Family on Their Knees Heart Turned to Ice novel Chapter 34

Seeing the situation, Bella immediately put on a stern face and scolded, “Hannah, this is work time. Don’t talk about irrelevant matters. Besides, Lillian is not that kind of person. Don’t misunderstand her. A high-society lady has her own grace and dignity.”

Hannah meekly stepped behind Bella, not daring to look at Sebastian, terrified he would lose his temper.

Others might not know, but as Brandon’s girlfriend and Bella’s best friend, she was well aware of the relationship between Lillian and Sebastian.

In fact, many people at Sebastian’s original company used to know. But after Sebastian’s success and his inheritance of the Blake family fortune, his small startup was merged into the larger group, and the original employees who knew about their relationship had long been replaced.

Later, Sebastian and Lillian’s wedding was a small affair, with only close family invited. They maintained a low-profile marriage, and Lillian left the company to have and raise their child, so almost no one knew of their connection.

Some people knew Sebastian had a son, but they assumed it was a case of him keeping the child and getting rid of the mother.

Sebastian never bothered to explain.

Now, with Bella speaking up, Sebastian had to give her face. But he still threw out a stern warning, “Control your friend.”

Sebastian had never spoken to her so harshly before, and hearing his words, Bella’s expression turned sour.

As soon as Sebastian left, Hannah leaned in. “Don’t tell me Mr. Blake still cares about that woman? Bella, you can’t let this happen. You need to keep a closer eye on him. It’s best to get them to finalize the divorce quickly. A man is only truly yours when you have him firmly in your grasp.”

Bella was clearly in a low mood.

She said flatly, “You should focus on Brandon. Has he agreed to marry you yet?”

At the mention of this, Hannah’s face fell.

“If he won’t marry me, it’s not like I want to marry him anyway. The industry is full of successful men, and the Mercer family isn’t the only wealthy one. As long as I stick with you, Bella, I’ll have no trouble meeting other eligible bachelors.”

After hearing Hannah’s words, Sebastian returned to his office and immediately called Brandon.

“Lillian got a promotion at Litech NaLabs. There are rumors she used improper means to get ahead.”

They were both intelligent men; the implication was clear.

Sebastian’s call made Brandon understand instantly. Sebastian still needed Lillian for his son, and it was the Mercer family’s responsibility to manage her and ensure her reputation remained intact, especially now that the Mercer family was dependent on the Blakes.

Brandon considered the logistics. “Dad, that’s Litech NaLabs we’re talking about. It wouldn’t be right for me to just go to their company and demand they hand her over. The Blake Group and Bella are both trying to negotiate a partnership with them. We can’t afford to offend Mr. Cole.”

It was then that Sabrina finally spoke up. “Martin, why get so worked up? It’s not worth risking your health over this.”

Martin shot back, “We can’t afford to offend Mr. Cole, but Lillian is still a Mercer. I’m her father. Do I not have the right to discipline her? Even Mr. Cole can’t stop a father from teaching his child a lesson. Go and bring your sister home now!”

Martin had previously thought that since Sebastian would eventually divorce Lillian and marry Bella, it wouldn’t be a bad thing if Lillian managed to get involved with someone like Nathan. The Mercer family would only benefit more.

Nathan was a self-made man. Although he didn’t have a family fortune to inherit, Litech NaLabs had a bright future and might one day surpass even the Blake family. If the Mercers could rely on Nathan, their future would be secure for a century.

But right now, the most pressing matter was that Nathan was a distant, uncertain prospect. Sebastian was different; he was someone they absolutely could not afford to offend.

Brandon, of course, understood the priorities.

Sabrina added gently, “Brandon, when you go find Lillian, don’t be too harsh. Just coax her into coming back.”

Brandon’s anger flared, and he raised his voice. “Coax her? After she’s done something so shameless, what she needs is a good beating!”