My Amnesic Ex Married My Sister, So I Married His Uncle-Chapter 24: President Rhodes’s Instructions

If they had any sense, they’d know to keep a respectful distance from their "brother-in-law."

If they had any sense, they wouldn’t have just believed one side of the story.

’In conclusion, none of the people present have any sense.’

The entire family was shocked that Stella Sterling would be so openly defiant.

For the past twenty-odd years, right up until Ethan Rhodes woke up after his car accident, Stella Sterling had always been a good, obedient girl.

She might have been a bit quiet at times, a bit cold, but she never talked back or disobeyed her elders.

Nothing like how she was now.

Gavin Sterling’s expression was just as dark.

"Who taught you to talk like that! Look at you! What is there for Ethan to like about you? Your disrespect for your elders? Does he want to marry you just so you can bring chaos to his home?"

Madeline Jennings chimed in, "Exactly! Instead of looking for a fault in yourself, all you do is blame everyone else!"

This time, Stella Sterling didn’t argue back. "I think you’re right, President Sterling. I’m so terrible, I’m sure those young masters you mentioned on the phone wouldn’t like someone like me either. You should just save yourself the trouble."

"..."

Gavin Sterling choked on his words, stunned that Stella Sterling had managed to turn the tables on him.

His face grew even uglier. He said in a low voice, "One thing at a time. I’ll settle all my scores with you today! First, let’s talk about how you made Kiana faint in Lumina."

The mention of this incident enraged Madeline Jennings.

"That’s right! Kiana fainted because of you, and you had the nerve to just run away from the scene without a word! Stella Sterling, you’ve got some nerve! You’ve grown bold, haven’t you? You really think no one can control you anymore, is that it? If you don’t give Kiana a proper apology today, I won’t let you off the hook!"

Stella Sterling’s smirk faded from her face. She asked, "Is that what you think too, President Sterling?"

Gavin Sterling’s brow twitched. "You won’t even call me ’Dad’ anymore? Was your mother wrong about you?"

Stella Sterling then turned to Chase Sterling. "And what about you, Young President Sterling? You want me to apologize too?"

Chase Sterling frowned. He felt that something was off about Stella Sterling today, and he had a vague, unsettling feeling he couldn’t quite place.

He didn’t speak, so Stella Sterling took his silence as agreement.

She let out a cold laugh, pushed herself up from the armrest, and gracefully walked over to Kiana Sterling.

Looking down at Kiana Sterling’s tear-filled eyes, she said, "You, I won’t even bother asking."

"After being pushed to the ground by me so many times, and fainting from anger because of me so many times, you’re still perfectly fine. Do you know what they call that?"

All eyes were on her.

She lightly uttered four words: "The wicked live long."

A whooshing sound swept past her ear. When she registered what happened, oh, it was Ms. Jennings’s palm.

It was a heavy blow.

Ms. Jennings’s hand was bony, with little flesh on it. Before long, a bright red handprint appeared on Stella Sterling’s fair cheek.

It was starkly visible.

"You’re the wicked one! If it weren’t for you, Kiana wouldn’t have this illness! And you have the nerve to say that!"

"Why wouldn’t I have the nerve?" Her cheek throbbed as she spoke. "I told you it had nothing to do with me, but there are idiots who believe every word Kiana Sterling says. What am I supposed to do? Lend you my brain?"

"Stella Sterling!" Gavin Sterling’s face was red with fury. "Have you no decency! It seems I have no choice but to use the family discipline on you today!"

The Sterling Family had a rattan cane as thick as an arm. It was the family’s instrument of discipline, a symbol.

For as long as Stella Sterling could remember, she had never seen it taken down from its special rack.

She had once heard her grandmother say that President Sterling had been beaten with it quite a few times in his childhood.

Gavin Sterling went to retrieve the cane himself.

When he returned, he pointed one end of the cane at Stella Sterling and commanded, "Kneel!"

Stella Sterling didn’t kneel. She just stood there, watching him with cold eyes.

Kiana Sterling’s tears fell even faster. She hurried over, grabbing Gavin Sterling’s arm to plead with him. "Dad, please don’t be angry. It’s all my fault. My body is just too weak. It’s not Stella’s fault. Stella’s a girl, she can’t take it!"

"Can’t take it? We’ll see what’s tougher—her mouth or this cane!"

The cane made a WHOOSH sound as it cut through the air. Kiana deflected some of the force as it swung down, though not much.

Stella Sterling tried to dodge again, but the tip of the cane still struck her hard across her shoulder blades.

A searing pain followed seconds later.

Meanwhile, Kiana Sterling was pushed aside by Gavin Sterling’s force and nearly hit the coffee table. Madeline Jennings and Chase Sterling rushed to help her up, carefully checking if she was hurt anywhere.

"You dare to dodge!" Gavin Sterling grew even angrier. "Joel Joyce!"

Joel Joyce walked over with a blank expression, intercepting Stella Sterling as she tried to turn and run. He pressed down on her shoulder with one hand and gripped her wrist with the other.

He whispered, "My apologies, Second Miss."

Stella Sterling struggled, turning her head to stare intently at Gavin Sterling, her voice trembling slightly. "President Sterling, domestic abuse is illegal."

Gavin Sterling let out a cold laugh.

The cane was raised high. Suddenly, someone in the living room shouted, "Stop!"

Liam Hawthorne strode in, pushing aside Joel Joyce who was holding Stella Sterling, and immediately shielded her behind him.

The farce finally came to a temporary halt with the arrival of an outsider.

Madeline Jennings sized him up for a moment before speaking with displeasure, "Who are you? Who let you in!"

For a moment, Gavin Sterling and Chase Sterling said nothing.

After a moment, Chase Sterling sought confirmation. "Hawthorne?"

Liam Hawthorne nodded in greeting. "President Sterling, Young President Sterling."

Realizing who the visitor was, Gavin Sterling’s expression remained sour.

"Is there something you need, Hawthorne? What is the meaning of this, barging into my humble home?"

Liam Hawthorne didn’t answer his question. He only said, "President Sterling, let’s talk things out calmly. Resorting to violence isn’t a good look."

Just then, Kiana Sterling walked over. "Stella, are you okay?"

With an outsider present, Gavin Sterling finally handed the "family discipline" cane to Madeline Jennings and had her put it away.

He turned back to Liam Hawthorne. "Hawthorne, are you here today because President Rhodes has instructions?"

He had heard that a few of Chase Sterling’s recent projects weren’t going smoothly.

Although he wasn’t optimistic about them, he was happy to see them succeed.

After all, the money would end up in his own family’s pocket.

The projects had been secured through Ethan Rhodes, but in the end, everything still depended on Owen Rhodes’s approval.

He assumed Liam Hawthorne was here today to deliver a message from Owen Rhodes.

"Even if President Rhodes does have instructions, please wait in the study for a moment, Hawthorne, while I handle my family affairs."

He was showing him some courtesy, but not much.

Liam Hawthorne adjusted his glasses, not waiting for him. "President Sterling, President Rhodes’s instruction is for me to ensure Miss Stella Sterling’s safety at all costs."

The people in the living room were all momentarily stunned.

Even a housewife like Madeline Jennings could guess that Liam Hawthorne, who had suddenly barged in, was one of Owen Rhodes’s men.

"President Rhodes... he knows our Stella?"

And he even sent Liam Hawthorne here for Stella Sterling?

Gavin Sterling found it utterly baffling.

Seeing that Gavin Sterling’s and Chase Sterling’s attention had shifted to the man who had suddenly appeared, Kiana Sterling quickly moved to Stella Sterling’s side.

"Stella, did Dad accidentally hit you? Is it bad? Let me see."

Kiana Sterling reached out to pull her, but halfway there, Stella Sterling had already raised a hand and backed away.

On the other side of the room, the three men started talking in circles.

Gavin Sterling and Chase Sterling desperately tried to pry out what connection there was between Owen Rhodes and Stella Sterling, while Liam Hawthorne desperately replied with empty, meaningless platitudes.

In a brief moment of silence between their verbal sparring, only Kiana Sterling’s deliberately lowered voice could be heard in the living room:

"Stella, is this the gentleman you were buying matching rings with today?"

Liam Hawthorne’s eyes widened in terror. ’I’m not, I didn’t, don’t talk nonsense!’