Chapter 268

Lauren cared about Tiana, but no matter how much she did, her mother still insisted on forcing her into marriage with the Driscoll family. There was no crueler irony in a mother-daughter relationship than this.

The moment Tiana appeared, Michael’s eyes lit up with hope. He shouted desperately, “Aunt Tiana, I’m innocent! You have to save me!”

His plea, however, only drew mocking laughter from the crowd. At this point, it was clear – Michael had set fire to the Wellers’ warehouse. This was a major felony, and no matter how powerful Tiana was, even she could not cover for him now.

Hence, begging for help was useless.

Andrew thought Tiana likely was about to abandon Michael, her puppet, for good. Yet, what happened next shocked everyone.

Tiana turned to Donald and said coldly, “Mr. Warren, Michael is part of the Rhodes family. If you want to take him, you’d better show me absolute, undeniable proof!”

Donald frowned. “Mrs. Rhodes, don’t make this difficult for me.”

Tiana’s voice turned sharp. “No, you are making things difficult for me! Let him go immediately. I will not tolerate you taking one of my own!”

Donald’s expression darkened. “Mrs. Rhodes, I know the Rhodes family has immense influence in Jayrodale. But have you considered the consequences? If you openly shield an arsonist, you’ll be treated as an accomplice.”

Tiana let out a cold laugh. “Do you think I, Tiana Lambert, am someone who can be intimidated? Release him, or I swear, none of you will be leaving this building today!”

Donald’s face twitched in fury. If anyone else had dared to threaten him like that, he would have drawn his gun on the spot.

Lauren, Marcus, and the others panicked.

“Mrs. Rhodes, you can’t go against the law like this!”

“Yes, please reconsider! Mr. Rhodes is the prime suspect right now. If he’s truly innocent, we can appeal later, but this isn’t the time to challenge the authorities!”

Even Jerry was taken aback, staring at Tiana in disbelief. “Mrs. Rhodes, no matter how determined you are, you can’t save him. You should be focusing on the Rhodes family and the company. That’s what truly matters.”

Tiana’s expression remained icy. Her voice dropped to a chilling tone. “Since when did my words stop carrying weight? Have you all forgotten who I am?”

She continued, “I’m making myself clear – no one is taking Michael! If anyone lays a hand on him, they’ll be my enemy!”

Lauren stared at Tiana in shock, her eyes welling up with tears. “I rushed here in a panic, terrified that something might have happened to you. I was worried sick about you. But now, you’re willing to go to war with the police over an arsonist?

“Tiana Lambert, have you lost your mind? When did you become someone who can’t even tell right from wrong?” By the time she finished, Lauren was sobbing uncontrollably. For the first time, she called her mother by her name, tears streaming down her face.

Tiana’s blind devotion to Michael, to the point of losing all reason, was something Lauren could neither understand nor accept.

Tiana’s expression darkened, and she struck Lauren across the face. The slap was brutally heavy, instantly leaving Lauren’s cheek red and swollen.

Tiana said coldly. “Listen here – you’re just a daughter who will be married off soon – a woman whose future no longer belongs to this family. Michael, on the other hand, is the heir to the Rhodes family.

“He is the future CEO of Rhodes Corporation. I’ll never allow anything to happen to him. Even if you had to be sacrificed, I still wouldn’t let anything happen to Michael. Do you understand now?”

Each word was like a knife plunging into Lauren’s heart.