Chapter 281 Grand Finale (1)

Chapter 281 Grand Finale (1)

Soon enough, a disheveled Greg was hauled away.

Ciaran seized the opportunity and slipped away in the chaos, trying to make himself inconspicuous.

Sebastian's executive assistant had been waiting outside. When he spotted Ciaran attempting to blend into the crowd and leave, he lunged forward, intent on stopping him.

But Elena called him off, shaking her head to signal he should let it go.

"The Crawley family's basically finished anyway. He won't be able to act high and mighty much longer."

"So there's no point worrying about him."

Hearing Elena's words, the assistant glanced at Sebastian. Seeing his boss's expression hadn't changed, he stood down and resumed his position as a silent sentinel.

Watching Ciaran's retreating figure disappear into the distance, Elena narrowed her eyes slightly before turning to leave as well.

……

What Elena hadn't expected was that instead of hearing news of the Crawley family's bankruptcy, the next day she encountered Jasmine lunging at her downstairs from her studio.

At that moment, Jasmine bore no resemblance to her former radiant self. She looked utterly haggard, her eyes bloodshot.

The instant she spotted Elena, she erupted.

"Elena, why would you do this to the Crawley family?! Why?!"

"Do you have any idea? The Crawley family is finished now!"

"You're thrilled, aren't you? Happy you can be with Sebastian now?"

"You bitch! You goddamn bitch!"

As Jasmine screamed, she lunged forward, her long nails aimed straight at Elena's face.

Elena didn't react in time. Jasmine's nails raked across her skin, leaving two long, bleeding scratches. Blood welled up instantly, staining her cheeks crimson.

After landing the first blow, Jasmine didn't stop. She came at Elena's face again, teeth bared in fury.

Just then, a large hand shot out from behind Elena and seized Jasmine by the hair.

Jasmine shrieked, trying to fight back.

But Roman gave her no chance. With one sharp yank, he threw her to the ground.

The next moment, several suited bodyguards rushed forward, wrenching Jasmine's arms behind her back and pinning her face-down on the pavement.

Watching Jasmine continue to thrash and scream, Roman looked thoroughly disgusted. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and meticulously wiped his hands.

"Sebastian's completely useless. Can't even handle one woman."

"Call the police. Deal with her however they see fit."

The bodyguards nodded and immediately began contacting the authorities.

Having dealt with that problem, Roman turned back, intending to speak with Elena. That's when he noticed the wounds on her face, and his brow furrowed.

"Your face…"

Elena came to her senses and stepped aside, avoiding his reach. She dabbed at the scratches with a tissue.

"It's nothing. Just surface wounds."

Hearing this, Roman's expression darkened further. He glanced at Jasmine, who looked like a crazed woman, his features twisted with revulsion.

But then, after pressing his lips together, he spoke tentatively.

"You should still get some iodine to disinfect it. You don't want it getting infected."

Elena was about to refuse, but the man gave her no opportunity. He grabbed her wrist and headed toward a nearby pharmacy.

Elena couldn't fight him off, so she had no choice but to let him lead the way.

By the time they returned to the studio, Jasmine had already been loaded into a police car.

Watching her retreating figure, Elena seemed to think of something. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through it.

Sure enough, reports about the Crawley family had started appearing, and the comments below had turned into a barrage of condemnation.

Seeing this, Elena let out a cold laugh. "Looks like Jasmine's blaming me for the Crawley family's downfall. No wonder she came here."

Roman, hearing this, darkened slightly. "So what are you planning to do? What if Jasmine tries to retaliate somehow…"

"It doesn't matter."

Elena put away her phone, lifting her chin slightly. Her eyes held nothing but cold indifference. "I'll find a way to deal with her."

Hearing this answer, Roman was clearly dissatisfied.

His eyes flickered, and he said in a low voice, "But I can't help worrying about you."

"The Chase family may be considered a major family in this city, but at the end of the day, they don't have enough power. There's a real chance that…"

"Not necessary."

Elena saw right through his intentions and rejected him without hesitation, her expression cool as she replied, "I can protect myself. Right now, I don't need Mr. Quinn's help."

Seeing Elena refuse so decisively, Roman's heart sank further.

But he wasn't willing to give up!

So, gritting his teeth, he asked the question that had been gnawing at him.

"You don't want to be with me… is it because of Sebastian?"

"No. It has nothing to do with him."

Elena shook her head, her expression unchanged. "I have my own plans."

"But I do appreciate what you did today, Mr. Quinn. I'll send a good project your way when one comes up."

Having said her piece, Elena didn't linger. She walked straight into the studio.

Watching her leave, Roman took a deep breath, as if steeling his resolve, and murmured to himself, "I won't give up."

That evening, Elena returned to the Chase family home.

Perhaps because everything had been successfully resolved, the moment she stepped inside, she could feel the relaxed atmosphere.

Violet was busy in the kitchen, Aaron was helping out, and Nolan sat on the couch watching TV.

When Elena pushed open the door, Aaron happened to be carrying a dish out from the kitchen.

Seeing her return, he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, well, you're back. Wash your hands and come eat."

"I've got to say, Mom really dotes on you. Basically everything she made is your favorite."

Hearing Aaron's sour tone, Elena gave him a flat look before heading upstairs with her purse.

By the time she'd changed into loungewear and came back down, the family was already seated at the table.

Violet saw her and waved her over.

"Elena, come here."

Elena approached and noticed a bottle of red wine on the table. She looked surprised.

"Isn't this the Lafite Dad's been saving for years? Why'd you bring it out?"

Hearing her question, Violet smiled faintly and stood to fetch the corkscrew.

"Your father said that now that everything's been resolved, we should celebrate properly."

The deep purple wine poured out slowly, filling the air with a rich, aromatic fragrance.

After pouring a glass for everyone, Violet raised hers.

"Now that the dust has settled and everyone who schemed against us in the shadows is behind bars, we can finally breathe easy."

Hearing Violet's words, Elena suddenly remembered what Roman had said earlier that day. Her expression shifted slightly, but she quickly masked it.

After all, some things were better left unsaid. She believed she could handle it on her own.