CHAPTER 347: CHAPTER 347: SETTLING GRUDGES-2

The hall exploded into whispers. People gasped loudly, some covering their mouths in shock, others turning their heads toward Emily.

She sat frozen, her body shaking, tears sliding quietly down her face.

Victor’s face turned pale. He staggered back a step as if struck by lightning. "What..." his lips trembled, "what are you saying... suppressed by me?"

Aurora’s smile curved into something sharp and cold.

"Yes, Victor. You hired Sophia to bury the case. You erased Emily’s voice. You made sure no one would speak of it again. You thought it would vanish forever."

Victor’s mind spun in chaos. He did remember.

A year ago, when George had first come to him, begging for acknowledgment, he had heard whispers about George’s ex-wife.

He remembered the rumors of a miscarriage, of ugly disputes.

He had thought it was a stain on the family’s name. So, he had told Sophia to settle it quietly, to make sure the Hawthorne reputation stayed clean. He had never cared about the details.

Now, sweat rolled down his back. His head spun as realization sank in. Emily... Aurora’s assistant... the woman he had crushed under his silence... was standing right there.

Regret surged inside him like fire. If he had known Emily was tied to Aurora, he would never have acknowledged George at all.

He might have strangled George in the crib of opportunity or at least kept him far from the Hawthorne family.

Now, because of that single decision, he was standing here, cornered, humiliated, forced to pay and pay again.

Victor pressed his lips together, then lifted his eyes to Aurora. His face was pale, his pride shattered, but his voice came out soft, almost pleading.

"I... I understand now," he said. "I was wrong. I made a grave mistake. I should not have silenced her. I should not have protected George. I will make it right. I will teach my son a lesson."

Aurora chuckled lightly, though her eyes were not warm. "Teach him a lesson?" she repeated slowly. "Victor, do you believe that teaching a lesson is enough to make up for a life that was taken? Enough to erase Emily’s pain, her child’s death? Do you think that suffices?"

Victor’s mouth opened, but no words came out. His hands trembled.

Beside him, Isabella’s face had gone stiff. Her nails dug into her palms until her knuckles turned white. For once, she could not speak.

She had always defended her family, always had words ready, but now she felt only disdain.

Disdain for her illegitimate half-brother George, who had dragged their family into such disgrace.

Her chest burned with frustration, yet she held her tongue. She turned her eyes toward Emily, who was sobbing softly beside Aurora. In that moment, Isabella realized something important.

Aurora was not lying. Every word was true. And no wonder Ms. Dawn was so hostile. Who would not be hostile, knowing that their trusted assistant, treated as family, had lost a child because of the Hawthorne family’s blood?

She clenched her fist tighter. Finally, she forced herself to speak, her voice quieter and smoother than before.

"Ms. Dawn," Isabella said, trying to soften the sharp air, "I understand you are upset. I cannot deny it. My half-brother... he is a scoundrel. I will not protect him. If you want, I will cut him off. I will cancel all his living expenses and expel him from our company. He will have nothing from us."

Aurora slowly turned her gaze toward Isabella. Her eyes, cold and steady, pierced through her words. She shook her head slightly and lifted her finger, wagging it once in disapproval.

"That is too simple," Aurora said softly.

The room went silent again. Isabella froze under her stare.

Aurora’s voice sharpened like ice.

"George used the Hawthorne name and the Hawthorne power to crush Emily. He believed that being your father’s son would shield him. If he used the family name to commit his crime, then he cannot keep the family name. He must be expelled from the Hawthorne family, not just from your company. That is the first step of justice."

Her gaze slid back to Victor, cold and unyielding. "And you, Victor, must give Emily proper compensation. You must show her that her pain is not ignored. You owe her that much."

Victor’s jaw tightened. His pride roared inside him, screaming at him not to bend any further. But his mind knew the truth. He had no ground left to stand on.

Aurora had cornered him completely. The entire hall had heard her words. If he resisted now, it would only destroy his family’s name more.

His fists clenched hard, but this time, he did not resist. He forced out a breath and lowered his head.

"Very well," Victor said in a heavy tone.

"I will expel George from the Hawthorne family. He will no longer have our name. He will no longer carry our bloodline’s protection."

Gasps echoed through the hall again. The decision was heavy, final, shocking.

Aurora’s lips curved in satisfaction. She gave a small nod. "Good," she said calmly. "Since he will no longer be part of your family, I can act against him freely. When I take revenge, it will not be counted as an attack against the Hawthorne family."

Victor’s nails dug into his palm until they almost drew blood. He realized her game now. She had worded it carefully.

First, she demanded George’s expulsion, making it sound like she wanted nothing more than to strip him of his family name.

But in truth, it was only so she could move against him without fear of Hawthorne’s protection. He knew it. Yet he could do nothing.

He swallowed down his bitterness. His pride felt like dust in his throat.

Finally, he turned toward Emily. His voice was low, weighed down by guilt.

"Since it was my son who caused you such pain and trauma, Emily... I will give you the portion of shares that I had given to George. From today, they will be yours. Consider it my apology, my compensation."