Chapter 386: Philip, You Bad Man

Chapter 386: Philip, You Bad Man

After Gabriella's mother stabbed Odette and was taken away, she got herself a lawyer and was released.

When she came home looking to pick a fight, she couldn't find Gabriella anywhere, so she called to curse her out.

"You better get your ass back here right now! Out there in the middle of the night trying to seduce men!"

"I'm the only one in this world who treats you well, do you hear me?"

Gabriella had heard these words so many times she was almost numb to them.

She took a deep breath, her hands trembling.

"Your idea of treating me well is making me marry a man who's shorter than me, fatter than me, poorer than me, and weaker than me? Who also has debts that I'm supposed to pay off?"

"Treating me well means hurting Odette?"

"A man like that is the only kind you can control. Only someone worse than you in every way can guarantee you'll never get divorced! That's Odette's fault for not listening. If she'd agreed to get married, I wouldn't have beaten her! A mother disciplining her own child is perfectly natural!"

Gabriella let out a mocking laugh.

"That's fine. As long as you're crazy like this, you don't need a divorce either. It's just that Dad didn't want you anymore."

"A husband not wanting his wife and cheating with someone else - that's perfectly natural too."

This struck a nerve with Gabriella's mother, Sloane.

She immediately started cursing through the phone, pouring out all kinds of foul language. It was hard to imagine these were words a mother would say to her daughter.

Gabriella gripped the balcony edge, her whole body trembling.

Emma, listening from downstairs, simply stepped onto her balcony railing, grabbed the balcony above, and jumped up in one swift move!

She took the phone right out of Gabriella's hand.

"Hey, are you sick or something? Need me to call a mental hospital for you? What kind of person talks to their own kid like that?"

People with narcissistic personality disorder are usually very good at pretending in front of others.

Hearing another voice, Sloane instantly changed her tone.

Her voice became gentle and loving. "Are you Gabriella's friend? Gabriella just has such a cold, withdrawn personality, so strange. She doesn't have many friends. If you're going to hang out with her, you should be careful."

"I think you're the one who should be careful. You like controlling men so much - do you have some kind of mental problem?"

"...How can you talk like that, child? I'm your elder."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"I can't accept that. Whoever becomes your junior has to go on blind dates with ugly men!"

Sloane dropped the cursing attitude and switched to an icy tone. "Gabriella, if you don't come home tonight, don't bother coming back ever!"

"Who cares about coming back? You can go cry while hugging your husband's portrait!"

Emma hung up right after cursing her out, all in one smooth motion, not giving Gabriella any chance to react.

Handing the phone back to her, Emma apologized. "Sorry about that. I just have a bad temper."

"It's okay. Thank you."

Gabriella had long given up on people like Sloane!

After a moment of silence, Emma asked, "I'm just saying... you should really stay away from someone like that."

"Yes, I know. But Odette was still in school , and I was worried she might do something to hurt Odette."

Gabriella's family was a complete mess.

A cheating father, a mother with mental issues and severe control problems, constant criticism growing up—it all weighed on her like heavy stones.

"I blocked her before and moved out with Odette, but she called the police."

Gabriella smiled helplessly and patted Emma's shoulder.

"Don't worry, I have ways to handle it. Worst case, I'll just go abroad and never come back. No big deal!"

Emma blinked.

"We're not even close anyway, so if I do something that crosses boundaries, you can't really do anything about it, right?"

If she told Charles about what just happened and asked for some business deals in return, that wouldn't be too much, right?

After all, this was the Windsor Villa—the Windsor family should know about anything that happens here.

Emma thought it was completely reasonable!

Gabriella: "What are you planning to do?"

Emma was about to pretend she hadn't said anything and flip back down when she heard Catherine's cold voice.

"Go back to your own room. Now!"

"Ms. Windsor has a man in her room and she's being so heartless to me!"

Catherine rubbed her forehead helplessly. Meeting Alexander's amused gaze, she wanted to slap Emma...

"This Emma is quite interesting. I heard last month she sent all of the Kate family's casino licenses to the government. Looks like she's trying to make some of their operations semi-legal."

The Kate family had built their fortune on the gambling industry early on.

If she really touched the casinos, she'd be affecting so many people's interests!

You could imagine the Kate family was probably in complete chaos because of Emma right now!

Catherine raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"I missed you, so i came to see you."

"We could video call."

Alexander pulled out his phone and waved it. "I called you many times and you didn't answer. I was worried something happened to you. I saw your window light was on, so I came up to check."

The way he put it made it seem like Catherine was in the wrong.

"...Sorry, I didn't check my phone."

Alexander gently wrapped his arm around Catherine's waist and leaned against her. "Then be good and let me hold you for a bit. I'll leave in a moment."

Catherine looked down at Alexander. He never seemed to hide his attachment to her.

This honest and unwavering devotion made the corners of Catherine's mouth lift slightly, and she didn't push him away!

As night deepened, Emma came out of Charles's study, successfully taking several contracts with her.

As soon as she came out, she ran into Philip, who was passing by with a glass of water.

Philip covered his mouth, his hands trembling!

"Why are you coming out of Charles's study? A violent woman like you - Charles would never like you!"

Emma looked completely baffled.

She had just come to discuss business with Charles—a proper exchange between businesspeople—and had given him some terms in return. That's all.

"Mr. Windsor, in your mind, when a woman comes out of a man's study, is there only one thing it could mean? You're really an idiot!"

Philip was confused at being cursed at out of nowhere.

Emma waved the contracts in her hand and rolled her eyes.

"Mr. Windsor, I'm a businessperson, not a fool whose head is full of messy thoughts like yours."

Philip paused. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way."

"I don't care what you meant! Bad man!"

Emma walked away proudly, stepping right on Philip's bare foot as she left in a huff.

Hopping around and holding his foot, Philip's face flushed with embarrassment.

He didn't know what was wrong with him.

He knew Emma wasn't that kind of person, but seeing her walk out of Charles's study, he just felt... uncomfortable?