Chapter 5

During the family dinner, Janine accidentally spilled some wine. "Oh, no. These are my favorite pair of shoes." She cast me a coy glance and said, "Ms. Scott, would you help me wipe my shoes clean?" The entire table turned quiet. Wesley swirled his glass of red wine, asking, "Didn't you hear her? Kneel and wipe Janine's shoes." I looked at him in disbelief. Three hours ago, he held my hand to introduce me to his mother. "Wesley…" I was trying to find a hint that he was just putting on an act. All he did was sneer. "What? Do you really think you're in any position here?" My legs felt as heavy as lead. This man, who had shown me his past scars earlier that day, was carving a new one in my heart. Seeing me not moving, he ordered the house staff. They pressed me down on my shoulders, trying to force me to kneel. Just when I was resisting, the door suddenly opened. A tall, slender figure quickly entered, backlit by the glare. When he drew near, I finally saw his face. He looked strikingly similar to Wesley. "Has the Grant family fallen so low that we resort to humiliating women to establish authority?" He held my wrist, helping me stand tall and firm. Wesley suddenly sprang up as his glass of wine fell to the floor. "Uncle Joseph, what brings you back?" Joseph Grant ignored Wesley's rage. He merely lowered his head to check on the wounds that had not healed on my wrist. When he looked up, I gasped. Those deep soul-barring eyes were oddly familiar. Joseph looked at Wesley. "You've completely embarrassed the Grant family! You made a woman fend off attacks for you. Now, you're humiliating her in public. This is how you were brought up to behave?" Wesley fumed. "Uncle Joseph, this is my private affair." Joseph snickered while he rolled up my sleeves, showing the still-healing wounds. "Since it's your private affairs, why did you bring her here? You made her handle Grant Group's affairs for you. You made her take a knife for you. She was all alone in the parking lot, attacked by a rival company, and ended up hospitalized. Is this still a private affair?" He swept a gaze across the room, his voice sharp and commanding. "All of you here are elders of the family. Are you just going to sit here and watch Wesley humiliate someone like that? Don't tell me you don't see what Ms. Scott has done for the family for the past five years?" The others lowered their heads. No one dared to face his gaze. Wesley, forcefully suppressing his anger, said, "Uncle Joseph, you're rarely in the country. There are a lot of matters that you don't understand—" "I understand enough!" Joseph interrupted him, his gaze as sharp as a hawk. "Do you think I really don't know what you have been doing all these years? You took advantage of Ms. Scott's feelings for you, getting her to deal with all of your troubles, yet you wouldn't even give her the basic respect that she deserves!" I looked at Joseph in a daze. How could his voice sound so similar to Wesley's? Wesley noticed me focusing on Joseph. His gaze darkened. "Sophie, come here." I stood in the same spot. My gaze was still fixed on Joseph. Those eyes. The voice. Why was everything so familiar? "Sophie!" Wesley yelled once more. "I said, come here!" He strode over to me, about to pull me over, when Joseph stopped him, saying, "Can't you see that she doesn't want to?" Wesley clenched his fists tightly. "This is our business. You have no right to interfere." "No right?" Joseph smirked. "You're part of the Grant family. I'm part of the Grant family. Of course, I have the right to deal with anything that pertains to the family." "Sophie, I'm going to give you one last chance." Wesley glared at me. "Come right next to me, and I'll let this matter go." I slowly shook my head, replying to him firmly, "But Wesley, you already have someone with you!"