Chapter 789 Don’t Cry “Stop Thief!” Like a Thief!

Chapter 789 Don’t Cry “Stop Thief!” Like a Thief!

Eric hadn't managed to stop them — Edward had taken the still-unconscious Molly straight back to Half Moon Bay.

Something this serious had set the whole city buzzing.

Grandfather's first instinct wasn't to blame Molly for embarrassing the Wellington Group. All he wanted was to get his granddaughter by his side as fast as possible — to love her, protect her, and shield her from every rumor and whisper flying around out there.

The shock had been so severe that Molly had been sedated again.

"Molly…" Byron's voice was thick with guilt. "It's Grandfather who failed you. I couldn't keep you safe."

"Grandfather, please don't worry." Evelyn's eyes were red and wet. "Molly has more than just you looking out for her — she has me and Edward too. We will get to the bottom of this."

She clenched her hands tight. "Everyone who had a hand in this, everyone who hurt Molly — I will make them pay dearly for it."

Evelyn always meant what she said. Whatever she promised, she made happen.

"It was those bastards from the Clark family." Byron's mind was sharp despite his age and frailty, his back teeth grinding hard. "The Clark Group — how dare they come after my granddaughter… Lily, don't you lift a finger. I'll deal with this trash myself."

Evelyn's heart clenched. She was worried about Molly, and just as worried that Byron's rage would take a toll on his health.

Tyler knocked and stepped in quickly, his face full of concern. "Mr. Wellington, you have a call."

"I'm with my granddaughter. I'm not taking calls from anyone."

"It's… Maurice."

Byron's eyes were shot through with red. He snatched the phone and pressed it to his ear. "After everything that's happened, what could you possibly have to say for yourself?"

Maurice's tone was surprisingly casual. "Mr. Wellington, what a terrible thing to have happened. Whoever leaked that video — truly despicable."

"Maurice, drop the act." Byron's eyes burned red with fury, the veins on his hand bulging as he gripped the armrest of his wheelchair. "That video came from inside the Clark Group. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if you were the one who gave the order."

"You—!" Maurice nearly choked on his own breath, breaking into a fit of violent coughing.

"I know exactly what you're playing at. Your eyes are going, and your judgment with them — you never thought my precious girl was good enough. But my Molly doesn't need to marry into the Clark family. If your grandson hadn't been pestering her like a dog that won't let go, I wouldn't have given him a second glance. You selfish, cold-blooded, shameless old animal — instead of making peace with yourself before you die, you go and scheme against a twenty-year-old girl. Have you no decency? You're nothing but a beast in a suit. Disgusting."

Byron unleashed everything, not giving Maurice a single chance to get a word in.

Evelyn stood listening, and it felt deeply satisfying.

But it still wasn't nearly enough.

Maurice steadied his breathing and finally dropped all pretense, letting the mask slip completely. "Ha… I called out of courtesy, given our grandchildren's relationship, and this is how you treat me? Since you think so little of Eric, and your granddaughter is in that pitiful state — out of her mind, barely conscious — she's hardly fit to be the lady of the Clark household anyway. This engagement is finished. Instead of picking a fight with me, you'd be better off taking your granddaughter to see a psychiatrist."

"You—!"

Maurice hung up immediately.

Byron's face flushed a deep, furious red.

"Grandfather, Maurice only called to bait you into calling off the engagement yourself — so it would look like it came from our side. He was just fishing for the words he wanted. Don't let him get to you. Let him have his little moment. The day the Clark family goes bankrupt and weeps will come soon enough." Evelyn's eyes were ice-cold.

"I don't need that old bastard to say a word… I would never let Molly marry into that cold, wretched place anyway." Byron turned to Tyler, his voice hard with fury. "Tyler — issue the full boycott order. Effective immediately, the Wellington Group cuts all business ties with the Clark Group. Any supplier or partner working with us — if I find out they've so much as breathed in the Clark Group's direction, the Wellington Group will blacklist them permanently and terminate every agreement. I want to see who still thinks they can read the room wrong and back the wrong side."

Tyler gave a firm nod. "Yes, Mr. Wellington. I'll notify PR and Legal right away."

"Grandfather." Edward's brow was drawn tight, his tall frame carrying a quiet chill as he moved to Evelyn's side. "Eric is here. He's outside. He wants to see you — and Molly."

"Tell him to get out." Byron waved his hand.

They exchanged a helpless look.

They knew Grandfather didn't truly hate Eric. But the fact remained that Eric had failed to protect Molly — and the fact remained that he was Maurice's chosen heir. To say there was no resentment at all would be a lie.

"If he doesn't see you and Molly," Edward said quietly, "I don't think he'll leave."

Byron kept his gaze on his granddaughter and said nothing more.

His answer was clear enough.

……

Out in the grounds of the estate.

The temperature had dropped sharply that night. Cold rain mixed with biting sleet fell in scattered drifts, and the whole estate was heavy with a dark, suffocating stillness.

Eric stood alone in the rain and sleet, his tall figure unmoving, his face drained to a pale white.

Glenn had been sent to manage the fallout in the press. Ellen had insisted on coming with Eric after getting her wounds quickly treated — there was no talking her out of it. Even if she couldn't see her mistress tonight, just being close enough to keep watch from a distance was enough for her.

They waited in silence for a long time. By the time Eric's whole body had gone stiff and numb from the cold, two tall figures appeared through the dark, walking toward them under an umbrella.

"Sir, it's Mr. Wellington and Ms. Taylor…" Ellen said from behind him, her voice strained, her lips already turning purple from the cold.

Edward held a black umbrella, his expression grave — nearly two-thirds of it angled over Evelyn, leaving most of his own body exposed to the wind and sleet.

"Ellen, I heard you were hurt — how are you holding up?" Evelyn ignored Eric completely, her concerned gaze moving past him and landing on Ellen's ashen face. "I'll clean and dress the wound myself in a bit."

"I'm fine, thank you, Ms. Taylor…" Ellen's voice broke. Because of her failure, her mistress had been put through something devastating. She didn't deserve this kindness — she deserved far worse.

"Don't say that. It's nothing. Come inside with me in a little while — you'll stay here tonight." Evelyn's voice was gentle, without a trace of blame.

Ellen's eyes widened. "Ms. Taylor…"

"We've pieced it together — Molly must have seen you being attacked, and that's what pushed her over the edge." Edward drew Evelyn close with one arm around her waist, his voice low and steady. "When Molly wakes up and sees you're safe, it should help calm her down. You want to be there with her too, don't you?"

"Thank you… thank you, Mr. Wellington. Thank you, Ms. Taylor." Ellen bowed deeply. Tears slid silently down her frozen cheeks and turned cold the moment they fell.

William came over and, at Evelyn's instruction, guided Ellen toward the house.

"Sir…" Ellen desperately wanted to see her mistress, but she couldn't bring herself to leave her employer standing alone in the cold. Her eyes darted between them, torn.

"Go. Being with her is what matters." Eric's voice came out barely above a rasp.

Ellen left with William.

The moment they were gone, Evelyn pulled free from Edward's side — not even stopping to think about the rain — and in two quick steps she was right in front of Eric. Her red-rimmed eyes flew open wide with fury, and she grabbed his already-soaked lapels with both hands and wrenched them tight.