Free Web NovelChapter 255: Chapter 258: Phone Confrontation
Fiona Dalton’s palm never met Mason Shaw’s face.
The moment she raised her hand, Felix Preston lunged forward and seized her wrist as she swung it down.
With a sharp CRACK, a hand like an iron vise clamped around Fiona Dalton’s wrist. A piercing pain shot up from the bone, twisting her features in agony.
"Ah!" she shrieked, her body lurching sideways from the force of Felix Preston’s grip.
"Felix Preston!" Desperate to protect her mother, Cecilia Quincy rushed forward, heedless of the risk. But before she could even touch Fiona Dalton, Mason Shaw grabbed her by the shoulder and shoved her back.
"Looking for trouble? You’d better check whose turf you’re on!"
Shoved back once, Cecilia Quincy didn’t dare approach again. She could only cower to the side and yell at Felix Preston, "Felix Preston! Let go of my mom!"
Felix Preston granted her wish and released Fiona Dalton. But the snow-covered ground was too slick. Fiona Dalton couldn’t keep her footing. With a flustered "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" she stumbled a few times before landing hard on her butt right in front of everyone.
"Pfft..."
Lynn Preston and the others burst out laughing.
"Mom!"
"Aunt Dalton!"
Cecilia Quincy and Yvonne Scott scrambled to help Fiona Dalton up.
Fiona Dalton yelped, "Ouch!" Her six-figure wool coat was now stained with a large, dark patch from the melted snow.
"HAHAHAHAHA!!" Lynn Preston pointed at her, laughing with blatant arrogance.
Fiona Dalton’s face turned green with rage. "You’ve gone too far!"
Felix Preston shot her a sidelong glance. "This is the Shaw estate. You came here looking for a fight. Who did you expect us to bully if not you?"
Her face still livid, Fiona Dalton roared at him, "What do you mean, *we* came looking for trouble? If your Shaw family hadn’t started spreading rumors online, slandering our Willow and accusing him of incest, would we have shown up on your doorstep today?"
"Besides, all we wanted was an explanation! You’re the ones who got physical first!"
Mason Shaw retorted, "Then why don’t you tell everyone why we got physical?"
"I..." Fiona Dalton was struck dumb.
Mason Shaw rolled his eyes at her. "Since you’ve failed to raise your daughter properly and she doesn’t even know how to speak to people respectfully, then I, Mason Shaw, am more than happy to teach her a lesson for you."
"And who do you think you are?" Ramona Lawrence found her courage and stepped forward. "What business is it of yours whether our Cecilia has manners? Is it your place to discipline her on someone else’s behalf?"
Mason Shaw’s cold gaze swept over to her. "You want a slap too?"
"You..." Ramona Lawrence was taken aback but quickly tilted her chin up, defiant. "So you’re proud of hitting women?"
Mason Shaw’s tone was breezy. "I don’t hit women. I only hit beasts."
"Are you a beast?"
"I..." Ramona Lawrence was cornered with no comeback.
Mason Shaw pressed on. "Or is Cecilia Quincy the beast?"
"..." Ramona Lawrence’s face flushed crimson, but she couldn’t utter a single word in response.
"Hmph," Mason Shaw sneered, looking away, no longer bothering with her.
After being thoroughly put in her place, she didn’t dare utter another peep and silently retreated behind Cecilia Quincy.
"I can’t be bothered to argue with you about these things..." Knowing she was on shaky ground, Fiona Dalton decisively changed the subject.
"Felix Preston, Mason Shaw, we came to the Shaw residence today for one reason only: to demand an explanation for Willow!"
"Our Willow has been recuperating in Veridia ever since his car accident. He hasn’t been back to Aethelburg in months! He’s been suffering in a hospital bed for so long, and yet you’re over here spreading rumors that he’s in love with his own sister and that he had her kidnapped! Just listen to yourselves! Does that sound even remotely reasonable?"
Cecilia Quincy chimed in, "Being in love with your own sister is incest, and kidnapping her is a crime. Are you trying to hound him to death?"
"Us... hounding him to death?" Felix’s eyes turned cold, his voice instantly laced with menace. "Cecilia Quincy, who exactly is hounding him?"
"You are!" Fiona Dalton shot back.
Felix Preston stared her down. "If Willow Quincy hadn’t done something wrong, who could possibly pressure him? If he were truly innocent, you wouldn’t be the ones showing up here to demand an explanation."
"I’m his mother! Why isn’t it my place to demand an explanation?"
"You want an explanation? Then who’s going to give my Charlotte an explanation!" Felix’s voice suddenly boomed, making Fiona Dalton flinch.
"My sweet Charlotte was nearly tortured to death by your Quincy family! The Shaws finally found her and brought her back, and after only a few days of peace, your precious son kidnaps her again!"
"What did she ever do to deserve this? What right does the Quincy family have to treat her this way?!"
"You..." Fiona Dalton was speechless.
Felix had accused the Quincy family of torturing Charlotte Shaw, and Fiona’s guilty conscience left her unable to offer any explanation. With no other choice, she could only steer the conversation back to Willow Quincy.
"Preston, you keep saying Willow kidnapped Charlotte Shaw. Can you produce any evidence?"
"Do you have any proof that Willow had anything to do with Charlotte Shaw’s disappearance?"
A mocking smile touched Felix Preston’s lips. "Do I need to show you evidence? Willow Quincy is your son. Wouldn’t it be more convenient for you to just call and ask him yourself?"
"Fine, I’ll call him!" Fiona Dalton declared, completely unafraid.
She pulled her phone from the pocket of her wool coat and called Willow Quincy right then and there. As soon as the call connected, she decisively put it on speakerphone.
"Mom, what is it?"
Willow Quincy’s cool, detached voice drifted from the phone’s speaker.
Fiona Dalton looked at Felix Preston and lifted her chin proudly. "Willow, what are you up to right now?"
Willow Quincy: "I just finished a video conference and was about to get some food. Why are you calling me at a time like this, Mom?"
Fiona Dalton didn’t beat around the bush. "Willow, there are rumors going around that you’re in love with Charlotte Shaw. Is it true?"
"..."
The speaker suddenly went silent.
Fiona Dalton: "Willow?"
Willow Quincy: "...I’m here."
Fiona Dalton frowned impatiently. "Why the sudden silence? Did you hear what I just said?"
"...Didn’t hear you." Willow Quincy’s voice turned abruptly cold.
Fiona Dalton clicked her tongue and repeated the question. "I said, there are rumors going around that you’re in love with Charlotte Shaw. Is it true or not?"
"..."
The speaker went silent again.
Fiona Dalton might have been reckless, but she wasn’t stupid. She could believe that Willow Quincy hadn’t heard her the first time the line went silent. But the second time was a different story.
"...Willow?" Her expression faltered as she called his name, her voice now tentative.
Willow Quincy responded with a low hum.
Fiona Dalton: "What is wrong with you, child? I’m asking you a question. Why won’t you answer?"
"..."
For the third time, the speaker went silent.
Fiona Dalton’s heart sank, and the color drained from her face.
