Chapter 65: Georgia Had Collapsed due to Anger
Chapter 65: Georgia Had Collapsed due to Anger
Ernest was at the wheel as he drove Florence back to City N in his car.
When they were passing through the city center, she noticed that the interview footage of Isabel was being played on the huge screen located at the top of the skyscraper.
Isabel was the winner of the Ovi Fashion Design Contest that had taken place tonight.
She was giving her acceptance speech in a modest manner in front of numerous reporters whom were interviewing her after the contest had ended.
After seeing Isabel’s face on the screen, Florence was down in the dumps again after her mood had finally managed to loosen up a little a while earlier.
She was grief-stricken as the realization that she would not be able to step on that magnificent stage anymore had hit her badly.
After discerning her air of despondency and dismal frame of mind, Ernest whom was driving by her side proceeded to pull over by the roadside.
He turned his head towards her and looked at her with his impassioned gaze, “Tell me what had happened, Florence.”
It was the first time that he had asked her tonight.
Florence’s heart was full of bitterness while she stared at him undecidedly, dithering the need to answer his question as it was between Isabel and her. Everything that Isabel had done so far was built on the purpose to cause harm to her and bring her down. However, what Isabel had on her now was related to Ernest as well, and she might even drag him into their feud.
After giving it some thought, Florence finally decided to divulge the fact that Isabel was threatening her.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Hawkins. Isabel had gotten wind of our fake engagement in consequence of me. I will try my best to appease her in hopes that she would not reveal the secret to Mrs. Hawkins.”
When Ernest had come to pick her up, he had a hunch that Isabel must have done something to make Florence give up her spot in the contest, but he was surprised to find out that her reason was related to himself.
He narrowed his eyes and leaned close to her all of a sudden, his penetrating gaze transfixed on her as he asked word by word, “You seemed to care a lot about my family, do you?”
His breath had almost sprinkled all over her face as they were only inches away from each other, and the atmosphere around them had slowly heated up.
Florence’s body tensed up as her heart started to race frantically. After all her lengthy explanation, the only key point which Mr. Hawkins had taken in was she cared about his family?
She felt slightly embarrassed as she replied, “Since I have already given you my word, I will try my best to keep my promise.”
A grin spread across Ernest’s eyes as he took in her state of uneasiness and anguish.
Despite her firm denial, Ernest did not buy her words as the fact that she had given up on her dream which was within her reach just for him proved to not be the case.
Perhaps she herself had not even realized that Ernest had unknowingly become important to her as time went by.
“Ring---”
Ernest’s private phone rang at that moment.
There were only a handful of people who had his private contact, so he picked it up without a second thought, his face grew darker as he listened attentively to the person over the phone.
Florence felt unsettled about his expression during the call, so she asked in a perturbed manner after he had hung up, “Is everything alright, Mr. Hawkins?”
A hint of malevolence flashed across his eyes as he shot her a deep glance, “Grandma had gotten wind of the existence of the photos.”
“What? How could Isabel go back on her word so quickly?!”
Florence was appalled at the sudden dreadful news while being infuriated by how Isabel had reneged on her promise so easily, but at the same time distress had started to eat away at her as well.
Her eyes flickered in anxiety as she asked, “What is your grandmother’s view on this matter?”
“I’m not entirely sure yet as it was the butler who had informed me just now. I have to rush back home right now."
After a moment of pause, Ernest looked at her and asked, “Do you want to come along?”
“Sure.”
Florence felt the need to bear full responsibility for what had happened this round, so she agreed to his proposal without any hint of hesitation. “I will try my best to clear up the misconception so that Mrs. Hawkins won’t be upset.”
She had to earn Georgia’s trust on this matter no matter the cost.
Ernest glanced at her and reassured her, “Grandma is not an unreasonable person, so don’t worry too much for now.”
After hearing his consoling words that Georgia was someone whom was level-headed, Florence’s mind settled down albeit only to a minimal extent. She hoped that Georgia would at least wait for them to give her an explanation about the pressing matter at hand, and nothing would happen to her due to emotional shock before that.
The Hawkins’ imposing manor was situated in the city’s most affluent region and occupying an extremely wide area of land. The palatial European style buildings located in the manor had very magnificent facades and exuded old-world charm while resembling medieval castles which were marvelous and grandiose.
As soon as Ernest’s limited-edition Lamborghini stopped in front of the chateau, two doormen stepped forward immediately to open the door for them.
When Florence had gotten out of the car, she noticed an elder whom was dressed in the butler’s attire dashing to Ernest and reported in a voice full of apprehension, “You are back home at last, Mr. Hawkins. Ma’am had fainted due to shock and anger right after Brianna had spoken to her.”
Ernest’s countenance fell in a swift as he marched into the building in long strides.
Florence was on tenterhooks after hearing the bad news as she hurried up to keep pace with him. She had a bad feeling that Georgia had passed out because of her.
Apart from the doctor, a lot of the Hawkins’ relatives had thronged the bedroom, and those who were surrounding the bed quickly made way for Ernest as soon as he stepped into the bedroom.
He stared at the old lady lying on the bed with somberness in his eyes as he asked the doctor in a brooding manner, “How is her condition?”
“Mrs. Hawkins’ blood pressure had risen due to shock; however, it has resumed to the normal level and she is in a stable state now.”
The doctor in charge replied and added a reminder, “Her health condition is not optimistic, so do take note and be careful to not provoke her emotions anymore.”
After hearing the doctor’s words, Ernest was left fuming with rage while the air around him was surcharged with tension. He turned around and shot his frosty gaze towards his aunt, Brianna Horace, uttering word by word in a menacing manner, “You’ve gotten some nerves to speak utter nonsense in front of Grandma, Brianna.”
Even though Brianna had always been a supercilious woman whom liked to put on grand air in front of everyone, instant fear and trepidation had crept up onto her at that moment.
She took a step back out of apprehension and inadvertently caught sight of Florence whom was standing on the fringe of the crowd.
Much to her surprise, Florence had shown up here was a perfect chance for her.
Brianna’s eyes shone as she was emboldened by the sight of Florence. Her confidence had crawled back to her in an instant.
“How could you blame me, Ernest? I didn’t even have to say much as the photos of Florence and Cooper had been sent anonymously to our home, and Mrs. Hawkins had seen them herself.”
What she clearly meant was Florence was still the real culprit for the collapse of Georgia regardless of whether she had said anything at all.
The others in the room whom had noticed Florence’s presence had immediately shot their overwhelming gaze which was full of indignation and resentment towards her.
Ernest’s uncle, Barney, marched forward in an infuriated manner and berated her, “How dare you show up at our house? Don’t you have any remorse for disgracing the Hawkins’ family name with your
scandal after only a mere few days of being engaged?”
Even though Florence knew that she was innocent on this matter, the one thing that she had feared the most had happened right now.
With an ashen look on her face, she hurriedly explained, “It was all just a misunderstanding as there is nothing going on between Cooper and me. I kindly ask of you to believe me on this matter.”
“What do you mean by nothing is going on when the photos show otherwise? Is it only when the two of you are caught in the act then you will know the extent of the mortification that you have brought on yourself and our family name?”
Barney pointed his fingers towards the door as he chastised her, “You’re not welcome here, so get lost this instant.”
Florence stood still on the floor with her stiffened body as immense humiliation had engulfed her.
Although she was worried about Georgia’ health condition, but it was apparent that everyone else was revolted by her presence and there was no room for her right now.
She gritted her teeth in a disheartened manner and was about to turn and leave the room with gloominess loomed over her.
A towering figure had come up to her and stood by her side right at that moment as if he was an eagle whom had taken her under his wing.
Ernest’s voice was chilly but extremely domineering as he uttered, “No one in the Hawkins family can drive her away.”
Different looks and emotions had swept across everyone’s faces, and Barney’s countenance had particularly taken on a ghastly expression as Ernest’s words were blatantly disregarding his own and
not giving him any respect as his uncle.
Despite being the elder in the family, his actual status was underneath Ernest, so he could not bring himself to admonish him... This is from NôvelDrama.Org.
His face darkened but his anger was swiftly suppressed by him as he said curtly, “You have been cuckolded by her, Ernest, and yet you still want to defend her?”