“It upset Liza,” Gavin said in a calm yet dangerously cold voice, his words deliberate and unwavering. “And when my wife is unhappy…” He leaned back slightly, his sharp gaze cutting through the room, “…I make sure to take revenge for her.” Alora froze in place, her face paling. Take revenge? For Liza? Gavin continued with an indifferent tone, though the weight of his words was suffocating. “If James dares to upset my wife, there will be consequences. And until she’s satisfied, your family’s food factory will remain shut down. “I warned you before, Alora—Mrs. Stone is my bottom line. I suggest you remember that.” Alora’s knees felt weak as her breathing quickened. No… This couldn’t be happening! Gavin couldn’t possibly mean it. He wouldn’t go so far for Liza, would he? Meanwhile, Liza casually reached for Gavin’s hand, her lips curving into a sly, confident smile. “Still not willing to apologize? That’s fine,” she said lightly, a hint of mockery in her voice. “Just prepare for the family to go bankrupt.” James’s jaw clenched as fury and fear battled within him. “Liza! Do you really think you have the power to bring down my family?” She raised an eyebrow, her expression dripping with feigned innocence. “Me? Oh, I don’t. But Gavin certainly does. He’s already told you—if I’m not satisfied, your factory’s operations will stay suspended.” James swallowed hard, his throat tightening. “You’re bluffing. You can’t be serious. Gavin wouldn’t ruin everything just for you…” His voice cracked as doubt seeped in. “Right?” Liza tilted her head, feigning surprise. “Oh? You think Gavin’s just scaring you?” James stiffened, his mind racing. His bravado began to crumble as panic set in. Desperation took over, and his voice grew louder. “Gavin, are you really going to sever all ties with me because of her? Are you seriously going to make the entire my family pay such a heavy price? We’ve been friends for years! Is this how you treat your friends?” Liza couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Friends? She held back a scoff. If James truly valued his friendship with Gavin, he wouldn’t have betrayed him like this. To James, Gavin wasn’t a friend—he was a convenient ladder to climb the social hierarchy. Seeing James’s panic deepen, Liza remained calm, watching him tremble as though his entire world was about to collapse. Finally, in a fit of desperation, James shouted, “What kind of spell has this woman cast on you?! She’s—” “James!” Alora’s sharp voice cut through his rant before he could finish, her tone laced with both frustration and fear. She knew that if James insulted Liza further, there would be no salvaging the situation. Quickly, she stepped forward and positioned herself in front of Liza. Bowing deeply, she said in a trembling voice, “Liza, I’m so sorry. Please, I apologize on James’s behalf.” Her voice softened, laced with forced sincerity. “After he reported you, he regretted it deeply. He even wanted to come forward and clear things up.” She glanced at Liza, trying to gauge her reaction, then continued with a nervous smile. “Thankfully, you managed to explain everything so clearly and even had Ava expelled. I’m relieved that you weren’t affected in the end. You’re such a kind and forgiving person—could you find it in your heart to let this go? James only did what he did because he was worried about Gavin’s reputation. He didn’t mean you any harm.” Liza remained silent, her expression unreadable as she picked up her teacup. She took a slow sip, the warm liquid soothing her senses. The subtle bitterness gave way to a lingering sweetness, and her frown eased ever so slightly. Alora’s façade of innocence was infuriating, her every action dripping with hypocrisy. “Miss Alora,” Liza said coldly, her tone sharp and unapologetic. “Let me make something clear—I’m not the kind of person who forgives easily. In fact, I hold grudges. And when I’m unhappy, Gavin ensures that those who caused it pay the price. “If there’s no apology, the James family will face consequences. Even if there is an apology, don’t expect me to simply let it go. After all, if saying ‘sorry’ solved every problem, why would the police exist?” Alora’s face tightened as she bit her lip, frustration flickering in her eyes. Liza was relentless, her words cutting through every excuse. Why couldn’t Liza simply let this go? It was all a misunderstanding! Wasn’t forgiveness supposed to come easily? “I…” Alora stammered, unsure how to respond. But before she could gather herself, Liza interrupted with a pointed question. “If I slapped you right now and immediately apologized, would you forgive me, Miss Alora?” The question hung heavily in the air, leaving Alora speechless. She instinctively turned her gaze to Gavin, hoping for some form of support. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her voice trembling as she said, “Gavin… I just don’t understand. How can you love someone so petty and vindictive? Women should be calm and gentle, not like this…”She trailed off, her emotions deliberately on display. Alora had always presented herself as composed and refined, the perfect image of an elegant lady. She had carefully crafted this demeanor to make Gavin believe she was the ideal woman for him—someone serene and understanding, unlike Liza, who was brash and unpredictable. Swallowing hard, Alora spoke softly, choking on her words. “Liza… You’re Gavin’s wife. No matter what you do, if you apologize sincerely, I’ll forgive you.” A heavy silence followed her statement. Liza, however, merely smirked. Without another word, she turned and walked toward the kitchen, her every movement unhurried. Moments later, she returned, holding a gleaming kitchen knife in her hand. The sharp blade caught the light, and the room seemed to tense. Without a single warning, Liza raised the knife and flung it with precision. The blade spun through the air, slicing cleanly before embedding itself into the wall just inches from Alora.“Ah!” Alora’s scream pierced the air as her face turned ghostly pale. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and her hands clutched at her chest in terror. “Liza, are you insane?” she cried out, her voice shaking. James immediately rushed to shield Alora, glaring at Liza with rage. “What are you doing, Liza? Have you completely lost your mind? Are you trying to kill someone?” Liza, entirely unbothered, walked calmly over to retrieve the knife. She pulled it from the wall with ease and inspected the blade, her expression calm and collected. Then she turned back to face them, her voice devoid of emotion. “I’m sorry.” James’s face contorted with fury. “You think an apology is enough? You just tried to hurt someone! If you’re angry, take it out on me—I’m the one who reported you. But why drag Alora into this? Do you have any idea what will happen if the Clint Family hears about this? They won’t let you off easily!” He stepped forward protectively, his anger blazing, but Liza stood her ground, her icy demeanor unwavering.