Chapter 494

Adam’s growing unease intensified. He reached for his phone, only to find his pockets empty. It suddenly dawned on him: he had forgotten to bring his phone when he rushed Carly to the hospital. He looked at Carly and gently said, “Carly, let your mom stay with you. I have some components to review, and I’ll come back first thing in the morning.”

Carly immediately threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. “No! I don’t want my mom here! I want you to stay with me, Adam!”

Adam reached out, trying to pry her off. Just then, a sharp voice rang out from the doorway.

“You ungrateful brat!”

Adam turned and saw Mary standing at the door. He was shocked. He hadn’t expected to see his grandmother here. “Grandma, what are you doing here?”

Carly and Lucy were also taken aback. “Mrs. Alvarez Senior…”

Mary stood at the doorway, her eyes burning with rage as she saw Adam and Carly clinging to each other. She stormed in, lifted her cane, and struck Adam’s hand on the back. “So this is where you’ve been, you ungrateful brat! With this shameless woman!”

Adam didn’t dodge. The cane struck him with a loud thwack. Mary didn’t stop. She hit him a second time, then a third. Lucy and Carly were both horrified.

Leo rushed in and grabbed Mary’s arm. “Mrs. Alvarez Senior, please calm down!”

Adam looked at Mary in confusion. “Grandma, what’s wrong? What did I do?”

Mary glared at him. “Do I really need to spell it out for you? You— ”

Before she could continue, Carly spoke up. “Mrs. Alvarez Senior, let’s talk this out. Please don’t hit Adam. He’s your own grandson!”

Mary turned her fiery gaze to Carly. “Who gave you the right to speak? Is this how you were raised?”

Carly tried to argue, “I—”

Mary cut her off. “I was only planning to teach my grandson a lesson, but since you’ve thrown yourself into the line of fire, I’ll teach you some manners too!” With that, Mary raised her cane and swung it at Carly.

The cane struck Carly hard, and she cried out in pain. “Mrs. Alvarez Senior, why are you hitting me? Stop!”

Mary ignored her pleas and swung the cane down on Carly again and again. “You ungrateful wretch! Celine is your sister, yet you shamelessly seduce her husband! That’s strike one! You cling to Adam, always whining about your heart, yet you’re perfectly fine! That’s strike two! Your family is full of scheming vipers, always plotting against Celine, and that’s strike three! I should just beat you to death today!”

Carly’s face turned pale with pain. “It hurts! Stop hitting me! Adam, protect me!”

Adam tried to step forward, but Leo quickly held him back. “Mr. Alvarez, you should worry about yourself first. You’re not in the clear either.”

Adam fell silent. Lucy’s heart ached as she watched Carly being beaten. She threw herself over her daughter, shielding Carly with her own body. “Mrs. Alvarez Senior, why are you doing this? Stop at once!”