Chapter 214: WHAT KIND OF PERSON SHE WAS
"What’s the use of you as a mother then?"
Denzel was being an ass here. He came because he just received a resignation letter from Ares and Lucian. Both of them played crucial roles in the company. With Ranon’s absence and the two of them resigning, the company wouldn’t survive.
The situation would be the same as when Ranon had just joined the company, which was on the verge of bankruptcy.
However, instead of focusing on his main intention, he ended up irritating the two of them by once again interfering in their marriage.
"Go back with Ashlyn." Ranon handed over the baby to Hazel, as he saw her murderous intention.
Recently, this trait has become increasingly obvious in her. While she initially tried to hide it, she was now comfortable enough to show this side of herself.
Something had shifted inside Hazel after she saw River’s dead body, but Ranon couldn’t point out what that was.
On the other hand, Denzel was even more furious because Ranon dismissed Hazel. He still had a lot of things to say to that woman.
"Stop there!" Denzel felt disrespected because Hazel walked away from him. He was still not used to people not listening to what he said.
People used to obey his every command; that was why losing his sense of control had messed with his mind.
Yet, Hazel kept walking away, holding her baby close to her, so she could prevent herself from turning around and snapping back. It would only worsen the situation; thus, letting Ranon take care of his father would be the best option.
"If you only come here to order my wife around, you can leave now," Ranon said coldly. He didn’t even spare a glance at Ema, who was standing behind the wheelchair, which hurt her.
Why did his ignorance still have some effects on her, even though years had passed?
Especially now, when he stood up for another woman. It marked a stark difference between the way Denzel treated her after she gave birth and the way Ranon treated Hazel after they had their child.
This was the man that she wanted. This was how she wanted to be treated.
Denzel couldn’t care less about her and their child. He had a rather conventional view of everything. He insisted that she have a vaginal birth, despite complications at the time, forcing her to endure pain for an entire day before their son was born.
After their son’s birth, Denzel showed no warmth whatsoever. He said that taking care of a baby was a woman’s job. You could count on one hand how many times Denzel held their son when he was still a baby.
He didn’t play with him when he grew a little bit older, because his health had declined. But even if he were as fit as an ox, Ema was skeptical he would want to play with Eilon.
"Now that you have everything that you dreamed of, you are being arrogant in front of me!" Denzel slammed his fist against the armrest of his wheelchair. "Have you forgotten that I was the one who picked you up from that pit of hell!? Do you know what you looked like at that moment!? Fighting your way to put food on your plate, and now, when you can afford to wear expensive clothes, you dare to talk back to me?!"
The pit of hell.
That was how Denzel perceived Ranon before he became part of the Leightons, since he used to make a living through an illegal fight in a betting house.
Ema was firmly opposed to it; she attended one match and found the gruesome sights unbearable. The crowd erupted in cheers with excitement when Ranon was struck or when he struck his opponent.
The sight was disturbing, and that was always the focus of their contention.
However, now, when Ema thought about it again, that was the time when Ranon looked free. He joked with people close to him, and surprisingly, he knew many people despite being very quiet.
When they were in a relationship, Ranon would give in to her on almost anything, but he wouldn’t budge if it related to the fight.
Once, he said it helped him to calm his anger. He had a lot of it inside, and fighting was a way for him to douse it.
At that time, Ema didn’t understand when he confided in her about what he felt. She only saw him as a violent man. That was probably when she started to see him differently.
Ema didn’t like a confrontation, and she always tried to avoid it. Therefore, her view of life clashed with Ranon’s.
But Ranon was not the only one who had changed, because she had, too. The way she confronted Hazel because she didn’t like her was unacceptable, yet she did it anyway.
"Tell them to leave! Don’t be a pushover for your wife! Are you even a man?! You carry your child around, and now you’re going to hire a babysitter?! You make that woman lazy!"
Hazel had agreed to check on the three babysitters that Ranon had selected; thus, he had arranged for them to be there when they arrived. This was how Denzel learnt about it. What bad timing.
Babysitter...
Ema thought bitterly. Denzel didn’t even allow Eilon to be out of her sight. She would dedicate her time to the newborn, telling her that it was her duty.
Sometimes, Ema wondered why she could fall into his arms. The money and the easy life out of poverty were tempting, but then her life was not easy at all. If anything, she felt it was harder by day.
Denzel treated her as a trophy wife. He would flash her to his colleagues like a fancy watch he wore when his health was still good, and they met with them often.
"You can leave now, Father." Ranon regarded Denzel coldly as he walked away, but Denzel wouldn’t let him go; he followed Ranon, demanding a conversation about the company.
"We will discuss the company, but if you mention anything about my wife, I will leave." Ranon turned around and looked at his father. There were no emotions on his face, as if Denzel was of no importance to him.
"She..."
"Say one more bad word about my wife, and I will make sure the company is not only suffering, but I will actively take it down."
That was an open threat, and it was enough to make Denzel swallow whatever profanities he was going to throw at his daughter-in-law.
Ranon was insane. Denzel couldn’t read what was in his mind, and now he lost control of him.
"Do as you want with her! I warn you! She can be very comfortable and look down on you if you don’t stop spoiling her!" Denzel then moved his wheelchair towards Ranon’s study room. "You stay here!" He said to Ema.
The way he talked made Ema feel like her husband was talking to his subordinate. He vented his anger at her.
Ema didn’t reply; it was a humiliation for her to acknowledge such a demeaning order.
On the other hand, Denzel was too angry to notice her lack of response, as he wheeled his wheelchair away with Ranon following behind him.
When they walked away, Ema kept staring at Ranon’s back, willing him to turn around and looked at her. But not even once did she catch his attention.
And now, she was sitting here alone with the other three candidates for Ranon’s daughter’s babysitter.
Her whole body was shaking with anger. She couldn’t take it. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to be angry, but she didn’t know to whom she directed her grievances.
She didn’t want to sit here, because it felt like she was following his order. It sounded petty and childish, but Ema couldn’t stand the fact that she did what Denzel told her to do.
Therefore, she decided to seek Hazel.
She knew where the main bedroom was, and before she could think twice, she had knocked on its door, standing there without knowing what she wanted to say to Hazel.
"What are you doing here?" Hazel asked with a frown when she opened the door and found Ema was the one who knocked. She closed the door behind her and leaned on it.
"The men are discussing business; why don’t we have a chat, too?" Ema suggested with a surprisingly sweet tone. She didn’t show her true emotions on the surface. "And I have not yet met with Ashlyn properly. The dinner last time was a little bit chaotic, don’t you think?"
"Ashlyn is sleeping; she has a fever, so I need to be with her. I can’t accompany you." Hazel was about to turn around and enter the room again. She didn’t want to entertain Ema with whatever tricks she had up her sleeve.
More so, she had a report about her father that she had to read.
However, before Hazel could leave, Ema stopped her. She grabbed her elbow, but Hazel swatted her hand away very quickly. It stunned Ema with the sharp pain and the angry glare in her eyes.
"Don’t touch me without permission. I don’t like to be touched by strangers," Hazel said coldly.
"Are you acting so arrogantly like this just because Ranon backs you up?" Ema held her hand; she gritted her teeth. "Do you even know what kind of person Ranon is?"
"Do you even know what kind of person I am?" Hazel smirked.