Chapter 27

Calliope shot John a glare and spat,"You jerk!"

Emily chimed in, "Dad, Mom, there's more. Veda was pregnant before and then jumped from upstairs, losing the baby. John feels guilty about it."

Calliope's eyes widened in shock. Compared to Emily and John not getting married, Veda's pregnancy was a bigger bombshell.

John's face turned dark. Emily wasn't really trying to break up with him;she was just playing games. So manipulative!

Even though Veda's baby was gone, it still made the Williams family feel disgusted.

Calliope stormed over and slapped John again, her hand shaking this time."No wonder Emily doesn't want to be with you. She's amazing, and you don't deserve her! John, Emily's done with you! And take your mistress and get out of the Williams Mansion!"

Emily was taken aback by Calliope's words,feeling a bit touched.

John was fuming, his voice tight with anger. "Mom! I'mn your son. Why are you so unfair? And Veda was carrying a Williams family baby!"

Calliope snapped, "I don't acknowledge it!"

While Calliope was tearing into John, Wilder and Hayden stayed silent.Emily always knew Calliope had a lot of sway in the Williams family.

Calliope took a deep breath and said, "Veda took away the family that should havē been Emily's. Emily's been more than forgiving. Even if Veda begged for forgiveness now, it wouldn't be too much. How can you be so

blind to right and wrong, with no conscience!"

For over twenty years, it seemed like Emily had nothing. John was always absent,so Calliope felt she owed Emily.

John said in a low voice, "Emily's suffering wasn't Vedla's fault. If anyone should apologize, it's me, not Vedà."

"What a good son you are, sticking up for her like that. Just wait until you realize your mistake!"

Emily saw Calliope about to hit John again and quickly stopped her."Mom, even though I've left the Williams Mansion, I still want to be your daughter. I'll take care of you."

Calliope held Emily's hand, feeling heartbroken.

Hayden slowly approached John, looking serious. "I told you before, if you don't marry Emily, the company's shares and inheritance will all go to..."

Emily cut in, "Grandpa, the company is your life's work. I don't want it.Besides, it's John who wronged me, not you. You don't need to make it up to me."

Then Emily added, "Grandpa, don't worry. I'm still the head of the design department. I can take care of myself."

Hayden sighed heavily.

Seeing how reasonable Emily was, Calliope said, "You should keep all the properties I gave you before, or I'll be disappointed."

Emily smiled helplessly, unsure how to respond. She decided she'd slowly return the properties to Calliope in the future.

Calliope wanted to keep her, but Emily was as stubborn as they come.Once she made up her mind, there was no changing it.

Wilder gave her a gentle hug and said, "Emily's just leaving the Williams Mansion. We'll still see her. She'll find her own way."

Calliope, choking up, said, "Emily's the only daughter-in-law I recognize."

Emily loaded her luggage into the car and noticed John standing there,seeing her off. She turned around, surprised.

John, in a deep voice, said, "Emily, can you stop messing around?"

Emily leaned against the car, puzzled."John, you still think I'm messing around?"

"You even brought up Veda's pregnancy. What else won't you do? I know you're just playing games, trying to use my parents to make me leave Veda.You're really cunning!"

Emily waved her hand dismissively. She didn't want to waste her breath anymore.

She walked up to John and confronted him directly. John managed to evade her first swing, but the second blow came out of nowhere,catching him off guard.

Emily kicked him hard in the crotch, leaving him writhing in pain on the ground.

She looked down at him coldly. "For years, I tolerated you two living together abroad. Now that you're back, I expect you both to behave in front of me,got it?"

"It was you who wronged me first!" John yelled out.

Emily chuckled, then stepped on his crotch, pressing down. Hearing his screams, she said, "Back then, someone used your phone to send me a message, asking me to come find you."

She continued. "I didn't hold it against you back then, because I was the one being stupid. But now, it's different; I do hold you responsible.Who had your phone. and who were you with? John, you know as well as I do who's in the wrong here!"

Emily used to avoid arguments out of respect for Calliope and because she once genuinely liked John. But now, she no longer liked him and even resented him a bit. She wasn't that forgiving and couldn't just let things slide.

Seeing John's face trn pale, Emily lifted her foot, turned around decisively,and got into the car, leaving him with just a trail of exhaust fumes.

John was furious but helpless. That night, he rushed to the urology department of the hospital.

Lying on the hospital bed, thinking about Emily's departure and her confident smile, he realized it was something he had never seen before.

Suddenly, he felt a bit suffocated. He thought,'Emily,can you really let go?Or are you just acting?'

Emily went straight back to Crystal Valley Manor in a good mood.

As the car entered the garage, the house was brightly lit. When she walked in,James,wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen.

Seeing him, Emily couldn't help but chuckle. "James, what are you doing?"

James looked down at his apron, then back at her, and said. "T knew your d come back,so I was cooking."

Emily said. "Tll bring my luggage up first."

After taking a shower, she came downstairs with a document in her hand.which she handed directly to James, who had just finished cooking.

James took it with suspicion. When he saw the coneents on the cover.he frowped.