The CEO Gets What He Wants

Allie's words angered Alina.

She could not bear hearing her favorite niece and beloved father being spoken of this way.

She leaped to her feet. “What do you mean by that, Mrs. Moore? If you won't forgive Avery, that's fine, but there is no need to use such harsh words. Even if our families are not bound by a marital alliance, my father is still an elder. How could you use such disparaging words against him? I still showed you respect as Cayden's mother, but your attitude has shown me that you do not deserve respect from anybody. You called us bad apples. What about you? Even addressing you as Mrs. Moore more than what you deserve. The real Mrs. Moore is Mdm. Lily Berry, who is the legitimate Mrs. Moore per our marital laws of Chanaea. You are only a nobody who happened to take her place, and all you do is throw your weight around using Cayden's name. Are you proud of yourself? How much mightier are you compared to us, anyway?”

Alina had caught her ex-husband's attention by pretending to be more accomplished than she was, and he courted her persistently. After their marriage, they ran a large company together.

Having met various difficult characters in the upper echelons of society, she knew how to deal with women like Allie. Attacking the problem at its core, she found and pressed on Allie's weak spot.

Lily spectated the scene with interest, and her lips curled upward when she heard Alina's sharp rebuttal.

It feels good having somebody take care of this b*tch on my behalf.

Sitting on the couch in the corner, Zachary and Rory were still clad in their suit and dress of flower boy and girl, going deaf from the din of the adults yelling at each other.

The hostile atmosphere filled them with unease, and nobody told them where their parents were.

Do Daddy and Mommy not want us anymore?

The children's eyes grew red at the thought of their parents' engagement falling apart. They missed their gentle mother.

Allie was livid by Alina's words. To have the fact of her being Bruce's mistress brought up was something she did not take kindly to.

The fact as it was, nobody was allowed to mention it in her presence.

Allie lost her temper at Alina's jeering words. Disregarding the children's presence, she raised her palm to teach the latter a lesson.

Before she could do so, Alina caught the former's incoming hand, flung it aside, and gave her a hard shove.

Pushed off balance by Alina, Allie staggered and nearly fell onto the ground.

She stood up with great difficulty, bracing herself against the coffee table as she did so, and gazed at Alina with eyes filled with disbelief.

This woman looks so skinny. How is she so strong?

Blake did not expect Cayden's mother to strike his daughter on top of her verbal tirade. A ball of fury rose in his chest.

With immense effort, Blake braced himself against the couch to stand. Every line on his wizened face hardened with anger. “If the Moore family does not welcome us, Lina, we will leave! Avery will find a good husband anywhere. Though Cayden is a decent fellow, the Rumpley family cannot hope to meet his prestige. Come here, Zach and Rory. The manners they teach you here are lacking. Come home with me, and we'll find your mother.”

He beckoned kindly at the twins.

The children gazed warily at Jeffrey and Allie, wondering if they should go with their great-grandfather.

Allie grabbed both children by the wrists. “Zach and Rory are Moores. Why should we allow you outsiders to take them?”

She squeezed the children's frail arms so hard that she did not notice she was hurting them.

Blake was beside himself with a mixture of panic and anger at the sight of the children holding back fearful tears.

With a shudder, he led his daughter away. “Let's go, Lina. We don't need them, and I won't be coming back here for as long as I live.”

Alina gave Allie one last contemptuous glance before helping Blake out of the house.

“Don't leave! We can talk about this.” Shaking his head exasperatedly, Jeffrey beckoned Kendrick to help him up.

He was determined to stop the Rumpleys from leaving. As angry as he was for Avery embarrassing the Moore family, she carried their heir in her belly.

What if they're serious? What would happen to our heir if Avery married someone else?

Allie, who was thoroughly humiliated, stopped Jeffrey. “That pathetic family is not worthy of us, Dad. Let them go if they want to. When Avery gives birth, we'll take her child away and let her marry whoever she wants. Cayden is a catch. I'll find him a better wife.”

Jeffrey glared at Allie, wanting nothing more than to strike her on her foolish head with his cane. “You have embarrassed us!”