At the same time, at Harris Group, Trystan was being reprimanded by his father.
Xavier's arrangements were executed with incredible efficiency. Almost immediately, Mercer Group's Klidphis branch sent people to Harris Group to demand compensation for breach of contract.
This incident was discovered by Ricardo, Trystan's father, who happened to be inspecting the company.
"Do you even know what you're doing? You've ruined the Harris family's century-old reputation!" Ricardo was furious at the thought of his son betraying the company's principles and reputation for a woman. "Do you know who you've offended? That's Mercer Group, one of the top families in the country. How dare you?"
Trystan listened, unimpressed. "So what if we offended them? Our businesses are completely different. No matter how powerful Lance is, he can't do anything to us!"
"Who told you that Lance can't do anything to you? It's just a matter of whether Mr. Mercer wants to target you or not. Otherwise, why do you think the Cody family withdrew from the bustling Cloudmere and settled in our third-tier city?" Ricardo looked at him with disappointment and continued angrily, "I don't know what kind of spell that Cody family woman cast on you to make you do such foolish things. Tomorrow, you will personally take gifts to Cloudmere and apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Mercer!"
Trystan frowned deeply, clearly resistant to his father's demand. "I won't apologize. Even if I did, Mr. Mercer wouldn't forgive me."
"If you refuse to apologize, then your marriage to the Cody family woman is off. Your mother and I will find a suitable match for you to cover up this scandal!" Ricardo threatened.
Trystan immediately rejected the idea. "I won't marry anyone but Bella."
As he finished speaking, his phone rang. It was a call from the family butler. He frowned but answered, "What is it?"
A deep voice came through the phone. "Mr. Harris, the Cody family has sent Miss Cody over."
"What do you mean by 'sent over'?" Trystan felt a bad premonition.
The butler explained, "The Cody family said that since Miss Cody will marry into the Harris family, they sent her over early to adapt to life here."
Trystan understood the underlying message. The Cody family had kicked Bella out, likely due to his actions against Deanna. Lance had sent people to confront him on behalf of his fiancée; he wouldn't let the Cody family off easily.
Realizing this, Trystan smiled slightly and instructed the butler, "Make sure Bella is well taken care of. If I find out she was neglected, you'll no longer work for me."
He hung up and met Ricardo's probing gaze. Before Ricardo could speak, Trystan coldly said, "Tomorrow, I'll send two representatives to Cloudmere to discuss terminating the contract with Mrs. Mercer. The compensation will come from my account, so the company won't suffer any loss. Is that satisfactory?"
Ricardo squinted at his son, sensing something was off. "Who was that call from?"
Trystan didn't hide it. "It was from the butler at home. He said the Cody family sent Bella over to adapt to married life early."
Ricardo cursed internally, knowing this was a ploy by the Cody family. He couldn't believe his son didn't see through it.
Before he could say anything, Trystan spoke again with a light laugh. "I know you don't approve of Bella as your daughter-in-law, but I love her. If you don't want me to do something foolish again, stay out of my personal affairs and let me have my way."
"You're threatening me for a woman?" Ricardo's eyes flared with anger.
Trystan remained unfazed by his father's rage. "If that's how you see it."
Ricardo was livid, pointing at Trystan's nose and shouting, "You ungrateful child! Do you even see me as your father?"
"If I'm ungrateful, then what does that make you? The father of the ungrateful one?" Trystan retorted sarcastically. "Don't forget, I learned from you. You did all sorts of rebellious things for your true love back then. But I'm better than you; I don't play with others' feelings. I focus on one person only."