Chapter 8%
“So what if she had some connections? This was still Georgia. No matter how powerful she was, we couldn’t afford to lose face here!”
After Madelaine’s shrill voice rang out, the onlookers all nodded along in agreement.
But Zion made a choice no one expected.
“You’re my son’s personal secretary, Madelaine Grayson, aren’t you?”
Tm notifying you officially: you’re fired.”
Perhaps to outsiders, it looked as if Zion had been away from the business world too long to see the situation clearly
But I understood he did it as his final attempt to shield the Dawson family from total disgrace.
I found a perfect vantage point and took a seat, silently giving him the stage.
And Zion’s performance truly didn’t disappoint.
Right in front of the media cameras, he ignored all decorum and pointed straight at his son, roaring furiously.
“Dylan, as the founder of Dawson Group, I order you to apologize to Miss Laurel immediately!”
“If you insist on being stubborn and keep causing trouble, I will consider you no longer my son!”
Once he finished, he straightened his spine and stepped forward to stand in front of me.
Zion’s words were the final blow that shattered the crowd’s resistance !
On one side stood the dignity of Dawson Group; on the other, his own father’s authority. Dylan fell silent, unable to retort. As the tension thickened, I stepped forward slowly.!
“There’s no need for an apology.”
“My ties with the Dawson family were over the moment this farce began.”
The instant I spoke, Zion stiffened, his eyes darting to me cautiously.
“Miss Laurel, please don’t say that. Why don’t you name a price?”
I lifted the corners of my lips into a wry smile.9
“Uncle Zion, what do you mean by ‘name a price? Are you planning to smooth this over with money?”
“Not to brag, but I’ve seen my share of arrogant men over the years, yet never have I met a second–generation heir as brazen as your son.”
“If today it had been any ordinary person standing here, I suppose President Dawson wouldn’t have needed to appear at all. A single phone call would’ve been enough to bury the matter.“}
Zion trembled all over unable to meet my eyes.!!!
“Miss Laurel, you’re right. Everything today was the Dawson family’s fault. I am willing to offer compensation.”
“As long as you name it, I swear, I won’t negotiate ”
Dylan had never witnessed his father so humbled. Trying to salvage a shred of dignity before the crowd, he stepped forward again.
“Dad, the Dawson family was still a prestigious name in Georgia. How could you just how to someone like that?“!!
I lifted my head and looked him straight in the eye, my tone edged with amusement.
“So, you still believed your Dawson family ruled over Georgia with an iron hand, didn’t you?”
Even though I had rarely stepped into the outside world these past years, I had met plenty of true power players.
And whether measured in wealth or influence, the Dawson family didn’t even rank among them.!!
“Lilah, let me tell you something: I wasn’t as easy to fool as my father
“If you truly had the power you claimed, then show it!”
I glanced down at the time and let out a cold laugh.
“President Dawson, confidence was admirable, but blind confidence would be your downfall.” “The Dawson family you bragged about and clung to so tightly, in my eyes, it wasn’t worth a damn.”
The instant I spoke, Zion’s expression darkened.
Just as he parted his lips to speak, I raised my hand to silence him.
“Uncle Zion, I believe you heard every word your son just spat out, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t take action today, people might truly believe I, Lilah Laurel, was someone to be trampled on.”
9:17 АМ
