Cory stared at his two younger sisters standing before him, his chest tightening with indecision.
Kaylee stood there in silence, waiting for him to say something.
He now held the position of head of Harris Group. He wasn't outright cruel toward Kaylee, yet he wavered far too easily, forever dancing to Joyce's tune.
Now that proof had been laid out, even if he chose not to immediately take her word for it and punish Joyce on the spot, even if he only sent someone to verify her story, Kaylee was prepared to give him one more opportunity.
Joyce was already on edge, yet she kept dabbing at her tears, putting on a helpless front. "Kaylee, it really wasn't me. How could I ever have slipped something into your drink?"
The three of them remained locked in a stalemate.
Just then, a tall figure came down the stairs, stepping in front of Joyce in a swift motion and snatching the phone from Kaylee's hand.
"And you think this is enough to drag Joyce's name through the mud?" Gavin Harris, Kaylee's second brother, gave it a cursory glance before letting out a mocking laugh. "Who knows what kind of shady nonsense you pulled, you clueless bumpkin, to end up getting yourself into trouble, and now you're trying to pin it on Joyce? Keep dreaming! It takes two people to make something like that happen. If you weren't seducing that director, how did he wind up in your room? You're the one with dirt on you, yet you've got the nerve to splash it onto Joyce?"
His eyes were cold and dismissive as he raised his voice. "Get down on your knees and apologize to Joyce right now, and then publicly declare you're quitting the industry and hand everything over to her. Otherwise, don't bother staying in this house!"
Cory pressed his lips together, hesitating for a long while before finally speaking. "Kaylee, apologize to Joyce, and we'll drop this here. No matter what, you shouldn't have lashed out physically."
Joyce immediately seemed emboldened, leaning into Gavin's embrace as she sobbed softly. "Gavin… don't be angry with Kaylee. I'm sure she was simply desperate. I'll be alright…"
Kaylee watched them clinging to each other, her stomach turning with revulsion. Gavin was a well-known racer, aloof and sharp-tongued in public, yet before Joyce, he turned into nothing more than a spineless flatterer, blind to right and wrong.
Kaylee said nothing. She simply rolled her wrist once, and then swung her hand again, striking Joyce across the face.
Gavin's expression snapped in shock as he reached out to seize her. "Are you asking for trouble?"
"I hit her, and I just did it again. What can you do about it?" Kaylee answered by catching his wrist, pivoting smoothly, and flipping him over her shoulder, sending him crashing hard onto the floor. She looked down at him from above. "I have no attachment to this family. I'd rather let everything go to waste than hand it over to that shameless woman. Since you've chosen her as your sister, then we're done here."
She released his arm without another glance, ignoring the crease in Cory's brow as she turned to pack her things and leave the house.
Joyce watched her walk away, a flicker of satisfaction glinting in her eyes.
She had only planned to ruin Kaylee's name. Who would have thought Kaylee would be foolish enough to cut ties with the Harris family herself?
Now, Joyce believed all of Declan's, Cory's, and Gavin's affection would belong to her alone.
But with Kaylee gone, wouldn't getting hold of the inheritance left by Kaylee's grandfather become troublesome?
Putting on a worried expression, she spoke through tears. "Cory, Gavin, is it really alright to let Kaylee walk out like this? She's just a girl…"
Cory gave no reply, a strange irritation stirring inside him.
"Joyce, you're far too soft-hearted. How long do you think she'll last out there? She's only putting on a show to dodge an apology." Gavin let out a cold scoff before turning to the butler. "Cancel every card the family ever gave her. Let's see how long she can keep up that pride when she's got nothing left. When she comes crawling back, she'll have no choice but to apologize properly!"
The butler paused, looking uneasy as he spoke. "The family never issued Miss Kaylee any card."
Gavin and Cory both froze.
Kaylee had been back for more than two years, and not once had they given her a card?
Then how had she been covering her daily expenses all this time? And where had the money come from for all those costly gifts she had given them?
