Olivia immediately froze still when hearing Justin scold her. She looked at Rebecca pleadingly.
Rebecca also wanted to plead for Olivia, but when she found out how angry Justin was and how cold Lucas' face was, she didn't dare to say anything. After all, she was never important in the family.
"Dwayne, take Olivia back to her room. From today onwards, she's not allowed to leave the house!" Justin slammed the coffee cup heavily on the table.
He continued, "Also, cancel Olivia's annual dividend."
"Grandpa!" Olivia was just about to heave a sigh of relief when she knew that she would only be grounded, but she could not help but plead when she knew that her annual dividend was canceled.
Without the annual dividend, she only had 20 thousand dollars of monthly pocket money.
For ordinary people, this could be considered a large amount of money, but for socialites who often needed to go to social places, the money was too little.
This meant that Olivia could no longer buy those luxury goods and dresses. Imagine it! She would appear at the dinner parties in out-of-season dresses.
Olivia could not imagine what the others would say about her behind her back.
"She shouldn't be forgiven with such a small punishment," Lucas said calmly.
"Shit! What else does Jessica want? She's just a young girl. Do I need to give up on the reputation of the whole family only to apologize to her?" Justin slammed the table in anger and Olivia trembled in fear.
"What if she stands for the entire Hall family?" Lucas' words made Justin speechless.
Only then did Justin realize that Jessica was no longer the same as before. She was no longer Mrs. Thomas that they could bully, but the daughter of the richest man in New York.
The Thomas family might be able to contend against the Hall family, but the result would definitely be both sides suffering.
Thinking of this, Justin suddenly felt very tired. He leaned back in his chair and said in a weak voice, "Then what do you think we should do?"
"Send the clarification in the name of the Thomas family." Lucas' eyes darkened.
"No, I won't allow it. That is my bottom line." Justin coughed twice, shook his head, and said, "Alright, all of you can go back to your room. I'll get this settled."
He already had a plan in his heart, which could satisfy both Jessica's request and preserve the reputation of the Thomas family.
Hearing Justin's words, Olivia prepared to go upstairs to her room, dejected.
Lucas, however, grabbed her arm.
Olivia looked up at Lucas' increasingly cold golden eyes. She suddenly felt a sense of lingering fear.
"Lucas, I really have already apologized to Jessica." Olivia cried.
"Olivia, do you think being grounded is a big enough punishment for what you have done?" Lucas looked at Olivia with anger in his deep eyes, his voice devoid of any warmth.
"Do you know how much money the Thomas Group will lose after the clarification announcement?"
Olivia felt an invisible yet powerful pressure pressing down on her.
She subconsciously took a step back. As the youngest daughter of the Thomas family, her arrogance was always tolerated by her family. But this time, she found that Lucas really did not intend to tolerate her anymore.
Lucas glanced at Dwayne expressionlessly. He nodded to Dwayne and said, "Take Olivia to Black House."
"Lucas!" Rebecca couldn't help but cry out.
Olivia was sobbing in the first place. When she heard what Lucas said, she was so scared that she forgot to breathe.
Black House was a basement in the Thomas villa. This room was made with the highest level of soundproofing. There were only walls and floors in the entire room. There wasn't even a cushion in the room, not to mention a bed.
There was not even a light in the entire room, only a fist-sized hole in the roof for ventilation.
Being locked inside Black House was like being deprived of hearing and sight, not even knowing how time passed.
This was the most severe punishment for members of the Thomas family.
Back then, Lucas' father, Louis Thomas, delayed the business of the company because of his mistress' birthday. He caused the company to suffer a great loss. At that time, Louis was grounded in Black House for five days.
Olivia was still young at that time. She only remembered that when Louis came out, he seemed to be ten years older.
That feeling of fear was fresh in Olivia's memory.
Before today, she never thought what she had done was a big deal, and she regretted it for the first time for provoking Jessica.
But it was already too late.