The cold steel of the pistol pressed against Sophia’s temple, making her entire body tremble uncontrollably. Gavin’s deep, unyielding gaze bore into her, his commanding aura suffocating. His voice, low and frigid, sliced through the tension. “Miss Sophia, I don’t want to hear you use the word ‘b*tch’ again.” Sophia’s eyes widened in disbelief. He was actually pointing a pistol at her! Lady Reed let out a shrill scream, unable to mask her terror. “Gavin, have you gone mad?!” But Gavin remained composed, his expression unchanging. “Miss Sophia,” he continued, his tone measured yet lethal, “if you dare insult my wife again, don’t expect me to show mercy.” Sophia’s knees gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, pale as a ghost. Lady Reed rushed to her daughter, her hands trembling as she pulled Sophia to her feet. “Mr Gavin,” she stammered, abandoning her earlier familiarity, “please forgive Sophia. She doesn’t know how to control her words… You mustn’t take her seriously.” The change in her tone was telling—she no longer dared address him casually. She knew Gavin’s wrath was not something the Reed family could withstand. If he truly acted on his anger, even killing Sophia in a fit of rage, the Reed family wouldn’t have the power to retaliate. Lady Reed tugged at Sophia’s arm with urgency. “Sophia, let’s leave now. I’ll take you home!” Her voice quivered with fear. Gavin was terrifying, and it was becoming increasingly clear that he was not someone they could manipulate. How did it come to this? Lady Reed thought bitterly. We only endured this madness because of the Stone Family’s wealth and influence. Sophia’s interest in Gavin should have been an honor to him, yet he despises her and even dared to threaten her with a weapon!Gavin lowered the pistol, his icy demeanor unchanged. “George,” he ordered coolly, “escort them out and report everything that happened today to Grandpa Reed.” George nodded briskly. “Understood.” As Sophia and Lady Reed were hurriedly led away, Gavin rubbed his temples, his vision suddenly blurring. A dull pain throbbed behind his eyes. Before he could react further, cool fingers touched his forehead, gently massaging the tension away. Liza’s concerned gaze met his as she frowned. “Are your eyes bothering you?” He slowly opened his eyes, and the scene before him sharpened. Her soothing touch seemed to calm more than just his headache. His gaze softened slightly as he replied, “Mrs. Liza, you shouldn’t be upset anymore. About the herbs…” Gavin paused, unsure of the exact significance of the plants. Though they appeared ordinary, he had noticed how much care Liza devoted to them. To her, even if they were weeds, they were invaluable. Liza blinked, her expression resolute. “Upset? This is far from over. Sophia won’t get away with this so easily!” Her voice carried a fiery determination. “Those herbs weren’t just ordinary plants. Many people can’t even buy them with money, yet Sophia managed to destroy over 100 in one go. Do you think I’d just let it slide?” Her lips curled into a sly smile. “The Reed family will come to me soon enough. And when they do, they’ll kneel and beg for forgiveness.” Gavin’s brow arched slightly as he watched her, amused by her resolve. Liza’s expression turned cold. “The Reed family has taken advantage of the Stone Family for years, siphoning wealth and resources. While you’ve chosen to tolerate their antics, I don’t have that kind of patience. I won’t let them bully my husband—or me.” Her tone grew darker. “Grandpa Reed may present himself as kind and benevolent, but his hands are stained with blood. The Reed family’s long list of shady dealings doesn’t scare me. And to think… they’re desperate for this Healing to save his life.” She smirked. “Such a pity. Sophia just destroyed over 100 stalks of Healing Herbsherself. Without it, how will they salvage their plans?” Gavin’s eyes flickered as he listened, his focus shifting to the herbs scattered across the ground. Liza pulled out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen as she sent a message to an unknown contact. Gavin knelt down and picked up one of the damaged stalks. He brought it closer, inhaling its subtle, distinctive aroma. His eyes gleamed with intrigue. Mrs. Liza… is far from ordinary. … At the Reed family estate, chaos erupted as soon as Sophia returned. She wailed uncontrollably, her cries echoing through the halls, while Lady Reed clutched her chest, tears streaming down her face. Her heart ached as she watched her daughter fall apart. Grandpa Reed, however, sat silently, his expression calm yet stern. After a moment, he turned to the figure standing before him. “Assistant George,” he began evenly, though his voice carried a note of concern. “What exactly did Sophia do wrong? And the Reed family’s cars—” George’s voice cut through the room, cold and unyielding. “The Reed family’s cars have been destroyed,” he stated bluntly. “Miss Sophia intentionally trampled the herbs our young madam cultivated with great care. She then proceeded to insult and threaten her life. “Out of respect for the Reed family’s past kindness, our young master has decided to let this incident slide. But I must warn you—if anything like this happens again, the consequences will be severe. Prepare yourselves.” The weight of George’s words sent a visible tremor through Grandpa Reed. Gavin had made his stance clear: sparing Sophia this time was a final act of grace, repaying an old debt owed to the Reed family. From now on, the ties between the two families were severed. As George departed, Grandpa Reed slumped in his chair, his exhaustion etched across his face. His hand shook slightly as he raised it—and in one swift motion, he slapped Sophia hard across the face. “Father!” Master Reed exclaimed in shock, rushing forward. Sophia staggered back, her hand clutching her cheek as she stared at her grandfather in disbelief. Tears spilled down her face as she screamed, “Grandpa! Why did you hit me? I was just upset with Liza! And now, even at home, I’m being treated like this? I don’t want to live anymore!” Grandpa Reed’s face darkened, his voice icy. “Liza? That’s all you can think about—Liza!” His tone grew harsher, his frustration boiling over. “Use your head for once! Do you realize what you’ve done? Your actions today have completely exhausted the last shred of goodwill the Stone Family had toward us. From this day forward, the Reed family can no longer count on Gavin for anything.” His gaze bore into her as he continued, “Do you think the Reed family rose to prominence purely through our own efforts? You’re a fool if you believe that. It was only because I saved Old Master Stone all those years ago that the Stone Family supported us. Without them, do you think we could have lived this grand, privileged life?” Sophia’s sobs quieted as the weight of his words sank in. Grandpa Reed’s expression grew even more grim. The realization was clear—by alienating Gavin, the Reed family had not only lost a powerful ally but also jeopardized their very foundation. What had once been an act of gratitude from the Stone Family was now over, thanks to Sophia’s reckless behavior. And there was no going back.