Chapter 423: Chapter 423: Hawthorne Family Rules
Kenny accidentally caught sight of the last glance Sutton Jennings gave, which was like light sinking to the bottom of the sea, and he blinked. No way? Uncle Jennings liking Mom...
Hasn’t been told to Mom yet?
It’s good that it hasn’t been told. Master Kenny pondered, Uncle Jennings’ background is just too complicated, with the fear-inducing power of the Yanmen in the dark lines alone, he’s made countless enemies, never having a moment of peace.
If Mom likes him, Master Kenny would naturally be fine with it, but the key is, his mom hasn’t even noticed that Uncle Jennings likes her at all.
In a way, Uncle Jennings is already out of the picture.
By keeping his distance, he won’t trigger Mom’s alienation...
Master Kenny always felt like he’d stumbled upon some blind spot, even feeling a bit sorry for Uncle Jennings.
Sigh, why does he have to know so much at such a young age?
Ann Vaughn turned her head to see her son holding his little face in his hands, sighing, with an expression of having seen through the red dust and prepared to enter a monastery, leaving her momentarily speechless: "..."
What is her son imagining every day?
Amazed but unable to resist Kenny’s adorable whining, Ann Vaughn still agreed to his request to be discharged today.
The Little Dumpling has always disliked the smell of disinfectant in hospitals, and with such a minor illness like a cold, it’s more convenient for Ann to take care of him at home, which is why she agreed.
Before leaving, Ann Vaughn originally wanted to tell Cyrus Hawthorne about this over the phone, but his phone was always off, so she called Mark Joyce instead.
Mark Joyce, who was at the Hawthorne family’s main house, noticed the phone ringing, saw it was Ann Vaughn calling, glanced at the bloody and horrifying scene in front of him, and walked a bit further away before answering, "Miss Vaughn, do you need something?"
"Special Assistant Joyce, is Cian there?"
"Miss Vaughn, President Hawthorne is busy at the moment, you..." Before Mark Joyce could finish, a piercing scream came from behind him, directly reaching Ann Vaughn’s ears.
Ann Vaughn was filled with suspicion, "Special Assistant Joyce, what was that sound just now?"
Even in horror movies, there’s no scream that horrifying. Could something have happened?
"No, nothing, Miss Vaughn, if there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now."
"Wait!" Ann Vaughn’s voice turned cold, "Be honest with me, is Cian dealing with someone?"
Mark Joyce instantly had an expression of disbelief, how did she figure it out??
After returning to Villa No. 8, Ann Vaughn soothed Kenny to sleep before driving off to the Hawthorne family’s main house.
Half an hour later.
Ann Vaughn handed her car over to the guard at the entrance and walked in with the person Mark Joyce had sent over.
This was Ann Vaughn’s first visit to the main house, and it was indeed just as she imagined: solemn and serious, with an air of ancient charm left behind by the torrents of time.
Especially with the guards stationed every few steps inside, they were intimidating just to look at.
Although the atmosphere here was rather heavy and serious, Ann Vaughn didn’t feel much pressure, walking straight ahead, puzzled by what Mark Joyce had just said on the phone.
He said something was very wrong with Cyrus Hawthorne, and told her to be careful. What exactly was wrong?
"Miss Vaughn, we’re here. You can go in by yourself." The person who led the way stopped ten meters outside the courtyard, not daring to move closer, just pointing ahead to Ann Vaughn.
Seeing that even his shoulders were shaking, Ann Vaughn, unaware if it was from the cold, nodded, "Thank you."
After speaking, she stepped forward into the courtyard.
As soon as she approached, the overwhelming scent of blood made her furrow her brows, turning her head uncomfortably before proceeding inside after a moment.
In the depths of the courtyard, next to a small vacant plot by the purple bamboo forest, lay a middle-aged man on the ground, his back bloody and tattered, a terrifying sight.
On either side of the middle-aged man stood two Hawthorne family servants holding sticks, completely indifferent to his cries of pain, the sticks continuously striking his back.
The man seated at the head, holding a bone china teacup between his jade-like fingers, showed not the slightest reaction, his narrow eyes like millennia-old ice, cold enough to freeze a person to the bone.
"He is your own uncle! Even if you don’t consider his face, you should consider mine!" Laura Quinn was trembling all over, her voice hoarse.
The beating was obviously on her brother, yet it felt like a humiliation to her!
If the other members of the Hawthorne family found out about Henry Quinn’s punishment, who would dare to side with her and do her bidding in the future?
This was more unbearable than having her face slapped directly!
"Why the hurry, Mother?" Cyrus Hawthorne’s thin lips curled into a faint smile, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes, "The Hawthorne family has its own rules. Since Uncle made a mistake, as the Family Head, how can I cover for him?"
"When did the Hawthorne family have such a rule!?"
"As of today, it does."
Upon hearing this, Laura Quinn became even more shocked and angry, wishing to rush forward to take the punishment for Henry Quinn, but knowing that everyone here was Cyrus Hawthorne’s people, she feared she’d be stopped before she even made a move!
But if she sat idly by, Henry Quinn would most likely hate her forever!
"Cian, I’m begging you as your mother, let your uncle go this once. He was only momentarily bewitched when he did such things." Laura Quinn, full of anger, had no choice but to plead, "He’s your grandmother’s only son, my only brother!"
Cyrus Hawthorne slightly lowered his eyes, took a sip of fragrant tea, and then said, "Fine. I’ll spare Uncle this time for Grandma’s sake, but remember, Mother, this is an exception."
For Grandma’s sake...
This sentence made Laura Quinn’s face stiffen multiple times, her still-graceful features marred by disbelief, "You’re implicating me in the mistakes your uncle made? I’m your mother!!"
"If it weren’t for the consideration of our mother-son relationship, do you think Uncle would be the only one punished today?" Cyrus Hawthorne’s gaze was as cold as ice water, devoid of any warmth, "Hawthorne family rules are not to be shaken by anyone, continue the beating."
Laura Quinn was utterly speechless, unable to utter a single word.
Years of living like a noblewoman had long made her forget what her original identity was.
Though she had been distant from this son in the past, he always treated her with respect and courtesy, and she had absolute authority in the Hawthorne family.
But when did he begin to disregard even his own mother?
Was it just because she attempted to uncover the true background of that wild child, Ann Vaughn?
The beating continued without stopping until a hundred lashes were reached, Laura Quinn knew, impatient and angry though she was, she could only grit her teeth and endure.
Suddenly, Cyrus Hawthorne raised his gaze, locking immediately onto the petite figure who had somehow entered the courtyard, his gaze freezing.
The bone china teacup in his hand, suddenly losing grip due to the sudden loss of strength, instantly shattered and fell from his palm.