Love At The Wrong Table

Emmanuel’s gaze grew determined, and he announced, “This matter is too

important; someone has to step up and resolve it. If we beat a retreat now,

those nasty netizens will be all over Mom! Anyway, I’m handling the issue, and

that’s final. I ain’t scared of any trouble!”

Roselynn voiced her concern, “How can we leave you to face all of that alone,

Manny?”

“Trust me, Roselynn! I’m the man of the house. I need to defend our

household in times of trouble!”

“F–Fine! I’ll get a new phone number and call you again!”

“All right,” Emmanuel said and ended the call.

His phone almost immediately rang with a phone call from Ryder afterward.

By then, only Frederick and Claudette remained by his side. Everyone else

had already left.

Emmanuel dismissed his best friend, “You should head back to work,

Frederick.”

“Okay. Just let me know how I can help, Emmanuel. I’ll do my best to help you.

That’s what best friends are for!”

Frederick still had work to attend to and did not have the luxury of time to

stay behind and listen to Emmanuel’s numerous phone calls.

“Ms. Lenoir, you should head home too. Thank you for your trust and concern!” Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

said Emmanuel to Claudette.

She waved off his words and uttered, “I’m not working today, Dr. Lowe. Let me

fight those cyberbullies with you. I bet it’ll be quite thrilling!”

She seemed so excited to support Emmanuel to the end as he fought off the

keyboard warriors that Emmanuel eventually allowed her to stay.

He picked up his cousin’s phone call, and Ryder’s anxious voice immediately

filled his ear.

“What’s going on, Manny? Why are the Cadigans coming after your family

again? Don’t worry, though! I’ll come forward and defend your innocence!”

Ryder trusted Emmanuel implicitly. He had watched the latter grow up and

knew his character like the back of his hand.

In fact, he also knew Emmanuel’s family matters better than most, which was

why he was furious over the Cadigan family’s actions.

“I appreciate your offer, Ryder, but I don’t need your help now. Perhaps you

should focus on resolving your and Abellyn’s situation first,” suggested

Emmanuel.

He knew Ryder had enough on his plate, and he was happy enough knowing

that Ryder had offered to help him.

Finally, Ryder conceded, “All right! I won’t step in first, but call me if you need

help. Anytime.”

Like Frederick, he was fiercely loyal to Emmanuel.

Meanwhile, Claudette stared at Emmanuel’s back with an admiring gaze.

The incident spoke volumes about Emmanuel’s character.

If he isn’t a decent man, his friends and family wouldn’t pledge such fierce

loyalty to him in times of trouble!

Ryder ended his call, and Abellyn mocked him scornfully, “Ryder, you’re an

utterly hopeless fool! That cousin of yours isn’t a good man at all! The whole

city must know about it now. Even so, you’re still blindly listening to his lies

and refusing to allow Robby to live in our house! Emmanuel only knows how

to cut ties with family. Are you trying to follow his example?”

She ended her long rant with an ultimatum. “Let me tell you. If you forbid

Robby from living with us or attending an elementary school in the city, then

we can call it quits with this marriage! You can live happily with your jerk of a

cousin!”

Ryder’s patience snapped, and he roared, “That’s enough, Abellyn! They’re

two different matters! Not accepting Robby into my family was my decision

alone! 1 may have vowed to support you when I married you, but that offer

doesn’t extend to every Tom, Dick, and Harry from the Sheppard family!!

don’t want and can’t afford to feed an extra mouth?

“Y–You!” Abellyn sputtered in anger before screeching, “I’m done! We’re

getting a divorce!”

Then, she stomped out of the house.

Tommy was still at school, so Ryder did not bother going after Abellyn.

Manny and Ms. Quillen were right. Abellyn just wants to force me into a

corner. If I give in and allow Robby into our house, Chloe and the Sheppards

will only come up with more outrageous requests!

The atrocious things that Hermann’s family had done to Emmanuel’s family

also alerted Ryder to the fact that some people were entirely devoid of

conscience.

You must be ruthless enough to face off against such a foe, or you will end

up as their puppet for the rest of your life!