It's us who ate the loss, the bitterness is ours to taste, and in the end, you talk to us about face? Linda Kent, it seems I really can't escape you?"
Kallie protected Amelia Cobb, her demeanor more protective than any mother guarding her daughter.
When Amelia came out, she saw Kallie glaring at Linda with wide, angry eyes.
"Is Amelia justified in disrespecting her elders?"
"Disrespecting elders? If she dares to hit my daughter, do you believe I'll cut off her dog's paws?" Kallie was good-tempered in the past, but she was not that submissive, and she used to hope for peace by tolerating and stepping back. But now... tolerance would only make these people more aggressive in hurting her family.
Amelia slowed her pace, looking at Kallie with a somewhat unbearable gaze.
She didn't really have any intentions to create conflict.
She just didn't want to be bullied, but she never expected to make Kallie the target of everyone's arrows.
"Amelia, what are you hiding?" Sophia Cobb spotted Amelia at a glance and started shouting, ignoring Kallie.
"Why should I hide?"
She stepped out from behind Kallie, walking steadily with an aura of authority, no stern expression, no flamboyant words.
Yet such an appearance made Sophia feel scared.
Amelia's presence was completely different from before, as if today's Amelia had a different wardrobe -- simple clothes, a high ponytail instead of the thick fringe, and a simple polo dress that outlined her slender body.
White sneakers made her feel as if she were walking on flat ground.
This wasn't Amelia, was the first thought that came to Sophia's mind.
But on closer inspection, this was Amelia indeed.
The same appearance.
Not a single difference.
How could a person's temperament and presence change overnight?
She didn't believe it!
Amelia stared at Sophia, her upright back exuding an indescribable sense of pride and dignity.
As if born with the breath of a king.
"You hurt Grandpa," Sophia tried to maintain her composure.
"Ha..." Amelia scoffed: "Then call the police! Let's see how the law decides."
"Amelia, what do you mean by this?"
"Aunt doesn't understand? Do you want to Google it?" Amelia moved Kallie behind her, protecting her invisibly.
Jaso Cobb caught sight of this, a look of surprise flashing through his eyes.
It was the first time he saw such a situation.
He was surprised, but it also felt very normal.
"Don't talk nonsense with me, if you have the guts, go and call the police," she had been reborn before her engagement, and that was an irreversible fact. But now, everything was under her control.
She was not the weak, helpless Amelia nor the one who only knew how to endure and tolerate.
She was Evelyn Cobb, who stood on the international stage through her own efforts.
The Cobb family had complicated relationships. Old Mr. Cobb had two sons and a daughter, each extremely selfish. Only the eldest William Cobb was slightly better, but it was only a little better. He could not escape the clutches of the Cobb family and had to become a sacrificial lamb.
When she was young, Kallie didn't want Amelia and Jaso to become the victims of wealthy family intrigues, so she braved the opposition and started their own business. But after so many years, it seemed as if they had separated, but nothing had really changed.
William couldn't change the fact that he was Old Mr. Cobb's biological son.
Throw her out for an alliance marriage because of the family's interests?
Not to mention the whole family's sacrifices for the family, they didn't even feel gratitude and, more than that, everyone could step on them?
Even if William had become a big shot in the diplomatic arena, he could not escape the shackles of the family.
"You think we're afraid to call the police? Once the police are called, what reputation do you have left?"
Amelia laughed: "Why would I need a reputation when I'm already a sacrifice?"
"As for you all, who care so much about face," she looked around, her gaze finally falling on Linda Kent.
If the economy of the First Branch was in Jaso's hands, then the Second Branch's economic source was in Linda Kent's hands.
When power and money were divided equally, there was no winner between the two.
So whatever Linda did, Alex Cobb, the Second Branch's uncle, often turned a blind eye.
This included the quarrels between the two sisters-in-law.
Linda's confidence came from the substantial financial support of her family.
So she could act recklessly in the Cobb family.
"Kallie Rayno, this is your good daughter," Linda Kent looked at Kallie with a sneer, a contemptuous smile on her face.
The way she seemed to see through Kallie with just one look made people feel sick.
Amelia's spirits were high one week ago, and she was a guest of Christopher Robinson, the crown prince of Capital Mall.
One week later, Amelia became a college girl who was stepped on by everyone.
Her grievance was too suffocating to express.
With such a plight, she truly had unspeakable difficulties.
Amelia's hanging hand moved slightly, her fingertips subtly curling.
The desire to tear apart the person in front of her was especially strong.
Just as she was about to step forward, a gentle, large palm held her hand, and Jaso stepped in front: "Aunt, don't be too ugly. Uncle hasn't reached a high position yet!"
Alex Cobb!
Amelia seemed to have discovered a new world in her heart.
The incumbent head of the capital's investment promotion, Alex Cobb, held a lucrative but not-so-clean hand.
Over the years, even if you have money, you must hide it.
Thousands of thoughts flashed through Amelia's mind.
Jaso's palm warmed Amelia's heart. She lowered her head and looked at the palm that held her tightly. Suddenly, she thought of someone.
That person, too, had held her hand tightly like now, advancing and retreating together.
"Jaso, you haven't taken Christopher's position either!" Linda Kent threatened him in return.
Jaso laughed it off: "Whether I sit in that position or not, I am more upright and open than Uncle. But Uncle..." He shook his head. He didn't say another word, but it was enough to let the imagination run wild.
"Aunt, listen carefully. While my parents can't bear to make things too ugly with you, you'd better take what you can get. If it doesn't work out, we'll all go down together. The Cobb family is now putting the family business on my sister's shoulders, and we have the ability to destroy the entire Cobb family."
"You're not afraid of Grandpa hearing that?"
"If Grandpa can hear it, I can still say it," Jaso said firmly.
Rarely, Kallie didn't stop Jaso.
Linda Kent's face turned from green to white in anger.
"Grandpa's awake."
Linda glared at Jaso and went in with Sophia.
As for Kallie?
She glanced at William, who was standing not far away, silently watching her without saying a word.
"You two go back first," William knew Kallie was upset, and no matter what he said now, it would be in vain.
It seemed as if Kallie was just waiting for him to say those words.
As soon as William's words fell, she took Amelia and left the hospital.
"Mom, Dad has his own difficulties," Jaso tried to persuade Kallie.
Kallie scoffed disdainfully: "Is he the only one in the world with difficulties?"