Chapter 10
“He’s always been a troublemaker–bullying people and stirring up problems everywhere he goes!”
‘This mess must be his doing too. If Miss Goffman wants to settle the score, she should gc after him–this useless waste of space!”
The Portman Group was the largest conglomerate in the province, with countless branches and even more business partners.
Many of the powerful elites and prominent figures present were financially tied to the Portmar Group. Fearing that Jenny’s fury might ruin the company–and, by extension, damage their owr nterests–they wasted no time pointing fingers at me, an outsider, hoping to shield themselves
‘rom the storm.
As the wave of accusations swept through the room, Jenny’s expression grew colder and darke by the second.
Serena, sensing the shift in her mood, acted immediately. She grabbed me by the arm and parked with fury.
‘You worthless coward, apologize to Miss Goffman right now!”
The crowd roared in agreement.
‘Exactly! This good–for–nothing dared to offend Miss Goffman–he should be begging for orgiveness!”
‘He needs to be taught a lesson!”
‘Apologize, or we’ll make sure you never walk out of here unscathed!”
Ricky added his voice to the clamor, shrieking, “Bryan, get on your knees and apologize!”
n the past, I had admired Serena–her strength, her principles. That’s why I’d fallen for her. That’s why I’d silently supported her, giving her the strength and foundation to become who she was oday.
But now… now that she stood tall on the support I once gave her…
Her so–called principles had vanished.
And watching her throw me to the wolves to save her own skin?
could only shake my head in quiet disappointment.
met her gaze, calm and unflinching and said, “I’m willing to apologize–but she’s not worthy to accept it.”
The moment those words left my mouth, the banquet hall exploded with disbelief.
‘Is he insane?! He just disrespected Miss Goffman to her face!”
‘Not worthy to accept his apology? Who the hell does he think he is?”
‘She’s the Queen of the New York Circle! One word from her could end all of us–does he want to
die?!”
“Mr. Portman! Make him shut up!”
Serena trembled with rage, her voice shrill as she raised her hand to strike me.
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“You useless fool! Are you trying to bring down the entire Portman Family?!”
But before her hand could land, Jenny stepped forward, seizing her wrist in a flash–and drove a brutal kick straight into her abdomen, sending her crashing to the floor.
“I’ve tolerated you long enough!”
“A lowborn schemer like you doesn’t deserve the position you’re in!”
“You dare to strike someone in front of me? You’re courting death!”
With each sentence, she landed another punishing kick. The force of her blows left Serena doubled over, coughing up blood.
Serena, completely stunned, tried to beg for mercy. But the blood welling in her throat made speech impossible–only weak, pitiful whimpers escaped her lips.
The room that had been full of shouting and outrage moments ago now fell into utter silence.
No one dared speak.
No one even dared breathe.
All the power brokers and aristocrats who’d been loud and proud just minutes earlier now stood stiff, their faces pale, their eyes wide with fear.
Ricky and the rest of the Portman Family were frozen in place, not even daring to raise their
heads.
Just then, cutting through the heavy silence, I spoke.
My voice was quiet, steady.
“Don’t spill blood here.”
I turned, my eyes falling on the paper of death certificate resting nearby.
“My son… didn’t like the sight of blood.”
Gasps echoed through the hall.
Everyone turned to look at me with disbelief.
“Is he mad? He’s still talking back to Miss Goffman?!”
“Who does he think he is, telling her what to do?”
“Doesn’t he know she can crush him with a single word?”
After all… who was Jenny?
She was the iron–fisted Queen of New York’s elite, a woman whose word could change fates overnight.
Anywhere she went, people bowed low. Even the most arrogant bowed and scraped for her favor. And yet here I stood–cast aside by the powerful, abandoned by those I once protected…
And I had dared to speak to her as an equal.
But none of them understood…
This was only the beginning.
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