CHAPTER 831: CHAPTER 831: SHE IS MY OPEN AND UNAPOLOGETIC FAVORITISM

Leah Thorne was in her apartment when suddenly, a "ding-dong" sounded—the apartment doorbell rang.

Could it be Justin Xavier coming back?

Leah walked over and opened the apartment door. Outside were not Justin but two black-suited bodyguards.

One of the bodyguards spoke, "Hello, Miss Thorne, Old Master Xavier has come to Bayside, and he wants to see you."

Old Master Xavier?

Leah’s heart skipped a beat. She had only seen Old Master Xavier once, and that was many years ago on the day Hugh Xavier brought her home. A luxury car slowly stopped outside the Xavier family villa, and she turned around to catch a glimpse of Old Master Xavier through the rolled-down car window in the back seat.

Old Master Xavier sat in the car, quietly watching her.

That gaze was particularly calm, yet it made her hair stand on end.

After that, she never saw Old Master Xavier again.

Old Master Xavier had not been in Bayside for years, yet he was the real powerholder of the Xavier family, wielding life and death authority.

Now, Old Master Xavier had returned and wanted to see her.

Perhaps it was that childhood encounter that left a psychological shadow, causing Leah to innately reject Old Master Xavier.

However, she did not refuse.

Because Old Master Xavier did not give her the chance to refuse.

"Alright, I’ll go with you."

...

Half an hour later, Leah arrived at a villa. The bodyguard pushed open the door to the study, "Old Master, Miss Thorne is here."

Leah walked in and saw Old Master Xavier.

Old Master Xavier wore a black Zhongshan suit, looking vigorous. Although his face was deeply lined with age, his turbid eyes shone with a sharp, astute light.

Clearly a formidable character.

"Hello, Old Master. Did you need to see me?" Leah greeted politely and graciously.

Old Master Xavier’s cloudy eyes fell on Leah’s delicate face and slowly revealed a hint of a smile, "Miss Thorne, don’t be nervous. I won’t harm you, I have only one matter to discuss with you."

"Is it about Hugh and me?"

Old Master Xavier shook his head, "Didn’t Justin confine his father and then drive him out of Bayside, condemning him to live abroad for life, never to return? Since Justin has already perfectly resolved it, those old matters needn’t be mentioned."

Leah’s finely arranged lashes trembled briefly. She hadn’t known about this matter.

"Miss Thorne, today, I’m asking you to leave my grandson, Justin Xavier."

So, Old Master Xavier had come for this.

Leah slowly lowered her head, and after a few seconds, she lifted it again, "Old Master, I think you’re mistaken. Between Justin and me, it was never me clinging to him, but him holding tight to me. So, you’re looking for the wrong person. You should find your grandson."

Old Master Xavier chuckled, "Since you’re already here, Justin wouldn’t be far behind. He’s already on his way."

"I will make him let go in my way, and I hope Miss Thorne will cooperate by using your way to make him release as well. You’re clever, Miss Thorne, so you should understand what I’m saying, right?"

Leah’s slender white fingers hanging at her side curled slightly, and her complexion turned pale without a word.

Old Master Xavier picked up a teacup, elegantly sipping a bit of tea, "Miss Thorne, you no longer love Justin, right?"

Leah’s heart ached suddenly, curling up involuntarily. She didn’t know...

She only knew that in her life there was only... Justin Xavier.

Only him.

At this moment, Old Master Xavier’s gaze landed on Leah, squinting those cloudy and sharp eyes to examine Leah thoroughly, then smiled with unclear meaning, "In the blink of an eye, Quinn Thorne’s daughter has grown so big."

Quinn Thorne was Leah’s dad.

It had been a very long time since Leah had heard her dad’s name from someone else’s lips, and now suddenly hearing Old Master Xavier bring it up, she widened her eyes in utter shock, staring at Old Master Xavier, "You... knew my dad?"

"Heh," Old Master Xavier chuckled mysteriously, "Back in those days, who didn’t know the high-society Quinn Thorne; Quinn Thorne had a pair of children, a daughter who was a cherished rose, and a son... Mort Thorne was an exceptional talent, a rising star, becoming the CEO of FUI at 18, impressively unparalleled. The Thorne family back then was truly dazzling, but unfortunately, Quinn Thorne died in a car accident, and his son Mort went missing overnight, while his daughter became an adopted daughter of another family. It’s quite a sigh-inducing tale, isn’t it?"

Leah looked at Old Master Xavier, sensing that when he spoke of these things, he wasn’t actually sighing in sentiment. On the contrary, Old Master Xavier’s eyes glinted with a very dark, mysterious light.

This made Leah gently furrow her delicate brows, having a gut feeling that the relationship between Old Master Xavier and the Thorne family wasn’t so simple!

At this moment, a maid walked in, respectfully saying, "Old Master, the young master has arrived!"

Justin Xavier had arrived.

Old Master Xavier withdrew his thoughts, chuckling softly, "Came quite quickly. Miss Thorne, if you would kindly stay in the secret room for a while."

Leah entered a secret room, from where she could just see the situation outside.

Justin hurried over, standing tall and cold before Old Master Xavier, his black eyes scanning the surroundings, "Grandpa, where’s Leah?"

Old Master Xavier coldly huffed, "Justin, do you still have me as your grandfather in your eyes now? I see you have only Leah in your heart and eyes now. For her, you didn’t even hesitate to turn against your own father."

Justin’s expression remained unruffled, speaking blandly, "Grandfather, Leah is timid, don’t scare her. Let me send her back first, and we can talk afterward."

"Justin, how did I raise you when you were a child? Marriages among noble families are meant for benefits and exchanges. As a qualified heir, you cannot indulge in true feelings. And how have you acted? The matter between you and Leah has become the talk of the town, turning father against son. I won’t tolerate such a woman, break up with her immediately."

"Grandfather, I will not break up with her."

With a "slam," Old Master Xavier slammed the teacup he held onto the table, and his turbid eyes sharpened, scolding, "Unfilial son, kneel!"

Justin’s handsome visage remained indifferent, not even frowning as he slowly knelt down.

A servant brought over a whip, and Old Master Xavier seized it, lashing it down hard on Justin’s back with a "crack."

This was family punishment.

Inside the secret room, Leah’s dark pupils constricted, her heart gripped tight like by a huge hand, with each breath achingly painful.

The whip lashed on his body, but the pain was in her heart.

Leah wanted to rush out, but the secret room was closed, and she couldn’t find the switch.

With every lash from Old Master Xavier, fresh blood seeped through Justin’s clothes on his back. "Justin, what do you say now?"

Justin knelt straight, slowly speaking, "I thought you all knew that over the years... Leah is my well-known private favorite, the one I’ve blatantly favored."