The Illegitimate Flame: Bride of Ashes
Chapter 67- bitch

Chapter 67: Chapter 67- bitch

"Janet, if you don’t want your old man to kick the bucket, be at the café across from Black Rock Co. in half an hour!" Elvira called Janet, said only that one sentence, and hung up abruptly. Janet pursed her lips, puzzled as she held her phone. Elvira wouldn’t bother her unless it was serious—did something happen to Harold?

Though their father-daughter relationship was estranged, hearing he’d had an accident still made Janet unable to turn a cold shoulder.

While Charles was tied up in a meeting, Janet decided to go see her.

"Janet, seeing you these days is like pulling teeth. Riding on Charles’s coattails, you’ve forgotten your own last name, huh?" Elvira stood with arms crossed, shooting a sharp glare at Janet. Damn Charles—he’d put her on the blacklist, and now Elvira couldn’t even get through Black Rock’s doors, let alone meet him.

"My last name’s never been Louis." Janet frowned, displeased by Elvira’s haughty tone. Janet—that name was given by that man, but she hadn’t forgotten her roots. Her real name was Janice.

"Oh, look at you, flying up the branches like a phoenix. Is that crippled husband of yours satisfying enough?" Elvira glared hard at Janet’s plain, fair face—no makeup, just natural milky smooth skin. Her own face was built up with layers of luxury cosmetics. She was only two years older than Janet, yet looked worlds apart.

She hated it. She hated this illegitimate daughter and refused to lose to her in any way.

"Watch your tone. If you’re just here to stir trouble, I’m not wasting time with you!" Janet stood up after less than a minute, fed up with Elvira’s venomous words. Even if Philip was imperfect and broken, she wouldn’t tolerate anyone insulting him.

"The old man’s about to die. At least as father and daughter, you can’t just stand by and do nothing, right?" Elvira’s tone was two-faced—even when begging, she put on a condescending act. If Charles hadn’t been so ruthless, and Manfred hadn’t dismissed her, she wouldn’t have come to the one person she hated most.

Now Anila and Harold were locked in a bitter argument over this matter, and the whole household was far from peaceful.

"What do you mean?" Janet listened, confused by Elvira’s half-explained words. Harold had always been in good health—how could he suddenly be failing?

"The Louis family is falling apart. It’s all thanks to Charles. Isn’t that basically a death sentence for Dad?"

"What does Charles have to do with this?" Janet didn’t understand business affairs. As far as she knew, Black Rock Co. had no dealings with the Louis family. The only connection was ten years ago, when Derrick helped Zanya once, which led to a marriage alliance between the two families—but Harold was never directly involved.

"Janet, you’re really disgusting—flirting openly with your uncle, just like your no-good, fox of a mother!" Elvira spat out furiously upon hearing Janet call Charles so intimately.

Cornelia fought with her mother over a man, Janet fought with her over a man—mother and daughter, both truly despicable!

"Smack!" A crisp slap echoed, and a clear handprint appeared across Elvira’s cheek. She clutched her face, turning away in disbelief. She couldn’t believe that this once fragile, gentle woman had the guts to hit her!

"Don’t insult my mother—you’re not worthy!" Janet couldn’t tolerate anyone disrespecting the woman she loved most. Her mother was the best woman in the world. She loved Harold so deeply that she endured hardship to protect him, because she couldn’t bear to see him suffer. But that man never knew how to cherish her!

"You little bitch, how dare you hit me!" Elvira had never been humiliated like this before. Anila and Harold had never laid a hand on her in her whole life. When did gentle Janet suddenly grow claws and dare to climb over her head?

Time seemed to rewind to that moment ten years ago. Elvira, without hesitation, grabbed the steaming cup of coffee in front of her and hurled it at Janet across the table. Janet’s quick reflexes saved her from being splashed, but when she raised her hand to shield her face, her palm was burned.

Elvira, unwilling to let herself lose, swiftly circled around to Janet’s side, her fierce and aggressive demeanor leaving no trace of the refined lady she once pretended to be.

"I told you not to hit me, you bitch!" Elvira flailed her arms, trying to reclaim some dignity for the slap she had received, when suddenly, a pair of iron-strong arms shot out from behind, gripping Elvira’s wrist like a red-hot iron clamp. Her bright, beautiful face contorted in pain and twisted out of shape.

"Who—who are you?" Elvira glared at the handsome man behind Janet—his sharp, striking features framed by chestnut hair, amber eyes burning with intensity. Dressed in a black suit that hugged his tall frame, two bodyguards followed him closely, radiating an aura of nobility and command.

Janet looked at the man gratefully. Those familiar amber eyes reminded her of Angela—they both shared the same striking eye color...

The man merely smiled coldly. The ruthless light in his dazzling eyes made Elvira shiver. His overwhelming presence was too powerful; why was it that Janet always had such exceptional men to come to her rescue?

Elvira’s gaze grew colder. His eyes were sharper, even more intimidating than Charles’s. Wisely, she didn’t provoke him but shot a resentful glare at Janet before fleeing as if chased.

Only then did Janet realize that the once crowded café had somehow emptied, leaving their table the only one occupied.

"Charles’s woman, a pleasure to meet you," the man said fluently in Chinese. Evidently, he had overheard their earlier conversation—and he knew Charles.

"Thank you for earlier," Janet replied politely, but her eyes remained fixed intently on him.

"Your Highness!" One of the bodyguards behind the man stepped forward, leaning close to his side to whisper as the man showed no intention of moving.

The man casually raised his hand, signaling him to stop. Then, turning back to Janet, he gave her a meaningful smile before striding away.

Such a strange man—why would his men call him "Your Highness"?

Janet could tell he wasn’t American. Although he had only spoken one sentence the entire time, his sharp gaze didn’t make her feel afraid.

When Janet returned to the office, Charles had just finished his meeting. Trying to avoid his gaze, she still couldn’t hide the redness and swelling on her arm from him. His handsome face darkened with displeasure as he firmly grabbed her wrist. "Who did this to you?"

"It’s nothing. I accidentally got burned by hot water just now," Janet said, choosing not to mention the encounter with Elvira. What weighed more on her mind was the half-finished question she wanted to ask.

"Charles, did you do something to Louis Corp.?"

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