After her rebirth

Katniss shoved Ella aside, ignoring Elodie's anger, and looked at Ella with a voice as cold as ice, "Are you really my legal mother and want me to acknowledge you?

Seriously?"

Ella rubbed her hand, too hurt to speak for a moment, but her mind was clear.

When Katniss was young, Ella either beat or scolded her, treating her like unpaid labor, just giving her enough food to keep her from starving.

Now that Katniss was noble, and not even her biological daughter, it was already gracious of her not to seek revenge. How could she possibly consider taking her back?

Clara was her biological daughter, someone she could never give up.

Moreover, the Manners family clearly only cared about Clara. She had to cling to Clara tightly!

Having figured it out, Ella straightened her back and sneered at the Manners family, "You almost fooled me! Katniss isn't my biological daughter, I won't look for her! Don't think you can trick me."

"If you don't bring Clara here now, I'll make sure everyone in Luminous City knows that you're keeping my daughter and bullying a country woman like me."

Katniss wiped her hands, looked at the scene in front of her, and smiled.

Simon, his chest heaving with anger, clenched his fist and aimed it at Katniss's face.

At that moment, Conrad rushed out from some corner, quickly and fiercely grabbing Simon's arm and throwing him over his shoulder.

He swiftly twisted Simon's arm behind his back.

The simultaneous snap of bones and Simon's harrowing screams filled the air.

Everyone except Katniss, including the Manners family and Ella, was shocked by the sudden turn of events.noveldrama

Elodie shrieked and tried to rush over, but the next moment, Lucas restrained her and whispered, "Mom, she's with Maximilian now."

The scene replayed in Simon's mind. He was in so much pain he almost fainted, a sudden hatred rising in his heart, along with a tinge of regret. He should have chosen a place without onlookers.

Katniss glanced at Lucas and the restrained Oliver, a mocking smile on her lips, then looked at Simon with a calm demeanor, "You really are the dumbest one in the Manners family."

"Katniss!" Elodie pointed at her angrily, "You're getting more and more outrageous! Just because you're with Maximilian doesn't mean you can act so arrogantly. Who's to say when he'll tire of you!"

As her words resounded, another voice, cold and detached, cut through the air, "My wife can be as outrageous as she wants!"

Maximilian was pushed over by Emilio. When Katniss saw him, her eyes lit up, and she asked cheerfully, "Maximilian, weren't you busy? Why did you come suddenly?"

"Finished my work, came to pick you up." Maximilian held her hand, his tone unusually affectionate.

Seeing this, Oliver became apprehensive. He glanced at Lucas, who also looked uneasy. Oliver and Lucas exchanged a look and then approached with forced smiles. Oliver bent down, smiling, "Mr. Hamilton, my wife didn't mean it that way. It's all a misunderstanding. My wife was just upset that Katniss didn't tell us about her marriage to you."

"Clara is engaged to Desmond, and now Katniss is married to you. Our families are really becoming closer."

Maximilian's eyes, brimming with a commanding, menacing gleam, settled on Oliver's face, causing him to shudder.

"If I remember correctly, Katniss has already been adopted by Wesley, so she has nothing to do with you, right?" Maximilian's gaze returned to Katniss's serene face, his eyes slightly upturned, "Katniss, isn't that the case?"

Katniss spoke slowly, "Yes."

Oliver's smile froze, and realizing the situation, he was filled with regret, nearly making him cough up blood!

He couldn't help but glance at Katniss. Rumor had it that Maximilian had been married for almost half a month, which meant Katniss had been hiding it from them all this time!

If Katniss had told them earlier, he wouldn't have adopted her to Wesley!

It was evident now that Katniss had meticulously orchestrated this ploy.

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Realizing this, Oliver was burning with anger.

Maximilian gently rubbed her soft hand with his thumb, scrutinizing him, and said calmly, "I heard the latest municipal project has already been assigned to the Manners family."

Oliver, coming back to his senses, turned pale, "Mr. Hamilton..."

"Mr. Manners," Maximilian interrupted him leisurely, his voice tinged with amusement, "That project is too big and challenging."

"To 'thank' the Manners family for taking care of Katniss, the Hamilton family will take

it over. In the future, any similar difficult tasks, the Hamilton family will also help."

The new municipal project was the result of Oliver and Lucas's efforts for more than half a year, with countless funds invested.

The Hamilton Group could effortlessly seize it with mere words.

But that wasn't the worst part. The true calamity was that the connections they had painstakingly built in the municipal government would be severed.

And Maximilian's casual remark, "similar difficult tasks, the Hamilton family will also help," effectively blocked the Manners family's upward mobility. In Luminous City, they could forget about getting any big contracts in the future.

Oliver's brow dampened with cold sweat, struggling to find words.

Lucas, his lips tight, steadied his voice, "Mr. Hamilton, there's no need to make a big

deal out of this. Katniss is my sister, we were just jesting."

Having said this, Lucas cast a beseeching glance at Katniss, his eyes imploring, 'Katniss, help me!'

Katniss nearly laughed. What was Lucas's pretense worth?

Katniss tilted her head slightly, brushed her hair behind her ear, and pretended not to understand.

Lucas pressed his lips tightly, his face darkening.

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Elodie's momentum also diminished significantly, though she was still indignant. She felt it was her right to discipline Katniss! What business did Maximilian have interfering?

Even if Katniss married Maximilian, she was still his mother-in-law, and Simon was his brother-in-law. How could he treat his brother-in-law like this?

However, with Oliver too fearful to utter a word, Elodie was compelled to restrain herself.

She was so angry she felt like she was burning inside.

Maximilian glanced down at Simon, who was still in pain on the ground, unable to speak.

Maximilian's eyes, usually calm, now showed a hint of ruthlessness.

"I don't like jesting."

Lucas's face darkened, and he froze, his throat seemingly constricted.

Katniss pulled her lips into a mocking smile, "Maximilian is right. I've already been adopted by Wesley. Lucas, even if I'm your sister, I'm just a cousin."

"Other people's business, as elders, it's best not to interfere." Maximilian said slowly, then looked at Katniss, his lips curling slightly, "Tired? Let's go back and have Mira make something to eat."

Katniss smiled slightly, "Sure."

As she spoke, she naturally took the wheelchair from Emilio and pushed Maximilian away with light, graceful steps.

Oliver, suppressing his fear, wiped his sweat and pulled Lucas, unwilling to give up, trying to follow.

Emilio gave them a cold look, stretched out his long arm, "Mr. Manners, one should know their place."

Suddenly, the sharp crack of breaking bones resonated, followed by Simon's stifled groans.