Chapter 437: In Your Condition, Can You Still Find Someone?

Victor Linden looked at Anna Linden and said, "Ryan just had a moment of foolishness. He’s a changed man now."

"A changed man?" Hearing this, Anna Linden found it laughable. "Maybe in your eyes, hitting your wife is a trivial matter! That’s why you think Lana should just revolve her life around that house and the kids! That’s why you think as long as Ryan apologizes, Lana should just obediently come home!"

"Anna," Victor Linden said, "We’re family. You watched Ryan grow up. Why are you willing to sour our relationship over an outsider like Lana? Besides, weren’t she and Ryan doing just fine at home before? It’s only since she started staying with you that she can’t see things clearly and has gotten ideas into her head!"

Standing to the side, Anne Sutton’s hands clenched unconsciously as she listened to Victor Linden.

Anna Linden found Victor’s words laughable as well. "What does Lana staying at my place have to do with anything? And what does it matter if Ryan and I are family? A man who hits his wife doesn’t deserve to have one. Do you understand?"

Victor Linden had originally thought he could just come over, have a word with Anna Linden, and then take Lana and the child back home. He imagined Ryan and Lana would go back to the way things were, and their family wouldn’t fall apart.

He never expected Anna Linden to keep interfering, which really irritated him.

He demanded, "So what do you want? To have Ryan killed?"

"Why would I want him killed?" Anna Linden retorted. "I’m simply respecting Lana’s wishes. If she chooses to divorce, I will stand by her. Victor, you’ve never once considered that your son is the problem. Even now, you still think it’s Lana’s fault. It’s because you’re his father that he turned out the way he did."

"What’s wrong with my son?" Victor Linden shot back, refusing to concede. "Anna Linden, you think you’re all that, don’t you? So what if you’re successful in your career? With a temper like yours, it’s no wonder Arthur Fawcett treated you the way he did! You deserved it! You’re not worthy of pity, understand?"

"What did you just say?" Her previous attempts to reason with Victor Linden vanished.

But now...

At Victor Linden’s words, Anna Linden’s expression hardened.

Standing nearby, Anne Sutton’s face fell as well.

’Anna Linden has been more than good to Ryan!’

’Besides, for all these years, Ryan’s family had only managed to live so well because of the patriarch’s company.’

’In reality, the patriarch’s company had nothing to do with their branch of the family. He only let them work there out of respect for their old ties.’

’And yet...’

’now Victor Linden was trying to protect his abusive son by attacking Anna, even daring to say she deserved her divorce!’

’Anna Linden was an exceptional woman. Her career was more successful than almost anyone’s—many men couldn’t even compare to her.’

’And yet...’

’even with all that, no matter how brilliant her life was, she was still ridiculed for a failed marriage.’

’For even Victor Linden, her own relative, to say such things to her face... it was just pathetic!’

Victor Linden said, "I just think a woman shouldn’t be so domineering! For the sake of her marriage and children, a little forbearance is necessary! After a divorce, do you really think it’s that easy to find another man?"

Anna Linden laughed. "Finding a *good* man isn’t easy, that’s true. But for Lana to find someone better than your son? That’ll be a piece of cake! Once she’s divorced, I’ll introduce her to a man a hundred times better than Ryan, just so you understand she won’t just shrivel up and die without your son!"

Anna Linden was saying this purely out of spite.

She was absolutely furious at what Victor Linden had said.

She felt like strangling someone right now!

She couldn’t believe he was capable of saying such vile things!

Victor Linden scoffed, "She thinks getting a divorce is that easy? Our family paid a hefty bride price when she married in. I’ve never seen anyone side with an outsider like you! You’re turning against your own family! Unbelievable!"

"If you can’t stand the sight of me, then please get out! Do you really think I enjoy meddling in your family’s affairs?" Anna Linden snapped, then called out, "Chloe."

Chloe Chase hurried over, glanced at Anna Linden, and said, "Ma’am."

"Please show this *distinguished* Mr. Linden out. I have work to do."

Chloe Chase turned to Victor Linden. "Mr. Linden, if you please."

Victor Linden stood up, his eyes sweeping over the three women in the room, including Anne Sutton.

’He found every last one of them infuriating!’

’All they know how to do is defy men!’

’He could write off Anna Linden; he’d known about her rotten temper since she was a child. But Anne Sutton was also to blame. Who knew what nonsense she’d been feeding Lana to brainwash her and make her change so drastically!’

Victor Linden muttered curses as he walked out. "Well, now I’ve seen everything!"

Although he hadn’t named anyone, Anne Sutton couldn’t help but feel she was included in his tirade.

After Victor Linden left, Anna Linden sat down and rubbed her temples.

Anne Sutton asked, "Dr. Linden, are you all right?"

’What Victor Linden had said was just too much.’

Anna Linden glanced at her. "You can get back to work."

An incident like this had put her in a terrible mood.

Hearing this, Anne Sutton felt it was best not to say anything more and stepped out.

Chloe Chase accompanied Anne Sutton out.

She looked at Anne Sutton and said, "The boss doesn’t seem to be in a very good mood."

Anne Sutton said, "After being talked to like that? If it were me, I’d be in a terrible mood too! There isn’t a single decent person in Ryan’s entire family! If Lana doesn’t get a divorce, what kind of life will she have left to live in that house?"

’I used to think that Ryan’s father was probably pretty good to his daughter-in-law, Lana.’

’But now it seems...’

’he’s not good to her at all!’

’He’s a dyed-in-the-wool chauvinist.’

’He probably knew that Ryan hits his wife and just pretended not to notice. In his eyes, as long as his son’s family stayed together, nothing else mattered.’

’But now that Lana wants a divorce, he’s suddenly up in arms!’

Chloe Chase said, "Let’s put this aside for now. The boss really doesn’t like getting involved in these matters usually."

Anne Sutton nodded. "Yeah."

After a full day of work, Anne Sutton went out to eat with some colleagues.

Lana Langley also went home today.

The Langley family hadn’t seen her in a long time.

Mrs. Langley asked, "I hear you haven’t been home lately. Have you been staying with Ryan’s aunt?"

"Yes," Lana Langley nodded.

Mrs. Langley looked at her and said, "Why aren’t you going back to your own home? What must it look like, staying out every day?"

"Mom," Lana said, "I want to divorce Ryan."

The word "divorce" made Mrs. Langley look at her in shock. "Divorce? Why, all of a sudden? Is it really necessary?"

"Ryan has a bad temper," Lana said. "I don’t want to live with him anymore! I want to take Donna and move out."

’In the past, she never would have dared to tell her family such a thing.’

’But now, she had made up her mind!’

Mrs. Langley said, "What do you mean, Ryan has a bad temper? He gets a little impatient sometimes, that’s all! But you two are good together. If you divorce him, a single mother with a child... in your situation, do you really think you’ll be able to find another man?"