Chapter 193 Heart Black
Juniper pressed her temples.
"What did you say?"
That idiot Maurice actually said the person trying to harm her was Catherine?
Juniper said sincerely, "Mr. Hughes, are you sure there's nothing wrong with your IQ? If you need, I can recommend a few IQ testing centers for you."
With Maurice's IQ level, Juniper felt there was no need for testing at all—it would be a complete waste of resources.
"What do you mean? I'm telling you the truth out of goodwill, and you think I'm making it all up? Catherine went after you purely out of jealousy for your talent and abilities, so the Windsor family would only have her as a daughter."
"Catherine is jealous that you've had the Windsor family's protection and love since childhood. Don't let her fool you!"
Juniper was silent for a moment, then asked, "Mr. Hughes, do you know Esme? Are you sure you're not related to her? Based on IQ, you're definitely family."
"I understand being stupid, but don't come showing off your fragile brain and pathetic, hole-filled lies in front of me. It's ridiculously dumb."
Juniper hung up and muttered to herself, "What kind of idiots are in the Hughes family? Catherine needs to be jealous of me? What's mine is hers, and what's hers is still hers!"
"I was planning to go shopping with Catherine, but if we go out now, the Hughes family will definitely be up to no good."
Juniper sent the recording she just made to the Windsor family group chat while sighing with regret.
She finally had an unexpected day off to enjoy a happy life at home with Catherine!
Catherine stood up and reached out her hand to Juniper.
"Let's go shopping."
If they couldn't let Juniper have her way because of worrying about what the Hughes family might do, that would be losing the big picture over small concerns. The Hughes family didn't have that much power.
As long as the Hughes family dared to come, she had plenty of ways to make sure they wouldn't have a chance to go back!
"Great! Let me change my clothes!"
Juniper happily went to change. Catherine's phone received several encrypted messages.
[Boss, your man is going after Blade of Dusk. Shadow Syndicate's people have surrounded Blade of Dusk's hideout.]
[Blade of Dusk sent people to follow Oscar and Sophia but haven't found a chance to strike.]
Mercury's message came in after a brief interval, with several photos attached.
[Sophia took Oscar to a Best Actress award ceremony. There are media and cameras everywhere, so Blade of Dusk can't find an opportunity to strike for now.]
In the photos, Sophia had changed into a different outfit, with Oscar beside her dressed as Sophia's assistant. The two sat openly at the venue, with several burly men bearing Blade of Dusk's mark behind them.
Award ceremonies that someone of Sophia's status attended were all live broadcasts, with countless media setting up filming equipment on site. The Hughes family would have to be crazy to make a move at a time like this.
Catherine was silent for a moment. Oscar said he had a way to prevent Blade of Dusk from coming after him without wasting any resources—this was it?
She had to admit it was indeed a good solution.
[Boss, Blade of Dusk's people are on their way to ambush you and Juniper. Does Shadow Syndicate need help? Nightfall seems to be going personally. You're so ruthless—going shopping yourself while letting Mr. Howard charge into battle. Impressive!]
Mercury was in awe. Catherine's heart was really black!
Anyone would say Catherine was a role model.
Catherine's face darkened as she quickly replied.
[Give me the address. Your salary and bonus are docked for two years. Go back to the border to guard, and triple your experiment workload.]
Mercury's screams echoed through Galactic Aurora Collective, lasting for a long time.
"Catherine's heart is too black!"
Laboratory.
George opened the video Juniper sent and listened carefully twice.
He methodically removed his surgical gown and changed into a casual trench coat, his clothes flowing gracefully, dignified and composed.
"Maurice's brain and guts don't match up. This generation of the Hughes family is done for. Might as well take down the whole Hughes family while we're at it."
Charles's message came through.
"I'm preparing for tomorrow's stone gambling event. Whoever has time should go deal with the Hughes family. Tomorrow is our family's event, and I don't want to see anyone from the Hughes family there—bad luck!"
Richard was filming, Philip was still at the International Court and hadn't come down yet, and George had no surgeries scheduled next.
He spun the sharp scalpel in his hand, put it back in the surgical knife case, and casually replied.
"I'll go."
The Hughes Manor.
Maurice had just dealt with the inspection from above, his face extremely unpleasant.
Emilia leaned against the wall, a mocking smile playing at her lips.
"Maurice, Juniper won't pay attention to your sleazy tactics. Although Juniper is an adopted daughter, she's a genius who became a researcher at a young age. Do you really think she's like those little girlfriends you can fool with a bit of money?"
Maurice looked at her unkindly.
"If I can't do it, can you? I don't see Alexander paying any attention to you either."
Emilia rolled her eyes internally.
"Who is Alexander? Do you really think he'd be interested in me? Please, you can be shameless, but I still have some dignity! Alexander's worth is enough to buy three Hughes families. Confidence is fine, but too much confidence is just rude."
In Emilia's eyes, Maurice and Michael were complete idiots.
They couldn't really think their little tricks would make the Windsor family's daughters fall for them, could they?
Emilia played with her well-maintained hair.
"Besides, your looks, physique, and family background can't compare to Mr. Howard's. The Windsor family's daughters don't have a fetish for ugly men—why would they pass up a handsome guy to choose an ugly one?"
She never minced words, even when speaking directly to Maurice's face.
"Emilia! Show some respect. Do you know who you're talking to?"
Emilia shrugged. "What? Are you actually my father instead of my brother?"
The Hughes family children had never been close. Although Maurice was Emilia's brother, they didn't share the same mother.
"Aren't you afraid I'll kick you out of the Hughes family?"
Emilia covered her mouth as if she'd heard the biggest joke, extending her finger and waving it, laughing with alluring charm.
"Maurice, let's wait and see! Let's see who ends up with the Hughes family. But I'm confident that the one who gets kicked out will definitely be you—just like when I kicked your mother out!"
Maurice's mother was Victor Hughes's secretary and had never been able to hold her head up in the Hughes family. This was also Maurice's sore spot.
Watching Emilia's seductive, graceful figure walk away, Maurice viciously kicked a nearby stool!
"Since I'm the eldest son of the Hughes family, you, a woman, shouldn't even think about competing with me."
He waved to his secretary beside him, pointing at Emilia's retreating figure.
"From now on, I don't want to see her in The Hughes Manor either!"