Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law-Chapter 555: Pheobe Rogers’ Crushing Defeat (2)_1

In Mila's eyes, he must have favored Pheobe Rogers again. Seeing the woman who had been with him for decades look so sad and aggrieved, his heart ached even more. He withdrew his gaze, feeling too guilty to meet Mila Anderson's eyes.

"The mighty Mr. Horne, having to plead with his own Housekeeper just to let his mistress into the household—such a rarity in this world," Mila Anderson released her folded arms and descended the front steps one by one. She wore black mid-heel shoes and walked with an elegant, practiced air.

Face to face, she passed by James and Glades, the Horne brothers.

She did not even glance at James Horne.

James, however, did look at her.

"Mila…" Gian Horne's face flushed red with embarrassment from his wife's mockery.

Mila's words had just pinpointed his current position in the family.

Indeed, he was the master. In the eyes of outsiders, he was the head of the Horne Mansion, the one who called the shots. Only those living here knew that the one in charge of Valence Group was the real head of the Horne Mansion. After all, only with money could one hold power. He had never anticipated that his eldest son would target his mistress, so he had very confidently entrusted Valence Group to his eldest son, Glades. Another reason he had let Glades inherit Valence Group prematurely was his desire to spend his twilight years peacefully with his mistress. Little did he know his eldest son was a dark, scheming wolf who never accepted his mistress. When the time came, Glades struck back at Pheobe. This left him in a dilemma, unable to assist, for he had already lost his wealth and, with it, his power.

"Mila Anderson, you must be very pleased, aren't you? You're very happy, right? I'm telling you, as long as I'm alive, I won't let you live in peace!" Pheobe Rogers, seeing Gian Horne's reddened face, immediately felt a pang of pity for him. How could Mila, a wife, understand a man's heart less than she, a mistress, did? Mocking her own husband in front of the servants!

Standing before Pheobe, Mila folded her arms again and smiled faintly. "Yes, I am quite delighted. I am very happy. Shouldn't I be? Shouldn't I be happy? Pheobe, I couldn't stop you from stepping into the Horne Family back then, but now my son can! And what about your son? The one you consider your life's treasure? How does he treat you? Look, he didn't even call you 'Mother.' Do you know? James is actually a good kid. It's a pity he was born to the wrong mother and followed the wrong woman; that's why he's lived unhappily for over twenty years." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Mila was cold and distant towards James, entirely because of Pheobe. No wife would gladly see her husband's mistress's son under her nose every day. She had been relatively tolerant; she never physically harmed James, nor did she withhold his food or necessities. Even without Glades Horne's protection, she wouldn't have acted that way. In fact, she understood James better than Pheobe did. She knew the bitterness in James's heart and felt he was quite innocent, merely exploited by Pheobe in the name of love.

What Pheobe wanted was still Mila's position as Mrs. Horne.

Mila had been ready to step aside, but Gian Horne wouldn't allow it.

"It's all your fault! If it weren't for you, would my James have been unhappy? You abused my James! You and your son ganged up on my James, driving a wedge between him and me, his own mother! Mila Anderson, it's all you! You, with your respectable facade and seemingly gentle demeanor—you're a vile, deceitful woman! That's why Gian doesn't love you! That's why he betrayed you! He hates you, do you know that? He said he doesn't love you! Hah! Mila Anderson, do you know what's most pitiful for a woman? It's when her own husband doesn't love her," Pheobe Rogers hissed through gritted teeth, her voice a low snarl that ended in a sudden, mocking laugh.

Mila Anderson simply smiled faintly.

Pheobe detested this kind of smile. She wanted Mila to be infuriated by her words, just like before when Mila found out about her and Gian. She didn't want to see this indifferent smile Mila now wore.

"Whether he loves me or not, I am his wife, his lawful spouse. Conversely, you, the woman who claims to be his most beloved, have remained a mistress for thirty years, unable to be legitimized. Actually, you were wrong about one thing. The most pitiful thing for a woman is when the man she loves is another woman's husband, and she can never be legitimized." As Mila Anderson spoke, she shot Gian Horne a piercing glance that made him shrink in shame.

"Madam, don't mind her. I'll have someone throw her out! The Eldest Master has given orders: if she tries to force her way in, throw her out!" Uncle Ying told Mila Anderson.

SLAP!

Pheobe Rogers suddenly turned her head and landed a heavy slap on Uncle Ying's face, roaring, "Get lost! Don't use Glades Horne to threaten me! I'm not afraid of him today! If he has the guts, let him kill me! Let him throw my body out!"

"Pheobe!" Gian Horne's face darkened as he called out in a low voice, clearly disliking Pheobe's violence.

SLAP! SLAP! Suddenly, the sound of two more slaps resonated. Mila Anderson, who always presented a graceful image in public, acted with surprising speed and ruthlessness. She landed two hard slaps on Pheobe's face, one on each cheek, leaving vivid red finger marks.

"Mila!" Gian Horne cried out, his face a mask of astonishment.

He never knew his wife possessed such a fierce side. This display of strength didn't repel him. Instead, it stirred different feelings within him. She no longer seemed weak; it was as if she had become someone else entirely.

"You dare hit me?" Pheobe Rogers, reeling from Mila Anderson's heavy slaps, clutched her already swelling face in disbelief, staring fixedly at Mila. This rival, who hadn't laid a hand on me even when she first found out about Gian and me, actually hit me twice, and so fiercely!

"Uncle Ying is my family's Housekeeper. However he is to be disciplined is our family's affair. It's not your place, an outsider, to intervene. Uncle Ying has served the Horne Family for many years and is highly respected. Even I, the lady of the house, have never struck him. Yet you, a shameless woman, slapped Uncle Ying twice. These two slaps are justice for Uncle Ying," Mila Anderson retorted proudly, her usual gentle demeanor replaced by a rare and imposing dignity that mesmerized Gian Horne. He realized he had never truly understood his wife.