Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Moral Blackmail
Ariana Grant put down her chopsticks and slowly looked at Jade Coleman, asking, "Why are you suddenly bringing this up? What exactly do you want to say?"
Jade Coleman saw her expression turn cold and immediately smiled, "I’m just bored after eating and wanted to chat with you about things between mother and daughter."
"Full?" Ariana glanced at Jade’s bowl and said, "You’ve only had two bites."
Even Ariana, who had already eaten at a Japanese restaurant, wasn’t fully satisfied, yet Jade claimed to be full?
Though Jade wasn’t as chubby, she was sturdy and had an appetite not much less than Ariana’s.
Jade laughed awkwardly, "That’s because I had some bread before you returned, and accidentally ate too much."
Ariana voiced a skeptical "Oh."
Then, she leaned back against her chair, saying, "Well, I’ve also had enough. Since you want to talk about what’s on your mind, let’s hear it!"
Jade’s eyes darted around, and she smiled.
"Mom wants to ask the same old question, don’t you want your mom to be happy?"
"What daughter doesn’t want her mom to be happy? No mother would wish for her daughter to be unhappy."
Ariana’s words carried an implicit meaning.
Jade got it, and her smile froze for a second.
But she quickly returned to normal, saying, "Since you want mom to be happy, I’ll be honest with you. You know mom is an accountant for Jenson, right?"
"Mm."
"Once, I accidentally lost an important document. Your Uncle Hayes happened to be doing business at the company. Seeing my anxiety, he asked about it. Ultimately, he found it for me, so I could keep my job."
Upon hearing "Uncle Hayes," Ariana’s brow furrowed.
But she said nothing, just listened quietly.
She heard Jade continue, "Mom met your Uncle Hayes after that, and later we became friends. Not until your dad and I divorced did we officially enter a relationship. I did nothing wrong to your dad; we are upright and honest."
"And then? Just say what you want to say!"
"Mom wants to say that although you hated the Hayes Family after what happened last time, even if mom and your Uncle Hayes aren’t in a romantic relationship, I owe him a great favor. Now that your Uncle Hayes is in trouble, isn’t it reasonable for me to help them?"
Ariana chuckled coldly twice.
"So you put on this act, went through all this trouble, cooked for me, gave me a game console, all for Kevin Hayes and Hailey Hayes."
Jade furrowed her brow.
"I made you dinner because you’re my daughter, but if you insist, then yes, I also hope you can help me out today. Speak to Ashley, ask her to have the Prescott Family show mercy and let go of your Uncle Hayes’s family."
Ariana’s expression turned completely cold.
"Show mercy? Let go of the Hayes Family? Why does it sound like Ashley and I are bullying them? Don’t you know Kevin Hayes pushed Ashley so hard that she was hospitalized for a concussion for two days, just today being discharged?"
Jade was surprised, clearly just learning about this.
She muttered to herself, saying that last time, Kevin only lightly pushed Ashley, and that Ashley must just have a weak constitution.
Moreover, at the time, Ashley slapped Hailey first.
But knowing her own daughter’s relationship with Ashley, if she said this, Ariana would surely turn hostile.
So after a moment’s silence, Jade said, "Once Hailey and your Uncle Hayes are out, I’ll have them apologize properly to Ashley."
"Apologize?"
Ariana laughed, nodding, "Fine, let’s say an apology can settle the concussion matter. But what about that brooch? Hailey said it’s broken, tossed it in the toilet... Are you saying she wasn’t acting out of spite?"
"Hailey’s still young, and when I asked her, she said she thought it was a gift from you guys. If it was her gift, she could handle it however she wanted."
"So you’re saying Ashley’s just unlucky?"
Jade shook her head, "That’s not what I mean. It’s indeed a misunderstanding Hailey started; it’s her responsibility."
"Oh, then have her pay it back, every cent of that 1.07 million. Then I’ll talk to Ashley, see if she can forgive Hailey. Otherwise, I can’t bring myself to ask."
Jade’s face turned green.
"Your Uncle Hayes’s family is just like ours, an average salaried family. Where is he going to find 1.07 million to pay Ashley Shaw?"
"Oh, if he can’t pay, he can go to jail! Ashley doesn’t have to be paid; jail is also an option, right? Great, he and Hailey can keep each other company there."
"Ari-ana!"
Jade, unable to take it any longer, stood up and said, "Why are you siding against your own family? Technically, your Uncle Hayes is family to you, whereas Ashley Shaw isn’t related to you at all. Why stand on her side?"
"Sorry, my last name is Grant, his is Hayes. I have nothing to do with Kevin Hayes. Besides, my relationship with Ashley is now better than with you. I can do without you, but not without her."
"You—"
Jade, furious, raised her hand to slap Ariana.
Ariana didn’t flinch, just looked at Jade with a half-smile.
In the end, Jade relented, retracting her hand, softening her tone, "Ariana, I know you and Ashley are close. Could you help your mom’s sake and ask her to show generosity, to forgive the father and daughter?"
Ariana replied expressionlessly, "Didn’t I say? Pay up or go to jail, those are the two choices. Isn’t that merciful enough?"
"I said, your Uncle Hayes doesn’t have that kind of money!"
"Sell the house, then he’ll have it, right? Although their house is a bit old, it could still sell for two million, no?"
"If they sell the house, where would they live?"
"That’s not my concern."
Jade’s temples throbbed, striving to suppress her anger, "Ariana, could you think about your Uncle Hayes and your mom? We’re going to live together in the future. Without money, how do we make ends meet? Besides, Ashley is the Prescott Family’s adopted daughter now; she’s not short of 1.07 million. Why must you insist on repayment?"
Ariana squinted at Jade.
"So you’re suggesting that because Ashley is wealthy, she should just cover for other people’s mistakes?"
"Look, you’re twisting my words again. I’m saying she’d be fine either way with or without the 1.07 million, but it’s not the same for the Hayes Family. She should just do a good deed, since the money she has might as well be like found money, so you... "
Ariana, no longer able to bear it, slammed the table with a "bang."
"Enough!"