Chapter 364

Adrian ignored the commotion and turned to Gwendolyn, his expression hardening. "This is your final warning. Never bring uninvited guests into this house again."

Gwendolyn broke into a cold sweat, immediately bowing her head. "Understood, Mr. Blackwood. It won't happen again. This was entirely my fault—I forgot to give my son his monthly allowance."

Hearing this, her son smirked and extended his palm. "Well then, Mom, hand it over now. I'll be on my way and won't disturb Mr. Blackwood any further."

Gwendolyn hesitated before pulling out a thick stack of hundred-sterling bills. As she began counting, her son snatched the entire wad. "Just give it all. There's barely anything left anyway." He stuffed the cash into his jeans pocket.

Just as he turned to leave, his gaze landed on Vivian standing behind Adrian. The garden's ambient lighting accentuated her striking features. His eyes lit up with sudden interest as he straightened his wrinkled shirt.

"Miss, how should I address—" His words turned into a yelp as Adrian twisted his wrist with brutal efficiency. "Ah! That hurts!"

Gwendolyn rushed forward but froze mid-step, too intimidated to physically intervene. After a tense pause, she slapped her son's shoulder repeatedly. "You insolent brat! This is Mrs. Blackwood! Mind your manners!"

She turned pleading eyes to Adrian. "Mr. Blackwood, he merely admired Mrs. Blackwood's beauty. No harm intended! I swear he'll never return—he's learned his lesson!"

Whimpering in pain, the young man's earlier bravado evaporated. "Please! I'm sorry! Just let me go!"

Adrian's grip remained ironclad, his fingers digging into the flesh like steel traps. With a dramatic thud, Gwendolyn collapsed to her knees. "He's my only son, Mr. Blackwood! If his hand's broken, who'll care for me in my old age?"

"Release him," Vivian interjected coolly, casting an icy glance at Gwendolyn before resting a hand on Adrian's arm. "It's not worth the disturbance. The neighbors will complain."

Her intervention wasn't born of sympathy but practicality—they had enough complications without adding security incidents. Adrian finally relented, shoving the young man away. "Get out!"

Before the offender could scramble up, Ethan appeared, grabbing him by the collar and dragging him toward the gate. Gwendolyn kept bowing profusely. "Thank you, Mr. Blackwood! Thank you, Mrs. Blackwood!"

"Enough with the kneeling," Vivian said sharply, her piercing gaze locking onto the housekeeper. "We're not feudal lords." To her, Gwendolyn's excessive groveling felt less like submission and more like subtle manipulation.

As the scene settled, Vivian made a mental note—since divorce wasn't on the table, she needed to find legitimate grounds to replace this problematic housekeeper. Something about Gwendolyn's demeanor set off alarm bells, and Vivian's instincts were rarely mistaken.