Chapter 132: Severing All Ties
Ivan was shaken. Disregarding his daughter’s injuries, he hastily stepped forward and said, “Absolutely. From now on, I will be stricter with my daughter. I won’t allow her to act recklessly anymore.” With a stern expression, he ordered, “Why haven’t you taken this disobedient girl back to her room yet? Don’t let her embarrass us any further!” The maids wasted no time carrying Raquel back to her room.
Norman was fully aware that Ivan was merely putting on a show for him, but he couldn’t be bothered to expose him. “Furthermore,” Norman announced, “Mr. Sherman has declared that from this point forward, the Sherman family will no longer engage in any form of collaboration with the Levinson family. Any previously initiated cooperative projects will be immediately terminated, with the Levinson family bearing the cost of contract cancellation.”
The color drained from Ivan’s face instantly. “Does Mr. Sherman truly insist on being this ruthless? Severing business ties is no small matter, and the Levinson family won’t be alone in bearing the losses!”
Meanwhile, Norman couldn’t care less. “So what? Given the current strength of the Sherman family, filling this little gap is a piece of cake. Perhaps you should discipline your daughter first, to prevent her from causing any more havoc, especially with families even more powerful than yours!”
After he finished speaking, Norman turned and left, leaving behind a dejected Ivan. “It’s over,” Ivan murmured, “it’s all over. Our family business is on the brink of ruin, all thanks to my reckless daughter.” Upon thinking of this, anger ignited in Ivan’s heart. Filled with rage, he stormed into Raquel’s bedroom. Despite Raquel’s serious injuries, he raised his hands to strike her.
Upon hearing the full story from the maid, Shreya, Ivan’s wife, hurried over to stop him. “Ivan, Raquel is still unconscious! How could you bear to lay a hand on her?” Tears streaming down her face, she embraced Ivan from behind, refusing to let him hit his daughter.
Ivan’s eyes also turned red. “Do you think I really want to hit her? In recent years, our family’s business hasn’t been doing well. We’ve been constantly oppressed by other families. Only the Sherman family and the Quixall family were willing to lend us a hand, helping us meet our financial obligations. But unbelievably, this rebellious girl didn’t know any better. Last time, she caused quite a scene at the hotel, straining our relationship with the Sherman family. This time, she dared to assault their daughter, nearly dragging our entire family down with her. If I don’t discipline her, how will she ever change?”
Shreya was well aware that her daughter, Raquel, had made a grave mistake. Consequently, she was torn between her husband’s predicament and her daughter’s suffering. After weighing her options, she suggested, “If you are so intent on punishing her, perhaps it would be best to wait until she wakes. Look at her now; both of her hands are covered in blood. Her cheeks are swollen.”
Ivan’s hand lingered in mid-air, but eventually, he let it fall in dejection. “Forget it,” he sighed. “I’m just unlucky to have such a daughter.”
“Let’s leave it at that for today,” Shreya said. “Take her to the hospital and make sure she gets proper treatment. Remember, you must avoid the hospital where Ms. Sherman is staying, and don’t even think about taking her to the Sherman family’s private hospital. I just can’t afford to be disgraced any more than I already have.”
With that, Ivan turned his back and walked away, his figure exuding a heavy sense of dejection. With an aching heart, Shreya gently caressed her daughter’s severely swollen cheek. “Sigh… Raquel, of all people, why did you have to provoke Ms. Sherman? Why didn’t you agree to her request back then? She would then owe you a favor which you can use as leverage in the future. You’re still so naive. You don’t take after your father at all,” she lamented.