Chapter 42 Till You’re Not Mad

“Stop arguing already!” Mom hurried over, quickly stepping between me and Jack. She sighed helplessly. “You two used to get along so well. When did every meeting turn into a fight? Can’t you make life a little easier for me?” I scoffed. “Like I want to argue with him. He’s the one who keeps coming after me about Elsa.” “When have we ever come after you? If you hadn’t done something to hurt Elsa, I wouldn’t—” “Stop arguing!” The voice came unexpectedly. Elsa, who had been quietly crying, suddenly spoke up. She threw off her blanket, walked over, and stood before me, her tearful eyes fixed on mine. “I’m sorry, Jane. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have spread things without confirming the truth first. This is all on me. You can hit me if it makes you feel better. I won’t fight back.” Then, she grabbed my hand and pressed it toward her face. Without a second thought, I slapped her hard across the cheek. The sharp sound echoed in the room, silencing everyone. Elsa’s eyes flashed with surprise. She froze, a hand clutching her already swelling cheek. Jack and my parents rushed to her side. “Oh, come on now. We’re family. How did it escalate to this? Elsa, there was no need to go that far. Let me see, does it hurt?” Mom asked, gently touching her face. Tears streamed down Elsa’s cheeks as she shook her head with a pitiful smile. “I’m fine. As long as Jane feels better, it doesn’t matter. This was all my fault.” Pushing them aside, she stepped closer. “Jane, if you’re still angry, you can keep hitting me until you’re not mad anymore.” I smiled. “Sure.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I raised my hand again. Jack instantly moved to shield Elsa, glaring at me. “Don’t you dare!” “Why wouldn’t I dare?” I tilted my head and smirked. “You heard her yourself—she’s the one asking me to hit her.” Dad stepped in, his tone softening. “Jane, Elsa has already apologized. Can’t you forgive her? Look at how sincere she is. Let it go for my sake, okay?” I dropped my hand but glared at Elsa. “Fine, I won’t hit her. But I’ll never forgive her. Elsa, if you’re so brainless, maybe try reading some books. Use your energy for thinking instead of scheming. Stop trying to play mind games with me when you clearly don’t have the brains for it. And let me remind you—I’ve long since stopped caring about Jeremiah. If you’re so into that kind of man, go ahead and take him. After all, everyone’s willing to pick up trash like that.” Elsa’s face turned pale, and she stammered, “J–Jane, you’ve misunderstood. I didn’t…” I ignored her and walked out. With that behind me, I returned to my villa and enjoyed a rare moment of peace. Meanwhile, Cornell Group had taken a serious hit from the scandal. Their share price plummeted. And Eric, being vengeful, seized the opportunity to suppress them further, leaving Cornell Group with no room to breathe. I even heard that several companies terminated their partnerships with Cornell Group to avoid offending Eric. Sitting behind my phone, I watched the chaos unfold online, feeling a rare sense of satisfaction. But my good mood didn’t last long. Jeremiah called, asking to meet and discuss the divorce.