Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red-Chapter 281: Firstborn (1)

Lennox had a serious expression on his face the following day. The red mark left on his wife’s wrist bothered him, but he was trying not to draw attention to it. However, the mark was like a glaring mockery on his face. He wanted nothing but to teach Cayden a lesson.

Adrienne was still in their room dressing up, and Lennox had to welcome Hunter, who arrived that morning. Even Hunter noticed Lennox’s unusually sour mood.

"What’s up?" He asked his brother-in-law.

Lennox frowned and placed his cup of coffee down before answering Hunter.

"I don’t like Addie meeting your father and the rest of the Jiang family. Cayden hurt her wrist yesterday. I’m worried he might do something to Addie today."

Hunter’s eyes darkened upon hearing Lennox’s words. "This is why I’m accompanying her today. Adrienne never told me such a thing happened yesterday."

If Hunter knew something like that had happened, he should have insisted on going with Adrienne to attend the shareholders’ meeting. However, their mother was also scheduled for a check-up, and he didn’t want to leave her alone. He trusted Addie to handle herself, but after hearing about Cayden’s behavior, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.

"I know Addie could deal with them alone, but I can’t help but be worried about her safety," Lennox commented.

Hunter nodded, sharing the same sentiment Lennox had. His sister was strong and independent, but for Hunter, she was his little sister whom he treasured the most. Just the thought of someone hurting her made his blood boil in anger.

He’d beaten Cayden once, and Hunter thought it was enough to remind the man not to hurt his sister again, but it seemed he was mistaken.

Lennox tapped his fingertips lightly on the table between them. He looked restless and agitated, but Hunter saw Lennox trying to rein his anger in check for Adrienne’s sake.

Hunter might disapprove of his sister’s relationship with Lennox, but he couldn’t deny his brother-in-law’s dedication to Adrienne. However, there was also no denying that Lennox was a dangerous man. He single-handedly destroyed the Gu family and was indirectly involved in Ares Gu’s death.

"I’ll be accompanying Addie today. I doubt Cayden would have the guts to hurt her again with me around."

Hunter tried to reassure Lennox. He didn’t want Lennox to do something against the law, even if it meant protecting Adrienne. As for Cayden, Hunter didn’t mind teaching him yet another lesson.

"How was Mom? I’m sorry Addie and I couldn’t accompany her yesterday." Lennox suddenly asked, trying to change the topic of their conversation. He would leave Cayden to Hunter, knowing the latter was overprotective of Adrienne.

"It’s good. Mom didn’t suffer serious muscle atrophy because Adrienne ensured she would get the treatment needed to avoid it. The doctor said it wouldn’t take too long, and Mom would be able to move on her own."

"That’s great to hear," Lennox replied, relieved by the news.

Adrienne might sometimes act cold and distant, but deep down, she has a heart of gold. Her dedication to their mother’s well-being was truly commendable, in Lennox’s opinion.

Hunter nodded, a soft smile gracing his lips. "Adrienne always takes such good care of Mom. She’s truly amazing."

"Yeah, she’s always been like that. It’s one of the things I love about her." Lennox smiled, his anger thrown at the back of his mind.

Hunter couldn’t help but chuckle at his brother-in-law’s statement. "You really love her, don’t you?"

Lennox’s cheeks flushed slightly at the comment, but he nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, I do. She’s my wife, after all, so how can I not adore her?"

Hunter raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk on his face. "Is that the only reason?"

"No, it’s not the only reason." Lennox lowered his sight on his cup, but the smile on his lips lingered.

Before meeting Adrienne, Lennox would decide not to marry. After witnessing the disastrous marriage between his parents, Lennox didn’t want to marry anyone against his or the woman’s will. He didn’t want to be trapped in a loveless marriage that could only hurt both parties. However, Adrienne was different. She made him feel something he had never felt before. She made him want to be a better man, for her sake and his own.

Hunter noticed that when Lennox spoke or thought of Adrienne, his eyes softened, and his expression would become more gentle. It was clear to Hunter that Lennox was head over heels in love with his sister. It was rare to see Lennox express such vulnerability and affection, which made Hunter realize how much Lennox truly loved Adrienne.

"I might not have approved of your sudden marriage, but I’m relieved to see how happy Adrienne is when she’s with you," Hunter said, placing a hand on Lennox’s shoulder.

Lennox looked up at him, his eyes reflecting gratitude. "Thank you, Hunter. It means a lot knowing that you support us. I’ll protect Addie with all I have. I don’t want to lose her, Hunter. She’s everything to me."

"But what about your agreement?" Hunter asked about the two-year marriage contract between Lennox and his sister.

Lennox sighed, "I’m trying to convince her to stay with me for good. It might take some time, but I will wait for her."

Hunter stood up, ready to leave for the shareholders’ meeting with Adrienne. "Don’t worry about Cayden. I’ll make sure he knows not to mess with our family again."

"I know, Lennox. And I believe you. Just promise me you’ll take care of her, alright?"

Lennox nodded, grateful for Hunter’s concern and understanding. He knew he had a lot to work on, but he was willing to try, for Adrienne’s sake.

As much as he wanted to protect Adrienne, he knew Hunter was more than capable of handling things. Lennox sighed, relieved that he had Hunter to rely on when protecting Adrienne.

He sipped his coffee and then got up to start his day. Despite the unsettling events of yesterday, Lennox had a feeling that everything would turn out okay in the end, as long as he had Adrienne and his family by his side.

Adrienne entered the room as they finished their conversation, looking stunning as ever in her business attire. Lennox’s eyes lit up at the sight of her, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride knowing that she was his wife.

"Good morning, Hunter. How was your trip to the hospital with Mom?" Adrienne greeted her brother.

"Good morning, Addie. The trip was fine. How are you feeling?" Hunter replied, concern evident in his voice.

"I’m feeling great. Thank you for asking." Adrienne smiled at her brother before turning to her husband. Lennox would usually go for work around this time, but he was still home.

"Are you staying home today?" she asked, noticing that Lennox was still dressed in his home clothes.

"Yes. I promised Noah to accompany him today to the marine park. Call me once your meeting is done, okay?"

Adrienne nodded and turned to her brother. "Hunter, are you ready to go?"

Hunter stood up, taking Adrienne’s hand in his. "Yes, let’s go. Have a good day, Lennox."

—

Adrienne was being accompanied by her brother and Irina today. They arrived at the Jiang Corp. building half an hour earlier. However, before they could enter the elevator, Lewis Jiang’s secretary came rushing to Adrienne’s party to stop them. He was heaving for breath when he stopped before Adrienne.

"Miss Addie, Master wants to have a word before the meeting. Would you please follow me?" He looked nervous, as if his fate depended on Adrienne’s answer.

Adrienne exchanged a concerned glance with her brother and Irina, sensing the urgency in the secretary’s voice. She nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation, and replied, "Of course, lead the way."

She knew her father’s intention for this sudden meeting. Lewis would probably threaten her and force her to vote for him to keep his position in the company. Adrienne had always been aware of her father’s manipulative tactics and his desire to maintain control. She braced herself for the confrontation, determined not to let him intimidate her into submission.

As they walked towards the meeting room, she silently promised to stand her ground and protect the company from his self-serving agenda. Her father couldn’t control her anymore, and he could not grasp that she had grown into a strong and independent woman, far from the submissive and foolish daughter he had been acquainted with before.

The secretary opened the doors and let Adrienne and her companions in. Adrienne saw her father reading a report with one hand and a massive pile of papers on his desk. Her lips curled up, realizing her father had been trying to secure some shares since yesterday while keeping an eye on the market share of Jiang Corporation.

Cayden was busy on a phone call with her father but turned around to face Adrienne when he heard her arrival. Seeing her with the familiar-looking bodyguard who beat him years ago, his face darkened. Cayden immediately ended his call and glared at Hunter, but the latter casually ignored him.

"Tell your bodyguards to wait for you outside. This is a family matter." Lewis told Adrienne without sparing her a glance as if her presence didn’t bother her one bit.

Adrienne and Hunter shared a look. "Irina may leave, but Hunter will stay with me."

Lewis immediately noticed that and was clearly furious about his daughter’s defiance. The intensity of Lewis’ reaction surprised even Cayden. He had never seen his father so angry before.

Irina gave Adrienne a slight bow and stepped out of the office without a word.

"What about family matters that you cannot understand, Adrienne?" Lewis slammed the papers he was reading on his desk, causing them to scatter across the surface. His voice was filled with anger and frustration.

Adrienne laughed.

"Hunter Nian has every reason to be here, Mr. Jiang. Take a very close look at your firstborn son, dear father." She said it sarcastically. "See the son you abandoned in favor of your useless bastard son."

As Adrienne said these words, she glanced at Cayden, whose face turned ashen, his body frozen in disbelief.