Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law-Chapter 559: Pheobe Rogers’ Crushing Defeat (6)_1

"James..."

"What are you all standing around for? Throw her out!"

An aged voice rose, heavy with the weariness of ages.

The old lady appeared once again.

She gave her orders with extreme gravity.

James Horne turned his head, blankly gazed at the old lady for a while, then turned to look at Julia, and finally looked deeply at his mother.

Pheobe Rogers clutched tightly onto his arm, hoping he would protect her.

"James, James, I'm your mom, you can't let them bully your mom... James!" Desperation laced Pheobe Rogers's voice. James Horne's handsome face was filled with pain as he forcefully removed her hand from his arm, turned, and faced away from her.

"James!"

"Throw her out!"

The old lady's command resounded once more.

"Just carry her out, but don't hurt her," Julia suddenly sighed and instructed.

Then she gestured with her hand for her bodyguards to take action, sparing the male servants the effort.

Two bodyguards immediately took hold of the stunned and devastated Pheobe Rogers and began walking her out.

James Horne looked at Julia with gratitude. For his sake, she had managed to preserve some dignity for his mother.

Hiding in his room, Gian Horne slowly closed his eyes, overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness, as if swept away by a wave.

This was the debt his philandering had incurred! He was utterly worthless as a husband, as a father; he was, in fact, the most shameless and the most hated person.

Nobody knew that today's events didn't extinguish Pheobe Rogers's obsessions; instead, they transformed her into a real Demon. In the near future, she would commit acts that no one, including her beloved son, would be able to forgive—and of course, she didn't think she was wrong...

Pheobe Rogers was carried out of the Horne Family villa by two bodyguards. James Horne kept his back to her the whole time. She stopped struggling, stopped causing a scene; only her eyes, filled with despair, blankly watched her son's receding figure.

James Horne's back bore a resemblance to Gian Horne's; both were men she loved the most.

Step by step, the distance between them grew further and further. The silhouette of James Horne became smaller and smaller in her eyes.

Disheveled hair, swollen cheeks, tears streaming down her face—Pheobe Rogers, who once considered herself invincible and destined to become the mistress of the Horne Family, could never have dreamt of such a day of wretchedness, such complete abandonment.

"Let's all go inside. It's getting dark and cold," the old lady's heavy voice called out, her gaze fixed deeply on James Horne as she instructed, "James, come with Granny inside." Then she headed for her first-floor room, walking unsteadily without the aid of Mei.

James Horne didn't speak and began walking towards her room, following the old lady. Once inside the old lady's room, she told him to shut the door to block any prying eyes from outside.

"Sit," the old lady said affectionately.

James Horne sat down on the sofa in silence.

The old lady also took a seat opposite him, her affectionate gaze never leaving her grandson. As she observed his face, so alike to Glades Horne's, and thought of the sins her son had committed, she suddenly sighed softly, "Do you hate us for treating your mother this way?"

James Horne looked up at the old lady and noted her affectionate gaze. His lips moved as if to say something, but in the end, he said nothing, merely shaking his head.

He didn't hate them—perhaps he had once. But as he grew older and developed his own thoughts, he gradually understood why his family hated his mother. From a romantic perspective, his mother was merely pursuing her own happiness; that was her right. But from a family standpoint, she was a destroyer. Everyone would hate someone who destroys their family.

"Your mom... she does have love for you. Today... I know it's not easy for you, Granny understands. It's all Granny's fault, not having raised your dad properly, allowing him to..." the old lady blamed herself.

"Granny, that's not your fault. Love is a personal act, irrelevant to parents. Even with the best upbringing, if someone intends to cheat, they will cheat. If good education could reduce infidelity, then there wouldn't be so many affairs in today's society," James Horne eventually spoke.

His words were sensible and reflected his filial piety. He couldn't bear to see the old lady reproach herself. In this family, her concern for him was also sincere.

The fondness in the old lady's eyes grew even deeper, her appreciation for James Horne deepened as well.

It was good that she had insisted on bringing James Horne to be raised in the Horne Family all those years ago. If he had been brought up by Pheobe Rogers, he would surely have become as discontented a person as her. It is said that a discontented heart is like a snake that swallows an elephant—Pheobe Rogers was exactly that. Decades of a comfortable life were not enough for her; she still wanted to fight for things that did not belong to her, things she had herself agreed to give up long ago.

"James, all the things that your mom has been fighting and striving for you, Granny, your dad, even your brother have prepared them for you," the old lady suddenly shifted the topic.

Upon hearing this, James Horne's gaze immediately lifted to the old lady.

The old lady stood up and went into an inner chamber, seemingly to retrieve something.

A moment later, the old lady came out with two wills—copies of them. She placed both copies in front of James Horne, then sat down and said softly, "Take a look. One is Granny's, and the other is your dad's. Your brother already knows about them, and they have been agreed upon with his consent."

James Horne picked them up and read. The old lady's will stated that upon her death, all her assets would be divided into seven parts. Her five grandsons would each receive one part, all equal in amount. Her granddaughter, Adele Horne, would receive slightly less. There was also a portion for her most beloved granddaughter-in-law, Julia Bluen. The will was dated two months prior, and none of them knew. The old lady didn't divide her assets among her children; she skipped them and gave directly to her grandchildren. He, too, was a grandson and wouldn't be excluded just because he was illegitimate.

Gian Horne's will stated that his assets were to be divided into three parts. His two sons would each receive thirty percent. His daughter and Mila Anderson would each receive fifteen percent. However, the portion given to James had an additional provision: the transfer of two reasonably-sized subsidiaries under the Valence Group. This transfer was contingent on Glades Horne's agreement.