Chapter 330 It’s a Sin to Have No Posterity
Veronica’s heart clenched as she listened to the insults and abuse those people were hurling at Matthew. Sadness came over her when she saw the situation he was in. The man was standing upright indifferently, as if he didn’t care about anything, but her heart ached for him nonetheless. “Say, Grandma… could this be a misunderstanding? Could the photos on the internet have been Photoshopped?” she asked, though even she herself found her own words unconvincing.
Upon hearing her voice, Matthew turned his head slightly and darted a look at the person behind him out of the corner of his eye, but he didn’t make eye contact with her. Why are you here, you silly girl?
Sitting in her chair, Elizabeth let out a snort. “How could the photos possibly have been Photoshopped? There are videos circulating all over the internet!”
Veronica argued, “Well… What you said seems to make sense. But the stories of him fooling around in the fitting room have to be a frame-up. There’s no evidence proving it; some unscrupulous media outlets must have made up those stories to draw clicks.” She and Matthew were drawing online criticism for making out in the fitting room, but all of this was just a one-sided story with no videos to prove it. This would be a nice point for a breakthrough.
Sensing how much she cared about Matthew, Conrad glanced at her meaningfully. Then, he chimed in with a nod, “Hmm, you do have a point, Veronica.”
Veronica was surprised by Conrad’s reply; she couldn’t understand what made him choose to side with Matthew at this very moment. Perhaps he was smart enough to know that everyone present at the scene was coveting the position of Spinfluence Group’s CEO, which was why he chose to side with Matthew to win Elizabeth’s favor. After all, everyone knew that Matthew was the person whom Elizabeth loved and cared the most about in the whole Kings Family.
“It’s wrong of you to say so, Conrad. How can the story be false? The clothing store’s employees have acknowledged it in front of the media!”
“As the person in charge of Spinfluence Group, Matthew’s every move is under watch by the outside world.”
“That’s right. The company could end up being ruined at his hands!”
“Mom, Matthew keeps refusing to get married because he’s in love with a man. In that case, who is gonna inherit the Spinfluence Group in the future if you hand it over to him? Who would want to do business with a pervert?”
“Mom, for the sake of our family, let’s get someone else to manage the Spinfluence Group’s affairs on Matthew’s behalf for the time being so that he can spend some time reflecting on his mistakes.”
…
Everyone seized the opportunity to freeze Matthew out. It wasn’t that everyone was taking advantage of his downfall; it was that they had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.
Just then, Elizabeth rapped the table angrily. “Shut up, all of you!”
As they were at the Kings Family’s memorial hall, Elizabeth was the only person sitting in the chair, whereas everyone else was standing. She glared angrily at the crowd. Despite her silvery hair, she had developed an increasingly steady and commanding presence over the years. She was usually amiable to others, but she looked really intimidating when she was angry.
As a consequence, everyone instantly fell silent at her angry reprimand, looking at her quietly while waiting for her to go on.
Elizabeth fixed her shrewd, milky eyes on Matthew with a frown. “Tell me what the hell was going on.” She favored Matthew from the depths of her heart. Sophisticated and smart as she was, she knew full well what these people were thinking. Naturally, she also knew that Veronica was the only person who would side with Matthew, which was why she had deliberately called her over. There were some things that she couldn’t say, so she could only get someone to come forward and say them. This little girl has never disappointed me, though.
While waiting for Matthew’s reply, Veronica only felt her heart pounding; she was so nervous that she nearly suffocated. Putting her hands in the pockets of her trench coat, she clenched her fists jumpily while looking at his tall figure from behind. She was filled with self-reproach. They were dating, but she could only let Matthew bear all the pressure alone at this very moment.
“I’ve got nothing to say.” Matthew seemed to show no signs of remorse as he held his head up while staring at the memorial tablets honoring the Kings Family’s ancestors.
“So are you admitting that you’re in love with a man?” Elizabeth questioned threateningly. Inwardly, she hoped that her proud grandson could lie so that these people couldn’t get anything on him. It wasn’t that she was partial to Matthew. As someone who had had her day, she knew full well that Matthew was the only person in the Kings Family who had an instinct for doing business and was capable enough to lead the family further toward greater glory.
“Yes,” Matthew admitted without a second thought.
“How shameless!”
“Do you think that being in love with a man is something to be proud of?”
“Look, Mom! Matthew admitted it!”
“How audacious! Do you think nobody can do anything about you now that your parents are dead?”
…
Just then, someone among the crowd suddenly mentioned Matthew’s mother in offensive terms, saying something like Matthew was “the son of a b*tch.”
In an instant, the man who had been imperturbable and apathetic just now turned to look straight at George, who was standing among the crowd, with frosty eyes. “What did you say, Uncle George? I didn’t catch it,” he said slowly, with an expressionless face that made one unable to gauge his mood.
However, Veronica knew that it was the calm before the storm.
Thinking that he had gotten something on Matthew, George became even more reckless. He said with a snort, “I’m just telling the truth. Do you honestly think no one in the Kings Family can do anything about you because your parents have died for so many years?”
Obviously, his words touched a raw nerve in Matthew, who clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles cracked audibly. As a result, everyone in the memorial hall sensed that he was on the verge of losing his temper. Some couldn’t even wait for him to come to blows with George so that they could fish in troubled waters.
However, before Matthew could do anything, Elizabeth immediately reprimanded George, indirectly preventing a tragedy. “Enough of your big mouth, George! You’re already over 50. Can’t you watch your mouth? Or do you have no regard for me, huh?!”
“Mom, you’re just siding with Matthew. Seriously, I wonder who is your own child here,” muttered George’s wife as she shielded her husband.
Elizabeth shot an icy look at her. Then, ignoring her completely, she said to Matthew, “Matthew, it’s the 21st century now, so I’m not gonna stop you from being in love with anyone. However, it’s a sin to produce no offspring.” She pounded the table again. “Do you understand this?”
Matthew looked indifferent without saying a word.
Elizabeth continued, “I don’t care how much you love that guy, but your relationship with him must be kept from the public. Also, you must find a woman and get married as soon as possible!”
“Mom, don’t you think you’re overindulging Matthew? How could you let it slide with just a word or two now that things have gotten so messy?”
“That’s right! Philip, our mom is just siding with Matthew. I wonder which of us here is her own son.”
“He got engaged to Miss Larson before, only to break off their engagement at their wedding. And now, he was exposed for being involved with a man. He has no sense of shame, but the same can’t be said about us!”
