Chapter 116
Chapter 116
Her words hit those who doubted her like slaps to the face. The living room instantly fell silent. Everyone stared at the tablet screens, stunned speechless, even holding their breath.
Harry stood frozen in place. He opened his mouth but couldn't get a word out. All his earlier arrogance had vanished, leaving only embarrassment and humiliation.
Those who had chimed in also hung their heads, not daring to speak, secretly regretting their earlier quick tongues in questioning Ophelia. They never expected her to be so capable—not only had she solved the overseas project troubles, but she'd also created such a detailed development plan for the Brown Group.
Xavier looked at Ophelia, his eyes full of relief and admiration.
He slowly stood up and picked up a wooden box beside him. Walking over to Ophelia, he opened it to reveal a family crest—clearly an ancient artifact.
"Ophelia," Xavier took Ophelia's hand and placed the family crest in her palm, his tone firm. "This crest symbolizes control over the Brown family. From today on, it's yours. You are the rightful lady of the Brown family. From now on, you have the authority to make decisions about Brown family matters and certain Brown Group affairs. Anyone who dares question you again is going against the entire Brown family and me!"
Ophelia held the heavy family crest, warmth flooding her heart and tears welling in her eyes. She nodded. "Thank you, Grandpa. I won't let you down."
William walked to Ophelia's side and took her hand, his eyes full of affection and pride. Looking at everyone present, his voice was cold and hard: "My wife doesn't need others to judge whether she's worthy. In my heart, she's the best. If anyone dares to say another bad word about her, don't blame me for being rude."
With that, he wrapped his arm around Ophelia's waist, lowered his head, and kissed her lips. The kiss was both passionate and possessive, declaring their absolute authority in front of all the Browns.
The living room fell completely quiet. Everyone watched them, eyes full of shock. No one dared to question anything anymore. They all lowered their heads, not even daring to breathe loudly.
When the kiss ended, Ophelia leaned against William, her cheeks slightly flushed. William brushed the hair from her forehead, his eyes gentle, and said to the crowd: "That's all for tonight's family dinner. Please, take your time leaving."
As if granted amnesty, everyone stood up to say goodbye, leaving one by one with their tails between their legs. When Harry left, he didn't even dare lift his head, afraid to meet William and Ophelia's eyes.
The living room finally quieted down. Xavier looked at them and smiled. "Well, now no one will dare question you again."
Ophelia nodded, placed the family crest back in the box, and handed it to Luca. "Grandpa, maybe you should keep this for now. William and I just got married recently. I still have a lot to learn."
"It's fine, take your time learning," Xavier waved his hand. "With William helping you and me here, no one will dare make things difficult for you."
William put his arm around Ophelia's shoulder and said to Xavier, "Grandpa, we're heading back now. You should rest early."
"Alright, drive safely." Xavier nodded, watching their departing figures with a satisfied smile.
Walking out of the Brown Mansion, the evening breeze blew gently, carrying a faint scent of osmanthus flowers. Ophelia leaned against William, looking up at him. "Thank you for earlier."
"No need to be polite with me." William lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "I told you—my wife won't be disrespected by anyone."
Ophelia smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. The two walked side by side in the moonlight, their shadows stretching long behind them—warm and beautiful.
A few days later, Ophelia recovered and was discharged from the hospital, returning to the Smith Group to oversee operations. Just days after returning to work, she received an invitation to a business reception hosted by the city's business association. All major companies' executives were invited, including both the Smith Group and the Brown Group.
Ophelia attended with William. The reception was held at the city's most luxurious hotel—elegant dresses, clinking glasses, a lively scene.
Ophelia wore a simple black evening gown that highlighted her outstanding presence. William wore his usual black suit. Walking together, they instantly became the center of attention.
They had just picked up their drinks and walked to the lounge area when a sweet female voice called out, "William, long time no see."
Ophelia looked up to see a woman in a white dress approaching—long flowing hair, delicate features, and an elegant bearing. She held a glass of champagne and smiled sweetly at William.
William saw her and frowned slightly, then nodded. "Ember."
Ophelia understood immediately. This was Ember Stone, the high school classmate William had mentioned—the Stone family daughter who had been devoted to him. She'd heard Ember had been developing her career overseas, but apparently, she was back now.
Ember's gaze fell on Ophelia. She looked her up and down with a hint of contempt in her eyes, but still smiled and extended her hand. "This must be Ms. Ophelia Blake? I've heard so much about you. I'm Ember Stone, William's high school classmate."
Ophelia shook her hand. It was slightly cool, her fingertips carrying a faint scent of perfume. Ophelia smiled faintly. "Ms. Stone, hello."
Ember withdrew her hand, took a sip of champagne, and looked at William with a slightly coquettish tone: "William, I've been back in the country for so long, and you haven't contacted me. Have you forgotten about me?"
"I just got back, and have been busy." William's tone was flat. He put his arm around Ophelia's waist, asserting his claim. "This is my wife, Ophelia."
Ember's smile froze for a moment, but she quickly recovered. She deliberately ignored Ophelia and said to William, "William, I've done several projects overseas, all quite successful. Especially that new energy project in Europe—it has made quite a profit. I'll tell you all about it later."
She then launched into a long string of professional jargon in German about overseas new energy projects, showcasing her achievements.
After finishing, she deliberately looked at Ophelia with a hint of provocation in her eyes: "Ms. Blake probably can't understand, right? After all, these are international projects, quite different from small domestic ones."
Ophelia found it amusing. This woman was really childish, deliberately speaking German to show off, thinking it would make her seem superior.
She held her glass, took a small sip, then spoke in German even more fluent and standard than Ember's: "I've heard a bit about Ms. Stone's European new energy project. I understand you invested 500 million dollars with an expected return of 20 percent."
"However, as far as I know, the core technology for this project was imported from another country, with patent fees accounting for 30 percent of the total investment. Plus, Europe's new energy market is highly competitive, and policies keep changing. Future operating costs will be very high. Forget about a 20 percent return—you'll be lucky if you don't lose money."