Chapter 181

"What the hell? Who is this old hag?"

A man approached leisurely. "What's going on here?"

Vivian turned and saw Lucas Laurent standing there. She rushed toward him, her voice trembling with feigned distress. "Lucas, I don’t know what’s happening! They’re deliberately targeting me!"

Madam Nora let out a dry chuckle. "Oh? Mr. Laurent, is she related to you? I wasn’t aware."

Vivian bit her lip, avoiding Evelyn’s piercing gaze. She was gambling on the fact that Evelyn didn’t know about the de Armas family.

Lucas stepped forward, his tone measured. "Madam Nora, my apologies. If my cousin has offended you, I hope you can forgive her."

Madam Nora smirked. "Interesting. She just swore the Laurent family would make me regret crossing her. Should I be worried?"

Lucas’s expression darkened as he turned his icy stare toward Vivian.

She lowered her head, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

'How did this happen? If Lucas is treating this old woman with such respect, doesn’t that mean I just dug my own grave?'

Lucas had no intention of getting involved—especially not for Vivian’s sake. But this concerned the Laurent family’s reputation. If Madam Nora took offense, the consequences wouldn’t be light.

"Rest assured, I’ll ensure this matter is properly addressed."

His cold gaze locked onto Vivian. "You. Apologize to Madam Nora."

"Lucas, I—"

"Spare me." Madam Nora waved a dismissive hand. "I’m too old to entertain empty apologies. Tell your mother, Lillian, to come see me personally." She turned to Evelyn with a softer expression. "Zoe, let’s go."

"Of course." Evelyn smiled and guided the wheelchair away.

Lucas watched them leave, his expression unreadable. He knew Madam Nora wasn’t the type to stir trouble—unless provoked.

"Lucas, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault—"

"You know it’s your fault?" His voice was sharp as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Don’t think being my cousin grants you immunity. If the Laurent family suffers because of your idiocy, I won’t hesitate to cut you loose."

Before walking away, he paused. "You’d better come up with a convincing explanation for my mother."

"You dared offend Madam Nora?" Lillian de Arma’s voice was razor-sharp, her glare pinning Vivian in place.

Vivian trembled, her lips quivering. "I didn’t mean to! I was only talking to Evelyn. She’s the one who provoked me first, and Madam Nora took her side!"

Lucas stood silently nearby, arms crossed, his silence more damning than any words.

Lillian’s frown deepened.

'First Edmund and Nathan. Now even Madam Nora is backing Evelyn? How is she this well-connected? And what was Nathan hinting at before he left?'

'If I find out there’s more to this…'

"Aunt Lillian, I’ll go apologize—"

"An apology from you is worthless." Lillian’s tone was frigid. "I’ll ask you one more time. Was everything you told me before the truth?"

'If Evelyn has been tormenting her all this time, why would someone like Madam Nora defend her?'

"Setting Nathan and Edmund aside, Madam Nora is different. She despises scheming women. The fact that she openly supports Evelyn means only one thing—Evelyn earned her respect through merit."