Chapter 812: Infighting

Someone pushed the door open. It was Jacqueline Spann. She trudged back into the room alone, her face so swollen that Bernice stopped crying in shock.

“What did you do? How did you end up like this?” Bernice asked.

Jacqueline rubbed her ears. They were still RINGING, making it hard to hear. She only caught the question after Bernice repeated it. Glancing at Ethan Hawthorne, she muttered, “I… I wanted to set a fire next door to distract them, but I was caught…”

Bernice had been harboring a grudge against her niece for being useless at a critical moment. Now, however, her heart softened. A wave of guilt washed over her—her niece had been trying to save her.

“Did they beat you like this?” Bernice’s heart ached for the girl, and a fierce hatred for their neighbors flared within her. How could they be so heavy-handed with a child? What kind of monsters were they?

Jacqueline shrank back. She stole another glance at Ethan and shook her head, too terrified to admit that he was the one who hit her.

“I hit her. She is a useless piece of trash who ruins everything,” Ethan said coldly.

Bernice’s heart plummeted. She stared at him in disbelief. She had known Ethan for five years and had always believed him to be a true gentleman of high society. Even if he was ruthless, she thought he would never dirty his own hands, let alone strike a woman.

She was wrong. Ethan was no gentleman; he was a heartless wolf.

“Pack your things and leave. Be gone before dark.” Ethan’s words cut deeper than a knife. He could not stand the sight of this aunt and niece for another minute.

“Ethan… you’re so cruel,” Bernice wept. “I’ve been with you for five years. Even if I haven’t achieved much, I’ve worked hard for you. How could you be so heartless?” She was genuinely heartbroken. She had naively thought she held at least a small place in his heart.

Ethan looked at her with disgust. “People should know their place,” he sneered. “Don’t flatter yourself. Who do you think provided you with a life of luxury these past five years? Now that you’ve utterly humiliated me, you expect me to keep taking care of you? Bernice, don’t think so highly of yourself!”

The color drained from Bernice’s face, leaving her lips stark white. Ethan’s words inflicted far more damage than the thugs ever could. These past five years had just been a pathetic joke.

“For the sake of our five years together, you can take all your belongings. Just make sure I never see either of you again after sundown!”

Ethan stood up, preparing to head over to Wendy Hughes’s place. The mere sight of this aunt and niece made him sick to his stomach.

“Ethan… did you really never like me, even a little bit?” Bernice asked pitifully.

Ethan furrowed his brow, his gaze growing even more mocking. Did she really just ask if he liked her?

This woman truly had no self-awareness. How could he possibly harbor feelings for a mere plaything? Back in the day, a woman with Bernice’s mediocre looks would not have even qualified as a maid for the Hawthorne family. Every young heir in Tristone knew that Ethan had exceptionally high standards. Ordinary, vulgar women never caught his eye; anyone he associated with had to at least meet Wendy’s standard of beauty. Sure, he was down on his luck now and had been forced to lower his standards, but this had only ever been a casual fling.

He gave Bernice a long, profound look, offering no verbal reply. He did not need to. Bernice understood immediately, and she began to laugh maniacally.

“Ethan… you’re an absolute bastard!”

Her laughter eventually subsided, and she wiped away her tears. She was not some weak, easily bullied woman. Since Ethan was going to be so ruthless, he could not blame her for playing dirty.

Ethan chuckled coldly. “And what the hell are you?” he sneered. “Don’t pretend to be so deeply in love with me, Bernice. All you care about is money. That’s enough—pack your bags and get the hell out!”

“You think you can just kick me out?” Bernice shrieked. “It won’t be that easy! I’ve worked like a dog for you these past five years and earned so much money. You think you can make me leave without giving me a single dime? Hah… keep dreaming!”