Chapter 179 Confrontation
Ugh! Who the hell is trying to get in my way when I’m merely a step away from kissing my wife after being away from her for four years?
“Serve you right!” Josephine seize the opportunity to break free from him while throwing him a nasty look.
She excused herself and asked after answering the call, “Hello?”
A man greeted Josephine in return, “It’s me, Ezra!”
“Uncle Ezra?”
Josephine was slightly taken aback by the call because Ezra wouldn’t even engage himself in a conversation with her during festive seasons, let alone a normal day.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but is it true someone has burned down the buildings of the ecological park?” Ezra confronted Josephine.
“Uncle Ezra, how did you know about the accident?” Josephine couldn’t help but wonder the reason her uncle was aware of the accident that occurred half an hour ago.
“Is that any of your concern as the chairman of Smith Group? Are you sure you’re cut to lead the company when you can’t even complete such a trivial project? Dad wants to meet you in person! Come home at once!”
“Huh? Why does Grandpa want to meet me in person?”
“Just return home as instructed instead of asking questions! He’ll tell you everything once you’re here!”
Her uncle hung up the phone and stopped her from carrying on with the conversation as soon as he made himself clear that her presence was required.
On the other hand, Jonathan could keep his questions to himself when he caught a glimpse of Josephine’s frowning look. He asked, “Is everything fine?”
“It seems like the members of the Smith family have been informed of the arson. They wish to meet me in person because of the accident,” Josephine answered with her brows furrowed.
Irked, Jonathan questioned, “What? Are they trying to hold you accountable?”
There’s no way such an inferior family will be appointed to take charge of such an important project if it’s not because of their relationship with Josephine!
“No matter what, I have to go and meet them!” Although Ezra didn’t mention the reason they summoned her out of the blue, she returned home with a sense of foreboding.
Half an hour later, Jonathan pulled over the car at the entrance of the Smith mansion.
When they stepped into the foyer, they saw an irked Hugo seated in the middle of the equally frustrated Miguel and Ezra in the middle of the living room. The trio had their eyes glued to Jonathan and Josephine just like they were up to no good.
“Grandpa, have you summoned me?” Josephine greeted Hugo and tried her best to carry herself in a courteous manner.
Instead of beating around the bush, her grandfather confronted her and questioned, “Is it true someone has set fire on the buildings at the ecological park?”
Josephine responded with a nod, indicating an accident had occurred a short while ago.
“It’s the doing of the members of the Turner family, isn’t it?”
“How do you know?”
“Ha! Almost everyone from Jadeborough is aware of the things going on after the representatives of the Turner family made the announcement in the morning! They warned others to stay away from us unless they wish to end up like our family! Are you seriously trying to bring upon the downfall of the family because of a trivial project?” Hugo wrapped up his orated speech with a scowl.
“Grandpa, that’s not it-”
Josephine’s grandfather stopped her from explaining herself and added, “You don’t have to explain yourself! Just surrender the project and join me at the Turner residence to express your apologies on behalf of the Smith family in the evening!”
“What? Why am I supposed to do that when I’m not the one at fault?” Josephine’s face turned pale and haggard at the announcement of her grandfather.
Josephine gritted her teeth to express her disagreement.
It turns out Grandpa has summoned me to meet him in person just to persuade me to give up on the project! It’s ridiculous! Why am I supposed to apologize when I’m not even the one at fault?
“Isn’t it obvious? It’s because we’re talking about the members of the Turner family! Josephine, have you any idea of the Turner family’s influence in Jazona? It’s going to take nothing more than a few calls for them to wipe the rest of the Smith family out of existence!”
“Dad, it’s pointless trying to talk any sense into her! Just dismiss her as the chairman of Smith Group!” Ezra couldn’t suppress the urge to play along with Hugo when he heard his father, “Ezra is right, Dad! We don’t need someone who brings nothing but misery to the family!”
“Dad, it’s pointless trying to talk some sense into her! Just dismiss her as the chairman of Smith Group! We don’t need someone who brings nothing apart from misery to the family!” Ezra brought up the suggestion to stir things up when he heard his father.
The vicious man’s wife added, “Dad, they’re right! It’s only a matter of time until she brings upon doom for the rest of the Smith family if she’s the chairman of Smith Group! She doesn’t even qualify to lead the family!”
Miguel, who had remained silent throughout the session, commented alongside the cunning duo, “Their concerns are valid, Dad! You need to dismiss her as the chairman!”
Apart from Jonathan, those in the living room wouldn’t stop bringing up a similar suggestion.
Jonathan finally figured out they weren’t there to resolve the issue. They merely wished to make a fuss out of something trivial to strip Josephine of the position as the chairman of Smith Group.
Hugo glared at Josephine. “Josephine, have you heard them? They want me to dismiss you as the chairman of Smith Group! I’ll have to listen to them if you refuse to give up the ecological park project! With that being said, I’ll consider giving you another chance to prove yourself if you go to the Turner residence with me to beg for their mercy.”
“That won’t be necessary because I will never join you at the Turner residence when I’ve done nothing wrong!” Josephine turned Hugo down without any hesitation.
It was the Turner family’s fault for burning down the buildings just to get their hands on the project! It should be the members of the Turner family who need to apologize to me!
Ezra chimed in again, “Dad, isn’t it obvious she’s trying to get all of us killed? She doesn’t even care about us!”
“Why would I want to get any of you killed? What do I stand to gain?” Josephine questioned at the top of her lungs.
“Who knows? Why don’t you tell us the things you have in mind? Maybe you’ve struck some sort of deal with the members of the Turner family to gain ownership over everything of the Smith family once all of us are dead!”
“Y-You…”
Josephine couldn’t even finish her sentence due to extreme frustration. She ended up panting heavily in front of the rest of the Smith family.
Hugo yelled to stop the squabbling duo, “Stop it! Josephine, I’ll ask you one last time! Are you going to the Turner residence with me or not?”
