Chapter 98: Defend Your Own Daughter
It wasn't until evening that Henry came home exhausted. The moment he arrived, he had someone call me to the study.
In the study, the room was thick with smoke. Through the haze, I saw Henry sitting on the sofa smoking.
"Dad, how's Grandma doing?"
Hearing my words, Henry stubbed out his cigarette directly in the ashtray. When he looked up, his eyes were weary. "Helena, is this the solution you came up with?"
"Making the Pemberton family be humiliated in front of so many people is one thing, but Natasha..."
Henry shook his head disapprovingly. "She's your family after all. I can't forgive what she did, but what about the Lockwood family's reputation?"
Henry sighed again.
A wave of disappointment surged through me. What did Henry mean? Was he going to ignore my feelings for the sake of the Lockwood family's reputation?
Thinking of this, I let out a cold laugh. "Yes, this is exactly the solution I came up with. I've been planning it for a long time. I've been waiting for this moment for so long. I wanted to destroy Natasha and Knox's reputations completely, to make them taste what it's like to face public shame and humiliation."
"You!"
Henry's frown deepened. "I'm not against your plan, but you should have discussed it with me."
"Maybe this whole thing could have been handled privately. You didn't have to make it so public."
Knowing Henry was under a lot of pressure today, too, I sat down beside him. "Knox and Natasha—one is my fiancé, the other is my cousin. They flirted with each other openly, made a mockery of me, and treated me like I didn't exist."
"If we handled it privately, with Grandma around, the blame for this whole thing might have ended up on me."
Henry let out a long sigh and placed his hand on my head.
"Helena, I know you've been wronged all this time. I just can't bear it—Natasha is John's daughter after all. We're all family. You didn't need to use such extreme measures."
I laughed coldly. "I would have liked to show them respect, but who's been considering my feelings?"
"Helena's right. You only care about other people—why don't you think about our daughter!"
The study door was burst open. I looked up to see Maria walking in.
Seeing Maria, I stood up nervously, my lips trembling. "Mom."
"How could you not tell me after suffering such a huge wrong!"
Maria looked at Henry. "You think Helena did something wrong?"
"I think she did absolutely nothing wrong. Knox and Natasha were having an affair—did they consider Helena's feelings?"
"What's wrong with what Helena did at the wedding? You're her father—instead of standing up for her, you're scolding her?"
"Fine, I've always known that you never had a place for Helena and me in your heart. You can't stand us, right? Fine, we're leaving. We're leaving right now!"
"Honey, what are you doing?"
Seeing Maria angry, Henry quickly put on a pleasing smile. "Honey, I just think this shouldn't have been handled this way. Whatever the issue, it could have been resolved privately. Why make it known to everyone?"
"They dared to do such shameful things—why shouldn't people know about it?"
Maria looked up at me. "I used to think you were too kind-hearted and worried you'd be taken advantage of. But today I've discovered I underestimated you. Helena, you did the right thing. You did nothing wrong. I support you!"
"Mom, thank you."
Maria's words made my nose sting. When I was reborn, I didn't cry.
When I watched Knox and Natasha having sex together, I didn't cry. But now Maria's words made my nose sting, and tears almost fell.
"Look at you—I was just about to say you've grown up, and now you're about to cry?"
"I'm just happy—happy that Mom is protecting me."
I never expected that Maria, who had always been soft-spoken and accommodating, would defend me so fiercely in front of Henry.
After I spoke, Maria snorted coldly. "This is nothing. I'm your mother, you're my child. If anyone bullies you in this life, I'll protect you even if I have to risk my life!"
She snorted a few more times. "Unlike some people who don't care about you at all and only think about outsiders."
"Alright, honey, I was wrong, okay?"
Henry admitted his mistake helplessly. Seeing him admit it, Maria huffed. "Whatever. I wouldn't dare force you to admit you're wrong. You might admit it today and turn around tomorrow to blame Helena again."
"Helena's life is hard enough already. Her fiancé cheating with her own cousin—that's something you only see on TV, right?"
"These two are so shameless. If someone doesn't want to get justice for Helena, then I'll do it myself. I'll take care of my own daughter!"
Maria's words left Henry helpless. He could only frown and say, "What kind of justice do you want?"
Maria snorted coldly. "An apology to Helena is the least they can do, right?"
"Helena can't just suffer these wrongs for nothing. And the Pemberton family—doing something like this, they should pay compensation!"
"Mom, we don't want their compensation. The Pemberton family will face legal consequences."
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
Maria clapped her hands, smiling. "If not, let Helena acquire the Pemberton Group as compensation for Helena."
"Ma'am, that's a huge corporation. You talk about acquiring it like it's so easy."
Henry shook his head helplessly.
"I'm just asking if you'll do it or not. For Helena's sake, will you do it or won't you?"
"Fine, fine, fine. I'll do it. I'll do it, okay? I know what to do now. When the Pemberton family can't come up with the money, I'll make Helena a shareholder of the Pemberton Group. Is that okay?"
After Henry finished speaking, Maria finally smiled. "That's more like it."
She took my hand. "Come on, let's go downstairs. I've prepared something delicious for you."
Maria had barely finished speaking when Peter came up hurriedly. "Mr. Lockwood, Mrs. Lockwood, John's family is here."
"We're not seeing them!"
Maria waved her hand decisively. "What are they doing here at this time? Are they here to stir up more trouble?"