After all, the biggest beneficiary of this wedding fiasco was Eve Vaughn. Charlotte Vaughn refused to believe Eve knew nothing about it.

Even if Eve truly knew nothing, Charlotte had no intention of letting her off the hook—not the woman who had seduced her husband!

And so, Charlotte Vaughn kept insisting to Old Mr. Lawson that Eve Vaughn was the true mastermind behind the whole affair.

Old Mr. Lawson was now also extremely dissatisfied with Charlotte Vaughn. Marrying a woman from such a minor family was a poor match to begin with, and now, it had brought disgrace upon the Lawson family.

Old Mr. Lawson ignored Charlotte Vaughn’s accusations and said to Mason Lawson, "Have you found out who was behind that recording and video?"

Mason Lawson replied calmly, "The audio and video systems at the wedding venue were hacked. The hacker’s ID is foreign, so it’s difficult to trace. However... while looking into it, I uncovered something else."

Mason Lawson trailed off, which only piqued Old Mr. Lawson’s curiosity.

"What are you hemming and hawing about?" Old Mr. Lawson snorted coldly. "Speak! Things are already this much of a mess. What else could there be that I can’t handle?"

Mason Lawson said, "The one who released the video of Julian and Eve Vaughn, spread rumors, and tarnished the Lawson family’s name... was Miss Charlotte Vaughn."

The moment he finished speaking, Charlotte Vaughn was startled. She had never expected the tables to turn on her.

Even Ethan Lawson and Autumn Woods were unaware of this.

Although they wanted to get rid of Eve Vaughn, they were held back by the fear of implicating their own son. They would never have used Julian to slander Eve.

They never expected Charlotte Vaughn to be the one who did it.

Old Mr. Lawson’s terrifying gaze fell upon Charlotte Vaughn. He didn’t say a word, but it was enough to make her tremble with fear.

"Grandfather, it’s not true! Uncle is framing me."

Charlotte Vaughn reflexively tried to defend herself. "How could I do something like that? It would be like shooting myself in the foot! This must be Uncle trying to clear Eve Vaughn’s name."

Mason had known she would say that.

So, he said coldly, "Must I call the private investigator who tailed Julian to confront you? Or should I pull up the bank records of your payments to them? Will you only confess then?"

Charlotte Vaughn’s face went pale. ’She was no match for Mason Lawson.’

Now, stunned by Mason Lawson’s words, she had no idea how to get herself out of this.

The Third Madam couldn’t resist adding fuel to the fire. With a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, she said, "You certainly are a clever girl, aren’t you? When you did all this, did you ever consider where that would leave the Lawson family’s reputation? And to think your in-laws trusted you so much, singing your praises to Old Mr. Lawson day in and day out."

The Third Madam’s subtext was that Julian’s parents were blind and that everything they said was a lie.

But at this point, with Old Mr. Lawson fuming, no one from Julian’s side of the family dared to utter another word of protest.

Old Mr. Lawson was so angry he broke into a violent coughing fit. The Third Madam quickly fetched his medicine and some water, helping him take it.

Seeing there was no chance to turn things around, Autumn Woods could only admit their fault and plead for leniency. "Father, it’s true, we have been remiss in their upbringing. Julian and Charlotte are still just children. Please, spare them just this once. We will take them home and punish them severely. We will be much stricter with them!"

Autumn Woods had assumed that if she just backed down, the matter would be put to rest.

But to her surprise, the Third Madam spoke up in a leisurely tone. "Old Mr. Lawson is the epitome of fairness and justice. The last time, when our Mason was merely involved with Eve Vaughn, Old Mr. Lawson had him given twenty lashes. This time, Julian and Charlotte have dragged the Lawson family’s name through the mud for the whole country to see. Shouldn’t they face the family punishment as well? Otherwise, if someone else brings shame upon the family in the future, how will we be able to hold them accountable?"

Autumn Woods shot the Third Madam a venomous glare, but she didn’t dare argue back in front of Old Mr. Lawson.

Then, Old Mr. Lawson’s voice rang out sternly. "Correct! Anyone who sullies the Lawson family’s name must be disciplined by family law. No exceptions! Butler, bring me the whip! Considering Julian’s poor health, he’ll get ten lashes. As for the remaining ten..."

Old Mr. Lawson’s icy gaze landed on Charlotte Vaughn. "You’ve schemed and plotted so much. Now, it’s your turn to prove your loyalty to your husband! Since you claim to love him so much, so afraid that someone might steal him from you, you will take the other ten lashes in his place."

Charlotte Vaughn’s eyes widened, and she collapsed to the floor in terror, crying, "No, Grandfather, you can’t! I’m going to be an actress; my body can’t have scars! Grandfather, I was wrong, I beg you to spare me!"

Julian Lawson had forgotten how to beg for mercy, kneeling there in utter despair.

He only cried out when the horrifying whip struck his back, a piercing, agonized scream.

Autumn Woods tried to run and shield him but was pulled back by bodyguards.

The scene was identical to the last time Mason Lawson had faced the family punishment.

The only difference was the person taking the punishment.

The Third Madam could not have been more pleased. She felt that her heart condition might not even need surgery; just watching the people from Julian’s branch of the family get whipped was a cure in itself!

After ten lashes, Julian’s skin was split and his flesh was torn. He fainted from the pain.

Charlotte Vaughn watched as the butler, holding the blood-soaked whip, came closer and closer.

She instinctively tried to scramble to her feet and run away.

But Mason Lawson commanded the bodyguards, "Hold her down!"

A moment later, Charlotte Vaughn’s own piercing screams echoed through the living room.

Old Mr. Lawson, his head throbbing, had no desire to remain in the suffocating atmosphere of the hall dealing with his descendants’ sordid affairs.

Therefore, he left Mason Lawson to handle the rest and, leaning on the Third Madam for support, returned to his room.

For the rest of the time, Mason Lawson watched Charlotte Vaughn take her punishment without even blinking.

It was Autumn Woods who cried out, "Mason, Charlotte’s a girl! I’m begging you, please stop! I’m begging you!"

A flicker of suspicion crossed Mason Lawson’s dark eyes. ’The normally proud Professor Woods is begging like this... for Charlotte?’

’Isn’t that strange?’

But Mason Lawson felt no pity. Even after Charlotte Vaughn fainted from a few lashes, he still commanded, "Continue!"

When the whipping was done, the sheer agony was enough to jolt Charlotte Vaughn back to consciousness.

Only then did the bodyguards release Ethan Lawson and Autumn Woods.

Seeing their son and daughter-in-law lying on the floor, their backs bloodied and looking as if they were on the brink of death, the two of them started screaming and crying for someone to call an ambulance.

Mason Lawson watched the scene with cold detachment. "Brother, Sister-in-law," he said, "I’m the type who repays every offense. I thought you knew that. I just didn’t expect we’d have to go to such lengths for you to finally learn your lesson."

With that, he turned and left, not caring whether they lived or died.

Autumn Woods was so filled with hatred she could have ground her teeth to dust.

She swore an oath. ’If anything happens to Julian or Charlotte, I’ll take Mason Lawson down with me!’

...

「The Sovereign Pearl.」

It was late by the time Mason Lawson returned.

After the major incident at the Lawson estate today, Eric Kendall had dragged him out for drinks to get the latest gossip.

On top of that, now that he was back at the Lawson Group and taking charge again, Eric Kendall and Hamilton Hale insisted on celebrating.

So after the gathering, Mason Lawson didn’t get home until a little after ten o’clock.

The moment she saw him return, the young woman rushed to greet him, attentively fetching his slippers. She was just short of taking off his shoes for him herself.

Mason Lawson pulled her into his arms and looked down at her tender face. "What’s all this, little one? Did you see the livestream today? Is this your way of thanking me?"

Eve Vaughn smelled the alcohol on his breath and complained sullenly, "I was waiting for you all evening, and you went out drinking?"

Mason put his arm around her as they walked inside, a helpless smile on his face. "Eric and the others insisted I have a few drinks. Plus, we haven’t all gotten together in a long time, so I’m a bit late."

Eve Vaughn picked up on that, asking, "So, were they curious about what happened today?"

"Mm-hm."

A playful look crept into Mason Lawson’s smile. "They were even more curious about what happened at the Lawson estate after the wedding was called off."

Eve’s interest was piqued as well. She said enthusiastically, "I want to know, too! Tell me!"

Mason sat on the sofa, pulling her into his lap, and told her everything that had happened—about how Julian Lawson and Charlotte Vaughn had been whipped.

Eve Vaughn felt an odd sense of excitement. This victory felt incredibly satisfying.

’All the bitterness from Julian Lawson’s betrayal and all the frustration from the oppression by Charlotte Vaughn’s family—it’s all gone!’

She couldn’t help but recall Mia Kendall’s words. ’A man like Mason Lawson... if I don’t hold on to him tightly, I’ll never meet anyone like him again.’

’But even though I want to hold on, I know Mason Lawson is destined for things far greater.’ 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

She nestled deeper into his arms, not daring to think about the future. ’At least for now,’ she thought, ’we have each other.’

Mason had had a fair amount to drink, and now, with a soft, warm beauty in his arms, he couldn’t stop his hands from roaming over her supple body, stoking the fires of passion.

Eve was exceptionally pliant tonight. Instead of her usual initial resistance, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against it, impossibly docile.

Her shallow breaths tickled the skin behind his ear, feeling like a single spark that threatened to ignite a wildfire within him.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, shifting their positions until she was straddling his lap, facing him.

Eve knew he wanted to take her right here, right now. She whispered worriedly, "Mrs. Linton might come in."

"She won’t. I ran into her in the courtyard earlier and told her to turn in for the night. She should understand what I meant."

Hearing him say that made Eve even more flustered.

’Isn’t that the same as telling Mrs. Linton that they were going to... do *it*... in the living room?’

Mason seemed unable to restrain himself any longer. Fueled by the alcohol, he desperately wanted to take her, to make her cry out beneath him—for him, not for Julian Lawson like last time.

Two full hours passed before the living room sofa finally fell silent.

The young woman had cried out his name, accusing him of being a brute.

But she had no idea that her words only stirred the more savage depths of his desire.

"Evie, one more time, all right?"

Before she could answer, he sealed her lips with a kiss, silencing any protest she might have made.

’He’s always like this,’ Eve thought. ’His tone might sound like a request, but his actions are always domineering, leaving no room for argument.’

Finally, amid her unrestrained gasps, he once again reached the peak of his pleasure.

Afterward, both of their breathing was ragged.

Her slender, pale legs were draped around his sides, the corners of her eyes pitifully red.

A wave of tenderness washed over Mason. He knew he’d been too rough with her again.

But every time he touched her innocent yet alluring body, he couldn’t hold back.

The reason he had taken her so tirelessly tonight was because he knew that, having promised Old Mr. Lawson he would return to the family estate, he would have to live at the main residence whenever the old man was there. He wouldn’t always have the chance to fall asleep every night holding her soft, fragrant body.

"Mr. Lawson, can we go to the bedroom, please?"

The young woman said plaintively, "From now on, can we not... in the living room? Okay? I’m scared..."

Mason loved seeing her so shy. He kissed the tip of her nose and asked, feigning ignorance, "What’s there to be scared of when I’m here? Don’t you think it’s a little thrilling?"

"It’s not thrilling at all! I don’t like excitement!"

After speaking, Eve wrapped her arms around his neck, her dark, glistening eyes gazing at him earnestly. "I just want to be with you," she said. "It doesn’t have to be a grand, dramatic affair, and I don’t need all this excitement. Just being together, peacefully... that’s more than enough for me."

Mason was moved. He reached out to stroke her delicate cheek, nodded, and said, "All right."

With that, he scooped her up, letting her cling to him like a koala as he carried her to the bedroom.

Mason placed her on the bed and took some pills from the nightstand.

Eve looked and saw that they were birth control pills.

A chill crept into her heart. It wasn’t that she wanted to get pregnant while still in college, but for Mason to proactively give her these pills meant he knew they didn’t have a future together.

That was why he couldn’t allow for any "accidents."

Seeing her hesitation, Mason poured a glass of water and explained, "Sorry about today. From now on, I’ll use a condom."

He had been in such a rush earlier that he’d forgotten to take any precautions.

The light in Eve’s eyes dimmed, losing the sparkle she’d had when she confessed her feelings just moments before. She took the pills from his palm and swallowed them down with the water.

For some reason, the pills felt incredibly bitter as they went down her throat.

Mason noticed the rims of her eyes were red and asked gently, "Is it very bitter?"

Eve forced a smile. "A little."

"Hold on."

Mason ruffled her hair, casually threw on a robe, and left the room.

He quickly returned with a glass of juice. "Here, drink this. It’s sweet."

Eve was stunned. She never would have expected a man as emotionally intelligent and brilliant as Mason Lawson to do something like this.

’Does he really not understand, or is he just pretending not to?’

The bitterness she felt wasn’t on her tongue; it was in her heart. It was the pain of loving someone with all her being, knowing that one day she would have to watch him marry another woman.

Eve stared at the glass of juice and asked out of the blue, "Mr. Lawson, if... I mean, *what if*... I were to have your child? What would you do?"