Although the Jones family was rich and powerful, it was the first time that they had seen so much gold in one place.
The gold bars glimmered under the lights. For a moment, everyone from the Jones family was stunned speechless.
Finally, Nathaniel came to his senses and asked, “What does this mean?”
Stevie answered, “We don’t like owing anyone. I think this is enough to cover Ashlyn’s expenses over the past three years in your family. Of course, if you feel it’s not enough, just tell me the number and I’ll wire the money to you immediately.”
After a slight pause, he continued, “Now that we’re willing to pay you what we owe you, let’s make it clear just how much your family owes us.”
Stevie had been working in the business for many years, and despite the fury raging in his veins, he was able to suppress his anger. When he said this, he didn’t change his facial expression or his tone, but everyone present could feel the anger brewing inside him.
Nathaniel’s expression suddenly turned dark. “I don’t understand what you mean.”
That was exactly what Stevie wanted to hear. “Then allow me to make it clear to you. Firstly, ever since Ashlyn married Gordon three years ago, she had been given the cold shoulder by Gordon and Denise. Secondly, it’s to be expected that Ashlyn should’ve been free to do whatever she wants after divorcing Gordon. However, Denise continued to make life hard for Ashlyn. She not only had Ashlyn kidnapped but also drugged her with an aphrodisiac. And, as though that wasn’t evil enough, she hired people to rape Ashlyn. Thirdly, she took a photo of me with my daughter and spread an ugly rumor that Ashlyn was my mistress.”
Stevie listed all three crimes at once, all the while looking straight at Nathaniel. “I hope you can explain these three things. We refused to sit back and watch while she hurt our daughter.”
Vivien, who had been quiet, snorted. “Even ordinary families treat their daughters-in-law well. Yet you, the esteemed Jones family, treated my daughter like shit over the past three years.”
Stevie locked eyes with Gordon and demanded, “If you didn’t like my daughter, why did you marry her? Even your sister-in-law, who you have an affair with, tried to frame my daughter. And how could you have forced Ashlyn to kneel for an entire night for Arabella? What right did you have to punish her? Why did you make things difficult for her over and over again? Today, if you don’t give us a satisfactory explanation, we will reveal the truth to the public and let them be the judge!”
Stevie and Vivien spoke one after another, making Nathaniel’s face turn paler and paler with shame.
The Ramos family’s intention was clear: to avenge Ashlyn. And it was all true. All three things that Stevie mentioned were the Jones family’s fault.
If Ashlyn was just an ordinary girl from a humble family, the Jones family would’ve just silenced them with money. But because Ashlyn turned out to be Stevie’s daughter, Nathaniel could do nothing about it.
Nathaniel racked his brains for excuses and said, “Well, it’s inevitable for a young couple to have misunderstandings. Yes, Ashlyn and Gordon might’ve had an unpleasant marriage, so it’s reasonable that she feels mad. But I refuse to accept your accusation that we treated Ashlyn badly.”
Turning to Ashlyn, he cleared his throat and said, “Ashlyn, you’d been married to Gordon for three years. How could you make stories and lie to your parents just because you have a grudge against us?”
Ashlyn suddenly burst into laughter. When she finally calmed down, she looked at Gordon, who was standing quietly aside.
With a sneer, she said, “Gordon, why don’t you tell your family why we never had a child during our three-year marriage?”
Denise laughed scornfully. “Don’t you know why you don’t have a child?”
“In the three years we were married, Gordon never touched me. How could I bear a child by myself?” Truth be told, Ashlyn didn’t want to talk about this. But what Nathaniel said had crossed the line. “Just because I never had a child, you turned a blind eye whenever Arabella made things difficult for me. And now, you have the audacity to claim that I’m lying to my parents. Mr. Jones, I only show you any respect you because you’re an old man. But why are you lying?”
“Ashlyn!” Gordon, who had been quiet this whole time, suddenly exploded.
Ashlyn glanced at him coldly. “Don’t you dare shout at me, Gordon. Since we’re divorced, I won’t mention whatever happened in the past three years. But your grandfather’s claiming that I’m the liar here. I’m not, and you know who’s lying. I’m willing to overlook everything you and your family did to me while we were still married, but as for things that Denise has done to me after our divorce, you’d better give me a satisfactory explanation.”
Ashlyn spoke each word clearly and concisely.
On her way here, she was calm and collected. But the Jones family had gone too far. They still kept lying and lying through their teeth.
When Ashlyn didn’t reveal who her father was, the Jones family looked down upon her. After the divorce, Denise continued to hurt her. Now she just wanted an explanation, but Nathaniel had the audacity to say that she was lying.
“I have cold, hard evidence that Denise drugged me. I also have evidence that she was the one who took a photo of me and my father and posted it on Facebook, spreading rumors that I was his mistress. I’m not an unreasonable person. If it weren’t for the fact that Denise made things difficult for me time and time again, I wouldn’t have let my parents come here today. They’d hate to see you.”
Ashlyn had been obedient and easy-going for three whole years. But today, she criticized the Jones family in front of Nathaniel.
Nathaniel was so angry that his face turned purple. But now, things were different. He couldn’t just scold and beat her. Ashlyn wasn’t Gordon’s submissive wife anymore; now, she was a member of the rich and powerful Ramos family.
Stevie stood beside Ashlyn. If the Jones family continued to be unreasonable, he was determined to make an enemy of them in the future.
Denise wasn’t convinced at all. She had always looked down upon Ashlyn, and she still couldn’t accept the fact that Ashlyn wasn’t as meek and humble as before. She pointed a finger at Ashlyn and snapped, “How dare you speak ill of my family?”
Jenifer reacted quickly and clamped her hand on Denise’s mouth.
Ashlyn sneered in disdain. “Aren’t you the bad one here?”
“Say that again, you—”
“For once in your life, shut your mouth, Denise!” Gordon roared in a fit of rage. Then he turned to glare at Ashlyn with a murderous look in his eyes.
“You know what Denise has done, Gordon,” Ashlyn said, locking eyes with him bravely.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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