hooklinebooks Chapter 1259 - 1258: This Woman Has Offended All the Nobles in the Imperial City
Chapter 1259 - 1258: This Woman Has Offended All the Nobles in the Imperial City
Mrs. Zane noticed Leah didn’t object, and even walked to Richard Shaw to speak softly, seemingly discussing which notable figures they knew and whom to invite as a mediator, which made her reveal a triumphant smile.
She was inviting her card-playing friend, Miss Winton from the Winton Family in the Imperial City. Although not as prominent as the Land Family, the Winton Family was still a prestigious name.
Miss Serena Winton loved playing cards and often gathered a group of high-society ladies to gamble in Macau, then relax on a luxury cruise ship back home.
Initially, Mrs. Zane hadn’t planned on calling Serena Winton. However, after waiting for two hours, growing increasingly irritated, she decided to embarrass the other party. Serena Winton had recently divorced and gained a substantial share of assets, which made her not only temperamental but also overbearing. She was the perfect troublemaker to call upon.
Mrs. Zane glanced at Leah and Richard Shaw, who were still whispering, and snorted coldly, thinking to herself, "You’ll witness her methods soon enough."
Leah, seeing the shameless manner in which the Zane Family was attempting to wield power, pulled Richard Shaw aside and asked, "Don’t they recognize you?"
The man’s tea-colored pupils were like exquisite amber as he looked at her lovely face, speaking in a low voice, "I’ve always been low-key. The Zane Family isn’t in the core circle of power within the Imperial City, so it’s normal they don’t recognize me."
The circles in the Imperial City were harshly hierarchical, almost to an extreme degree. The higher the circle, the harder it was to enter. Having acquaintances wasn’t sufficient to gain entry, as they each operated by their own rules.
The Shaw Family was indeed discreet. Leah nodded, remembering how, when she had first married into the Shaw Family, the matriarch scarcely interacted with any prestigious families. It was only her own love for social gatherings that led her to foster more connections with the Howard Family. Yet, interactions with other prominent families remained minimal.
The matriarch was clear about the Shaw Family’s position as both a power and a loner. The Shaw Family’s overwhelming influence in the Military District meant they were destined to be friendless.
"Thomas Shaw is studying here, and even the school doesn’t have any records?" Leah’s big, clear eyes continued to probe gently. Because they were speaking quietly, the two had to stand close, close enough for the man to catch the faint scent of her hair, reminiscent of the fragrance of the Oriental water lily. She loved the smell of lotus flowers, and many of her products carried this scent.
Richard Shaw lowered his eyes, his gaze deepening slightly, as his left hand loosely encircled her waist without touching, yet the gesture nonetheless declared his sovereignty and possessiveness.
The man spoke in a soft, low tone, "No, we hope he makes good friends with his classmates."
If Case Shaw’s identity as the young master of the Shaw Family were exposed, the friendships he formed might not be so simple. The man recalled young Casimir Shaw’s three wishes: to find his mommy, to eat glutinous rice cakes every day, and to make lots and lots of friends.
In his heart, the man felt these simple little wishes should be fulfilled by a father for his son. Therefore, starting in the third grade, Casimir Shaw transferred schools, always disguised as a child from an ordinary middle-class family.
Leah nodded, understanding now why the school principal was so vague. They didn’t know Richard Shaw’s background, and the Zane Family dared to cause trouble, seeing them as an easy target.
"I wonder who Mrs. Zane has invited as a mediator," Leah said with a mischievous smile, her eyes curving like crescent moons, resembling a sly little fox.
The man’s seductive Adam’s apple unconsciously bobbed, as he turned to look at the door, just in time to see Mrs. Zane entering with a lavishly dressed noblewoman.
"Sister Zane, why is this school so hard to find? I couldn’t even find a parking spot. Hurry and resolve this issue with your son; I have a card game this afternoon," Serena Winton complained.
"The other party is rather clueless, never encountered the world before, insists on making a fuss. I’m also helpless," Mrs. Zane laughed. "But since you know Director Tan well, if they keep being unreasonable, I might have to trouble Director Tan to send a couple of people over."
Mrs. Zane had made up her mind to fight to the end today. If necessary, she’d get someone thrown in jail—not just to crush the opposition but also to give the school a warning not to shield Thomas Shaw.
"It’s just a phone call, really. If I’d known earlier, I wouldn’t have come. I could’ve just called Old Tan directly." Serena Winton, stepping in her high heels, spoke coquettishly, twisting her waist as she followed Mrs. Zane into the office, looking with some distaste at the people in the room. "Ugh, the air’s terrible."
The two spoke loudly as if wanting everyone in the office to hear.
With Serena Winton’s words as backing, Mrs. Zane felt like a victorious peacock, looking at Leah with a sneer. "This is Miss Winton from the prestigious Winton Family in the Imperial City; I assume you don’t recognize her. Never mind, we’ll talk sense first, but if reasoning doesn’t work, I’ll have to request Director Tan’s presence."
Upon hearing Mrs. Zane’s words, the teachers and the principal were stunned. Were they really calling the police chief over a kids’ fight?
Meanwhile, the parents of the other three students exclaimed aloud, their legs trembling. If they’d known it would escalate to this degree, they wouldn’t have come. The Zane Family has connections; they don’t. They didn’t want trouble returning to them.
Suddenly, everyone’s gazes toward the Zane Family changed.
Seeing how she intimidated everyone with Director Tan’s name made Mrs. Zane more smug. Knox Zane was no use; the old man came in and immediately started making phone calls, oblivious to the situation. In the crucial moment, she had to step up.
Upon hearing this, Richard Shaw’s gaze deepened slightly. City police chief Tan was indeed his name, holding a deputy provincial rank. Little did he expect, Mrs. Zane’s Winton contacts, the Winton Family’s development trend in the Imperial City had been quite satisfactory over the years.
When Leah realized Serena Winton had been called as the mediator, she was both shocked and amused. The Winton sisters were notorious for getting into fights with her as they grew up, who couldn’t stand her yet could do nothing against her.
Although they hadn’t met for years, and some things had changed, she recognized Serena Winton at once. Especially recalling how Serena Winton had tried to court Richard Shaw while Sophia Winton had pursued Clark Landon, showing how bothersome the sisters were.
Leah wore a knowing smirk as Serena Winton was about to show off by calling Director Tan, hoping to flaunt her influence in front of these civilians. But as soon as Serena saw the handsome and cold-faced man, she was so startled that her phone nearly slipped out of her hand,
"Ri-Ri-Richard Shaw? Oh my God."
And just as she saw Leah next to Richard Shaw, her face changed color as if someone had grabbed her throat, turning red. Crystal Landon?
Crystal Landon, who had been trouncing her and her sister since their school years, wasn’t she alleged to be dead?
Serena Winton looked as if she had seen a ghost, her eyes nearly bulging out. Glancing at her card-playing companion Mrs. Zane, she saw Mrs. Zane was still smugly chattering to the Shaw Family, and Serena’s jaw fell open, wanting to speak but feeling faint.
Could Mrs. Zane be insane? This was the renowned Shaw Family from the Imperial City. If Richard Shaw hadn’t stepped down years ago, he would’ve been an Admiral. Even so, he still held a high rank, and ten Winton Families couldn’t match one Shaw Family, let alone the Zane Family.
Mrs. Zane was completely unaware that the prestigious Miss Winton she invited was close to fainting, pretending not to know her.
Serena Winton liked Richard Shaw, but she was truly afraid of his wife. In the circles of rich Imperial City ladies, who would dare provoke Crystal Landon? The Shaw Family was famous for being super-loyal, especially with ties to the Howard Family, who were well-connected with the Land Family. Serena Winton looked at Mrs. Zane as if she were a ghost; this woman had already offended the most influential nobles in the Imperial City.