Chapter 86

Zoe didn't stop. Their parents watched as she launched into a rant about Grace's cheapness, her shamelessness in entering the designer store, and a litany of other grievances that sounded hollow at best. She fixated on his writing Grace a check for millions.

He hoped Grace cashed it. It was a sizable sum that could help her get back on her feet. And it was probably the only thing preventing Jason Reed from breaking down their door.

"Mom!!!" Zoe shrieked. "He slapped me! In public!"

Sean knew the real problem stemmed from Zoe's social standing taking a hit after Grace's accident—they all had. If his hitting her went viral, it would decimate his sister's social life again.

"I warned you," Sean began, but Zoe erupted, and he gave up trying to reason with her. She was unreasonable even on her best days.

Would Grace accept the money? That check was enough to be considered compensation for her injuries. Not all her injuries…

That nagging voice from the back of his mind resurfaced. Oddly, it recalled the prison and everything Grace had endured—punishments he'd overseen. He didn't feel outright guilty, but he thought he could have left things alone, not encouraged Lily so much, nor tried so hard to curry favor with the Reed family.

But that was in the past. Not after today…

“…it might not be a lot of money to us,” Zoe continued, “but that gold-digging bitch doesn't deserve a penny!”

"Sean, surely Zoe is mistaken. You wouldn't make such a mistake," Mrs. Stevens said anxiously.

"You should ask Zoe what she did," Sean replied. "She told Grace to choose a dress, and Grace chose a couture dress. I was just cleaning up Zoe's mess."

"Just because she chose it, you had to give it to her?!" Zoe retorted insolently. "Brother, why didn't you say you still have feelings for Grace?"

"I'm saving your life!" Sean shouted. He was itching to slap his sister again.

"Oh, please," Zoe scoffed, hands on her hips. "What is Grace, the sanitation worker, going to do to me? Do you even hear yourself?"

"That's right, Sean. You've gone too far, hitting your sister because of Grace. That woman is a curse. If it weren't for her, would our family have to be so wary of the Reed family and afraid of offending them?" His mother, of course, defended his sister. She always favored her.

"Mom, it's not what you think…"

"Then what else could it be?" his mother replied. "Grace is still unwilling to give up. You're getting married, and she's still inserting herself in your life? Trying to take your money!? How dare she!"

His mother's eyes blazed with rage as she had a full-blown meltdown. Sean stood abruptly. "Mom, why don't you ask what Zoe did to Grace? She intentionally tripped Grace and caused her to fall down the escalator!"

"So what?" Mrs. Stevens dismissed. "What's the worst that could have happened? She got hurt? Big deal. The Stevens family can compensate for any medical fees. Did you really have to hit your sister over something like this?"

Sean took a deep breath. He had information his family didn't. If Grace weren't supported by Jason Reed, would he be agonizing over this and going out of his way to help her? Probably not.

But he couldn't tell his family the truth without risking Jason Reed's wrath—the very thing he was trying to avoid.

"We are better than this," Sean said neutrally. "Should a video surface of Zoe intentionally tripping a woman down a flight of stairs, we will create a PR nightmare for Stevens Corporation!"

"Oh, please. Do you think I'm stupid? I already paid to have the mall surveillance deleted," Zoe huffed. "And what about the situation you're creating with Lily?"

A fair point. "Just let me worry about my fiancée," Sean said, turning to his parents. "Mom, Dad, look after Zoe. Don't let her create any trouble…"

His father's phone rang. After listening for a few moments, his face went pale.

"Dad, what happened?" Sean asked quietly.

"The bank has suddenly closed our loans," his father said shakily.

"How could this be? Didn't the bank say there wasn't a problem? Why don't you call Bank Manager Chasetao?" his mother suggested hastily.

"It's no use. Bank Manager Chasetao was the one who called me," his father replied.

Sean took a deep breath. He needed to think. This called for damage control. He'd tried to make amends for his sister's actions, but clearly it wasn't perceived that way. Perhaps the slight would have gone unchecked, but tripping her down the escalator… Zoe had gone too far.

And was his sister—and mother—so stupid as to think Grace couldn't have died? She could have broken her neck or bled internally.

Sean broke into a cold sweat. Stopping the loans would impact Stevens Group's operating revenue and cash flow. Was this the backlash? Or was Jason just beginning?