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The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean) novel Chapter 1422

“Ms. Garcia, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive my rudeness. I'm truly sorry for my inappropriate words. I hope you won't take it to heart.”

Neera was satisfied, leaning back with a casual and somewhat languid posture, looking like the head of a family.

“Well, I don't have many virtues, but one thing is, I'm broad-minded. If someone offends me, I usually don't make a fuss about it. Unless it's a serious matter, then I won't let it slide. But for trivial things, I don't bother.”

These words had two meanings.

Firstly, she placed herself on a pedestal, ostensibly saying she didn't mind Darren's confrontations. However, in reality, she was sarcastically belittling Darren, telling him that he was not even in her league and didn't have the qualifications to be.

Secondly, she was challenging the Bartitsu Guild, implying both subtly and openly that if this matter escalated, the Gordon family would surely seek revenge.

Matthew was no fool. He understood immediately.

A surge of anger welled up in his chest. His lips twitched slightly as he asked in a deep voice, “Is this the response from the Gordon family? Are you sure?”

Neera smiled slightly. “Yes, I'm very sure. I appreciate your generous offer, Mr. Lozano, but I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you.”

“May I ask what the reason is?” Matthew paused for a moment before asking again, his tone noticeably unpleasant.

Neera blinked and responded in a rather tactful manner, “I am but a humble person with little influence, having only recently assumed the role of head of the Gordon family. It was already a hard-won blessing to be able to sit in the ninth elder seat of the Bartitsu Guild. At present, I have yet to firmly establish myself in this position. If I were to rashly seek promotion, I fear it would do more harm than good. After all, it's lonely at the top, and I'm afraid of falling hard from such heights. If something were to happen to me, it wouldn't matter much, but I fear it would also implicate the entire Gordon family, which would be unfortunate. I think it's best for me to keep my feet on the ground and take things one step at a time. Only then can I truly be at peace.”

The reason she gave was high-sounding, yet it didn't offend Matthew in the slightest.

The stern expression on Matthew's face softened slightly, and he began to speak again, his words filled with earnest persuasion.

“Ms. Garcia, I understand that you have many concerns, and they are all necessary. However, rest assured, with the Bartitsu Guild backing the Gordon family, backing you, we won't let your worries come true. Besides, isn't Chad also there to help you?”

With that, he steered the conversation toward Chad.

“Chad, Ms. Garcia has just become the head of the family and there are still many things she's unfamiliar with. You surely won't just let go so easily, right? After all, she needs guidance to ensure her path is smooth and steady. The honor of being the second elder is not something anyone can achieve. To reject it outright is not a wise move. Don't you agree, Chad?”

Chad crossed his long legs, one hand resting on the arm of the couch, the other casually draped over his leg. He exuded an air of nonchalance from head to toe, his posture relaxed and carefree.

In response to the words thrown at him by Matthew, he didn't even think about it and casually gave a reply.

“Neera is capable enough to manage all the household affairs efficiently even without me. I have nothing to worry about. As for the matter of the second elder seat, we've already discussed it. Everyone unanimously respects her decision. If she doesn't want it, then let it be. Besides, I think her considerations are reasonable. This path should be walked step by step on her own. With her current experience and qualifications, a sudden rise would inevitably draw dissatisfaction from other families. She would become a thorn in their side, a source of envy and resentment. Moreover, she would be walking on thin ice, and any misstep could lead to irreversible consequences. Mr. Lozano, we appreciate your kind intentions, but we must decline. I'm sorry.”

Matthew's face fell after he listened to that, his cheek muscles seemingly twitching. When he spoke again, his tone was heavy, clearly filled with displeasure.

“It seems the Gordons had made up their minds a long time ago, huh, to reject the guild? If that's the case, why bother with all this pretense? Why wait until now to refuse? Ms. Garcia, what are your true intentions?”

Neera blinked, wearing an innocent expression on her face.

“Mr. Lozano, your words are unjust to me. At first, I truly wanted to accept it, but after much thought, I finally made this decision. It's not that I wanted to waste time, but this matter is of great importance. Making this decision was not easy. I hope you can understand.”

“Hmph! Who do you think I am? Someone you can easily deceive?”

At this point, Matthew completely lost his temper. His face was full of indignation, and his eyes were ablaze with anger.

“I had thought that the Gordon family was relatively honest in the Bartitsu Guild, which is why I treated you with special favor. It seems I overestimated you, leading you to believe that you have some leverage to play around with the guild! What do you think the guild is? You think you can just refuse us because you feel like it? What Darren just said is absolutely correct. I advise you not to choose to do it the hard way.”

Neera was not surprised in the slightest by his attitude.

Her bright eyes flickered slightly as she corrected him, neither humbly nor arrogantly, “Mr. Lozano, as you just mentioned, this is an invitation, not a compulsion. Why have you suddenly changed your mind? Although the Gordon family is affiliated with the Bartitsu Guild, we should still be able to make our own decisions, right? Or is it that the Bartitsu Guild plans to strip these families under its command of their autonomy? This would contradict the original intention of Phison...”

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