"Ma’am, don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean anything else, I mean nothing." Auntie Chamberlain looked flustered, as if she had just realized she said something wrong.
Her panic was too obvious to hide.
Mrs. Kane frowned, sternly said, "Auntie Chamberlain, are you still not being honest? Don’t forget, who brought you in, and who pays your salary? Who should you be loyal to?"
Kiki Jennings secretly smirked to herself, the show was about to start. She feigned standing on Mrs. Kane’s side, advising, "Auntie Chamberlain, Mrs. Kane has been good to you. If anything’s wrong, you should tell her. How can you hide things from her?"
Auntie Chamberlain panicked, knelt before Mrs. Kane, her eyes reddened, saying, "Ma’am, I was wrong. I’m sorry for letting you down."
Mrs. Kane was startled and took a step back. Why is she kneeling?
She felt that this was no simple matter.
Mrs. Kane asked seriously, "Stand up and speak. Explain everything clearly to me."
Trembling, Auntie Chamberlain stood up. She had also stayed up all night, exhausted. Kneeling made her dizzy, and her legs were shaky as she stood again.
Still, driven by the need for money, Auntie Chamberlain mustered up energy. Last night, she had memorized a part of it and now had to recount it to Mrs. Kane.
"Last night, Young Master Ian fainted. I called you, ma’am, but somehow Ivana found out. She then called me and said President Kane couldn’t live without her now. She threatened me, saying that if I complain about her to you again, she’d have President Kane fire me. She warned me I’d have no place in Ravenswood, and she’d also have people harm my family, to teach me a lesson I’d never forget."
Auntie Chamberlain’s eyes reddened, squeezing out a few tears. She trembled all over, looking genuinely frightened.
On hearing this, Mrs. Kane trembled in rage, exclaiming, "Outrageous, absolutely outrageous. Who does she think she is? Just a tramp making a living off selling her body, now she thinks she’s something important? Daring to say such arrogant words?"
Without Leon Keane backing her, she’s nothing.
Mrs. Kane was furious. She continued, "Bring me my phone right now. I’m calling Leon to bring him back, to make him leave that vile woman."
Kiki steadied Mrs. Kane, who was swaying, looking concerned, "Ma’am, don’t get worked up. Leon will listen to you; don’t harm your health over this, it’s not worth it."
Kiki’s words only infuriated Mrs. Kane more. If Leon had truly listened to her, he wouldn’t have defied her at the hospital and ran off to find that tramp Ivana.
Auntie Chamberlain also extended a helping hand, comforting, "Miss Jennings is right, ma’am. Right now, President Kane has been charmed by that floozy. Her ultimate goal is to marry into the Kane family, but when that happens, it will be Young Master Ian who suffers. She won’t tolerate Young Master Ian." For original chapters go to NoveI[F]ire.net
"Ma’am, for Young Master Ian’s sake, you must stay calm and take care of your health!"
Auntie Chamberlain’s words went straight to the heart of Mrs. Kane’s concerns.
Ian Keane was Mrs. Kane’s weak spot.
Mrs. Kane took several deep breaths, calming her excitement. Her eyes flashed coldly, aware of her age and rising blood pressure if too excited. Had she been ten years younger, she would have already gone to find that vile woman Ivana and tear her face apart.
Even if Leon defied her as his mother, he would not break ties with her just for a woman.
Mrs. Kane’s eyes flashed coldly, "Want to marry into the Kane family? Unless every woman in the world is dead and she’s the only one left, she still wouldn’t deserve it."
Anyone who can’t tolerate Young Master Ian will find no tolerance from her.
Mrs. Kane was determined that she would use any means necessary to make Leon leave that vile woman, never allowing such scum through the doorway of the Kane family, sullying its floors.
Kiki and Auntie Chamberlain helped Mrs. Kane to her bedroom for rest, and they, too, were about to collapse in exhaustion.
Physically tired, but exhilarated inside.
Kiki’s goal was achieved. She successfully made Mrs. Kane extremely displeased with Ivana, and she smiled triumphantly, saying in a low voice to Auntie Chamberlain, "You did well today. I’ll reward you with a hundred thousand first when I get back."
"Once Ma’am has rested, in a few days, I’ll arrange for the first meeting between her and Ivana. You must quickly memorize the rest of the content on the A4 paper and then destroy it as soon as possible, understood?"
What they did so far was just laying the groundwork. The real excitement would be in the face-off, much later!
She looked forward to Mrs. Kane reaching the peak of hatred for Ivana, then mercilessly slapping that vile woman’s face. How thrilling would that be?
The promise of a cash reward, a hundred thousand at that, seemed to wipe out Auntie Chamberlain’s fatigue, and she was thrilled.
"Thank you, Miss Jennings. Auntie Chamberlain understands. I’ll stay up all night if I have to, to memorize what you gave me." The phrase ’money can make the devil turn millstones’ couldn’t be more apt for her situation.
Leon Keane returned to the old Kane family residence that evening. The clock pointed at six.
Mrs. Kane and Ian sat at the large, luxurious dining table, where dinner was spread out abundantly.
Mrs. Kane barely ate, constantly using the serving chopsticks to pile food onto Ian’s plate. When Leon returned, she gave him a cold glare.
Mrs. Kane spent some time with Ian before coming to find Leon.
With a deep voice, Mrs. Kane said, "Leon, Mom said before, let’s not dwell on past issues, but from now on, I want you to cut ties with any improper female acquaintances outside."
Leon Keane frowned, "Mom, who have you been listening to?"
Mrs. Kane said, "No need to listen to anyone. I’m not blind; I have eyes to see."
"Leon, you’re no longer young. You should have a woman by your side to manage the household and take care of Timmy. Here’s the plan, I’ll be looking for a marriage partner for you, someone whose status matches yours, but most importantly, who has a kind heart and would truly care for Ian."
Mrs. Kane’s eyes gleamed with cunning. With Leon having a legitimate wife, the tramp’s dream of marrying into the Kane family would shatter, and should she cling to Leon, she’d become a home-wrecker, a public disgrace in Ravenswood.
Leon Keane felt a headache coming on, "Mom, please don’t worry about my marriage. I have my own choice."
Initially, he planned to wait until Ivana’s health was better, then bring her and Timmy back to meet Mrs. Kane. He believed that once she saw how Timmy’s face was identical to Ian’s, she’d be shocked, emotional, and would warmly accept Ivana and her child.
But things didn’t play out as he had hoped. Instead, thanks to a meddling troublemaker, things started moving in the wrong direction altogether.
Seeing Leon , Mrs. Kane’s voice intensified, "Your own choice? Don’t tell me you’re planning to bring that tramp Ivana back and marry her."