Chapter 376 Unforgivable Insult

    Chapter 376 Unforgivable Insult

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    “War hero? Please. Are your parents supposed to be heroes now? They must not have amounted to much. That title is probably fake anyway-”

    ip/ii! /i

    Julius‘ handshed out, the sound of palm on skin echoing off the ss fa?ade. Serena lurched sideways under the force of the p.

    She staggered, nearly copsing, one hand scrambling for bnce. Blood blossomed at the corner of her lips, a thin scarlet ribbon sliding down her chin.

    The courtyard froze. No one–Laura, Leander, not even Quinn–had seen thating.

    Shock rippled across every face. Triumph drained from Serena’s eyes, reced by raw disbelief.

    “You… How could you-” Her voice quavered as she pressed trembling fingers to her burning cheek.

    “Seems the Fane family failed to teach you what can and cannot be said in Azania,” Julius murmured, each syble clipped and lethal.

    Fabian stepped forward with a linen handkerchief. Julius wiped his palm, as though cleansing it of filth he refused to carry.

    “Mr. Whitethorn… you just said you had nothing to do with Quinn,” Serena whispered, fighting the sting in her cheek.

    “I don’t,” Julius answered, calm returning to his voice. “But that doesn’t grant you permission to dishonor this nation’s heroes,”

    He looked back at Fabian. “When the police arrive, make sure they hear that as well. If she wants to sue me for striking her, let her try.”

    Fabian dipped his chin. “Yes, sir.”

    18:55 Monb, /bSep b8 /b

    Chapter 376 Unforgivable Insult

    49

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    Serena finally felt real fear seep beneath her wless makeup; her pulse hammered against her throat. “No, you can’t do this! I… I’m from the Fane family, an honored guest personally invited by the Whitethorns. If you hand me over to the police, the Fane family will never let it rest!”

    Julius turned his eyes on Leander, the chill in them enough to frost ss. “Unless the Fane family strikes Serena’s name from its ledger, the Whitethorns will never again do business with you. And that is only the beginning. In Clusia, every enterprise connected to the Fanes will discover the Whitethorns have cut all ties.”

    Leander blinked, lost. “What?”

    Terror peeled across Serena’s face, whitening her lips.

    iImpossible/i! iAll /iibecause /iiof /iia /iifew /iicareless /iiwords/ii, /iiJulius /iiis /iiready /iito /iiruin /iime/i? iHe /iiwould /iiforce /iimy /iifamily /iito disown /iime /iiand /iithen /iicklist /iius /iiacross /iithe /iination/ii! /iIt’si… /iibeyond /iiabsurd/ii–/iiughable /i

    ieven/ii! /i

    The panic sharpened into spite, and before she could stop herself, Serena

    screamed. “Do you love that cheap little nobody Quinn Bridger? Is that why you’re jumping to defend her?”

    A collective intake of breath swept the crowd; every pair of eyes pivoted to Julius.

    Hisshes flicked, nothing more. “I don’t love her. But that doesn’t stop me from finding you intolerable.”

    With that, Julius turned away, his stride unhurried as he vanished through the revolving doors of the building.

    Fabian hurried after him, bafflement pounding in his chest.

    iI’ve /iiserved Mr. /iiWhitethorn /iifor /iyears. iThe /iman iwho /iims ino /iheart has always iloved /iiQuinn /iiBridger /iimore /iifiercely /iithan /ilife itself. iYet /ihe just said he idoesn’t /iilove her/ii. /iiWhat /iion /iearth ihappened /iion /iithat /iindi? /i

    He recalled the day Julius ordered him to fetch Quinn from the ind; even then, Fabian had sensed a rupture. At the time, he assumed it was nothing but a lover’s quarrel; never had he imagined Julius would deny her in public. iIs /iithis /iieven /iipossible/i?

    Chapter 376 Unforgivable Insult

    :

    Quinn watched Julius‘ retreating back. Tears rose in her eyes.

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    Moments ago, she could not have guessed that after such a brutal breakup, he would still shield her parents‘ honor.

    He had even hurled that merciless ultimatum at the Fanes.

    Whatever choice the family made, Serena’s future would be anything butfortable.

    Laura murmured, almost to herself, “I never would have thought it–Julius is still looking out for you, even after the split.”

    A minute earlier, she had been furious, convinced Julius nned to side with Serena. The sudden reversal had struck so hard that Laura nearly apuded.

    “He has always held deep respect for martyrs,” Quinn whispered.

    She remembered the funeral home, the way Julius had bowed to her parents‘ urns without anyone prompting him.

    That gesture hade from marrow–deep discipline and a love of country no scandal could tarnish.

    The Whitethorns were called mad by many, she mused, yet perhaps it took a touch of madness to live with such upromising conviction.

    Yet whenever the stakes were highest, when right confronted wrong, they had never once faltered.

    “Go on inside before the bidding deadline slips past,” Quinn said, her tone calm yet urgent. “I’ll stay here and wait for the officers.”

    After all, she had been the one who struck first.

    “But…” Laura began, worry filling her eyes.

    “I’m not a child, Laura. I can handle this alone.”

    Chapter 376 Unforgivable Insult

    Only then did Laura enter the building.

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    At that moment, Serena clutched Leander’s sleeve, her knuckles white with panic. “I can’t be thrown out of the family,” she hissed. “Save me. If I fall, I’ll take you with me!”

    18:56 Monb, /bSep b8 /b

    Chapter 377 The Consequences