Chapter 56: Vanessa Watched with Satisfaction

Vanessa watched with satisfaction as her grandfather’s expression darkened. She maintained her innocent facade. “Sophia, please don’t say that. I’m sure Sienna didn’t mean it. She must have been overwhelmed with her diamond ventures and simply forgot to call Grandpa. Grandpa, please don’t be upset.” Her words only deepened the gloomy atmosphere. Busy? More like deliberately neglectful! Walter’s disappointment was palpable. Sienna observed the performance between Sophia and Vanessa with detached amusement. She looked like a queen being entertained by court jesters. “Are you two finished?”

She lifted her chin, a faint smirk playing on her lips. “Over the past five years, I attempted to contact Grandpa one hundred and ten times. Every call was blocked. I sent ten gifts. None reached him. I even tried emailing. Each message was intercepted by a hacker. How dare you question why I didn’t reach out?” Her words were sharp and deliberate, each one landing with precision. She produced a thick stack of documents and flung them toward Sophia and Vanessa.

The papers scattered in the air, evidence fluttering down for all to see. Purchase records. Mailing receipts. Call logs. All meticulously documented. Proof of deliberate interference. Photos of Sophia and her assistant Lillian collecting the gifts and discarding them. The room froze, captivated by the damning evidence mid-air. Sophia’s face drained of all color. How was this possible? How did Sienna uncover everything? And with such concrete proof?

Walter examined the falling documents. Understanding dawned. His face flushed crimson, his mustache quivering with rage. “Good. Very well! Sophia Carlisle, you dared to do this behind my back? Reginald, fetch the whip. Make it sting!” Not wishing to delay, Reginald produced a long, thorn-studded whip. It gleamed under the light, dried bloodstains still visible on its cruel barbs. Terror seized Sophia. Her legs turned to jelly. “Grandpa, it wasn’t me!” she whimpered weakly. “She fabricated all of this! It’s lies!”

“Whip her. Now! Use all your strength!” Walter turned away, refusing to listen.

Seeing her beloved daughter facing such a brutal punishment, Penelope rushed forward. “Father, please! Forgive her! Just this once! She didn’t mean any harm!”

“Anyone who pleads for her will share her punishment,” Walter declared coldly.

Penelope fell silent. A desperate idea sparked in her eyes. She turned to Vanessa. “Vanessa, my dear niece, please! Speak for her! She’s never been beaten! She treasures her appearance! There will be scars!”

“I…” Vanessa glanced around, feigning helplessness. “Auntie, I have no influence here. Sienna is the victim. If she forgives Sophia, Grandpa will surely relent.”

Hearing this, Penelope scrambled toward Sienna. “Sienna, I beg you! Sophia was wrong! She didn’t intend for this to happen…!”

“Mother, don’t beg her! She’s a witch! She made it all up! It wasn’t me!” Sophia screamed.

Her denial only fueled Walter’s fury. “Whip her! Now!” he snapped.

“As you wish.” Reginald bowed slightly.

Two bodyguards stepped forward, forcing Sophia onto a bench. Reginald raised the vicious whip high. He brought it down with full force onto Sophia’s back. A piercing scream echoed through the hall.