Noah saw the change in his mother''s expression, and immediately advised, "Mom, please, let''s discuss this calmly..."


    "Be quiet, you useless thing! They''ve already bullied their way into our residence, and you''re still ying the part of the dutiful son?" Dorothy shouted in fury, her face contorted with rage. "Get out of the way!" She walked over and took a seat, taking a deep breath as she met Helen''s gaze.


    "ce and rank? Once the duchess married into our family, she became one of us-our daughter-inw! Women follow their husbands both at home and in public. Yet, she stirred up trouble and even incited the Hell Monarch''s princess consort to report her own husband, all for some domestic matter. What family doesn''t have concubines? Instead of learning from the good examples, she''s picked up all the bad habits-envy and pettiness. She''s learned them all too well."


    Helen''s eyes widened in shock.


    Wait, was Dorothy talking about Carissa? Was Dorothy referring to Helen''s daughter-inw, the one who had always protected her before even officially joining the family?


    With a loud crash, Helen''s cup shattered on the floor, porcin shards scattering as she shouted, "Old hag! Don''t force me to p your face myself!"


    That move left everyone in the room stunned into silence. Even Dorothy was taken aback, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at Helen.


    How could Helen be so indifferent to propriety?


    Helen stood up and walked directly toward Dorothy, her finger pointing threateningly, her nails pressing against the olddy''s nose.


    "You raised such a shameless grandson, and still dare to speak so boldly in front of me? You im that Leona incited my daughter-inw to report this beast of a man? Did you see it with your own eyes? Hear it with your own ears? If you don''t produce evidence today, I''ll destroy your family!"


    "What... You..." Dorothy''s lips trembled with anger. "Lady Helen, this is my family''s estate! How dare you speak so arrogantly?"


    Helen retorted furiously, "So what if I


    am arrogant? How dare a mere nobledy sit so calmly in front of me? When ites to rank and respect, even a duchess must bow before my daughter-inw, who is a princess consort! How dare you plot behind the scenes! The matter that the Oversight Department has brought up against that scum grandson of yours is a court issue. What does it have to do with my


    daughter-inw?


    "If your grandson had any integrity, no one could use him. He''s the king''s student, but instead of serving his ruler, he''s holed up in his residence, favoring concubines and neglecting his wife. Men like him deserve to have dung thrown at them, just like those of the Warren family!"


    "Vulgar, utterly insufferable!" Samuel''s face turned ashen with anger. Ignoring the delicate woman in his arms, he hurried over to shield his grandmother and shouted at Helen, "Lady Helen, I respect you, but....."


    Smack!


    A resounding pnded on Samuel''s face. Helen struck with such force that she nearly lost her bnce, but Violet was quick to catch her.


    Helen steadied herself, and delivered another p with the back of her hand. "Who gave you the right to interrupt while I''m speaking? Don''t you understand manners?"


    Samuel received two more ps, and his once-pristine image as a noble youth was utterly shattered. Embarrassed in front of his beloved, he shouted furiously at Helen, "You''re bullying us with your power! Do you think I won''t write a promation denouncing you tomorrow?"ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Noah urgently intervened, "Samuel, be quiet!"


    The people from the second branch of the family came forward to help, attempting to drag Samuel and Ruby away.


    But Dorothy was enraged and shouted, "No one is to take him away! What fault has hemitted? It''s them who are being outrageous!"


    Helen stood before her, and spat coldly, "Shameless old hag! You don''t even deserve to be called a nobledy. You can''t tell right from wrong. All you do is indulge this piece of filth, ignoring even the fact that your grandson''s legitimate wife is pregnant with your


    sw?


    great-grandchild.


    "You must be of illegitimate birth yourself, having learned those filthy tricks from your concubine mother. You harbor a deep hatred for legitimate wives, yet you go to such lengths to favor concubines. Why did you fight to be the primary wife if you preferred concubines so much? When the leaders set a poor example, those beneath them inevitably follow suit. You''re setting a terrible example, old hag."


    Helen knew it was this very old woman who had indulged Samuel, allowing him to get away with everything. It was Dorothy''s approval that allowed Ruby to enter the family.