They were right about one thing: Elio was their son-in-law, and if he couldn't pay up, it was up to Evelyn to shoulder the burden.Evelyn bit her lip, knowing all too well that Grandpa had made up his mind about the money. Talking more would not change a thing. Luckily, Elio had given her $1,000,000 earlier, and today she got another $750,000 from Aerin Group. She could pay part of it back without hurting the company's cash flow.She sighed and said, "Alright, I'll pay back $750,000 now. That's okay, isn't it?"Grandpa huffed, "Fine, but you have one month to pay the rest of the $750,000. No mistakes."The other relatives piped up, "Right, nobody's money just blows in with the wind. She needs to pay it all back and fast.""We've got a big project coming up at Jones Real Estate. We need the money ready. A month's grace is more than fair."Evelyn shook with anger. She saw them for what they were—no family, just cold interest. She promised through clenched teeth, "One month, then. I
The family meeting wrapped up as the evening set in, and everyone went their separate ways.Sienna, in a rush to her next meeting, stormed past Elio in her high heels, shooting him a look that could cut glass.Lana was just as upset, her face stormy with anger.Outside, Evelyn, her face cold as ice, got into the car first. Lana, sitting in the BMW X5, yelled at Elio, "You better find the money, and fast. You have one month to bring back 765,000 dollars, or you're not welcome in this house."Howard, feeling sorry for Elio, spoke up from the back seat, "Let's be reasonable. Let Elio go home, and we'll figure out the money issue in time."Howard was taken aback by his wife's scolding, which was as loud and fierce as a lioness. "Enough of your nonsense, be quiet! It's not your turn to talk," she snapped.Howard fell silent, not daring to utter another word. He stole a glance at Elio, thinking, 'I can't protect you now. If I try, we'll all be in trouble.'Elio replied, "I got it, Mom
"Awesome! I'll head over now. Thanks for the chance, Elio. I'll switch up my style for you. Just send me where to meet," Yvonne bubbled with excitement as if she could hardly wait.Elio's spirits lifted instantly. He texted her the location and waited, thinking how great it was to have a friend like Yvonne. She could always make him smile, which was a welcome change from the gloom of dealing with the Jones family.After over twenty minutes, a bright red Ferrari roared up and came to a sudden stop with a screech. The tires screamed against the pavement, showing off a bit too much.Elio's eyes went wide when Yvonne stepped out of the car. She was dressed in a school uniform, with a white short-sleeved shirt tucked into a navy-blue skirt, knee-high socks, and sneakers. A bit of her white thigh showed, and it was hard not to stare.Her face was softly made up, and her wavy, chestnut hair fell over her shoulders. Dressed like that, she looked years younger, almost like the most popular
Sienna was trendy in her floral dress, her bare shoulders drawing attention.Young folks often get restless, don't they? Her husband was in the hospital and, after having a taste of excitement, Sienna was not likely to sit quietly at home.Lately, Sienna had been spending a lot of time with Maxwell, a cool guy with an earring and a red spider lily tattoo on his arm. He was super handsome, even though he was really pale and had big dark circles under his eyes.Maxwell Roberts was having a great time hanging out with Sienna. Why not? Her husband, James, was stuck in the hospital, so Maxwell figured there was nothing to worry about. Plus, he came from a rich and powerful family, so he was not scared of anyone.Out of nowhere, everyone at their table noticed a pretty girl in a school uniform and just could not stop staring.Sienna thought she looked familiar but just could not place her. Actually, Yvonne had been at Sienna's wedding too, as a guest of the Sampson family, but they did
Yvonne was already fed up with Sienna's behavior. She looked as cold as ice. She had finally gotten Elio to go out with her for a fun night, but Sienna had to ruin it. No wonder Yvonne was so upset."You're asking for trouble, aren't you? Why do you care if we're just out for dinner? Keep it up, and you'll wish you hadn't," Yvonne snapped.Sienna was even angrier, her eyes blazing, "Who are you calling names? You're just as bad as Elio. Think I won't slap you?"Yvonne just laughed calmly. "Go ahead, try to touch me," she dared.Elio did not want any trouble because he was important. He suggested, "Let's just drop it. She's not worth it. Let's go."However, Sienna was not having it. She turned to Maxwell and whined, "Maxwell, she's picking on me. Won't you do something?"Maxwell had never liked Elio. He was jealous because his girl was not as pretty as he thought, especially compared to Yvonne. He wanted to show Elio who's boss and win over the pretty girl.Even if Sienna had not
Elio might seem a bit timid in the Jones family, but that's only because he's married into it. He usually keeps his cool for the sake of Evelyn, but he's not afraid to stand up for himself when others challenge him.'You want to teach me a lesson? I'd like to see you try!' A thought crossed Elio's mind."Fine, let's go outside and see who's the boss," Elio said with a frosty laugh, not hesitating for a moment as he headed for the door. He knew he could not keep his anger inside for too long, or it would be bad for him. When the right moment came, he was ready to let it out.Yvonne was never one to back down. Instead of stopping Elio, she egged him on, shouting at Sienna, "You little troublemaker, come outside if you dare, and I'll show you!"She quickly walked ahead, not caring what anyone thought, and confidently took Elio's arm, leading him out of the restaurant to the open space outside."I'm not done with that awful woman," Sienna fumed, her face turning pale with anger as she
"Crash!"Their fists smashed together, and the strong young man let out a scream. His face went white as a sheet, and he stumbled back, his hands shaking. "Ah, my fingers are broken!"They were—except for his thumb, all his fingers had snapped, and the pain was unbearable."Whoa!"Everyone gasped, looking at Elio with new respect. That guy was fierce—one punch and he had broken the other guy's fingers. Scary!Elio did not hold back. If the guy was going to show off and try to take him on, he had better be ready to face the consequences. Do not think he was a pushover!Maxwell was caught off guard and cursed, "Darn it. All of you, get him! Break his legs."On his command, five more bullies rushed Elio, swinging and kicking like a pack of wild dogs.Elio sprang into action, his leg whipping out as quick as lightning, Thump, thump, thump! His kicks were so fast they were almost a blur.Screams echoed as, one by one, the bullies were kicked to the ground. Some clutched their
However, Sienna was no match for Yvonne. She went at her like a wildcat, but Yvonne knocked her down with just a few punches and kicks. Sienna curled up, holding her belly and crying out, "Help, someone's attacking me!"Yvonne looked down at her with a sneer. "Really? That's all you've got? Can't win, so you start crying and cheating? Looks like I went too easy on you. Make a peep again, and I'll make sure you regret it."Sienna was scared stiff and shut up right away. She realized that the girl was not just pretty—she was fierce and did not care what happened next. Sienna knew better than to mess with her again.Elio watched Sienna get what she deserved and could not help but feel relieved. He was grateful to Yvonne for stepping in, knowing he could not bring himself to hit a lady, especially one who was supposed to be family.The fight was on, and Elio was not about to sit this one out. His eyes, icy and sharp, locked onto Maxwell. "You're the one who wanted to skin me alive, rig