The other Reeds stood by, gleefully watching Anastasia kneeling outdoors as if she were the biggest joke.
"So what if Anastasia Reed was a successful career woman and former CEO? She's still groveling outside our door like a dog, begging to be let in, right?"
"She thought she could negotiate with Grandpa and take over Spark Enterprises. What a dreamer!"
"She and her family are utterly shameless. They're outsiders but so thick-skinned!"
"Of course, she's in trouble for offending Thaddeus and Brendan. She's begging for mercy because she's about to be kicked out. Serves her right!"
"They should have been thrown out ages ago!"
"Her good-for-nothing husband attacked Brendan. That's their biggest mistake. Her family should be thrown out of the family this time, for good."
Someone emerged with an umbrella and dropped some pieces of paper before Anastasia. Instinctively, she tried to grab them, but the wind quickly blew them into a puddle. As the documents became damp and clumped together, the ink on them disappeared.
The old butler of the Reeds stared at Anastasia without expression and said, "These are the official disownment papers. Your names and those of your family members have been erased from the Reed family records, which will be announced soon. You no longer belong to the family and will lose all property, bonuses, and dividend rights."
A bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating Anastasia's pale face.
Grandpa is seriously disowning us! Clutching her chest in pain.
"Why? What have we done to deserve this? Haven't I done enough for the Reeds over the years?" Anastasia sank to the ground, weeping aloud as she stared at the ruined papers in the rain.
"This is the decision of Mr. Reed Senior and the rest of the Reeds. This gate also belongs to the Reeds. If you want to kneel, do it somewhere else!" the butler said coldly.
As soon as he finished speaking, the butler felt a dreadful presence and was suddenly slapped hard across the face.
"Who are you? How dare you speak to her like that?" Ethan had arrived beside Anastasia, glaring murderously at the butler.
Ethan would have hit him harder if it weren't for the butler's advanced age.
The butler covered his face in shock and anger. No one had ever dared to hit him on the Reeds' property. He wanted to call for security, but when his eyes met Ethan's fierce gaze, he choked on his words in fear.
He was convinced that if he made a sound, Ethan would kill him!
Ethan looked down at Anastasia, who was kneeling on the ground. Her hair and clothes were soaked, making her appear disheveled.
She was his woman, and she was being treated like this! This is truly unacceptable to him!
Ethan's eyes blazed with fury as he glared at the butler and then at the Reed house behind the gates. His icy gaze seemed to pierce through the rain and glass, casting shadows on the Reeds inside, including Brendan and Thaddeus.
"One day, you Reeds will regret your decision today and pay the price for it!"
Ethan removed his jacket, wrapped it around Anastasia, lifted her in his arms, and disappeared into the rain.
Shortly after Ethan left, Thaddeus received a phone call in his room.
The caller was highly flustered, and his speech was garbled. "I have terrible news, Chairman! Orion Industries has sent a legal team to Spark Enterprises to sue us for breach of contract. They've also issued a lawyer's letter demanding compensation, or they'll start legal proceedings!"
"What?!" Thaddeus Reed jumped up instantly, going pale with dread as he dropped the phone on the carpet.
"Grandpa, what do we do?!" Brendan, who had heard everything clearly, was now overcome with fear.
Thaddeus said glumly, "Call all the directors to the office immediately!"
Soon, a convoy of cars sped out of the Reed residence's gates, rushing to Spark Enterprises.
When Thaddeus and the others arrived at the office, a few individuals waited in the first-floor reception room.
"Hello. It's difficult for you to come here despite the heavy rain," Thaddeus said hurriedly, extending his hand.
However, the representatives from Orion Industries could have aimed to be more friendly. They handed over the legal document, stamped with a bright red seal, and presented it to Thaddeus politely but formally.
"You should be clear about the issue, so I'll be brief. Please instruct Spark Enterprises to prepare the ninety million dollar compensation within three days and credit it to our designated account."
Thaddeus shuddered. Even if he sold all of Spark Enterprises, he wouldn't be able to raise ninety million dollars.
Brendan felt similarly uneasy. "We only signed the contract two days ago. We haven't even started any operations, so how can there be a breach of contract? You're bullying us on purpose! This is too much!"
"Shut up!" Thaddeus quickly yelled to stop Brendan. They couldn't afford to offend Orion Industries now! His newly appointed general manager grandson was not even thinking.
Brendan fell silent, but his eyes burned with anger.
"Do you think we're bullying you? The reasons for the breach of contract are clearly outlined in both the lawyer's letter and the contract. If you're too lazy to look, Mr. Lewis, our lawyer, can read it to you."
Mr. Lewis adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, pulled out another legal letter and a copy of the contract from his briefcase, and addressed Thaddeus. "Please listen carefully. Section 36 of this contract states that Party A, Orion Industries, and Party B, Spark Enterprises, have agreed to collaborate. Party B must appoint Anastasia Reed as the sole person in charge of the cooperation throughout the contract. If Party B breaches cooperation, the contract will be instantly dissolved, and Party B must compensate Party A for the breach of contract in the agreed amount of ninety million dollars."
Mr. Lewis put down the contract and stared at Thaddeus and Brendan, who had turned pale. "Did you hear that? Do you need me to repeat it?"
Brendan couldn't believe it and demanded someone fetch the contract from Spark Enterprises' office. When he finally got hold of it, he discovered that Thaddeus's contract included such a clause.
The Reeds were actually in breach of contract! The case is true!
Brendan fell to the ground, his legs giving way.
Thaddeus's knees grew weak. His face turned ashen, and he seemed to age significantly instantly.
Who would have expected the contract to include a clause naming Anastasia Reed as the sole person in charge of the cooperation? Why did he not think about it before?