Sophia Shaw was momentarily stunned. She looked at the somber crowd gathered behind Vincent Grant.

Even though it was just the closest family members who came today, there were still quite a few of them.

’Grandma wants me to slap Vincent Grant in front of the entire family!’

’If I do this, Vincent Grant will be utterly humiliated.’

SLAP!

Sophia Shaw raised her hand and swung her palm across his face.

’Why shouldn’t I?’

’He could call Joanna Sherman over to trample all over me and humiliate me in public, so I can slap him in public!’

The force of the slap knocked Vincent Grant’s head to the side.

Five red fingerprints quickly appeared on the man’s fair face.

"Mom!" Cedric Grant shrieked, running over. "How could you hit Dad?"

"Kneel!" Old Mrs. Grant commanded.

Cedric Grant turned his head to look at her blankly, his eyes filled with confusion and disbelief.

’Great-Grandma has always doted on me. She’s never punished me before.’

’But now...’

Vincent Grant glanced at the cold-eyed Sophia Shaw in front of him, then pressed his jaw and said to Cedric Grant, "Didn’t you hear? Great-Grandma told you to kneel."

Cedric Grant knelt reluctantly, tears of grievance welling in his eyes.

Old Mrs. Grant stared down at the top of her great-grandson’s head. "Cedric, tell me. Why did you invite Joanna Sherman to your grandmother’s funeral!"

Cedric Grant looked toward Vincent Grant.

’But Dad agreed to it, too.’

"Grandmother, I was the one who approved it," Vincent Grant said.

Chad Jennings was family by marriage. And although Yvonne Sherman was just his second wife, the connection was unavoidable.

It was only natural for Joanna Sherman to come along with Chad Jennings and Yvonne Sherman.

"Slap him again!"

Old Mrs. Grant tilted her chin up.

SLAP!

Sophia Shaw switched hands and swung with all her might.

The other side of Vincent Grant’s face reddened as well.

He had just turned his face back.

SLAP!

Another slap landed.

Vincent Grant gave a helpless smile. "Getting addicted?"

The man’s voice was light and nonchalant, with a hint of mockery.

Sophia Shaw didn’t answer, mustering her strength to land several more slaps in a row!

’He completely deserved it.’

’From the very beginning, I never wanted to get into a catfight with Joanna Sherman.’

’I was perfectly willing to get a divorce.’

’I quietly waited for him to file the divorce papers.’

’No arguments, no scenes, no fighting, no begging.’

’Ready to leave with nothing, all by myself.’

’But it was him! He dragged his feet on the divorce while letting Joanna Sherman and the Shermans bully and humiliate me!’

"Serves him right!"

Shane Grant’s mood had been quite suppressed, but seeing Sophia Shaw letting loose with the slaps, he felt a vicarious thrill.

He cheered without reservation.

Listening to the incessant sound of slapping, Cedric Grant’s heart pounded in terror.

’I can’t believe when my gentle mother became so vicious.’

’She never used to hit Dad.’

’Whenever she looked at Dad, her eyes were gentle and fawning, and every word she said to him was cautious.’

It was because his mother was always like this that he found her particularly boring.

Auntie Joanna was different—passionate and flamboyant.

She didn’t kowtow to Dad; she did whatever she wanted.

But now that Sophia Shaw had become like that too, he suddenly couldn’t stand it.

Cedric Grant could clearly sense that all his mother felt for his father now was icy disgust and detachment!

"Mom!" Cedric Grant couldn’t take it anymore and started crying. He tried to hug her legs from his kneeling position. "Please stop, Mom! I’m begging you."

Sophia Shaw coldly pulled away, unwilling to let him touch her.

Cedric Grant remained in the posture of hugging her legs, his hands hovering empty in mid-air, looking indescribably pitiful.

His tears fell even harder.

Old Mrs. Grant took in Sophia Shaw’s coldness and sighed deeply.

"Sigh—"

’A perfectly good family, a warm heart—brutally frozen and destroyed by this father-and-son duo.’

"Oh, Cedric, you..."

’You’ve brought this upon yourself!’

Old Mrs. Grant couldn’t continue. With a wave of her hand, she said, "Let’s go. Time to eat."

She took Sophia Shaw by the hand and walked past the father and son.

As she passed Cedric Grant and Vincent Grant, Sophia Shaw didn’t even spare them a glance.

It was as if they were just air.

Eleanor Crawford came over to support Old Mrs. Grant on her other side.

Shane Grant followed, taking his place at Sophia Shaw’s side.

He didn’t forget to add, "Faye, I’ll always be on your side, no matter what. Even if you get divorced, you’ll still be family to me, Shane Grant." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Lena Grant and Clarence Grant each glanced at Cedric Grant on the floor and at Vincent Grant, whose face was bright red from the slaps.

They didn’t say a word.

Nor did they help Cedric Grant up; they just followed the others out.

Julian Grant took one last deep look at his son before following the others.

Seeing their attitude, none of the others dared to help Cedric Grant up either, and they all followed suit.

In the end, only Miles Grant was left.

He sighed, walked over to Cedric Grant, and pulled him up. "Cedric, get up."

Cedric Grant looked at Miles Grant with teary eyes. "First Uncle, is what Fourth Uncle said true? Mom... Mom isn’t really going to divorce Dad, is she?"

Miles Grant remained silent.

Vincent Grant walked over and patted his shoulder. "Don’t worry, your Fourth Uncle was just kidding."

Miles Grant: "..."

Only then did Cedric Grant let out a soft "Oh." He added, "At worst, I’ll just treat that adopted girl like a real sister, and Dad can treat her like a real daughter."

’Then Mom won’t be angry anymore, right?’

Miles Grant: "..."

He stared at the father and son, Vincent and Cedric Grant, in shock. "You’re saying that child is... adopted?"

Just as Cedric Grant was about to nod, Vincent Grant’s phone rang.

He immediately fell silent and looked nervously at Vincent Grant.

As Vincent Grant answered the call, Cedric deliberately perked up his ears, trying to hear if it was Auntie Joanna calling.

When Joanna Sherman arrived, he and his father hadn’t been there.

But he’d heard from his other uncles that Grandma hadn’t treated them well.

And just now, everyone was angry because of her.

’Auntie Joanna must feel so wronged.’

Cedric Grant really didn’t understand.

’Auntie Joanna and her grandparents just wanted to come say goodbye to Grandma. Why did everyone have to treat them like that?’

Vincent Grant didn’t reveal who he was talking to, just gave a few simple responses.

But judging from his warm and deep voice, it was obvious it wasn’t a subordinate.

It was clearly Joanna Sherman.

Miles Grant suddenly lost all desire to speak with them. With a complicated expression, he said, "You two should head back. Don’t let Grandmother see you and get upset again."

He turned and walked out.

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways.

As the eldest brother and sister-in-law, Miles Grant and Eleanor Crawford arranged for the others’ cars, then personally drove Old Mrs. Grant back to Grant Manor.

After seeing the old woman upstairs, the two of them walked out side by side.

Miles Grant let out a soft sigh. The words he hadn’t dared to speak in front of Old Mrs. Grant could finally be said to Eleanor Crawford.

"Vincent and Cedric are truly absurd. To think they believe Faye’s child is adopted!"

’I can’t believe I have a brother and nephew like them.’

A deep, bitter expression surfaced on Eleanor Crawford’s face, a face that had been weathered by time.

’It’s so unfair to Sophia.’

’And so unfair to Bun.’

In the end, all she did was let out a cold scoff.

"Vincent Grant and Cedric Grant are absurd, but aren’t you just as bad?"

She turned and walked away.

Miles Grant: "..."

He stood frozen in place, watching Eleanor Crawford’s lonely figure disappear into the night. For some reason, he could sense a profound sadness emanating from her.

Something struck him hard in the chest.

Once Eleanor Crawford was out of the foyer and sitting in her car, she finally started gasping for air.

She had maintained the dignified composure of the eldest sister-in-law for so long, so long that she had forgotten she had a temper of her own.

Even though she hated Miles Grant, she had never spoken a single harsh word to him.

Perhaps she had been inspired by the sight of Sophia Shaw slapping Vincent Grant, or perhaps her defenses had finally been shattered by the antics of the Grant brothers.

’Suddenly, I don’t want to endure it any longer.’