Chapter 550

"A woman hanging out with a bunch of men every day? She knows better than anyone how those deals were made!" Joe sneered.

Haley, infuriated, grabbed Joe by the collar. Her eyes were blazing with anger as she spoke. "If she hadn't worked so hard, would you have enjoyed all those years of luxury? She gave up everything, even her beloved violin, to help you. How dare you slander her?"

The more she listened, the more Haley's heart ached for her mother. As a child, she only knew her parents' relationship was strained and saw her mother cry daily. But she never realized how much her mother had endured.

Her heart felt like it was being pierced by countless sharp knives, each one leaving her more shattered. She could barely breathe from the pain, and she wanted nothing more than to tear Joe apart.

Joe struggled to breathe as Haley's grip tightened on his collar, his face turning red. He tried to pry her hands away, his eyes pleading with Shane for help. "Mr. Ford, help me..."

Shane merely