The billionaire's kick-ass wife novel (Isabella) novel Chapter 32

Chapter 32 Shouldn’t Have Offended Her

Draxton gave off a cool aura. Since he had decided to marry Isabella and acknowledge Ricky as his biological son, he had to keep them safe. He could not let them go through the slightest suffering.

The clan was very big and complicated. It was inevitable for people to forget their places on account of their contributions.

He did his utmost to soften his tone as he asked, “Is it because of Veronica?”

Isabella did not answer him. It was definitely because of Veronica Lockwood.

One Veronica Lockwood was nothing. She was afraid more “Veronica Lockwoods” would appear eventually. They might be even harder to handle than her.

She did not like attracting unnecessary troubles and did not want to make an enemy of the man, but it did not mean that she was a coward in any way.

She was not afraid to leave the man if she had to come to that.

Isabella lowered her eyes and avoided making eye contact with his frosty eyes.

Draxton could sense a cold distant attitude radiating from her.

If marrying the man meant she and Ricky were destined to be unhappy, she saw no reason to be with him.

Ricky interrupted the silence and said in a serious tone, “I don’t like that woman. I’m not going to school anymore.”

Isabella looked at Ricky. She knew Ricky was a decisive child. If he wanted something, he was always able to express himself clearly. He never settled for second best.

Draxton surprisingly did not get angry. Instead, he praised Ricky for his action and said, “If you don’t like the woman, you don’t ever have to see her again. However, you still have to attend kindergarten.”

Ricky glanced at Draxton and pursed his lips, without saying a word.

Isabella embraced Ricky lovingly and didn’t say anything.

When they got back to Northernville Manor, Isabella brought Ricky upstairs. She didn’t cast a single look at Draxton the entire time.

Cooper could sense something wrong with the atmosphere when Isabella and Draxton got back. “Chieftain, what’s wrong? Did you get into a fight with Miss Thompson?” asked Cooper worriedly.

Draxton replied, “Cooper, I heard Henry Lockwood did not make many contributions in recent years.

“Henry Lockwood?” Cooper paused briefly. Something dawned on him after he connected the dots. “Chieftain, I heard Henry’s daughter is the vice-principal of the kindergarten. After Owen retires, Veronica will take over his position. Do you want to…”

Draxton replied mildly, “As upper management of North Star Group, he has nothing to show for it. Instead, he has learned to use his power to bully the weak. People like them have no place in the kindergarten or North Star Group.”

A sympathetic look swept across Cooper’s eyes. If he was not mistaken, Veronica must have done something wrong today.

“Got it. Chieftain, I will call the person in charge of North Star Group now,” said Cooper.

Draxton said, “Tell Alan to investigate Henry thoroughly. Make sure he doesn’t have the chance to argue when the time comes.”

“Yes, Chieftain.” Cooper paused briefly. The Lockwood family was a large clan. It was only natural that some people had their hands dirty.

If the chieftain wanted to take down Henry Lockwood, he had to use the skeletons in Henry’s closet against him.

The chieftain had made up his mind to take out Henry and his family for good.

If Veronica knew the consequences of her actions today, he wondered if she would live to regret it.

Alan worked quickly. Before long, Henry’s shady secrets were openly exposed. In an instant, Henry was at a

loss

He looked at the person in charge of North Star Group, Noah Lockwood. Whatever it is, I’m your elder How could you do this to me out of the blue?”

Noah glanced at him mockingly and said, “That was not what I intended”

“What is the meaning of this?” Henry was stunned by the news

“Was it the chieftains idea then?”

Henry spoke in astonishment, “How is this possible? I have dedicated my entire life to North Star Group. Even if I have made mistakes, you can’t deny all my efforts!”

The mocking look on Noah’s face deepened Well, there’s clearly a problem with your perspective. Have you ever seen the company hiring people who don’t do real work?

Your age is catching up to you. All these years, you have made zero accomplishments. Instead, you kept holding people back

Look at this evidence. Any of them is enough to send you to prison for life.

“Do you want to leave North Star Group quietly? Or do you prefer to get thrown into jail publicly? It’s down to you’

Henry’s face turned ghastly pale. He looked at Noah and asked, “Are these options really the only way out? Isn’t there any other choice?”

A solemn look appeared on Noah’s face. He said coldly, “I have already put in a good word on your behalf. If it were not for me, do you think you would have any choices at all? Just look at Freddie and the others.” Hepty broke out in a cold sweat. His lips trembled before he finally said, “Okay. I get it. I will resign from my post.

Noah smiled. “You have made an excellent choice.”

Henry looked at him intently. He asked, “Noah, aren’t you going to at least tell me why the chieftain suddenly wants to do this to me?”

Noah’s lips curved upwards looking at him. He replied, “People should really abide by their duties. Instead of talking too much, people should just do their work dutifully. Don’t you agree?”

Henry lowered his eyes. He turned and left without saying a word.

All these years, he had been misusing his seniority in North Star Group and did a lot of wrongs.

Some junior employees probably did not like what Henry was doing and reported on him behind his back.

Henry closed his eyes and was overwhelmed with regret.

After Henry submitted his resignation, North Star Group approved it without hesitation. So, Henry did not linger and left the company on the very same day.

By the time Henry got home, he looked like he had grown 10 years older.

When he got home, he could hear his daughter crying miserably inside the residence.

Veronica sat across from her mother as she spoke in a shrill indignant tone.

“Mom, when Dad gets back, he has to handle this and seek justice for me. I didn’t do anything wrong. How could the kindergarten fire me for no reason?”

Her mother comforted her daughter as she said, “Absolutely, my dear. When your father gets home from work, I will tell him about what happened. Why don’t you stop crying first? If all else fails, we can always ask your father to speak to the chieftain about this.”

Henry stood at the entrance. The moment he heard his wife and daughter’s conversation, his face looked stunned.

His wife turned her head and saw Henry standing there. She could not help saying in surprise, “What are you doing here? Why did you get off work so early?”

Henry did not answer his wife. Instead, he looked at his agitated daughter.

The moment Veronica saw Henry come home, she promptly told him about her predicament. However, he interrupted him.

“Did you get fired by the kindergarten?” Henry looked at Veronica cautiously.

Veronica failed to detect anything amiss with her father. Instead, she complained in resentment, “Uh-huh. The kindergarten fired me out of the blue. They claimed that I have questionable character and failed my duties. I clearly did a good job at the kindergarten. I’m telling you. This is pure slander.”

Henry looked at her in astonishment as he asked, “What have you done recently? Did you offend someone unknowingly?”

A bewildered look emerged on Veronica’s face. “How is that possible? Who could I possibly offend? I didn’t do anything at all!”

“Why would the kindergarten want to fire you then? I have worked for North Star Group for a long time. Why would the chieftain decide to make me leave?

“I thought someone from North Star Group was behind my downfall. From the looks of it now, it didn’t start with me. Instead, you were the problem.

“Veronica Lockwood, I already told you to keep a low profile in public and at work. Tell me what you have done recently. What could have possibly made the chieftain wage war on our family without warning?”

Veronica and her mother were taken aback by the news.

“What happened? Did you get fired by the company?” Henry’s wife looked at him inconceivably.

“Dad, do you mean it? Did you really get fired?” Veronica’s face instantly turned ashen.

She was sure that she didn’t do anything out of line recently, except for one matter…

When Henry noticed the pallor on her face, he looked at her coldly and said in a stern tone, “Give it to me straight. What have you done exactly? If you don’t come clean, our family might continue getting targeted.”

A worried look swept across Veronica’s eyes. Her face turned paler, and she finally got scared.

“Is it really that serious? That woman was just the chieftain’s mistress. I only made some remarks about her.”

Henry widened his eyes in shock. “What? Tell me everything. What mistress are you talking about?”

Veronica replied, “The chieftain brought his mistress and son to the kindergarten a couple of days ago. I…”

Veronica finally understood the severity of the matter. She came clean with her father about everything she had done.

After hearing the truth, Henry and his wife were stunned.

They looked at Veronica in utter disbelief. Henry raised his arm and slapped his daughter without hesitation. He roared furiously, “You imbecile!”

Veronica staggered from the slap. Henry’s face turned livid as he pointed at his daughter in fury.

“Don’t call yourself my daughter. Can you be dumber? A mistress? She even bore a son for the chieftain. What makes you think that she is just an unknown mistress?

“When has the chieftain ever let women get close to him?

“She already bore him a son. Have you ever heard about him having illegitimate sons?

“That boy is the chieftain’s son. He’s the chieftain’s eldest son no less. How could you have the cheek to call him an illegitimate son?”

Veronica touched her face blankly without the slightest annoyance. Instead, something suddenly dawned on her. She had to agree that her father was spot on.

“I must have gotten fired for offending that woman the other day and have you involved in this matter unknowingly.”

Veronica was so terrified that tears trickled down her face. “Dad, I was really careless and did something stupid. I didn’t realize that this matter was really serious back then..

“It didn’t occur to me that the mistress was no ordinary woman. I… I… Dad, what should we do now?

“Will the woman hold a vendetta against us?”

“You… you complete imbecile!”

Henry was overwhelmed with fury. He scolded his daughter angrily, “Now that things have come to this, do you still think this is happening because the woman had a problem with you?”

Veronica looked at Henry at a loss.

“Dad, if it wasn’t the woman, then who else could it be?”

Henry and his wife looked at Veronica at a loss. It was written all over their faces what they were thinking inside.

They could not wrap their minds around it. How could they have such an idiotic daughter?

Veronica bit her lip looking at her parents helplessly.

Henry said, “You have pissed off the chieftain!

“Don’t you get it? You showed disrespect to the woman and child, so you offended the chieftain directly.

“The woman did not even have to complain openly. The chieftain came after us on his own accord the moment she looked upset.

“Otherwise, why would I be made to leave North Star Group? Why would you get fired from the kindergarten?

“It’s clear that the woman is no mere mistress to him. She might even end up being.”

Even though Henry did not mention it out loud, Veronica knew what he meant.

Upon hearing this, her face turned ghastly pale.

“What are you waiting for? Go get ready. We are going to Northernville Manor to apologize and seek forgiveness immediately!” shouted Henry angrily.

“Apologize?” An indignant look swept across Veronica’s pale face.

She could not help thinking about her dislike toward Isabella the other day. Now, she had to grovel to her, apologize and beg for forgiveness like a dog.

“What are you waiting for? Are you still worried about your inconsequential pride?

“Let me give it to you straight. If we are permitted to see the woman today, this means that there is still hope for our family.

“You might not even have the chance to lower yourself and apologize to her personally…”

The moment Veronica heard what her father said, she took out the thoughts from her mind and was overwhelmed by fear. She hurriedly walked out of the residence with her father.

After the father and daughter got to Northernville Manor by car, they stood outside the entrance and looked at the tightly shut gate. Henry retrieved his phone and gave Cooper a call.

The moment Cooper answered the phone, Henry quickly stated the reason for his presence. Once Henry was done, he waited anxiously only to be denied entry.

Cooper said, “My apologies, Chieftain and Miss Thompson are not receiving guests.”

Henry’s face turned pale and said anxiously, “Cooper, we know we were wrong. We just want to apologize to the chieftain and lady. Veronica is just a kid who doesn’t know better. I hope the chieftain can give her a

chance.”

Veronica looked ghastly pale as she watched her high and mighty father speak to Cooper humbly, begging to seek an audience with the chieftain.

She was wrong. She had made a mistake. A terrible mistake no less.

If she knew that the woman was no ordinary mistress, she would never have offended her.

Cooper spoke in a firm tone, “Henry, Mr. Lockwood and Miss Thompson don’t want to get disturbed. Do you understand?”

His voice sounded unwavering.

Henry lost all hope and hung up the phone. He knew that he no longer had the right to seek the chieftain’s audience.

His hands fell to the sides of his body and the phone in his hand fell to the ground automatically.

Veronica noticed her father’s reaction, and intense fear emerged on her face. “Dad, why? Why won’t he see us?”

The father and daughter waited outside Northernville Manor for some time. Eventually, they left the residence in complete despair.

They knew deep inside that from now on, they were expelled from the heart of the Lockwood family and reduced to their lowest rungs. They had lost all their past glory.

Now that Veronica was no longer working for the kindergarten, Ricky would continue attending school. When the car got to the kindergarten entrance, Owen was already waiting there to welcome them.

This time, he looked at Isabella and Ricky with the utmost respect.

Isabella smiled and said, “Principal, I want Ricky to be treated just like any other child.”

Owen paused briefly and knew what she meant by this. He nodded instantly and replied in a reverent tone, “Don’t worry I will personally make sure that no one makes things hard for Ricky. I will ensure everyone gets along with him.”

Ricky followed Owen into the school carrying his little bag. Draxton and Isabella did not get off the car.

“Don’t worry Owen will take good care of Ricky. Also, I have sent guards to secretly protect Ricky.”

As Ricky walked off into the kindergarten, Draxton comforted Isabella.

Isabella replied, “Uh-huh. I’m not worried about Ricky’s safety. It’s the first time he’s attending kindergarten, so I just can’t bear to see him go.”

Draxton watched as Isabella continued looking at Ricky from behind until the boy completely disappeared out of sight. He could not help smiling.

“In a few days, I will announce you and Ricky’s existence. What do you think?”