the two-faced Adopted Girl Who Melted CEO's Ice-Cold Heart
Chapter 39: The man stood in the side hall, his face grim and cold

Chapter 39: Chapter 39: The man stood in the side hall, his face grim and cold

Before coming to the Leclair Mansion, this Mr. Xu had already thoroughly investigated the matter and knew that five years ago, Delphine had an illicit affair with someone at Stone Leclair’s birthday banquet, and was caught in the act.

As soon as this Mr. Xu thought about wearing that "green hat" after marriage, he immediately felt he’d never be able to raise his head among his peers again, and shame turned to fury.

Nowadays, not many prominent figures in South Seas were willing to marry her, let alone someone who was merely a hanger-on living at the Leclair Family. If it weren’t for his lowly background, making him unworthy of marrying a lady from a noble family, why would he ever consider marrying such "damaged goods"?

"Let go." Delphine’s expression changed. She had always had a psychological aversion to being touched by men—something she buried deeply within herself.

"Little Six, drag him out." The icy and detached voice carried an inherent authority. Ignatius Leclair, who had appeared at some unknown moment and was now standing by the side hall’s windows, let the faintest arc curve on his lips, chilling to the extreme.

Ignatius Leclair’s assistant Maximilian Carter lowered his gaze, keeping his nose to himself and his thoughts inward, and silently mourned for this candidate whose name the boss couldn’t even bother to remember.

In all these years, he had never seen Mr. Leclair with such a bloodthirsty expression. Yes, bloodthirsty. Maximilian shivered involuntarily. For Ignatius to instruct Little Six to step in, it meant either grievous injury or death.

Ignatius Leclair’s personal assistant and part-time bodyguard, Little Six, stepped forward and, with one hand as effortlessly as lifting a chicken, subdued Mr. Xu and hauled him up.

"What are you doing? I’m this year’s candidate. It was Mrs. Leclair who invited me here," Mr. Xu hollered miserably, his voice distorted from the pain inflicted by Little Six’s merciless grip. "I’m going to sue you!"

Heh. Upon hearing this, the sharp glint of bloodthirst flickered in Ignatius Leclair’s deep and narrow phoenix-like eyes. This clueless fool.

Delphine was momentarily stunned upon seeing the sudden appearance of Ignatius and his two assistants. Ignatius was dressed in casual light coffee-colored loungewear, standing nonchalantly by the floor-to-ceiling windows. So... he had been home all along?

"Come here." Ignatius glanced at her, stretched out his hand, and said flatly.

Delphine walked over, and Ignatius had already reached out to clasp her wrist. His strikingly handsome face was suffused with fury. Her slender, fair wrist was already bruised, marred in shades of green and red. When he applied even the slightest force, her entire body visibly stiffened.

"Fool. Getting bullied, and you don’t know how to ask for help?" Ignatius snapped coldly, his expression dark.

Delphine tried to pull her wrist back, but Ignatius’s face grew even grimmer. She bit her lip and said, "It’s nothing important."

She had even endured prison before—this sort of trivial matter wasn’t worth mentioning. But those dark memories, buried deep inside her heart, remained untouched and untouchable.

Upon hearing her words, Ignatius’s gaze deepened. He lowered his head to examine Delphine. Her pale face was devoid of blood, her refined features lovely yet detached, resembling a doll that could not smile. Ignatius paused in silence for several seconds.

The commotion in the side hall naturally alerted Mrs. Leclair in the tea room, not to mention Mr. Xu’s pitiful cries.

When Mrs. Leclair emerged, the sight of her carefully selected young candidate being hauled out of the Leclair Mansion like a sack of potatoes by Ignatius’s imposing and fierce bodyguard made her face turn unspeakably grim. She demanded, "Mr. Xu is my invited guest—what are you doing?"

Delphine withdrew her hand and stepped behind Ignatius.

"Mrs. Leclair, what’s going on?" The wives of a handful of wealthy merchants followed behind, stunned by the scene, chattering noisily.

These wealthy merchant wives were only recent nouveau riche, unable to breach South Sea’s true upper-class circles. Naturally, they didn’t recognize Ignatius Leclair. Having entered such a place as the Leclair Mansion, they hadn’t thought to adjust their manners, instead bringing their usual loud and boisterous ways along with them.