Chapter 156 Crazy Candy
Holden was stunned. "Nina, that's not what you said back then..."
When he first brought Candy home, Nina had actively linked arms with Candy, not only calling her "second sister-in-law" but constantly asking when they would get married. She even complained to Candy that Anne was dull and boring at home, saying that aside from her pretty face, everything else about her was a complete mess.
But now, Nina was actually saying she had looked down on Candy from the start!
Faced with Holden's confusion, Nina turned her face away uncomfortably. When Holden first brought Candy back, she had heard that the two had outstanding military achievements. Especially Candy—she was the first female Knight Commander of the Soth Empire. The old lady had specifically told her about the benefits of Candy marrying into the family, so of course she would flatter her.
But now? Not only was Candy's face ruined, her reputation was destroyed too. Without family background or military merit, and unable to go to the battlefield anymore, she had dragged down the Titan family's reputation. Nina had no intention of saying nice things against her will anymore.
"Second brother, people say different things at different times. Do I really need to explain this to you?"
Nina stared at Holden with some embarrassment and anger. "Before, it wasn't just me—everyone in the family praised her, hoping you two would earn merit together and gain more support for the Titan family. We even drove Anne away for this, and she was a duke's daughter—a family background we wouldn't even dare dream of normally!"
"And what happened? Not only did Candy fail to help, but starting from your wedding, she's been making a fool of herself. Then she went to the eastern battlefield and got captured by another army, locked up and used as a camp whore until she was completely ruined. She even caused all your military merit to be stripped away. Why are you still speaking up for this filthy woman!"
"Just thinking about her still staying at Titan Manor makes me sick!"
Almost instantly, someone rushed over from the stairway and delivered a hard slap right across Nina's furious face. The force was so strong that Nina fell directly to the ground, her cheek immediately swelling with a large handprint.
Nina felt her head buzzing, then noticed the burning pain on her face. She looked up in confusion, tears welling in her eyes, and saw Candy's face filled with murderous intent.
Candy was plain to begin with, but now deep scars from Zotfort's men covered her face. Untreated, they looked like worms crawling across her skin. Combined with her sinister expression, Nina was too scared to speak.
But Candy wouldn't let her go. She grabbed Nina's hair and yanked her close. "You think I'm disgusting? Then who do you think is noble? You, or Anne?"
Another slap landed on Nina's face.
Nina screamed, "Mother, brother, save me!"
Although Drona was sitting nearby, he had changed so much recently that Nina didn't have the courage to ask for help from her once-closest father. She could only cry and cast pleading looks toward her mother and second brother on the other side.
Holden immediately snapped back to his senses and stepped forward to stop Candy. "That's my sister! What are you going crazy about? Let her go!"
Candy laughed coldly and grabbed Nina's throat instead. "Let go? She used those words to humiliate me—why should I let her off easily? An ill-mannered little bitch who doesn't even remember how she clung to my arm begging me to be her second sister-in-law!"
"Damn it, you fell into a trap and got used by men, and now even my son won't touch you. Instead of reflecting on yourself, you're taking it out on my daughter!" The old lady also reacted, glaring at Candy with eyes that looked like she wanted to tear her apart. "If you're really so great, why don't you go get revenge? Why don't you go argue with the people outside! Is the Titan family a place for you to go crazy?"
"The Titan family is nothing special," Candy laughed loudly. "If it weren't for my love for Holden, with my military achievements from the southern campaign and my former status as Knight Commander, forget your little viscount family—I could have married into an earl's family!"
"And Holden was originally just a Knight Commander. It was only because I devised a plan to force back Zotfort's army and brought Holden in on it that he could seize that opportunity to earn merit and become Commander of the Knight Order. Basically, it was all my achievement. What right do bloodsucking parasites like you, who just sit back and enjoy the benefits, have to criticize me!"
She released Nina and walked toward the old lady, but Holden immediately stepped in front of her. "You want to hit my mother too?"
The old lady acted as if she'd heard the biggest joke. "Nothing special? Have you been hiding here so well these past few days that you haven't heard the news from the royal capital?"
"What news?"
Candy frowned. Her instinct told her this must be related to her.
Sure enough, the old lady sneered. "His Majesty the King has issued a royal decree, stripping the Lance family of their hereditary viscount title. You and your brother are now lowly commoners, while the Titan family, no matter how difficult things are, is still a viscount house!"
Candy couldn't help but step back. "That's impossible!"
"Why is it impossible? It's all over the place outside. Not just your family—all your military merit, His Majesty clearly stated in the royal decree that it's all been erased. Candy, even if Holden becoming Commander of the Dawn Knight Order was partly your achievement, so what?"
"In this eastern battlefield campaign, he had so many opportunities to earn military merit, but because of you, he's now a laughingstock to everyone. No military merit, an unfaithful wife—and you still have the nerve to throw a tantrum in front of me!"
"Nina was right. Having someone like you staying at Titan Manor pollutes the very air. Holden must divorce you, and you must get out and go back to your broken-down Lance family!"
Candy had been too shocked by the news about the Lance family and her military merit to speak, but hearing the old lady's vicious words, her eyes moved stiffly, staring deadly at that face full of disgust.
A crisp slapping sound rang out. Candy pushed past Holden, charged straight at the old lady, and slapped her hard across the face.
The old lady covered her face, looking at Candy in disbelief. "You dare hit me?"
Holden hadn't expected Candy to suddenly lash out and actually strike his mother.
Even though what his mother had just said was indeed hurtful, she was still an elder to him and Candy. For Candy to dare strike out so brazenly—was she already dissatisfied with him? Or maybe last time at Drogo Mountains, when she was involved with all those men...