CHAPTER 147: CHAPTER 147: ETHAN GRANT ORDERS CLAUDIA BELL TO LEAVE MERIDIA

"Wow, the Bell family’s daughters are quite diverse. There’s even a Joanne Linden here." Michelle Lockwood whispered sarcastically.

Caden Summers took a deep breath, walked over, and covered Michelle Lockwood’s mouth.

She should say less to avoid getting into trouble.

Michelle Lockwood blinked and flirted with Caden Summers. "Boyfriend, are you worried about me?"

"I..." Caden Summers felt a tingling sensation in his palm. Michelle Lockwood was clearly teasing him on purpose...

He suddenly withdrew his hand, standing behind Michelle Lockwood with a stern face. "Boss, have some respect."

"No way." Michelle Lockwood leaned on Caden Summers, putting all her weight on him.

At this point, if Caden Summers stepped back, she would definitely fall to the ground.

But she dared to lie in his arms anyway.

Caden Summers took a deep breath, helplessly standing straight.

Michelle Lockwood tilted her head and continued to tease Caden Summers, as if she hadn’t been the one who hit Claudia Bell, but was just watching a show.

"Ethan, you know better than anyone about Wendy’s condition. You don’t need me to remind you what happened between you. Since your father has already agreed to the marriage between our families, weigh what’s more important yourself." Mr. Bell sternly admonished Ethan Grant, from an elder’s perspective.

Obviously, he was confident that Ethan Grant would marry his daughter.

"My father agreed to the marriage, what’s that got to do with me?" Ethan Grant gently patted Summers on the back, lowering his voice. "The child is tired, please, as an elder, keep your voice down as a form of courtesy."

"You!" Mr. Bell said angrily. "Arthur, look at your son."

Arthur Grant looked quite uncomfortable, but because he felt somewhat guilty about Melody Crowe’s poisoning incident in Solara, he hadn’t been too forceful. "Ethan Grant, come out here."

Ethan Grant clearly had no intention of acknowledging Arthur Grant. "Do you think Claudia Bell did the right thing?"

Arthur Grant’s face darkened, daring to ask him this.

"I heard from your Uncle Bell that you asked partners to suspend all cooperation with the Bell family? What do you mean by that? For an outsider..." Seeing that Ethan Grant had no intention of going out, Arthur Grant couldn’t maintain his composure and had to address it now.

"Outsider? Who’s the outsider, shouldn’t father be very clear? Or does it mean, when you needed my help with Jayden Grant, she was an insider, but now that Jayden’s out, she’s an outsider?" Ethan Grant was reminding Arthur Grant that Yvette Aston is the Grant family’s daughter-in-law, something he knows very well.

Arthur Grant had even asked him to agree to marry Yvette Aston just to have her withdraw a case.

"Ethan Grant!" Arthur Grant lost control a bit, gesturing for him to stop talking. "In this matter, both sides have significant responsibility. Claudia also got hurt and paid the price. Call the partners immediately and arrange it within the company! Over some illegitimate child, you’re deliberately irritating me."

Arthur Grant believed he understood his son well. Having just returned from Solara, he was acting out, definitely not for Yvette Aston and the illegitimate child.

He was clearly opposing him because of Melody Crowe’s incident, trying to make him uncomfortable.

Yet now he felt in the wrong and was fuming.

"Impossible." Ethan Grant’s voice was firm.

"Ethan, you’re going too far. Do you want to eradicate the Bell family?" Mrs. Bell looked at Ethan Grant, shocked. "Ethan, both your uncle and I think highly of you, and you and Wendy are well-matched. We are one family. What are you doing?"

"Have Claudia Bell make a public apology, repent for her crimes, and clearly state all the harm she did to Yvette Aston in front of the media, whether it’s campus bullying, slander, personal injury, and make a solemn apology, publicly promising never to harm Yvette Aston or her family again. Let her leave Meridia and never appear within my sight, and I might consider letting her go." Ethan Grant, holding the sleeping Summers, spoke softly but with great authority.

Yvette Aston hid behind Ethan Grant, looking up at him in a daze.

Her eyes were very red, and Yvette Aston turned her gaze away.

Even if the Bell family disagreed, she was very grateful for Ethan Grant’s intention.

Once she had begged Henry Jennings to publicly acknowledge Claudia Bell’s evil deeds and publicly break off their engagement, but he disagreed...

But Ethan Grant was willing to pressure the Bell family for a public apology.

"Ethan, your request is excessive. The Bell family is also a prestigious family in Meridia, how can they hold their head high?" Arthur Grant rubbed his temple, wondering why Ethan Grant was pushing hard against the Bell family.

In the business circle, reputation is crucial, for both the Grant family and the Bell family.

Asking them to have their daughter publicly admit her wrongdoings, is even more insulting than slapping them in the face directly.

"You’re simply..." Mr. Bell was already shaking with anger. "The Bell family is not only marrying into the Grant family but also has ties with the Jennings Family of Montville. Claudia’s issues are too complicated. We were wrong in this matter, and I will ask Claudia to apologize. Ethan... don’t be so unrelenting. Let’s each take a step back. Isn’t that right, Miss Yvette?"

Mr. Bell directed the focus towards Yvette Aston.

"No..." Yvette Aston remained silent for a long time before speaking hoarsely. "All of Claudia Bell’s evil deeds were because of your indulgence..."

Mr. Bell’s face turned black with anger. This Yvette, now had backing.

"Yvette, a smart woman knows how to go with the flow. A backing can fall. No one can protect you for a lifetime." Mr. Bell reminded Yvette, warning her about the day Ethan Grant might not want to protect her.

Yvette Aston stood up straight, speaking hoarsely again. "It has nothing to do with anyone else, even if you break my backbone, I... will never forgive Claudia Bell. What she did to me, what your Bell family did to me, you know best."

In Montville, Mrs. Bell had Jayden Grant take her to an outer ring warehouse, where she almost died.

"Hmph." Mr. Bell snorted coldly. "Ethan, this matter doesn’t have much to do with you. Don’t make our two families look bad."

"This condition is already the maximum I can offer. If Claudia Bell refuses to publicly apologize and admit her wrongdoings and leave Meridia, then I will make all her misdeeds public over the years and personally hold a press conference to state how dissatisfied I am with the Bell family’s upbringing and influence. Because of Claudia Bell, it will also affect her sister Wendy Bell, won’t it?" Ethan Grant originally wanted to clarify his relationship with Wendy Bell.

Using Claudia Bell’s issue was indeed a good excuse.

Wendy Bell’s eyes were red, her face pale.

Ethan Grant was using Claudia Bell’s incident to distance himself from her.

She initially provoked Claudia Bell on purpose to confront Caden Summers and Summers, thinking that, with Henry Jennings as a connection, nothing major would happen... Unexpectedly, Ethan Grant was so ruthless.

For a Yvette Aston and an illegitimate child, he could go to this extent.

"Ethan, you..." Mrs. Bell was frightened, knowing that once Ethan Grant spoke out, the Bell family would be ruined!

Who would dare to want the Bell daughters in the future?

If this becomes a big scandal, it wouldn’t be easy to explain to the Jennings elders, and if the Jennings family wants to break off the engagement...

"Shane, what do we do? Ask Arthur to persuade Ethan!" Mrs. Bell was on the verge of tears.

She only had these two precious daughters.

"What’s the rush?" Mr. Bell coldly snorted, clearly still holding an ace and leverage. "Henry Jennings is still in Meridia and is on his way here. He is Claudia’s fiancé, this is a family matter! He has to intervene!"

Even if the Grant family doesn’t give face to the Bell family, they must to the Jennings family. If Apex and Grant Group terminate cooperation, the loss for Grant Group is not something Ethan Grant can afford at this stage.

Knowing that Ethan Grant’s current position is precarious, could he risk himself for a Yvette Aston and an illegitimate child?

No one is a fool; give each other a way to defuse the situation.

Upon hearing Henry Jennings’ name, Yvette Aston looked up at Ethan Grant in alarm.

She didn’t want Ethan Grant to stand against Henry Jennings.

It would not be good for his position in the company.