Free Web NovelChapter 256: Chapter 259: Group Fight
It wasn’t that the speakerphone was silent, but that Willow Quincy was.
"Willow..." Fiona Dalton forced the corners of her mouth into a pained, unnatural smile.
"What’s gotten into you today, dear? Why do you keep ignoring your mother?"
"...It’s nothing." Willow Quincy’s voice was barely audible.
Fiona Dalton licked her dry lips and pressed on, unwilling to give up. "So, are the rumors true? You don’t actually have feelings for that girl, Charlotte Shaw, do you?"
"..."
Willow Quincy fell silent again.
His silence was the answer.
The tension coiling in Fiona Dalton’s chest instantly dissipated. The phone in her hand trembled, nearly slipping from her grasp.
"Hmph..." Felix Preston suddenly chuckled.
"What was that sound?" Willow Quincy’s tone immediately grew wary.
"...It’s, it’s nothing." Fiona Dalton reflexively covered the phone. "I’m just watching TV. It’s just a sound from the television."
Hearing this, Evan Yates immediately took a step forward. "That’s not—"
"Evan Yates."
Mason Shaw grabbed Evan Yates’s arm, cutting him off through gritted teeth.
Evan Yates looked at him, confused, but Mason simply shook his head, signaling him to keep quiet.
"By the way, Willow, have you heard about Charlotte Shaw’s disappearance?" Fiona Dalton asked, glaring at Felix Preston.
This time, Willow Quincy didn’t remain silent.
"I heard. Just a couple of days ago."
Fiona Dalton: "How can a living, breathing person just disappear like that? I heard the police department even brought in a special task force. I wonder if they’ll be able to find the kidnappers."
Willow Quincy: "Whether they find them or not is their business. I don’t really care."
"You’re right." Fiona Dalton laughed, but the sound trembled strangely. "Willow, when can you come back for a visit? The company’s been having a lot of trouble lately, and your father is completely overwhelmed."
"..." Willow Quincy paused for two seconds before replying nonchalantly, "The weather’s been bad recently, and some of my old injuries are starting to act up again. The doctor advised me not to overexert myself, so I probably won’t be able to come back for the next few days."
"But don’t worry, I’ll keep a close eye on the company’s situation and help solve problems through video conferences. Mom, you don’t need to worry too much."
"Oh..." Fiona Dalton nodded. "W-Well, alright then. Since the doctor doesn’t recommend you overwork yourself, you should get some proper rest."
Willow Quincy: "Yeah. I have to go, Mom. I’m heading downstairs to eat."
Fiona Dalton: "Go on then..."
After she hung up, all the color drained from Fiona Dalton’s face.
Felix Preston raised an eyebrow at her, a smirk playing on his lips. "So, do you still think your son is so innocent?"
"..." Fiona Dalton gripped her phone tightly, feeling a chill shoot up from the soles of her feet, snaking its way up her spine to the top of her head.
Minutes ago, she had been so certain. Now, her composure had completely shattered.
"Mom..." Cecilia Quincy tugged at her sleeve, her own face an even more ghastly shade of pale.
"What does Big Brother mean by that? He hasn’t really fallen for Charlotte Shaw like the rumors say, has he?"
"Shut up!" Fiona Dalton snapped, shooting Cecilia Quincy a vicious glare.
Startled, Cecilia Quincy immediately shut her mouth, not daring to speak.
"Get out," Mason Shaw said succinctly, not wanting them to stay a second longer.
Fiona Dalton stood frozen at the bottom of the steps, not moving.
Felix Preston adjusted his glasses, his tone cold. "The special task force is already investigating Charlotte’s disappearance. I’m confident the real culprit will be caught soon."
"Fiona Dalton, you’d better pray your ’good son’ can save you from disgrace."
With that, Felix Preston gestured toward Fiona Dalton as if to say ’after you,’ adding, "Please get out."
"..." Fiona Dalton stood there like she was mute, still not moving.
Seeing this, Mason Shaw decisively raised his left hand and gave a light, almost casual, flick forward—
The servants surrounding the courtyard immediately swarmed forward, standing menacingly before Fiona Dalton.
"What do you think you’re doing?" Ramona Lawrence demanded, her voice coarse and shrill.
Mason Shaw’s cold eyes swept over the group before him, his voice devoid of any warmth. "Let me repeat myself. This is Shaw family territory. If you insist on lingering, don’t blame me for what happens next."
"...Fine, we’ll go!" Cecilia Quincy shot him a defiant glare and took Fiona Dalton’s arm, preparing to leave.
But in the next second, a hand came flying toward her face!
Before she could even react, a heavy slap landed squarely on her left cheek!
"SLAP!"
With a sharp, crisp sound, Cecilia Quincy was sent stumbling backward. If Ramona Lawrence hadn’t caught her in time, she would have fallen headfirst into the slush on the ground.
"..."
She raised her hands to her cheek, eyes wide in a stunned daze for several seconds before she looked up in disbelief at the furious woman standing before her.
Hannah Sutton, her eyes red, stared daggers at her, pointing a finger at her nose as she cursed, "Cecilia Quincy, you’re asking for a death wish! Charlotte Shaw is my own sister! If you dare to run that filthy mouth of yours and curse her again, see if I don’t slap you to death!"
"...AHHHH!!!" Cecilia Quincy shrieked, stomping her feet.
After being slapped in front of so many people, her sanity completely snapped.
"Hannah Sutton! How dare you hit me, you bitch!!"
She shoved Ramona Lawrence aside and charged at Hannah Sutton like a wild animal. Hannah didn’t dodge, and in an instant, the two were grappling with each other.
"Holy crap!"
Lynn Preston cried out, immediately running down the steps to join the fight.
"...What are you doing?!" Fiona Dalton finally snapped out of it and squeezed into the middle of the three brawling women to help Cecilia Quincy fight back.
"SLAP!"
"SLAP!"
Lynn Preston grabbed Cecilia Quincy’s hair and did nothing but repeatedly slap her across the mouth.
Fiona Dalton struggled to push her way in, shielding Cecilia Quincy behind her, and used her long, sharp nails to pinch Lynn Preston’s hand.
Seeing this, Hannah Sutton opened her mouth and bit down hard on Fiona Dalton’s hand.
"AHHH!!!" Fiona Dalton let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Ramona Lawrence and Yvonne Scott, who had been frozen on the sidelines, finally snapped back to reality and waved their own backup forward to help.
Mason Shaw: "Hold them back!"
The servants surrounding them moved at his command.
The Shaw family had a total of twelve servants, while Cecilia Quincy and Fiona Dalton had only brought seven people with them.
The absolute disparity in numbers and gender immediately put them at a disadvantage.
At this point, the four men who had been standing calmly also joined in.
They maintained a gentlemanly demeanor, not laying a hand on the women themselves, but simply coordinating with the servants to restrain them, allowing Lynn Preston and Hannah Sutton to beat them up without restraint.
"Fuck you, Cecilia Quincy! You’ve got your head up your own ass!" Lynn Preston cursed, digging her fingers into Cecilia Quincy’s neck and gritting her teeth.
