Chapter 173 Chapter 173
“Do as I say, don't talk back!” Sheila raised her voice, asserting her dominance as the older sister. “Go home now. Or I'll call Dad and have him cut your allowance and confiscate your car for a month. Got it?!”
Victor was the prince of the house. Being the youngest, his parents spoiled him endlessly, and Sheila had always been his biggest defender. He had never heard the word “no,” much less been humiliated in public.
Now, being scolded by the sister who always gave him everything, and in front of the girl he wanted to impress, Victor's pride was hurt.
His eyes turned red with indignation and he raised his chin defiantly. “Sister, you can have dinner here, so why can't I? I'm not a child. I'm not going back.”
“Victor!”
“Why are you yelling at me for no reason? You're being ridiculous.”
Sheila's expression became terrible. The mask of the perfect socialite was slipping. “Are you coming with me or not?!”
Victor was a little frightened by the fury in her eyes, but his stubbornness won out. “No. I'm not.”
He turned to Sara, trying to ignore his sister's dark presence. He forced a smile and said, “Sara, ignore my sister, she must be in that time of the month.” Let's sit down and order. This place has a filet mignon that...
He was just starting to speak when he felt a sharp pain in his wrist.
Sheila had no patience for negotiation. Her eyes were filled with rage as she grabbed his arm and tried to pull him out of his chair by force.
“Victor, I said you're coming with me! Now!”
Victor's skin was sensitive, typical of someone who had never done heavy labor, and Sheila's grip was brutal. His wrist turned bright red instantly.
“Ouch! Sister, that hurts!” he cried, his eyes watering with pain and shock. “Let go of me! Have you gone crazy?”
Sheila didn't hesitate. Instead, she squeezed even harder, digging her nails in, trying to drag him out of the restaurant as if he were a bag of trash.
“Sis, stop! It hurts, it hurts a lot...” Victor struggled, his voice breaking, about to cry from humiliation.
Sheila seemed blinded by rage, ignoring his protests.
But suddenly, she felt a firm hand grab her arm.
“Miss Turner, please stop.”
Sheila froze.
She looked at the hand that touched her—a delicate but firm hand—and then slowly looked up, incredulous.
Sara didn't know exactly why she was doing this. That boy had blackmailed her, lied to her, and forced her to be there. But seeing him cry out in pain, being treated so violently... her protective instincts took over.
Sheila turned slowly, her eyes flashing.
Sara let go of her arm the moment the aggression stopped.
“You...” Sheila hissed, her voice trembling with rage. “You have something to say, girl?”
Sara looked at Victor's wrist, which was already marked with the shape of Sheila's fingers, and took a deep breath.
“Miss Turner, Victor's wrist is turning purple and he says it hurts,” Sara said, remaining polite but firm.
“He's your brother, not an animal. You should let him go.”
Victor looked at Sara in utter shock.
He had threatened her. He had cornered her. And now... she was defending him against his own sister?
“And what does that have to do with you?” Sheila lifted her chin, arrogance overflowing. “This is a family matter. Who do you think you are to interfere? A hired girlfriend?”
Victor looked at Sheila, bewildered.
He didn't recognize the woman in front of him. His sister had always been the epitome of etiquette, grace, and elegance. She spoke to everyone—from waiters to presidents—with a polished smile.
Why was she acting like an unhinged witch toward Sara? What had Sara ever done to her?
Sara was also stunned by the gratuitous hostility, but she didn't back down.
“Victor is my classmate,” Sara replied. “I don't think it's meddling to prevent physical aggression. He's your blood brother, Miss Turner. You shouldn't treat him like this in public.”
“Please let him go.”
Sheila pursed her lips, looking at Sara with a hatred that seemed disproportionate to the situation.
Suddenly, she let out a short, mocking laugh.
“Impressive,” Sheila said, crossing her arms. “Are all of you Ford family members this brazen? Are you born without shame?”
“What did you say?” Sara's expression changed instantly, the color draining from her face.
Revenge flashed in Sheila's eyes. She took a step forward, lowering her voice to a venomous whisper so only they could hear:
"First, your sister Caroline seduces committed men and steals what isn't hers. Now you, her younger sister, are trying to seduce my naive brother to get into our family?
“Let me guess: is this a family scheme? Are you two coordinated fortune hunters?”
To Sheila, the equation was simple and repugnant: Caroline had already stolen the man she loved, Nicholas Wolf.
And now? Now she was sending her younger sister—a sickly, sly-looking girl—to seduce her naive brother and infiltrate the Turner family?
Why were all the members of the Ford family so brazen?
They seemed coordinated. One attacked the Wolf family, the other attacked the Turner family. The two richest and most powerful families in São Paulo were under siege.
Had poverty driven them mad? Were they so desperate to escape poverty that they decided to sell their dignity to hunt for rich husbands?
When Nicholas met Caroline, Sheila was still abroad, tied up with commitments, and couldn't return in time to prevent that tragedy.
But now... now she was here. She was watching the scam unfold right before her eyes. She would not allow the Ford family to claim another victim.
Victor grew up in a bubble of privilege. He never knew the cruelty of the real world; to him, everyone was kind because everyone wanted something from him.
His mindset was dangerously naive. He was easy prey for emotional predators.
If Caroline was cunning enough to lasso the Ice Wolf, what wouldn't her sister do with a cub like Victor?
Sheila's words hit Victor like a punch.