CHAPTER 555: CHAPTER 555: A PERFECT EXCUSE

Strategy? What kind of strategy could she possibly have?

Leon’s mother felt as if the universe was playing a cruel joke on her. No sooner had one crisis abated than another emerged, driving her to the brink of insanity. She had believed Ivana’s situation was beyond repair, only to discover that Leon had gone and rescued her.

It seemed as though everyone in the world was against her, whether it was her father or her son.

"Useless, all of you are useless, you’ve ruined me."

Leon’s mother shook with anger.

"Yes, you are right, Mrs. Kane, we are all useless. By the way, the balance is pending your payment."

"You useless fools, not only did you fail to handle my affairs properly, you even dare to ask for the balance? Dream on!"

Seething with rage, Leon’s mother cursed them inwardly, calling them shameless for failing miserably yet still having the nerve to demand payment. She thought it was a foolish dream; she hadn’t even come after them for compensation yet.

"Mrs. Kane." The voice over the phone abruptly took a chilling turn, saying, "I don’t appreciate the way you’re talking. You asked me to get the girl imprisoned, and she was. It was your son who was too clever, went there, and rescued Ivana. The issues lie with your son’s actions, not ours."

"Let me tell you, because of this task, my brothers are being tortured to death by your son, despite trying everything to bail them out. Do you understand the agony? You don’t. Now, I won’t waste time talking nonsense. In addition to the balance, you must transfer another billion, as my brothers have families to support, and you must pay for it."

"Are you insane?"

Leon’s mother cried out in shock.

"If you don’t... ha ha... I will tell your son about how you asked us to ruin your daughter-in-law."

"When did I ever ask you to ruin Ivana?"

Leon’s mother asked incredulously.

"When isn’t important anymore, whether true or false doesn’t matter now. What matters is... can you guess if Leon will believe it?"

"You shameless scoundrel."

Leon’s mother stormed with curses, aware that the other party was blatantly blackmailing her.

With no other choice, Leon’s mother had to transfer the billion.

After doing so, she stared at the balance pop-up, with twenty-nine billion left, feeling somewhat dazed.

The grand lady entered, but Leon’s mother didn’t notice.

"What’s wrong?"

The grand lady frowned, seeing Leon’s mother’s expression, suggesting something serious had occurred.

Leon’s mother did not respond.

The grand lady asked again, seeing Leon’s mother in a trance, she approached and looked at the phone in Leon’s mother’s hand.

"Mom, you... why are you here?"

Leon’s mother’s hand shook, dropping the phone, and she scrambled to pick it up.

"What happened again?"

"No... nothing..."

"Still trying to deceive me? I heard your shrieks from my room, mentioning Ivana?"

Leon’s mother turned pale with fright, her fingers trembling as she clutched the phone, fearing the grand lady had overheard everything.

"I’m asking you a question! What are you doing squatting down? Stand up and answer, isn’t Ivana in prison? What new trouble has she caused?"

The grand lady hadn’t actually heard Leon’s mother clearly; she had only heard the shriek and the mention of "Ivana."

Leon’s mother breathed a sigh of relief, stood up slowly, and with red eyes looked at the grand lady: "Mom, Ivana is so cunning, she tricked Leon into rescuing her, and now Leon undoubtedly despises me, thinking her imprisonment is my doing."

"My precious grandson isn’t someone blinded by wrong and right."

The grand lady spoke sternly.

Tears flowed down Leon’s mother’s face: "I once believed so too, but unfortunately, I’ve been utterly defeated. There’s an old saying, ’A wife makes one forget his mother,’ Leon has fallen under Ivana’s spell, turning against me countless times for her. Now, no matter what I say, Leon won’t listen. But Ivana, that vixen, spouts lies which Leon believes wholly."

The grand lady held a serious expression, remaining silent for a moment.

"If Leon comes, I’ll stand by you."

Having watched Leon grow up, the grand lady knew the child’s nature well. She didn’t want to believe Leon would turn into an ignorant ruler because of Ivana.

"Thank you, Mom."

Leon’s mother bowed her head in gratitude repeatedly, feeling hugely relieved. With the grand lady on her side, Ivana would be easy to handle. Now she had shifted from passive to active, whatever Ivana said before the grand lady would not be trusted.

Leon had been close to the grand lady since childhood and still held a deep respect for her. If she decided to confront Ivana, Leon probably wouldn’t be able to resist, unless he wished to anger the grand lady to death.

The grand lady was old now; truly being angered might put her health at risk, leaving Leon unable to live peacefully, haunted by guilt for the rest of his life.

So, regardless of the outcome, she would be the victor in the end.

Imagine! If Leon aided Ivana and angered the grand lady to death, Ivana could never evade the responsibility, and carrying guilt within, could Leon contently stay with Ivana?

This scheme of striking two birds with one stone was truly brilliant.

How had she thought of it so suddenly?

~~

Somewhere indoors.

Harrison knelt on the ground, pathetically bowing repeatedly until his head was battered and bleeding. He didn’t dare to stop, his voice trembling as he spoke: "Mr. Keane, please spare me! I didn’t want to do those things, your mother forced me, I had no choice!"

"No, choice?"

Leon slowly articulated, his thin lips curling in mockery.

"Yes, yes, she is your mother, I’m just an employee, I can’t afford to offend her. I was afraid of losing my job, so I did those despicable things. I deserve to die, I truly deserve to die."

With that, Harrison raised his hand, giving himself two hard slaps, quickly reddening his lips.

"What a fine excuse."

Leon approached Harrison, bending slightly, pinching his pig-like face: "You attack my wife and child at Kane Group’s entrance as per my mother’s orders, huh?"

Harrison dared not meet Leon’s eyes, too cold and terrifying, as if staring into the grim reaper’s gaze.

"Yes, yes." Harrison nodded frantically, "Your mother disliked the young lady and her child she brought along, so she ordered me not to hold back against them, ideally driving them away..."

"Ah~" Harrison’s cheek experienced intense pain, he cried out miserably, sensing Leon’s immense fury, he sobbed: "I didn’t actually harm the young lady and the little master; the young lady was so fierce, she beat me up..."

Seeing Harrison’s tears about to reach his hand, Leon disdainfully flung Harrison’s face aside.

Harrison’s head met the ground, wailing in agony.

"Remember this clearly, tomorrow I want the entire truth, if there’s any deception, I will tear out your tongue, rendering you forever silent."