Chapter 231: Not Yours to Rule

Warren abruptly sat up as Everett approached, his cane tapping the floor with each step. Without hesitation, Warren rose and gave a respectful nod. "Grandpa."

Melissa, still seething from Everett's recent scolding, struggled to contain her resentment. Yet, in his presence, she maintained a facade, forcing a polite expression and greeting him flatly: "Everett."

"I want the details of your conversation with Vivienne," Everett said, his piercing gaze fixed on Warren. "If she's willing to forgive, we'll hold a press conference and clear her name."

Melissa's eyes flared. "Are you serious, Everett? Have you lost it? Vivienne wronged us first! Now that her scandal has exploded, why salvage her reputation? And if Warren defends her publicly, won't that humiliate him?"

"Enough!" Everett's cane struck the floor, the sharp crack silencing the room. Melissa went rigid, her voice caught in her throat.

"How did someone as disgraceful as you find their way into the Mitchell family? Without Vivienne's strategies over the years, do you think this family would have survived its past crises? Everything you enjoy—your luxury, your comfort—is because of her! Without her, what right do you have to such excess? If you hadn't meddled in Warren's life, he would have married Vivienne long ago, and none of this would be happening! And yet you claim she wronged us?"

For years, Everett had withdrawn from the family business, choosing a quiet retirement while Warren took over. His absence had led everyone to believe the once formidable patriarch had softened. Now, faced with his fury, an uneasy silence fell over the room. No one dared breathe too loudly.

"Grandpa, I let Vivienne down. I broke her trust, and no matter what I say, she won't forgive me…" Warren exhaled heavily, recounting the details of his conversation with Vivienne.

Everett's expression darkened. "She actually said that?"

Warren nodded firmly. "She did."

Melissa, who had been biting her tongue, snapped, "What ridiculous nonsense is Vivienne spewing? Does she think the Mitchell family is as powerless as it was three years ago? Apologizing is a waste of time! Those scandalous photos from her so-called 'kidnapping'—that was karma. People like her deserve—"

"Deserve what?" Everett's voice dropped to a chilling low.

His aged eyes burned with ferocity, sending icy dread down Melissa's spine. She swallowed hard, her bravado crumbling as she averted her gaze. The unfinished words died in her throat.

"As a member of the Mitchell family, you're supposed to carry yourself with grace. How dare you speak such venom?" Everett added.

Melissa clenched her fists. "The truth always comes out eventually. Are we supposed to bury her disgrace?"

The longer she listened, the more it seemed Everett had lost his grip on reality. Instead of protecting the Mitchell family's reputation, he was defending Vivienne—an outsider with no blood ties to them.

"Honestly, she did us a favor by leaving Warren. If she hadn't, he'd be the biggest joke in town by now! Once this spreads, the Mitchell name will be dragged through the mud!"

"Enough! Not another word!" Everett's cane struck the floor. "I'm still very much alive, and the Mitchell family is not yours to rule!"

His words cut through Melissa like a dagger, their sting burrowing deep into her chest.