Chapter 404: Chapter 404: Exposing the True Colors of the Scheming Woman (Part 2)
"Shut up!" Vincent Hawthorne barked sharply.
Felix Hawthorne pouted and mumbled, "Every time you can’t outtalk someone, you just tell them to shut up."
Raina North watched the scene unfold in astonishment.
This Felix Hawthorne is really something...!
"Is this what they call father-pitfalling?"
"More than a pitfall—it’s a massive super pitfall. Compared to him, my brother and I are truly little angels," Jasper Hawthorne said with an inexplicable expression, his mocking laughter tinged with a hint of envy. "Look, the old man is about to perform a death on the spot."
Felix Hawthorne was indeed a troublemaker, but precisely because he was so pampered, he was also utterly unruly.
Jasper Hawthorne would never admit he was jealous.
Nearby, ever since Elias Hawthorne appeared, Claire North, who was longingly ignored like air, had been driven mad with jealousy.
Seeing this scene, she couldn’t help but speak up, "Sister, how can you incite Elias not to recognize his own father and family?"
Raina North looked at Claire North with an expression of incredulity, "Claire North, are you out of your mind? If your brain doesn’t work, eat more pig brain; if your vision is bad, eat more dead fish eyes."
What does any of this have to do with her?
"Family harmony brings prosperity, and no matter what mistakes elders make, they are still elders."
Raina chuckled, "I wish you elders like these in the future."
"Raina, Claire is kindly reminding you, what attitude is this? You’re truly getting more and more absurd." Without Susan Kensington’s reinforcement as the "mother-in-law," Brenda Adler, the "mother," bore noticeably more pressure.
Brenda Adler sighed, full of grief and indignation.
"It’s my fault as a mother for not raising you well, letting you not recognize your own flesh and blood. Enough, enough; you’ve grown up and spread your wings. Since you won’t recognize this child, we, the North Family, will. Though the North Family isn’t as prosperous as the Hawthorne Family, raising a child is more than manageable."
Raina North furrowed her brows. Brenda Adler retreated to advance, appearing to soften, but Raina didn’t think for a second that Brenda would orchestrate such a child without further schemes in mind.
As Brenda spoke, Claire North walked over and embraced the child, looking every bit the doting mother.
"Poor child! Your mom doesn’t want to abandon you, she’s just gotten married and has a new family. Don’t worry; in the future, you’ll stay with your aunt and grandmother, and we’ll raise you."
Evelyn Xavier came over, "Claire, you’re just too kind! Raina is heartless and selfish for the Hawthorne family’s riches, not acknowledging her own son. Why are you cleaning up her mess? This child should go to court to sue Raina for abandonment, so the public knows this woman’s despicable deeds."
"Forget it, Evelyn, my sister and I were switched at birth; I’ve admitted defeat." Claire North wiped her tears, looking innocently at Raina, "Sister, don’t worry, I will take good care of Bobby and not let him hinder your road to riches. Can you, in exchange for me helping raise your child, treat my Baby well?"
"My God! This is true maternal love; enduring and yielding for the sake of the child."
"Miss Claire North is really too kind. Compared to her, Raina is truly despicable: stealing someone’s child and place, not to mention abandoning her own flesh and blood."
"Miss Claire North, we all know how kind you are, but Raina’s actions are illegal—you can’t support wrongdoing."
"That’s right, this isn’t just your matter; it’s a societal matter, and we can’t let this abandonment trend grow."
...
For a time, emotions ran high.
"Don’t do this, everyone, please..."
Raina North coldly watched all of this, "Is this your goal?"
Claire North sneered, and whispered, "Raina, do you know what social death means? Five years ago, you shouldn’t have survived. No matter how powerful the Hawthorne Family is, can it be against the entire world? Claire North paused, looking in a certain direction, "And him, do you think he’d give up his family, clan, career, and everything for you?"