Then she distributed the rest of the gifts; even the servants received one. There were still some left, which she said were prepared for her family back home. She planned to return with Ruby Bluen after Glades Horne came back and they had dinner.

Just as everyone was happily mingling, Pheobe Rogers's car pulled in.

"Oh, it sure is a full house here."

Pheobe Rogers got out of the car and approached them, her voice arriving before she did, as was her habit.

"Adele, how are you? I'm sorry, Auntie has been busy these past few days and couldn't come check on you sooner. It's my fault. Don't take any of those rumors to heart. Getting pregnant before marriage is no big deal. Nowadays, it's quite common. Look at me; I went through it and got by just fine." Pheobe Rogers's words sounded like comfort but were dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm sorry, my mother doesn't have a sister, so I don't have an aunt. Who are you, and why are you calling yourself my aunt?" Adele Horne never had a pleasant expression for Pheobe Rogers. Even though her opinion of her fourth brother, James Horne, had slightly improved and their relationship had changed somewhat, her hatred for Pheobe Rogers remained.

If it weren't for Pheobe Rogers, perhaps her parents' marriage would have been normal. Her mother wouldn't have suffered over emotional matters and wouldn't have neglected the family. Then, she herself would have received genuine care and wouldn't have ended up as she is today.

"You can't just acknowledge relatives recklessly, just like you can't eat just anything," Adele Horne continued.

The smile on Pheobe Rogers's face grew somewhat forced.

She then turned to Mila Anderson, offering a fawning yet insincere compliment, "Mila, you're truly capable, raising such a unique daughter like Adele. Alas, I'm unfortunate. I only have that ungrateful son, James. If I had a daughter, I would have cherished her, loved her, disciplined her, and raised her to be a distinguished lady beloved by all. She would marry into a top-tier prominent family, becoming a noble madam, making me, her mother, proud. I would never let her run wild outside and bring home some bastard of unknown origin."

"Aunt Pheobe," Julia Bluen said coolly, her form of address for Pheobe Rogers changing. "Adele is indeed unique. No matter what, she's a hundred times better than you. Even if Adele is pregnant before marriage, she will surely marry an excellent man in the future. So, please stop gloating. My father-in-law is inside. If you're here for living expenses, you can go in and ask him."

Julia's cool words made Pheobe Rogers uncomfortable. The last sentence, especially, made her feel like a beggar.

"Carrying a bastard and still dreaming of marrying an excellent man? She'd be lucky if anyone is willing to marry her at all! However, I heard that if you'd give away thirty percent of the Valence Group's shares, plenty of men would be lining up to marry her," Pheobe Rogers sneered, her words becoming blunt.

She now harbored a burning resentment for her old rival, and this hatred extended to Mila Anderson's children and daughters-in-law.

Why? She was Gian Horne's most beloved woman, yet she couldn't become his legitimate wife! Why did her son have to live his entire life labeled as a bastard? Why couldn't her son get even a single cent from the Horne family?

"Pheobe Rogers, if you continue to spout nonsense here, I will have someone escort you out!" Mila Anderson said coldly.

"Mom, why use the word 'escort' for such a shameless old hag? That's too polite! You should use 'throw'—just throw her out! Shameless old hag! I've never seen anyone as brazen and shameless as you! Your skin is thicker than the Great Wall of China!" Adele Horne ranted furiously.

Julia Bluen frowned slightly, displeasure in her eyes. However, with a flash in her almond-shaped eyes, she took out her phone. She fiddled with it for a moment without making a call, then simply held it in her hand.

"Adele Horne, you—" Being repeatedly called an old hag by Adele Horne made Pheobe Rogers's face turn green with rage. She was so furious she lashed out, "You uncultured woman! You deserve to be raped! It would be best if you were gang-raped—a thousand times, ten thousand times, until it kills you! It would serve you right not to know who the father of that bastard in your belly is! How dare you criticize me? How are you any more noble than I am..."

"AH! What are you doing? Let go of me!"

Before Pheobe Rogers could finish her vile insults against Adele Horne, two towering men suddenly grabbed her from behind. They lifted her and began dragging her out like a corpse. Her high heels fell off as she was hauled away.

Glades Horne stood nearby, his handsome face impassive. The two towering men were his bodyguards.

He had just returned and overheard his mother's old rival berating his sister. If he hadn't intervened, Pheobe Rogers might have thought he wouldn't dare do anything to her.

Because Pheobe Rogers was so engrossed in her tirade, she hadn't noticed Glades Horne's Rolls-Royce quietly pull up.

"Glades Horne, how dare you treat me like this? I am your elder! I am your brother's mother! Let go of me! Don't touch me! Gian! Gian Horne, come out! Your children are bullying poor me!"

Pheobe Rogers was forcefully dragged outside, struggling desperately. But she was no match for the two bodyguards. She immediately started screaming towards the house, her cries sounding like a pig being slaughtered.

Inside, Gian Horne heard Pheobe Rogers's pig-like squeals and quickly came out.

As soon as he stepped outside, he saw his mother, his sister-in-law, his wife, his children, and his daughters-in-law all watching indifferently as Pheobe Rogers was dragged away. Without bothering to ask for a reason, he rushed towards the bodyguards and yelled, "What are you doing? Let her go! No matter what, she's James's mother!"

The two bodyguards looked at Glades Horne, who showed no reaction, so they continued to drag Pheobe Rogers away.

"Glades, what's going on?" Seeing the bodyguards ignore his command, Gian Horne suppressed his displeasure, walked up to Glades Horne, and asked furiously.

"Adele Horne, you—" "You uncultured woman! You deserve to be raped! It would be best if you were gang-raped—a thousand times, ten thousand times, until it kills you! It would serve you right not to know who the father of that bastard in your belly is! How dare you criticize me? How are you any more noble than I am..."

Suddenly, a recording of Pheobe Rogers's voice began to play.

Julia Bluen had used the phone Glades Horne had given her to record what Pheobe Rogers had just said.

"Dad, that was Aunt Pheobe berating Adele. You know Adele is in a very bad state right now. She's been hurt and desperately needs our care and comfort. Yet, Aunt Pheobe was rubbing salt in her wounds. Glades cares deeply for his sister, so naturally, he wouldn't hold back." Julia Bluen walked to Glades Horne's side and said calmly.

When this couple decided to deal with someone, they were both ruthless figures not to be trifled with.

Gian Horne's expression changed after listening to Julia's recording, but his emotional scale still tipped slightly in Pheobe Rogers's favor. "Glades, just send her home. There's no need to be so rough. For James's sake, spare her some dignity. Look, so many servants are watching."

Julia Bluen blinked. I've never seen such a biased man. It's becoming very difficult for me to respect my father-in-law. Even though I knew about Gian Horne keeping a mistress and favoring her before, I hadn't lived with them day to day, and everything was hearsay, so I didn't have strong opinions. But now, seeing and hearing it for myself, my view of him has completely changed.

Apart from his failings in romantic matters, Gian Horne actually had a decent public reputation.

But at this moment, Julia Bluen felt one phrase perfectly described her father-in-law: appearances can be deceiving.

"Gian Horne! James! James, they're bullying your mom!" As Pheobe Rogers was dragged out of the villa, she suddenly saw James Horne's red Audi pulling up. Instantly, as if spotting her savior, she screamed loudly at James Horne.