If You Don’t Like It, Fight Back
1230 Words
Fifteen minutes earlier, Frederick had been in the upstairs study talking with his father. Eric followed closely as Frederick made his way downstairs. They were originally heading toward the back garden, but as they passed by the living room, Frederick caught Leah’s voice and stopped.
Eric halted as well.
When he heard Leah’s first retort to Quinlan, his eyes widened in shock. The more he listened, the more surprised he became. He even leaned forward to confirm that it was Leah standing there, actually saying these things.
Leah had always been mild-mannered. She was known throughout Los Angeles as the epitome of an elegant socialite, and her defining trait was her gentle nature.
She never got angry.
She never argued.
She was like a soft cotton ball, showing no emotions. Even if someone deliberately provoked her, she’d only shake her head and say, “It’s fine.”
Yet today, she was snapping back at her elders, especially at Quinlan.
Quinlan had personally selected her; Leah was supposed to be her loyal ally, following her every command.
Eric whispered, “Sir, could we have misjudged Madam? Maybe she really did marry you just for the family alliance and isn’t Quinlan’s spy after all. We’ve been investigating her for two years now. Young Master Harrison even followed her himself for half a month, and still, we found no connection between her and Quinlan.”
“And now she’s even standing up to Quinlan on your behalf. Madam never used to speak up. I remember once the elders punished her by making her copy the family rules, and she quietly obeyed.”
Frederick’s brow furrowed. “She copied the family rules?”
Eric nodded. “Yes, about half a year ago. It was right after you officially became CEO of CEG. You left on an overseas trip the following month, and Madam attended the family gathering alone. I happened to be delivering something at the time and saw Madam hand in a thick stack of copied rules as punishment for some ‘disobedience’ from the previous month.”
Frederick glanced back at the hall, meeting Leah’s gaze. They stared at each other for a few moments before he stepped around the screen and entered the room.
The mere sight of him made the crowd of aunts and cousins fall silent. The words they had been ready to hurl were swallowed back, and the tension that had been building instantly dissipated.
Frederick moved to the center of the hall, greeting Quinlan with a courteous nod. She beamed warmly, motioning him to sit.
“Frederick, don’t just stand there. Please, take a seat.”
The butler brought over a chair and placed it beside Leah’s. Frederick walked over and sat down.
The women in the room quickly began their flattery.
“Frederick must’ve worked so hard in New York these last few months. I heard the deal went exceptionally well!”
“No wonder Alexander adores him—who wouldn’t treasure such an accomplished son?”
“Don’t be silly. We’re not lucky enough to have a son like Frederick. If my boy were half as capable, I’d be smiling in my sleep.”
Frederick listened silently to the empty compliments. Then, he glanced over at Leah and observed her face. “You look unwell.”
Leah was taken aback. “?”
Eric quickly chimed in, “Sir, Madam’s worn herself out copying the family rules. The Carter family rulebook is so thick that just one round of copying is exhausting. Madam has done it four or five times.”
Leah blinked, confused. “?”
Her eyes widened slightly as Frederick stood up and turned to Quinlan. “Leah is regarded as Los Angeles’s top socialite, setting an example in both image and conduct. At home, she’s considerate and devoted. May I ask what she did to deserve the punishment of copying family rules?”
Silence filled the room.
After a long pause, someone finally spoke up. “Frederick, we only want Leah to feel like part of the family. Helping her understand The Carter Family’s customs was our goal in having her copy the rules.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, as elders, of course, we have her best interests in mind.”
Frederick nodded. The group exhaled, thinking he’d accepted their explanation. But then he said, “Aunt forged illegal investment documents, Great Aunt misappropriated company funds, and Second Aunt runs a loan shark business—”
For every person present, Frederick listed a corresponding transgression. Leah looked up at him in surprise, impressed by his memory. If she’d had his recall as a child, she might not have been punished so often by her parents for forgetting rules.
When he finished listing the offenses, Frederick said, “Each of you has spent decades in The Carter Family. If Leah, after two years, has to copy the family rules for being unfamiliar with them, then perhaps each of you should copy the rules several times over as well.”
“Frederick—”
Frederick cut Quinlan off with a polite but cold tone, “If you think my judgment is wrong, feel free to wait for Father. He’ll be down in half an hour.”
Everyone knew they were in the wrong. As elders, they’d not only picked on Leah but had gone so far as to punish her by making her copy rules. Quinlan hadn’t expected things to escalate like this, and Eric’s loose lips had only made things worse.
Frederick called for the butler, “Please prepare a copy of the family rules for each elder here. In two weeks, they’ll need to submit ten handwritten copies to the mansion. You’ll personally verify that each word is accurate. If any words are missing, they can repeat it tenfold.”
“Frederick, this—”
“Do you think I was too lenient?”
Quinlan hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Before she could speak, Frederick continued, “I understand your perspective. After all, you’ve managed The Carter Family for thirty years with strict discipline, ensuring that it thrives under your guidance. Given your high standards, the aunts would logically need to copy it a hundred times. But, out of consideration for their age, ten copies should suffice.”
“Or,” he added smoothly, “perhaps you’d like to set an example by taking responsibility for their faults, given that their behavior reflects poorly on your management?”
Quinlan’s face paled as she started coughing. One of the maids quickly rushed over to support her. “My apologies, Second Young Master. Madam’s health hasn’t been good recently. I’ll take her upstairs to rest.”
“Quinlan, should we—”
“Quinlan, we’ll copy it ten times; we—”
The other relatives were in a panic, like ants on a hot stove, hoping Quinlan would speak up on their behalf. But they could only watch as she coughed, supported by the maid, and left the room.
With Quinlan gone, silence settled over the hall once more. Everyone kept their heads down, their faces flushed with a mix of fear and resentment.
Frederick’s punishment—a demand for ten copies of the rules within two weeks—was enough to make all these aunts and cousins over forty feel as though they were being punished to death!
- Writer
