Chapter 375

"You keep spewing that nonsense and I'll march right over to Mr. Blaine and ask him what kind of student he's raised—a vindictive ex-wife who just won't let go!" Carmela shrieked into the phone.

In the past, threats like these had been Elissa's greatest fear. Every counter-move had to be carefully weighed, every consequence considered, terrified that one wrong step would bring chaos down upon her and those she cared about.

But now, Elissa wasn't afraid. She let out a small laugh. "Go ahead. I guarantee that if you do, the Atwater family's dirty laundry will be all over the news by tonight."

Two could play at the game of threats. It wasn't as if the Atwaters were saints with nothing to hide.

Carmela slammed her hand against the car's leather seat. "Make it faster," she snapped at the driver, then hissed into the phone, "You just wait!"

Elissa hadn't expected *this* is what she'd meant by "wait."

Less than ten minutes later, Carmela was standing at her front door, flanked by a group of imposing bodyguards. She was clearly determined to teach Elissa a lesson.

Bolstered by her entourage, Carmela looked down her nose at Elissa. "It's still up in the air whether your little drug will ever make it to market. Do you really think you have what it takes to challenge me?" Marcia had sworn to the Murphy family that she would personally see to it that Elissa's drug failed. This fool actually thought she was in control.

Elissa's gaze was icy. "Did you come here just to trade insults?"

Carmela, flustered by her composure, remembered her purpose. "Frank is determined to go up against the Murphy family for you. I want you to call him, right now, and tell him to stop being an idiot."

Elissa paused. She had thought her last conversation with Frank had made it clear that she didn't want him fighting her battles. But she had no intention of doing Carmela's bidding. "He won't listen to me. You're his mother. If you can't control him, what makes you think I can?"

This defiant attitude was a far cry from the meek woman she used to be. A throbbing pain started in Carmela's temple. "He won't listen to you? It seems to me he listens to you *too* much! If you hadn't put him under your spell, he wouldn't be willing to risk everything..."

Realizing words were useless, Carmela turned to her bodyguards. "What are you waiting for? Smash the place up!"

l.net'

Elissa had tried to keep Tanya out of it, but at that command, Tanya shot to her feet. She strode to the doorway, her voice ringing with、 authority. "Under state law, unlawfu entry into a private residence is fetony, punishable by up to three years in prison. Not to mention the damages for anything you break."

Carmela sneered. "My, my. A little time spent treating Mrs. Wilkinson and suddenly you've all grown a backbone. You think the Wilkinson's would go to war with the Atwater family over a mere døctor Don't make me laugh. Besides, haven't laid a finger on either of you, and this apartment was part of the divorce settlement from *my* family. I'll tear it down if I want to. Who's going to stop me?"

She waved her hand, signaling for the bodyguards to charge.

Elissa stood her ground, her expression like ice, and was about to speak when

another voice, cold and heavy with displeasure, cut through the air.

"I am. Are you prepared to disown me over this?"

Frank emerged from the elevator hall. The bodyguards froze, immediately retreating to their positions.

Carmela's face contorted in a

furious scowl. "Have you lost your mind? You would choose a woman over your own mother?" She was more convinced than ever that

Elissa had poisoned him. Just

because this witch had saved them

once, did they have to sacrifice their entire fortune for her?

Frank's expression was grim. "If you insist on this, Mother, then that's how it will

have to be."

***