Karma Doesn’t Sleep The Revenge Queen Rises novel Chapter 701

Clive glanced at her phone without really thinking. On the screen, it said “Mom.”

Liana quickly declined the call. A second later, it rang again. This time, she just powered her phone off.

Clive arched a brow. “Not going to answer?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

He didn’t push. Liana didn’t explain, and honestly, Clive liked that she knew when to keep things to herself.

After dinner, Clive got ready to leave.

“Wait up, Salmeron,” Liana called after him. “I’ll come down with you. Let me walk you out, and maybe I can walk off some of this food too.”

Clive leaned against the door while she grabbed her things, and together they headed downstairs.

They’d barely stepped outside when a middle-aged couple in old, worn-out coats came barreling toward them. They looked completely out of place—rough around the edges and desperate.

“You brat! You think you can just turn off your phone? Living in a fancy place like this, you’ve forgotten all about your parents and your brother, haven’t you?” The woman’s voice was shrill, thick with an accent.

Clive’s eyes narrowed. He put it together in a second—these had to be Liana’s parents.

The man, Dale, had a limp, but he was all aggression. He was skinny, with a harsh, deeply lined face that made him look even meaner.

“I told you we never should’ve let her go to college!” he snapped. “She gets a little education and suddenly we’re nothing to her, she won’t even come home!”

Liana’s cheeks went red. “I’m not going back! I don’t want some arranged marriage!”

“We already took the bride price! The mayor’s son isn’t going to treat you badly. Get over here, you’re coming home with us!”

Clive had no plans to get in the middle of their family mess until Dale lunged, reaching for Liana’s hair. Clive’s expression iced over. He caught Dale’s wrist in a tight grip.

“This isn’t your village,” Clive said, voice low and sharp. “Say what you want, but keep your hands to yourself.”

Clive was tall, his presence imposing. Dale might push his daughter around, but faced with Clive, he backed down fast.

“And who the hell are you? This is none of your business! Let go!” Dale spat, struggling.

Clive’s frown deepened. Just then, his phone rang—Aiden, his assistant. Clive answered, not waiting for Aiden to speak. “I’ll send you my location. Bring a lawyer.”

Liana looked up at Clive, eyes red. “Salmeron, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you into this.”

Clive almost laughed out loud, the disgust plain on his face.

He wasn’t pretending to be a saint, and he knew his arrangement with Liana wasn’t exactly pure. But this was the first time he’d seen a mother so eager to shove her own daughter at a rich man.

“Liana’s business is my business now,” Clive said, not bothering to argue. “How much do you want?”

At this, Liana’s parents lit up, but Liana jumped in, desperate. “Salmeron, don’t! You don’t have to do this. You should go—I can handle them…”

Clive looked at her, taking in her swollen cheek and the stubborn tilt of her chin. She looked so much like Amelia in that moment. His chest tightened.

“I’ll handle it,” he said softly, leaning in so only she could hear. “Call it thanks for dinner.”

Liana’s hands clutched at her shirt, and for the first time all night, she let herself breathe. Where Clive couldn’t see, a tiny smile tugged at her mouth.

She’d done it.

There was no way she could have shaken off her leech of a family on her own. They were like parasites, always coming back for more, ready to blow up her life at any moment.

But with someone like Clive on her side, dealing with her greedy, heartless parents would be as easy as squashing a bug.