Chapter 5: Teach Shier a Lesson

Nicole's POV

In the end, I gave in.

I promised Doris that I wouldn't bring up calling off the engagement again.

The alliance between the Gerald and Hall families was preserved.

Three days later, the Hall family held a banquet.

Mr. Barry, Shier's grandfather, personally sent an invitation to the Gerald family, wanting to meet me, his grandson's fiancée.

On the way to the Hall manor, Shier, Wendy, and I shared the same car.

The atmosphere in the vehicle was suffocatingly oppressive.

Shier couldn't stand my deathly expression and complained, "Who are you putting on that sour face for?"

"Don't forget, you're still my fiancée." His tone was full of mockery.

I didn't even bother to lift my eyelids, closing my eyes and pretending not to hear him.

Seeing me ignore him only made Shier angrier.

"Didn't you say you wanted to call off the engagement? Why are you now clinging on like a dog?!"

He sneered coldly, "Or is calling off the engagement just your way of seeking attention? I promised my grandfather I would marry you, so stop playing those tricks in front of me."

A flash of jealousy crossed Wendy's eyes, but she quickly hid it. "Shier, don't be angry. Nicole is probably just in a bad mood."

Shier snorted coldly and said nothing more.

Wendy tried to console me again. "Nicole, Shier said he'll arrange a grand wedding for you later. You should be satisfied with that."

"Do you think I actually care about the wedding?"

I looked Wendy up and down, my eyes full of mockery.

"First, figure out what capacity you're attending the Hall family banquet in today. As my sister? Or as Shier's mistress who can't see the light of day?"

Wendy was dressed in designer clothes today, her makeup exquisite, looking delicate and pitiful.

My blunt words seemed to pierce her, making her face even paler.

"Nicole, Shier and I are completely innocent. If you don't believe me, as soon as you and Shier get married, I'll leave immediately. I promise I won't appear in front of you two again!"

I mocked her coldly. "Then why don't you get lost right now?"

"Wendy, not just anyone can attend a Hall family banquet."

"As an adopted daughter of the Gerald family, you know perfectly well what capacity you're sitting in this car."

Wendy's face turned deathly pale in an instant, her mouth hanging open, completely unable to speak.

I laughed lightly. "Oh, I forgot. You probably climbed into Shier's bed to earn this privilege."

"Nicole!"

Shier roared in fury. If the driver weren't still there, I had no doubt he would have attacked me directly.

However, I only felt immensely satisfied.

Fortunately, on the wedding day, we hadn't had time to register our marriage or get that damned marriage certificate.

If we had gotten the certificate, I would have been trapped in this disgusting place forever.

Although I was still Shier's fiancée, someday I would definitely break free from this identity and leave this nauseating place.

The car slowly drove into the Hall family manor.

The host of the banquet, Shier's grandfather, Mr. Barry Hall, was already seated at the head of the long dining table.

He looked extremely dignified, making people instinctively hold their breath, not daring to look at his expression.

Several core members of the Hall family sat at the long table, the atmosphere so serious it was suffocating.

The butler walked to Mr. Barry's side and bent down to say, "Mr. Hodgson hasn't arrived at the manor yet. Should we wait for him?"

Hodgson.

Hearing that name, my heart involuntarily skipped a beat.

My mind instantly flashed back to that day in the hotel room, him pressing down on me, sweat dripping, and the man's heavy breathing in my ears.

I unconsciously gripped the tablecloth tighter, inexplicably feeling thirsty.

Mr. Barry's expression darkened.

"We won't wait."

Just as he finished speaking, the door was pushed open from outside.

Hodgson strode in with his long legs, unhurriedly. He casually took off his coat and handed it to a nearby servant, then methodically unbuttoned his cuffs.

"Sorry, Father, I'm late."

"I was at the dock on the west side of the city, personally dealing with a few traitors. It took some time."

The old Mr. Barry slammed his knife and fork heavily on the table and cursed angrily.

"You bastard! What are you saying in front of the younger generation?!"

"I sent you abroad for a few years hoping you'd curb that murderous aura! I never expected you'd still be like this!"

Hodgson pulled out a chair nonchalantly and sat down directly across from me.

His deep gaze fell precisely on me.

I felt as if I'd been burned, immediately lowering my head to suppress my wildly beating heart, staring at the plate in front of me.

I heard Hodgson let out a light laugh. "Father, what I did is nothing."

"If we're talking about what's truly outrageous, shouldn't it be your own grandson?"

The air in the entire room instantly froze, and no one dared to speak.

I instinctively looked at Shier. His face suddenly stiffened, and cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

Hodgson leisurely picked up his napkin and spread it on the table in front of him.

"Halfway through the wedding, in front of hundreds of guests, he abandoned his bride and ran off with another woman."

"If this gets out, won't it bring shame to you, Father?"

I looked at Hodgson in disbelief.

What was he trying to do?

Why did he bring this up at such an occasion?!

I clenched my fists but didn't dare say a word.

On the wedding day, Mr. Barry hadn't attended due to health reasons, so naturally he didn't know what Shier had done.

And now, Hodgson had deliberately told him about it. Barry's expression instantly became terrible.

Mr. Barry's fury immediately shifted direction. His sharp eyes stared at Shier.

"Shier! Is what he said true?!"

Shier was so frightened his face turned deathly pale. He slid down from his seat with, kneeling on the ground to beg for mercy.

"Grandfather, it was my fault."

Seeing this, Wendy immediately spoke up for Shier.

"Mr. Barry, please don't blame Shier. It's all my fault. My health isn't good. Shier was just worried about me."

"Oh?" Hodgson interrupted her.

"So you ruined Shier and Nicole's wedding, and an apology is enough?"

No one present dared to speak, not even Shier's parents dared to defend their son.

Wendy trembled all over under Hodgson's stare.

Hodgson played with the knife in his hand. "Disgracing the Hall family, according to family rules, ten lashes each shouldn't be too much, right?"

I clenched my hands, suddenly feeling my back burning with pain.

His eyes swept over me with ambiguous meaning. I quickly lowered my head.

Mr. Barry scolded him, "Hodgson, today is a family banquet!"

The implication was for Hodgson to spare Shier for his sake.

Hodgson frowned. "But if we don't teach Shier a lesson today, won't Nicole's grievances have been suffered in vain?"