CHAPTER 825: CHAPTER 825: PERSONA SHATTERED

The Main Hawthorne Family.

The conference hall felt as ominous as dark clouds looming overhead, with a chilling atmosphere that seemed to seep into one’s very breath.

"You’re the Family Head of the Hawthorne Family. Since your personal seal is on the marriage agreement, you have the obligation to honor the engagement with my daughter. You can’t go back on your word. Am I right?" Howard Yates spoke to himself, then turned to the nearby Hawthorne Family members for affirmation.

But no one echoed his sentiment.

Except for the few elders who previously supported Harold Hawthorne’s power grab, which Hawthorne Family member would be foolish enough to offend Cyrus Hawthorne for the sake of the Yates Family?

A mere scrap from Cyrus Hawthorne was enough for them to live lavishly, with no worries about food or drink. Were they looking to ruin their good lives?

Howard Yates, undeterred by the lack of support, intensified his tone and questioned Cyrus Hawthorne, who sat in the main seat, "Family Head, I’m only asking you one thing today: will you or won’t you fulfill your duty and marry my daughter?"

Before Cyrus Hawthorne could respond, the Hawthorne Family members were already furious.

"Enough, Howard Yates!" Charlotte Hawthorne slammed the table and stood up. She had always had a fiery temper and couldn’t hold back any longer, "The marriage agreement was a rule set by the Hawthorne ancestors a hundred years ago. What time are we living in now? Who recognizes these marriage agreements anymore? Do you think holding up a marriage agreement is like wielding a royal decree? You’re delusional!"

Clara Hawthorne coughed, signaling her to maintain her elegance and avoid vulgarity.

Others might be wary of Howard Yates and Miyi Yates’s reputation within the Hawthorne Family and hesitate to speak harshly.

But Charlotte Hawthorne dared to.

"Forcing the Family Head to marry your daughter? Do you even deserve it? Pah!" she pointed at Howard Yates, extending her disdain to Miyi Yates standing beside him, "You and your daughter are birds of a feather, two peas in a pod."

Charlotte Hawthorne had initially thought highly of Miyi Yates, appreciating her unwavering support for Cyrus Hawthorne, and feeling her family background and capabilities matched with him.

But the idea that Miyi had no involvement in this incident was something Charlotte would never believe!

Miyi Yates had always been the well-behaved, outstanding child in the elders’ eyes, never once berated by them face-to-face like this.

But once an arrow is released, it doesn’t come back. She had already stepped forward, and it was now too late to feign innocence; she could only hope to repair the relationship later on.

Thus, Miyi Yates bore with it.

Howard Yates, however, would not bear it, retorting, "Watch your mouth. What do you mean by two peas in a pod? You also admit the marriage agreement was set by the Hawthorne ancestors. If the Family Head refuses to fulfill the obligations of the marriage agreement, does that not mean he disrespects the Hawthorne ancestors?"

"You—"

"Enough." A cold voice interrupted, immediately quelling the fire from both parties.

Cyrus Hawthorne’s expression remained detached and cold, as if their argument was non-existent. His dark, narrow eyes showed no ripples, maintaining an indifferently detached attitude throughout.

This left Howard Yates and Miyi Yates flustered and unable to remain calm.

They could not fathom his current thoughts, rendering all their strategies useless.

The only thing that could control him was the marriage agreement...

"How lively it is here." Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the hall entrance.

Laura Quinn walked in, dressed in a Bohemian-style long dress, wearing a woven sun hat, as if she had just returned from a tropical vacation.

Laura Quinn glanced around at those present, smiling, "How long have I been away, and what on earth has happened at home?"

"Sister-in-law, how dare you." Charlotte Hawthorne responded with obvious sarcasm, "Didn’t you secretly use Cian’s personal seal to stamp the marriage agreement with Miyi Yates? Now, why pretend to be ignorant."

No wonder Charlotte Hawthorne was so indignant.

Ever since Cyrus Hawthorne clarified to them that it wasn’t Ann Vaughn who had cheated, but rather, he had grown tired of their marriage and had done all sorts of excessive things to her.

Charlotte Hawthorne had developed a deep sympathy for Ann Vaughn.

Especially now that she had seen Miyi Yates’s calculative nature for herself, she naturally did not want her to become the Young Madam Hawthorne.

Laura Quinn acted as if she hadn’t heard Charlotte’s sarcasm, sitting down right next to Cyrus Hawthorne.

Seeing her arrival, Howard Yates and Miyi Yates felt a sense of relief.

"Madam, you be the judge. The marriage agreement may have been a rule set by the Hawthorne ancestors a hundred years ago, but since it still exists, doesn’t that mean there’s an obligation to honor it?" Howard Yates asked eagerly.

Laura Quinn nodded, "Indeed, the family rules cannot be disregarded. As long as they are in place, they are valid."

Cyrus Hawthorne arched an eyebrow, picked up his coffee cup and took a sip without uttering a word.

Howard Yates listened, mockingly glancing at Charlotte Hawthorne before continuing to ask, "Then, Madam, does that mean the Family Head should marry my daughter?"

"Well..." Laura Quinn turned her head, seeing Charlotte Hawthorne glaring at her, she hesitated, then said, "Howard Yates, just saying it won’t convince everyone. The marriage agreement must be shown for everyone to see."

"Madam is right. The marriage agreement has always been with Miyi. I’ll take it out now for everyone to see," Howard Yates said with a face full of smiles, nudging Miyi Yates.

Miyi Yates immediately stood up, taking a brocade box from her bag and opening it to reveal the marriage agreement.

Ever since obtaining this marriage agreement, Miyi Yates had kept it locked in a safe to prevent any incidents.

On the way to the Hawthorne Family, she had been extra cautious, fearing it would get lost.

But now, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

She was finally going to become the Family Head’s wife—

Miyi Yates smiled sweetly, taking out the rolled-up marriage agreement and slowly unfurling it for everyone to see, determined to show them all in clear detail.

"This is my marriage agreement with the Family Head."

As she finished saying this, the entire conference hall fell silent.

Except for Cyrus Hawthorne and Laura Quinn, everyone else wore expressions as if they had been struck by lightning, eyes wide as if they had seen a ghost.

"This..." Charlotte Hawthorne pointed at the marriage agreement in Miyi Yates’s hand, with a look that said, "Are you kidding me?" "You say this is the marriage agreement between you and the Family Head?"

Miyi Yates nodded slightly, maintaining her serene smile, "Yes."

"I think you’ve lost your mind." Clara Hawthorne coldly stated, voicing everyone’s thoughts, "Where is the Family Head’s personal seal on this marriage agreement? Just your own seal counts as a marriage agreement? You think you can force the Family Head to marry you with this? Are you insane?"

"I thought I was seeing things, but it turns out there really is no Family Head’s personal seal here..."

"I used to think Miyi Yates was well-mannered, composed, and the perfect choice for Mrs. Hawthorne, but now she seems like she has a severe case of delusion."

"If Madam hadn’t suggested showing the marriage agreement, we’d have been deceived. Who would suspect they’d fabricate something like this?"

"I feel like I never really knew this father-daughter duo before..."

To use a more trendy term, Miyi Yates’s reputation had collapsed.

And it had shattered completely.

Miyi Yates’s mind exploded like a bomb. She turned the marriage agreement over—

The bottommost part, where Cyrus Hawthorne’s personal seal should have been, was shockingly blank!