Chapter 328: Declaration of War (8)

Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Declaration of War (8)

She cleared her throat and looked at Faye Sterling with a troubled expression. "Second Uncle, my sister is back. But she’s suffered a great shock, both physically and mentally, and will need a long time to recuperate. Second Aunt has already taken her to a doctor. Physically, there are no major issues, but she needs to see a psychiatrist. Still, I’m sure that—with a psychiatrist’s help, my sister will definitely make a full recovery!"

"Of course she will. My Maple will be fine! She’ll definitely be fine!" Owen Sterling repeated, his voice thick with emotion.

"Second Uncle, Grandpa said that since the Quinn Family has returned my sister, they won’t make things difficult for the Sterling Family anymore. So, The Sterling Group’s crisis will slowly be resolved! You should give up on that plan of yours! After all, my sister just got back. After being tormented for so long, she still hasn’t recovered. She’s in an incredibly fragile state right now! If you go ahead with your plan, I’m afraid she won’t be able to handle the blow and might just leave us!"

As she spoke, Seraphina Sterling shot another worried glance at Faye Sterling, who was sitting beside Jasmine Faulkner. Her gentle voice and concerned expression were so utterly convincing, no one would have ever guessed she was only acting.

"What plan? What is all this? Owen, what have you done?" Walter Sterling bellowed. His anger toward Jasmine Faulkner hadn’t even subsided, and now, hearing what Seraphina said, it surged anew.

It was no wonder Walter Sterling didn’t trust Owen Sterling. The truth was, Owen’s capabilities were sorely lacking. The Sterling Group had only been in his hands for a short while, and forgetting the attacks from outside competitors, he alone had created plenty of messes. There was a recent proposal that had thrown the entire company into turmoil, and if Walter Sterling hadn’t personally intervened, the matter would likely still be deadlocked.

So when he heard Seraphina’s words, he immediately laid the blame on Owen Sterling. His tone was so severe that even Owen himself was badly shaken.

"Dad, I haven’t done anything! A lot has been happening at the office these past few days, and I’ve been completely focused on handling company business! I haven’t done anything else!" Owen Sterling was utterly bewildered. Seeing the distrust in his father’s eyes, he whirled on Seraphina. "What nonsense are you talking about? What plan?"

"Second Uncle, there’s no use denying it. I saw everything!" Seraphina said, casting a pitying glance toward Faye Sterling.

"Seraphina! What did you see? Spit it out! I want to hear just what despicable thing your uncle has done this time!" Walter Sterling panted, not even sparing Owen a glance. He had completely given up on his son.

"A clear conscience fears no accusation! Let’s see what lies you’ve cooked up!" Owen Sterling’s anger flared. ’It was always like this,’ he thought bitterly. ’Father never trusted him, his own son!’

"I’m guessing The Sterling Group has run into cash flow problems recently. But even if the company is in crisis, Second Uncle, you can’t marry my sister off to a man like Leo Fenton! Everyone in our circle knows he’s a degenerate lecher. He especially preys on innocent girls in their mid-teens, and his methods are both depraved and brutal. After so many years of debauchery, his body is completely wasted! No matter how much The Sterling Group needs capital, you can’t trade my sister’s marriage—her entire life’s happiness—for it!"

"Even though my sister is in a terrible state right now, Second Aunt already took her to a doctor, and the doctor said she still has a chance to make a full recovery! You can’t just look at her in this condition and give up on her! You can’t agree to this marriage! Besides, in her current state, the slightest shock could be devastating. If she married a man like Leo Fenton, she wouldn’t last long—it would kill her!"

"You’re managing the entire Sterling Group now, Second Uncle. You’re the future head of the Sterling Family. If you sacrifice your own family for profit today, who will genuinely care about this family’s interests in the future?"

Seraphina Sterling spoke with such heartfelt emotion and presented her case so logically and methodically that even Owen Sterling’s wife, Jasmine Faulkner, was starting to believe her—to say nothing of Walter Sterling, who had long been dissatisfied with his son.

"You scoundrel!" With a furious roar, the old man swung the pear wood cane in his hand, striking it viciously against Owen Sterling’s shin.

"AGH—!" Owen Sterling cried out, shocked by the sudden, sharp pain. He never imagined the old man would actually strike him. Sweat immediately broke out on his forehead. ’That damned Seraphina Sterling!’ he seethed. ’Spouting such nonsense, slandering him in front of his own father! He was so furious he could kill!’

"Dad, please, let me explain! I never planned to do anything like that! Think about it, Maple is my daughter—my only daughter! How could I possibly have the heart to do that to her? The company has run into cash flow issues, yes, but I never, ever thought about gambling away Maple’s marriage!" Owen Sterling explained hastily, gritting his teeth against the throbbing pain in his leg.

"Seraphina Sterling! Where did you hear such crazy talk? You come here to sow discord in front of Father without even getting your facts straight! How can someone so young be so vicious? You just want to drive a wedge between me and Father, don’t you?"

The more his leg throbbed, the angrier Owen Sterling became. ’That Leo Fenton... he was meant for Seraphina! Is she being clever or just an idiot?’ he fumed. ’How could she possibly think I’d marry Maple off to him?’ Suddenly, a terrible feeling washed over Owen Sterling.

"Grandpa, I’m not making things up. I saw it with my own eyes. Before I went out today, I saw Second Uncle hosting Leo Fenton at our house. I didn’t recognize him at first. I was just heading out the door when Second Uncle called me over and made a very formal introduction. That’s the only reason I knew who our guest was! And just as I was leaving, I vaguely overheard Second Uncle telling Leo Fenton, ’We’ll all be family soon, so everything will be easy to sort out!’"

Seraphina became even more self-righteous. "If you weren’t planning on marrying my sister to Leo Fenton, Second Uncle, why would you say that?" Then, as if a sudden, horrifying thought had just occurred to her, she stared at Owen Sterling in wide-eyed astonishment. "Or... don’t tell me you were planning to marry *me* to him, and not my sister?"