Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 206 Junior President Payne arrives: Dominant, can’t leave (2 more posts)

Chapter 206: 206 Junior President Payne arrives: Dominant, can’t leave (2 more posts)

Hannah Johnson’s casual remark caused everyone present to simultaneously change their expression.

These words sounded...

Truly inauspicious!

Serena Conner had already gotten up from the ground, as this was, after all, her home. She feigned calmness, "Sister Hannah, if you want to come and see me off, you’re welcome to take a seat. I’ll have someone add a place setting for you right away."

"Where is she?" Hannah cut to the chase.

She couldn’t be bothered to exchange pleasantries.

Serena Conner was no good at acting, and she was inherently afraid of Hannah, even more so feeling guilty.

She didn’t dare to meet Hannah’s eyes, and her expression gradually became uncontrollable.

She had never anticipated that Hannah would find her so quickly, and even show up directly at her home.

"What are you talking about?"

"Zoe Bell, where is she?" Hannah asked again.

"Sister Hannah, what exactly happened? What’s wrong with Miss Bell?" Owen Conner’s expression was serious as he turned to look at his daughter, "Serena, do you know anything?"

His own daughter’s expression was indeed far from innocent.

"I really don’t know. Ever since I saw her last at Payne Corps, you told me not to provoke her, and I haven’t seen her since. How would I know where she is..."

Before she could finish speaking, Hannah already raised her hand.

A slap flew across!

Completely unprepared, Serena took a forceful slap to the face and crashed onto the dining table, shattering a set of dishes.

The sudden violence startled the other relatives and friends, prompting them to stand up collectively.

They knew Hannah was formidable.

For a moment, no one dared to step forward.

"Hannah, what are you doing..." Serena Conner just got upright to face her.

But she was met with another slap across the face.

The slap was fierce. Serena felt the corner of her mouth split open, and her face burned as if on fire.

Before she could recover, Hannah already had her by the collar, yanking her forward.

The sudden closeness allowed Serena to keenly feel Hannah’s breath on her face...

Cold.

It made her body shiver.

"Sister Hannah, what are you doing!" Serena bit down hard.

"Regardless, I’ve known you since we were kids. Are you sure you want to put on an act in front of me? You know what I’m talking about."

"I don’t know!" She remained defiant.

"Hannah!" Owen Conner realized that something must have happened, but after all, he was a father, "This is the Conner Family home. I’m not making a big deal out of this out of respect for Old Lady Hugh, but don’t you go too far!"

As he spoke, he tried to pull the two apart.

But he was swiftly pushed away by Hannah.

"You..." Owen Conner nearly stumbled, looking at her in astonishment.

At this moment, the other relatives and friends also stepped forward.

They felt Hannah was going too far.

Throwing her weight around at home was one thing, but how dare she show such brazenness in someone else’s house!

Hannah gritted her teeth, "Uncle Conner, don’t blame me for not giving you face. Something has happened now, and the sooner she confesses, the better for her. If it drags on for too long..."

"I’m afraid the whole Conner Family will be dragged down by her!"

"It’s not that I’m harming her; I’m trying to save her."

"I believe you understand that!"

Owen Conner seethed internally.

If Miss Bell was in trouble and it was indeed related to his daughter, he truly should not stop Hannah’s actions.

But now, he also had to weigh the pros and cons.

Hannah surely had no evidence in her hands, otherwise, she wouldn’t have come over to press the matter and probably would have arrived with the police instead. It seemed that Zoe Bell was missing, and thus it was likely that she couldn’t be found anytime soon.

His own daughter was about to leave the country...

Once she left the jurisdiction, the influence of the Hale Family and the Hugh Family would hardly pose a threat to her safety.

Owen Conner had roughly guessed the situation.

Knowing it wasn’t right, he still wanted to gamble this one time to protect his daughter.

Therefore, he clenched his jaw, "Hannah, if you have any suspicions, please present evidence. Otherwise, we, the Conner Family, do not welcome you."

"This is not a place where you can throw tantrums at will!"

With that, he signaled the household staff to come forward and pull Hannah away.

She had come alone, outnumbered and alone.

Seeing this situation, Serena’s heart surged with joy, "Sister Hannah, I really don’t know where Miss Bell is, what happened to her?"

"Can’t get in touch?"

"Could it be... gone missing?"

"Serena Conner!" Owen Conner only felt his head ache, "Shut your mouth!"

What kind of sin had he committed to give birth to such a useless thing? At a time like this, she even dared to provoke Hannah Johnson.

"Go back to your room now, get your passport, and scram to the airport. I’ll have someone send your luggage for check-in later."

"Uncle Conner?" Hannah Johnson frowned, "You’re enabling tyranny."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about, but my daughter was scheduled to go abroad tonight anyway. If she doesn’t leave now, she might miss her flight..."

Owen Conner pretended not to know.

Yet he had someone stop Hannah Johnson from intervening.

When Serena Conner was hurrying to leave with her passport, she gave Hannah Johnson a deep look, her lips slightly upturned.

Full of provocation!

"Let me go, stand back!"

Hannah Johnson gritted her teeth, mustered all her strength, and pushed away the maid who was blocking her; but when she tried to chase after her, two male relatives, at a sign from Owen Conner, blocked her path.

She turned around and picked up a steak knife from the Conner Family’s dining table.

Although the blade was not very sharp, it was still a knife.

The two relatives hesitated, reluctant to move forward.

After all, they dared not offend the Hugh Family and braced themselves to approach her.

"Sister Hannah, calm down." Owen Conner knew she was formidable but hadn’t expected her temper to be so fierce, uncontrollable. Seeing this, Serena Conner actually stopped in her tracks as if she were watching a play.

The car and the driver were already waiting at the door.

Yet she was not in a hurry to leave.

With her father protecting her and being on her own turf...

She was curious to see what would happen to Hannah Johnson, for she had always been the one at a disadvantage since childhood, and it was rare to see Hannah Johnson at a loss.

Hannah Johnson, anxious and in a hurry after learning about Zoe Bell’s trouble, had come in haste, forgetting to seek help. Now it seemed indeed a miscalculation. Outside the Conner Family home, a figure wanted to step forward but was preempted by someone else.

The person frowned and then retreated back into the shadows.

As Hannah Johnson was annoyed, a voice suddenly rang out from outside:

"The Conner Family is really powerful, bullying a weak woman with so many people."

"And forcing her to resort to a knife."

"Such great capability indeed."

...

When everyone turned to look at the sound, the sky outside had turned completely dark, the wind blowing without the moon, yet the man was as elegant as a clear moon after the rain, his demeanor nobly cold. His gaze fell on Serena Conner, confirming her presence before signaling to the person beside him to bring Hannah Johnson over.

A weak woman?

Referring to Hannah Johnson?

She was, after all, one of the most formidable among those socialites of Capital City.

"Who is this?" A relative of the Conner Family didn’t recognize him.

By then, Hannah Johnson had already walked up to his side and exhaled in relief, "Junior President Payne, what brings you here?"

"Perhaps we had the same thought."

As he spoke, he took the steel knife from Hannah Johnson’s hand and played with it in his palm.

This hand, apart from drawing design schematics, was usually sculpting metal and stone as well. The steel knife in his grip seemed to gain an extra edge as he held it. His gaze was indifferent, as if devoid of any warmth.

His tone was casual, and his glance flitted lightly onto Serena Conner.

The sense of suffocation and urgency made it hard for her to breathe.

"Miss Conner, where are you hurrying off to in such a rush?"

"Junior President Payne, my daughter has to go abroad tonight," Owen Conner said with annoyance in his heart.

Done for,

He was worried that if they delayed for too long, William Hale might come over, but never thought it would be this gentleman.

The Payne Family had always kept a low profile. Although they were close to certain other families, they never took sides or got involved in disputes willingly.

Who exactly was Zoe Bell?

Junior President Payne raised an eyebrow, "Going abroad... or trying to run away?"

Serena Conner’s heart was in turmoil, "Junior President Payne, I don’t understand what you’re saying."

"With me here, I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave tonight."

"Junior President Payne, what do you want to do?" Owen Conner frowned.

"I’d like to inquire with Miss Conner about a few things, which might take quite a bit of time. If it really has nothing to do with you, I’ll naturally apologize and if I’ve delayed your journey, I’ll arrange a private flight to send you abroad."

Implied meaning:

No matter what, Serena Conner wasn’t going anywhere tonight.