Chapter 67 Audrey's Scheme
The banquet was about to begin.
Samuel was still chatting with Liam.
Grayson and Emma trailed behind them.
Samuel led the group to the main table and seated them.
Celeste, seated nearby, watched Emma with astonishment.
Grayson was famously taciturn.
Rumor had it that he had two students, both top figures in the fashion world.
Celeste clutched the hem of her shirt tightly.
“I don’t drink. Maybe I should move somewhere else…” Emma said softly, nudging Liam’s arm.
Liam took her hand and placed it on his lap.
“Seating is arranged by status. Wherever I sit, you sit. Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.
She pursed her lips and stayed beside him obediently.
A young lady sat down beside her.
Charles was seated directly across from her.
Uneasy, Emma barely touched her food.
Liam ladled a bowl of soup for her.
“Eat something first. I’ll make you pasta when we get home,” he said softly.
She didn’t respond.
“Don’t want it? Then I’ll make you happy tonight?” He smiled and squeezed her hand.
Emma twisted his thigh sharply.
He leaned in close and whispered,
“Don’t rush. We’ll talk about it when we get home.”
Her face burned fiercely.
Is he out of his mind?
While the others were still drinking, Emma finished her meal and left the table.
The woman beside her left as well.
The two of them headed to the lounge area for coffee.
——
In the cafe
Lawrence was sipping his coffee while smoking, a cigarette dangling between his fingers.
He had prepared two cups and slid them toward the two women.
“Dawn, come here,” he said lightly.
“Are you Minister Lawrence’s sister?” Emma asked, gazing at Dawn.
“Yes, Ms. Carter. You spotted it so quickly. No wonder you’re Grayson’s student,” Dawn Bryant said with a gentle smile.
“Since when did Grayson’s standards sink this low?” Lawrence snorted.
“Lawrence, you have such a foul mouth,” Dawn scolded.
Emma shrugged, clearly unfazed.
After chatting for a while, she headed to the restroom.
Emerging, she sent Liam a message:
[Don’t drink too much. I’m exploring the estate.]
Liam replied:
[Got it, honey.]
Emma smiled and wandered until she stopped beneath a tall crabapple tree.
Suddenly, raised voices drifted from nearby.
Through the wall, two young women were confronting each other.
Emma opened her phone’s voice recorder.
“So what? I came anyway.”
“Don’t show your face here again!” one shouted. “You know exactly how you got in here. If the Bryants find out, see if you still dare act so brazenly!”
“Isn’t it better that they know? The child in my womb is a Bryant. What can you do to me? Go ask Dominic Bryant—see if he’d dare kick me out!” the other sneered.
“I’ve never seen a mistress so brazen! Is this child truly Bryant’s?” Priya demanded.
“Priya Sharma, so what if it isn’t? Does Dominic believe you? He doesn’t love you—you’re just a family alliance. He loves me. Why else would he bring me here?”
Samuel’s second grandson, Dominic, had married Priya Sharma of the Sharma Group in a marriage of convenience.
He fell in love with Audrey Pierce, and now she was pregnant. This child might not even be his.
“Ouch! You actually pushed me?” Audrey’s voice rang out.
Priya scrambled backward in panic.
“You bitch! You’ve been waiting for today, haven’t you? Waiting for Samuel and the others to come see so they’d be forced to acknowledge you?”
“Hmph! I didn’t push you! You’ll pay for this!”
“Ah! My baby! Priya! Don’t you dare leave! How dare you push me! If anything happens to my child, I’ll never let you off the hook!” Audrey screamed, drawing a crowd of onlookers.
Priya stumbled in her haste and fell beside a flower bed.
Emma stood by the wall.
Her gaze met Priya’s.
She walked over and helped her up.
Someone approached.
She turned her head and saw Liam standing beside her.
“Why are you here?” Emma asked.
“I was afraid someone would take you away,” he whispered.
“I didn’t push her! She did it on purpose!” Priya said hurriedly.
Audrey lay on the ground, feigning distress.
“Scoundrel! You’re just jealous of me!” she shouted, pointing at Priya.
Emma quickly explained the situation to Liam.
He merely nodded.
Just then, the crowd parted.
Samuel and Dominic stepped forward.
Everyone fell silent.
Dominic hurriedly helped Audrey to her feet.
“Are you all right?” he asked, concerned.
“Priya… she…” Audrey murmured, feigning grievance.
His icy gaze shot toward Priya.
Priya stiffened.
“Dominic,” Liam spoke up.
All eyes turned to him, and murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Who is this man?
His gaze silenced the entire room.
Samuel, who had been about to explode, instantly fell silent.
“The doctor is waiting in the next room, Dominic,” Liam continued.
“Leave now,” Samuel urged, kicking Dominic in the rear.
Dominic hurried off with Audrey.
Audrey was furious.
Is it over already?
She continued her fake wails.
The crowd’s attention shifted back to her.
Emma waved her phone at Audrey, smirking.
Audrey turned pale and clutched Dominic’s clothes tighter.
“Lawrence, clean this up properly,” Liam said.
He walked over to Samuel, slung an arm around his shoulder, and they left together.
Emma looked at the shaken Priya and reassured her,
“I have the recording. You can make a scene later.”
“Huh?” Priya was stunned.
“Let’s go.” Emma patted her shoulder.
Priya glanced at Emma’s phone, then smiled.
“Good! I’m going to take her down today! Once I deal with that bitch, I’m divorcing that scoundrel immediately!” she declared.
They exchanged contact information, and Emma sent her the recording.
“Thank you very much!” Priya said before heading toward the doctor’s office.
Emma’s phone buzzed.
It was Eleanor calling.
She picked up and walked toward the lakeside.
“Mom,” she said.