Chapter 31 Seek Grandpa for Help
As Harper approached, Wesley noticed the redness around her eyes.
His smile gradually faded as he closed the book in his hands, his expression turning serious.
"Harper, why are you here so late?"
Harper took Wesley's book and set it aside, seemingly casual but deliberately exposing her red-rimmed eyes to his gaze.
Wesley, having read countless people in his life, naturally saw through this young woman's little tactic.
"It's nothing," Harper tried to suppress it, but the quiver in her voice betrayed her, "I just realized I haven't visited Grandpa in a while, so I thought I'd come see you."
Wesley frowned, wondering how to get to the truth. Harper now worked at Stuart Group, and driving from downtown to the Getty Villa would take at least three hours, meaning she must have rushed here straight after work.
Could his good-for-nothing grandson Rupert have done something stupid again?
As Wesley pondered this, Harper's phone rang.
She glanced hesitantly at Wesley, and only after receiving his nod did she answer the call.
Bianca's voice came through the speaker. Harper had deliberately set the volume loud enough for others to hear without using speakerphone. Wesley wasn't old enough to have hearing problems, so he caught every word Bianca said.
"Harper! Have you seen what's trending?"
Bianca was furious, her voice filled with uncontrollable anger and sympathy.
"Rupert, that bastard! How dare he?"
Bianca's voice was loud. Harper discreetly glanced at Wesley, noticing his furrowed brow, and a flicker of satisfaction crossed her eyes.
She pretended to be distressed, "Lower your voice, I'm fine."
Bianca was so angry that she wanted to shake some sense into Harper. Her fury was palpable even through the phone.
"Fine? The entire internet is watching videos of Rupert and Irene having sex! You're being completely humiliated!"
"Don't do anything rash. This is my problem, I'll handle it," Harper's tone suggested she was trying hard to maintain composure. "I don't want to make a big deal out of this."
"Those traitors! They couldn't even cover their tracks when cheating!"
Bianca added sympathetically, "I feel so bad for you. You're better than that slut Irene in every way. Why should you have to endure this?"
Harper sniffled, her voice taking on a trembling quality, "Please stop. I don't want my family to worry, especially Grandpa."
At this, Bianca fell silent. Though Rupert was not a good person, Wesley adored Harper.
Seeing that Bianca had nothing more to say, Harper continued with a shaky voice, "I have to go now. Don't do anything rash, okay?"
As soon as Harper hung up, Wesley slammed his fist on the table.
"This is outrageous! That scoundrel!"
Wesley was furious. Harper quickly forced a smile that looked worse than crying. "Grandpa, it's nothing. My friend was just joking."
But her red eyes, coupled with her pale face, weren't convincing at all.
Wesley immediately understood why Harper had come to him so late. She had been wronged and had nowhere else to go but to him for justice!
Wesley's face darkened to the point it could drip water.
"Your phone."
Harper bit her lip, on the verge of tears. "Grandpa, really, it's nothing..."
"Give it to me!"
Wesley was livid. Harper, left with no choice, handed him her phone.
He took it, swiped twice, and found the news trending at number one.
He clicked on it. The high-definition video and images, along with that unmistakable Porsche license plate, hit him like a slap across the face.
Bianca hadn't lied. Harper had indeed been deeply wronged.
And Wesley's reputation! Rupert had dragged it through the mud!
His chest heaved violently, and the veins on his hand bulged as he gripped the phone.
"Butler!" Wesley roared.
The butler who had been standing nearby hurried in. "Wesley, anger is bad for your health!"
"Besides, Mr. Rupert Getty is still attending an evening event. Calling him back now would only embarrass him."
The butler's attempt at dissuasion only angered Wesley further. His eyes blazed with fury. "After doing something so shameless, he still has a face to save?"
Harper tried to calm Wesley down. "Grandpa, you're getting on in years. Don't get angry. It's not worth it."
Wesley's anger became less outwardly apparent after Harper's words, but he felt even more apologetic toward her. Harper was such a good person!
When Rupert stepped through the doors of the Getty Villa, he hadn't yet seen the public outcry exploding on his phone.
He had just attended a business gala with Irene and was unexpectedly summoned by Wesley. He thought perhaps Wesley had discovered some other inappropriate thing he'd done.
His heart raced with anxiety.
Rupert instinctively surveyed the living room, noticing the terrifying silence.
Wesley sat firmly in the main chair, his face dark, holding a leather belt in his hand.
When Rupert saw that belt, his pupils involuntarily contracted.
Then he noticed Harper sitting in the chair beside Wesley, her eyes downcast, revealing no emotion.
Rupert's heart sank. His first suspicion was that Harper had come to tattle on him.
"Grandpa." Rupert approached, planning to deflect blame.
"This isn't my fault at all. I invited Harper to the gala today."
Rupert's expression was full of grievance and dissatisfaction. "But she cursed at me and hung up. I had no choice but to take Irene instead."
Harper almost laughed out loud, the schadenfreude in her eyes undisguised.
What an idiot, confessing without being accused.
Wesley slowly raised his eyelids. He was so angry that he seemed emotionless now.
"Kneel!" His icy command carried the weight of a thousand pounds, crashing against Rupert's eardrums.
Rupert froze, unable to believe his ears.
"Why?"
"This is all Harper's fault! Why should I kneel?"
Wesley didn't speak again. He simply brought the belt down hard against the table.
The crisp sound seemed to lash at Rupert's heart.
He clenched his jaw and, under Wesley's piercing gaze, his knees gave way as he knelt humiliated on the cold, hard marble floor.
"Do you remember what you promised me when you married Harper?" Wesley's eyes were filled with disappointment.
With the scandal so public, Rupert was still fixating on who he took to the gala!