Cyrus Hawthorne’s gaze carried an imnse sense of oppression, continuously tornting their nerves. They barely dared to speak; if this continued, their spiritual power would suffer significant damage.
"Mark Joyce, according to the Hawthorne Family rules, how should they be dealt with?"
Mark Joyce imdiately replied, "The lightest punishnt is a hundred lashes with the cane, and the heaviest could be demotion or expulsion from the Hawthorne Family."
The two brothers showed no expression upon hearing about the hundred lashes, but their faces changed at the ntion of the latter.
"Hmm." Cyrus Hawthorne nodded slightly, his narrow eyes gliding over Leo Lowell and Levi Lowell with a half-smile, "Too light."
Mark Joyce nodded, indeed considering the leniency due to their positions as captains.
"From today on, they are removed from their captain positions and will remain at Villa No. 8 until Ann Vaughn forgives them, at which point they can return to the Hawthorne Family," Cyrus Hawthorne said in a deep voice.
What!?
Leo Lowell breathed a sigh of relief, but Levi Lowell’s eyes widened sharply, realizing that... their fate and future were now in the hands of that woman?!
This punishnt was even more unacceptable than a hundred lashes!
Mark Joyce stifled his laughter and discreetly gave a thumbs-up to the BOSS in his mind.
This strategy was truly brilliant.
Leo Lowell didn’t know, but Levi Lowell probably wanted to die.
They deliberately erred to withdraw from the task of protecting Ann Vaughn, but couldn’t escape the fate of protecting her, losing even their positions and freedom...
After the two brothers left the study, Mark Joyce imdiately reported the situation to Cyrus Hawthorne, "President Hawthorne, those traitors have confessed to all their cris, but we can only trace the mastermind behind them to a code na, Y."
Cyrus Hawthorne drumd his long fingers on the desk twice, "Have we retrieved the reagents?"
"Yes, but not including those already used. Our investigation reveals that the recent viral outbreaks over the past few years are all related to Y."
"Keep investigating and find an opportunity to leak the news about the MX plan."
"Yes, President Hawthorne."
...
The next morning.
Ann Vaughn woke up to find that the pain in her ankle hadn’t diminished at all, and the bandage had sohow loosened, presumably during last night’s turmoil...
"Ahhh!" Ann Vaughn groaned in frustration, recalling that she still had to go to the Presidential Palace tonight and feeling at a loss about what to do.
She reached for her phone and dialed Shrek, intending to explain her situation and postpone tonight’s celebration banquet.
But upon hearing about her foot injury, Shrek was overjoyed, "That’s fantastic! We have a wheelchair here that was once made for the Prince but never used. You can just use it!"
Ann Vaughn: "..." Seriously?
She was now certain that it wasn’t just her imagination that Secretary Shrek, from President Eland’s office, was a bit of an idiot.
Did they choose secretaries based on foolishness??
"Doctor Aquarelle, the celebration tonight is primarily held for you. If you don’t attend, the significance of the event is lost, so you must be present," Shrek said earnestly.
"... I understand, send the wheelchair over." Ann Vaughn’s lips twitched slightly as she reluctantly agreed, but when Shrek asked for her current address, she was montarily stunned.
Just then, Cyrus Hawthorne entered the room, and Ann Vaughn covered the phone to ask, "What is this place? The full address?"
Cyrus Hawthorne glanced at her indifferently, "White Sand Pavilion."
Ann Vaughn nodded and then told Shrek, "I’m at the White Sand Pavilion."
On the other end ca the sound of what seed like a spray, Shrek asked in panic, "You’ve been captured again?!"
"No, don’t worry, see you then." Ann Vaughn awkwardly reassured Shrek before hanging up.
She had just put down her phone when Cyrus Hawthorne lifted her chin, forcing her to et his eyes.
"Who was that man yesterday?" His expression was indifferent, showing no emotion, as if he were casually asking.
But having just gone through a painful lesson, Ann Vaughn sensed his displeasure and shook her head imdiately, "It was President Eland’s chief secretary. I’ve been invited to the Presidential Palace for a celebration banquet tonight."
Cyrus Hawthorne’s stern face eased slightly, but hearing her last sentence, his brows furrowed again, "What can you do there with your injured foot?"
"That’s why Secretary Shrek said they’d send a wheelchair over for ." Ann Vaughn took a deep breath, looking at Cyrus Hawthorne with so accusation, "Besides, you really have no right to comnt on my foot injury."
Doesn’t he realize that if it weren’t for him, her foot injury wouldn’t have worsened?
"Ahem." Cyrus Hawthorne cleared his throat, skillfully changing the subject, and leaned over to pick her up from the bed, "Let’s get you washed up first."
After freshening up and reapplying dication and bandages, Ann Vaughn was carried by Cyrus Hawthorne down to the first-floor dining room.
Seeing the lavish spread on the dining table, Ann Vaughn sniffed with her small nose, "Dostic ho-style breakfast looks so appetizing compared to the bread and milk I had while I was confined those two days."
Even the milk had poison.
Just thinking about it gave her a psychological aversion to milk.
Ann Vaughn silently complained twice, just about to ask Cyrus Hawthorne to put her down, unaware that his expression had changed upon hearing the word "confinent."
"Who confined you?" Cyrus Hawthorne’s face was as cold and fierce as ever, his narrow eyes filled with killing intent.
Hearing this question, Ann Vaughn couldn’t help but chuckle, "I think you might want to ask the subordinates who knocked out at the hospital and brought to this pavilion to treat your illness."
She hadn’t intended to hide this from him; there was no need to keep silent as she had already suffered those hidden losses.
If Shrek hadn’t brought people here at that ti, that man wouldn’t have stopped her from drinking the poisoned milk...
Miyi Yates arrived upon hearing the voice. Just as she entered the dining room, she heard Ann Vaughn’s words and Cyrus Hawthorne’s chilling expression and imdiately took a few steps forward to explain.
"Family Head, a few days ago you were comatose due to an infection, and your subordinates were worried about your safety. Hence, they took extre asures to bring Miss Vaughn, who had the treatnt thod, from the hospital. It was all my decision, please punish ."
Her sudden admission and plea for punishnt left Ann Vaughn montarily stunned, her brows furrowing.
What she said sounded reasonable... but each word seed to evade the main issue, subtly shifting the concept.
Plus, by proactively requesting punishnt, she might be treated with leniency.
Ann Vaughn didn’t look at Cyrus Hawthorne’s expression but stared at Miyi Yates, who was sincerely confessing, and bluntly asked, "So, was it you who instructed soone to give the poisoned milk?"
If it really was Miyi Yates, then this woman was indeed terrifying.
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