The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 407

Desperate to shift the blame, Michelle's mind immediately went to Jocelyn.

"It has to be that woman! Yes! She must have overheard us talking when she was still living here!"

"That's exactly it! We threw her out, so she holds a grudge, and now she's trying to tear this family apart out of pure spite."

Adrian shot up from the sofa, kicking a chair violently out of his way with a sharp, brutal movement that unleashed all his pent-up rage.

"What does this have to do with her? Stop blaming her for everything! If it weren't for you people, I would have never divorced her in the first place!"

Michelle recoiled, terrified into silence.

She had never seen him explode like this.

And to do it right in front of Eleanor, too.

Nobody ever dared step out of line in front of the old matriarch.

What had gotten into him...

"Adrian." Eleanor quickly masked her shock and adjusted her tone. "Are you really turning against your own family for some cheap tramp?"

He closed the distance step by step, staring down at the frail woman in the bed.

"She's not a cheap tramp. She never was."

Eleanor let out a raspy scoff.

"It seems you've actually fallen for her. But so what? Do you really think she'll ever step foot in this house again?"

"Do you think I don't know exactly what you're plotting, Adrian?"

"Since when do you have the right to speak to me like that! Who gave you permission to yell in my room? Do you think your worthless family can protect you? One more word, and I'll throw you out on the street! I have no problem getting rid of another piece of trash!"

Michelle was trembling with absolute fury.

"I've slaved away for this family my entire adult life! Whenever you were in a bad mood, you used me as your punching bag. For decades, I never dared talk back once! Even if I didn't accomplish anything monumental, I gave you two grandsons! You owe me some basic respect for that!"

"Are you keeping score with me now?" Eleanor seethed.

"Yes! I am keeping score!" Decades of repressed resentment finally exploded out of Michelle. "Adrian is my son, and I won't stand by and let you bully him anymore!"

"You promised me! You said if I helped you kick that woman out of this house so Adrian could marry Audrey, you would hand over the entire family business to him!"

"And now you go back on your word! You secretly draft a will leaving him with just one company, and the rest goes to that bastard child?!"