Chapter 54: Grace Cooper's Heart Pounded

Grace Cooper's heart pounded. The factory manager wasn’t her relative, and she knew she was in the wrong. She had only bullied Grace because she thought she was weak. If this went to the higher-ups, she’d be in serious trouble.

"Let me go!" Laura Bennett yanked her arm, trying to break free from Elena Ward’s grip. "Who do you think you are? Why should I listen to you?" She resorted to shameless defiance.

Elena tightened her hold on Laura’s wrist. "Apologize to my niece! Pay for her medical bills and emotional damages, or you’re not leaving today!" Her gaze was sharp as a blade.

Laura panicked. She was used to playing the victim, not being cornered like this. "Dream on! Why should I pay a dime?" She wasn’t one to back down easily.

"Fine! Then we’ll take this to the factory manager!" Elena dragged her forward.

"No!" Laura clawed at the wall, her nails nearly breaking.

Her son, Tiger, burst into tears, clinging to her leg. "Mom, I’m sorry! I hit Daisy! I shouldn’t have taken her things!"

Elena abruptly released her, and Laura collapsed to the ground, clutching her son and trembling.

"Elena, just let it go..." Grace couldn’t bear the scene.

Elena shook her head. No wonder Laura was so brazen—she acted just like Elena in her past life.

"We can’t let it go! If we back down today, they’ll walk all over us tomorrow!" Elena snapped. "Let’s see if the factory really belongs to her family!"

Laura immediately switched tactics, sobbing to Grace. "My husband is our only breadwinner! Are you trying to ruin us? If he loses his job, we’ll have to beg at your doorstep!"

Grace quickly tried to calm her. "My sister didn’t mean it—"

"Don’t speak for me, Grace!" Elena smirked and motioned for Daisy to come closer. "Remember, we don’t start fights, but we don’t run from them either. If someone hits you, hit them back!"

Daisy hesitated. "But Mom says fighting is bad..."

Vanessa Ward suddenly jumped in. "Elena! How can you teach a child to fight? You should lead by example!"

Laura seized the opportunity. "Exactly! What kind of upbringing is this?"

"Alright," Elena crooked a finger. "Come here."

Vanessa took a step back. "What are you doing?"

"You said we shouldn’t fight back, right?" Elena slapped her twice across the face. "Show me your so-called virtue!"

"You’re insane!" Vanessa lunged at her.

Elena twisted her arm behind her back. "I thought you believed in turning the other cheek? Why are you fighting back now?" She scoffed. "Easy to preach when it’s not your face getting slapped!"

The crowd erupted in laughter.

"Well said!"

"That’s the way!"

"Serves her right!"

Humiliated and furious, Vanessa was no match for Elena.

Elena scanned the onlookers. "Two choices: One, apologize and pay up. Two, we take this to the factory manager!"

She was determined to make sure Grace wouldn’t be pushed around anymore.

Laura’s chest heaved with rage. She smacked her son hard. "This is all your fault! Go apologize now!"