Chapter 186 Counterattack
Esme covered her face in shame and anger, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Ms. Hughes, how could you hit me? I really didn't mean to cause trouble between you two!"
"I don't believe you!"
Emilia rubbed her wrist and slapped Esme again!
"Come on, tell her how she should be talking to me."
A servant from the Hughes family stepped forward and said loudly, "Being hit by Ms. Hughes is a blessing. You should thank Ms. Hughes for being willing to hit you."
Esme's face burned with pain. She looked at Catherine, who had remained silent the entire time.
Catherine's expression was calm. In that moment, Esme felt like a clown in front of her!
"Catherine, we used to be family. Please ask Ms. Hughes to let me go."
Esme stared hard at Catherine, having made up her mind.
In front of so many people, Catherine would definitely act generous to make a good impression on others. She would surely speak up for her.
Catherine said flatly, "Did you forget what I told you last time at the gallery?"
At the mention of what happened at the gallery, Esme felt her face still aching!
Last time at the gallery, Catherine had slapped her in public!
"Ms. Windsor, please ask Ms. Hughes to let me go. I won't dare do it again. Please save me."
Catherine was deliberately humiliating her!
Catherine must be jealous now that she had become part of the Hughes family. It must be that!
Catherine looked away and said flatly, "No."
Esme was furious inside.
Catherine actually dared to refuse her. Wasn't she afraid others would think she was ill-mannered and heartless?
Catherine didn't take Esme seriously at all.
Esme's tricks were really too cheap.
She just wanted to stir up conflict between her and Emilia so she could benefit from it.
"What's going on here?"
A stern voice came from nearby. Michael was pushing an elderly man in a wheelchair, slowly approaching.
The old man in the wheelchair looked aged, wearing a suit with an imposing presence!
Esme's eyes lit up. Now that Anthony was here, she could complain to him!
Alexander seemed to know what would happen. He put his arm around Catherine's waist and stepped back.
He said in a low voice, "There's going to be a show. If you want to be friends with Emilia, you should know what kind of person she is."
Catherine hadn't been in contact with Imperia City's wealthy circles before, so she really didn't know what this domineering Emilia was like.
This was also the first time she'd met someone so arrogant yet straightforward. Emilia's personality was bold, but Catherine didn't dislike it!
Esme ran toward Anthony, but as she passed Emilia, Emilia stuck out her foot and tripped her, sending her sprawling to the ground.
Emilia covered her mouth, blinking innocently. "Esme, how could you bully me? You even wanted to hit me! Whatever, I don't blame you. You just have no manners. After all, your dad is just an adopted son, so he couldn't teach you the Hughes family ways."
Emilia pinched her own waist hard, wincing from the pain, and tears immediately welled up.
Esme lay on the ground, cursing Emilia over and over in her mind.
When did she bully her? She was clearly the one being bullied by Emilia just now!
"Grandpa, that's not true!"
Emilia turned and grabbed Catherine, tears in her eyes, "Catherine can testify for me. Grandpa, Esme doesn't know any better. I don't blame her. She's brainless. I just want what's best for the Hughes family. I can forgive her!"
Anthony looked at Catherine.
Catherine nodded at him as a greeting, "Emilia is innocent."
Emilia squeezed the corner of her eye at her, then turned and secretly stepped on Esme's foot. The stiletto heel pressed down, and Esme immediately cried out in pain!
Emilia said with disgust, "Esme, you're really so rude. It makes me sad to see. How can you shout and scream at an occasion like this? Whatever, you're ugly and want to attract attention this way. That's normal. I understand!"
Esme cursed inwardly.
Was Emilia sick or something!
Catherine's lips curved into a smile, and her understanding of Emilia deepened.
This Emilia from the Hughes family was indeed hard to dislike!
After Emilia's performance, Anthony relaxed his brow and beckoned to her.
"Emilia is still sensible. I didn't spoil you for nothing. As for Esme... forget it, go rest. Don't come out unless necessary."
The implication was that he found Esme embarrassing!
Esme didn't dare resist. Her eyes filled with tears, feeling extremely wronged, "Yes."
She was helped up by servants and limped back to her room, but her eyes were full of resentment!
Emilia whistled cheerfully at her retreating figure and flirtatiously tossed her hair.
And she wanted to compete with her? Too boring.
Michael's gaze fell on Catherine, full of amazement!
"Ms. Windsor, I'm so glad you could come today."
Catherine looked at Michael and said flatly, "Michael got out so quickly?"
Michael's mouth twitched as he gritted his teeth to explain, "You may have some misunderstanding about me! I wasn't the one who messed with your gallery before. I was framed!"
"You confronting me in front of the media was also being framed? Do you have delusions? Or are you possessed by a ghost?"
By the end, Catherine looked at Michael with disgust and even stepped back, as if Michael were something dirty.
Alexander's hand steadily caught Catherine, frowning, "If the Hughes family is this ill-mannered, my fiancée and I will leave now! From now on, the Howard family won't participate in any Hughes family business!"
Michael's face looked terrible!
What did they mean? What did they mean the Howard family wouldn't participate in Hughes family business?
Did Alexander remember that last month he had taken all of the Hughes family's business in Imperia City?
All of it!
Many of Michael's businesses had been taken by Alexander, even though many of those orders weren't needed by the Howard Group at all, causing the Hughes family to lose a huge amount of money last month.
Holding this stone gambling event was also to win back those lost clients.
Once he became the head of the Hughes family one day, let's see if they'd still dare look at him like that!
Seeing Alexander really about to leave with Catherine, Anthony spoke up.
"Mr. Howard, I apologize on Michael's behalf to you and Ms. Windsor. For my sake, please do us the honor!"
Alexander looked down at Catherine in his arms and asked softly, "Want to stay?"
Anthony understood, "Ms. Windsor, I'm truly sorry. Considering the Hughes family and the Windsor family are also close friends, please don't be angry."
Catherine laughed lightly, "Since Mr. Hughes has said so, I'll stay and have a look. But if the Hughes family lets an illegitimate son run things, it's your face that's being lost."
Alexander smirked coldly, "Mr. Hughes, things that upset my fiancée's stomach make her angry. Please understand!"
Emilia yawned, "Catherine has an upset stomach? The stomach is an emotional organ. Being unhappy really is uncomfortable! Grandpa, today we should put our guests first!"