Chapter 77

Mr. Guzman snapped, then yanked Aria by the ear and dragged her in front of Mrs. Guzman. "Take her home. Now." He shot Mrs. Guzman a look, and she immediately grabbed Aria by the arm. "You're coming with me. We're going to have a little chat." The two of them struggled, but neither moved an inch from where they stood. At this point, they had already given enough of a performance to smooth things over. And naturally, Edward took the cue to step in. He stroked his beard and said, "Let's just let this go. Young people squabble—no need to let it ruin the relationship between two families." Then he turned to Mr. Guzman. "You've managed Harthville's Chamber of Commerce for years now. That's no small job. But now that you're getting older, maybe it's time to focus more on your family. Especially on your daughter's upbringing." There was an edge to his words. Mr. Guzman's expression changed immediately. Lowering his head slightly, he replied, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Ford Senior