Chapter 820
Chapter 820:
“You’re absolutely right, Mr. Mendoza!” Chuck scrambled to correct himself, signaling the servants to stand down. “Sierra, pour Mr. Mendoza some coffee.”
“Over my dead body!” Sierra clutched her stinging cheek, fire blazing in her eyes as she leveled a furious glare at Conley. “Marry you? Not in a million years! I’d rather drop dead than be your wife.”
Esther stepped forward, her expression dark with disdain, and struck Sierra again—harder this time. “You don’t even deserve the honor!” She then turned to Conley, her frustration clear. “Do we really have to tie ourselves to the Ramirez family? There are plenty of noble families in Efrery. Why lower ourselves for them? They’re barely clinging to their status as one of the four great clans—one wrong step, and they’ll be nothing but a cautionary tale.”
Chuck’s face paled. He knew all too well that Esther’s words weren’t just sharp—they were the cold, hard truth. The Ramirez family was little more than a hollow shell, wobbling on the brink of collapse. If this marriage alliance with the Mendoza family fell through, they wouldn’t just lose their seat among the elite. Ruin was inevitable. Leonie’s scandal had already dragged their family name through the mud, leaving them hanging by a thread.
Yet, the rest of the Ramirez family, blind to the looming disaster, naively assumed that losing the marriage alliance would only cost Chuck his position as head of the family. Little did they realize that if the Ramirez family truly collapsed, they wouldn’t just be bystanders—they’d be dragged into the wreckage, with no way out.
“Sierra, apologize!” Chuck’s voice cracked like a whip, his sharp gaze drilling into Sierra.
“Give me one good reason why I should apologize.” Sierra clenched her jaw, defiance blazing in her eyes as she locked gazes with Chuck.
“Because you are a Ramirez. And for the sake of this family, you need to swallow your pride and act accordingly.” Chuck’s jaw tightened. “Marrying Mr. Mendoza is a privilege. Don’t be ungrateful.”
Sierra let out a cold, mocking laugh. “Oh? If it’s such a grand honor, why don’t you marry him yourself?”
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Chuck’s face darkened, his features twisting with barely contained rage. Not only had Sierra insulted him, but she had also humiliated Conley in front of everyone. Predictably, Esther’s face turned an even darker shade, her fury simmering just beneath the surface.
“Mr. Mendoza, Miss Mendoza, please take a seat,” Chuck forced a stiff smile, desperate to smooth things over. “My daughter is a bit unruly. Please don’t take her words to heart.”
Conley sat down leisurely, one leg crossing over the other with effortless grace. “No offense taken. In fact, I would love to see how the Ramirez family enforces discipline. Since we’ll be in-laws soon, it’s only right to get acquainted.”
Chuck’s smile wavered. There was no mistaking it—Conley was here for a spectacle.
“Bring me the whip,” Chuck ordered.
A servant hurriedly presented a long, coiled whip with both hands.
Chuck took it, his grip firm, his gaze as cold as ice as he fixed it on Sierra.
“I’ll give you one last chance. Apologize to Mr. Mendoza and Miss Mendoza right now, or suffer the consequences.”
“Go ahead. You can beat me till I’m black and blue, but I’ll never bow to them.” Sierra’s lips curled into a smirk, fearless and unyielding. Her gaze locked onto Conley’s, a storm brewing in her eyes. “Mr. Mendoza, if you truly want to marry me, there’s only one way.”
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