Chapter 4

"Baby, is this true?"

Chloe's face flashed with unease as she quickly looked up at Peyton.

Peyton scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain:

"Vivian Williams, don't think you can threaten me with that."

"Recently, my own company has already turned millions in profit. At this rate, within ten years, my assets will match the entire Reeves family."

"I negotiated every business deal myself, without using any family resources or connections."

"I can make my own decisions now. I don't need to depend on anyone anymore."

He lifted his head, his face full of arrogance.

I remembered one night last year when Caroline suddenly contacted me.

She said Peyton was insisting on starting a business. Worried he'd lose confidence if his first venture failed, she specifically reached out to me, his fiancée.

She repeatedly instructed me not to reveal any connection to the Reeves family.

I contacted my classmates abroad, and my father also asked some distant business partners to work with Peyton.

That's how we helped Peyton earn his company's first bucket of gold.

Thinking about it now was laughable.

"Peyton, does Caroline know about all this?"

Anger flashed in Peyton's eyes.

"Vivian Williams, trying to use my mother to pressure me again!"

"That's been your only move since childhood. Besides this, what else can you do?"

"I've been controlled by my mother and lectured by you since I was young. I've had enough!"

"From now on, Reeves family matters are none of your business. I decide who becomes the mistress of the Reeves family!"

Chloe's eyes lit up like stars.

"Baby, you're a real man!"

She looked at me provocatively.

"My baby is the Reeves family's only heir. Who else would control the Reeves family if not him?"

I lowered my eyes. Uncle Reeves died young, and Caroline had struggled alone to support the business all these years. I'd seen it all.

The Williams and Reeves families had intermarried for generations. Several generations of my family's relationships and interests were deeply intertwined with the Reeves family.

If this marriage fell apart because of me, my conscience couldn't bear it.

"Peyton, I'm giving you one last chance."

"Not only must Chloe Foster kneel and apologize to me, you must kneel and apologize too. Not just to me, but to my entire family."

"As long as you apologize, I'll pretend today never happened. Otherwise, don't blame me for not warning you about the consequences."

Peyton looked contemptuous.

"I've seen through you since childhood. Besides threatening with family, what else can you do?"

I looked calmly at them both and took out my phone, asking one last time:

"Will you kneel or not?"

Chloe laughed out loud. "You're just humiliating yourself."

She turned to Peyton. "Baby, she's like a mad dog. Let's go."

I didn't hesitate and made the call.

I said calmly to the person on the other end:

"Chloe Foster is indeed a fool, just as you said."

Chloe stopped in her tracks.

"She's rude and brainless, completely unfit for any elite family."

Chloe's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at me.

"As you suggested, we should cut her tendons, exile her to River City, make her undocumented, so she can never come back."

Chloe flew into a rage and rushed forward to snatch my phone.

She screamed at the person on the line:

"Who the hell do you think you are?!"

"Do you dare tell me your name? I'll have someone deal with you tonight, kick you out of River City forever! You won't even have a place for your ashes when you die!"

Peyton rushed forward to hold her. "Baby, don't get upset. She's just scaring you. As long as I'm here, no one can touch you."

I took my phone back and put it on speaker.

The voice on the other end exploded like firecrackers:

"Peyton! This is the little homewrecker you found!"

Peyton's pupils dilated, and after a long moment, his throat produced a sound:

"...Mom?!"

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