From Forgotten Wife To Fierce Queen - Chapter 227: Chapter 227

The vibe reached its peak with the arrival of the Vanderbilt family.
Byron stood beside Dominick, and as the two most powerful figures in Harrowfell, they naturally became the center of attention.
Soon, they were surrounded by a group of business elites, toasting and discussing the current economic landscape.
Watching Dominick converse with others so effortlessly, exuding the grace of a true gentleman, Byron found himself once again envious of Paul.
Compared to him, none of his own grandchildren—especially Nathaniel—could even come close.
Byron's gaze landed on Nathaniel, who lounged carelessly in the crowd. Once, he had high hopes for Nathaniel. But Nathaniel had proven himself utterly unambitious, completely lacking drive.
Now, Dominick was like the ever-rising sun, leading the Vanderbilt family toward a brighter future.
Meanwhile, Byron knew he was already in the twilight of his years. For now, he could still keep the Beaumont family thriving, but the moment he was gone, their downfall would be inevitable.
That was why, for the sake of one particular project, Byron had agreed to Dominick's request and sent Nathaniel elsewhere.
He wanted to establish a deep partnership with the Vanderbilt family so that even if he were no longer around in the future, Dominick would remember their past relationship and refrain from targeting the Beaumont family.
The other members of the Beaumont family couldn't even get close to the center of the gathering. Even Morris could only stand on the sidelines, watching with envy.
He and Dominick were of the same generation, yet now, Dominick was already standing on equal footing with Byron.
Meanwhile, he could only handle minor matters involving social connections.
At that moment, Morris became even more determined to win over the Godard family.
Compared to Morris's high ambitions, Nathaniel appeared much more laid-back, lazily standing to the side drinking, hoping no one would notice him.
Just then, a graceful figure walked past the Beaumont family members, heading straight toward Byron and Dominick at the center of the gathering. It was none other than Brittany.
"What is she trying to do?" Diana frowned as she watched.
Byron was in the middle of a serious discussion—what was Brittany doing approaching him?
Diana turned to her husband, Peter, standing beside her, hoping he, as Brittany's brother, would say something to stop her foolish actions.
But Peter only furrowed his brows and ultimately said nothing.
Diana rolled her eyes. She knew better than to rely on Peter for things like this.
Although Julia was the one organizing tonight's banquet, Diana's authority as the lady of the house had been significantly undermined lately because of Brittany.
But at the end of the day, she was still the mistress of the Beaumont family, and if anything disgraceful happened tonight, she would be the one humiliated.
Byron hated being interrupted during serious discussions, and seeing Brittany charge forward without a second thought, Diana quickly stepped forward and pulled her back.
"What are you doing?" Brittany had no respect for Diana, her sister-in-law, and even found her annoying.
After all, this woman liked Paisley, and anyone who liked or supported Paisley was her enemy.
"Is that how you talk to my mom?" Nathaniel was the first to step forward, his cold gaze locking onto Brittany.
He usually carried a carefree attitude, but he was never someone to be pushed around.
At nearly 6'3", with an intimidating presence, he startled Brittany.
She stumbled back two steps and grabbed Julia's arm, asking, "Who is this guy?"
Julia looked embarrassed. "Aunt, this is my third brother, Nathaniel." Then, she smiled at Nathaniel and said, "Nathaniel, mind your manners. She's our aunt." Finally, she added, "The biological daughter of our great-uncle from the Godard family."
She deliberately mentioned their great-uncle from the Godard family rather than their great-aunt Enya, intending to use the Godard family's status to suppress Nathaniel and remind him of his place.
But Nathaniel wasn't one to tolerate nonsense. "I don't care who she is—she can't talk to my mom like that. This isn't the first time, is it? And you all just stand around watching?"
Nathaniel let out a laugh, enraged. His mother was the mistress of the Beaumont family, yet she was being ordered around by some self-important aunt, and no one was stepping in?
Diana had always been strong-willed, but because of Brittany, she had endured countless humiliations in the Beaumont family recently.
Ever since Brittany moved into the family estate, Diana hadn't had a single peaceful day.
But no matter how much she resented it, there was nothing she could do. Byron wouldn't interfere, and Morris and Julia constantly shielded Brittany.
Even her own husband turned a blind eye, telling her to just endure it.
Seeing this, the other members of the Beaumont family were even less inclined to provoke Brittany.
Diana had simply chosen to avoid the situation entirely, staying at a hotel for the past few days. She had only just returned tonight.
Hearing her son stand up for her, Diana suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion, her nose tingling with the urge to cry.
"What nonsense are you spouting? What do you mean by 'these people'? Have you been running wild outside and forgotten all sense of propriety?" Peter, who had been silent, suddenly reprimanded his youngest son with surprising enthusiasm.
"Am I wrong? Why are you such a coward? You're just going to stand there and watch her bully your wife?" Nathaniel, still furious, didn't even spare his father's dignity.
Peter's face turned an ugly mix of blue and white. "What do you mean, 'this woman'? She's your aunt. Call her 'Aunt'!"
At first, Brittany had been intimidated by Nathaniel's cold aura. Then, she was captivated by his stunning looks.
But when Peter ordered Nathaniel to call her "Aunt," she snapped out of her daze and reverted to her usual arrogance.
"Oh, so you're that brat who wants to pursue Paisley?"
So that was why Diana was always trying to curry favor with Paisley—it was all for him.
What a shame. He was so good-looking, yet he had to go and fall for Paisley.
"What did you just say?" Hearing Paisley's name, Nathaniel's eyes darkened as he glared at Brittany even more coldly.
At this point, he still had no idea about the relationship between Brittany and Paisley.
He had been in Brightmoor all this time, completely cut off from news about Harrowfell.
"Hmph." Brittany let out a cold snort. "Give up. As long as I'm around, Paisley will never set foot in the Beaumont family's estate."
"And who the hell do you think you—"
"Nathaniel!" Peter's low, angry voice cut him off, his tone making it clear that if Nathaniel said another word, he would never be allowed back in Harrowfell.
Seeing this, Diana quickly pulled Nathaniel back. "Son, stop talking."
"That's right, Mom. Keep an eye on him. Don't let him embarrass himself in front of everyone. If he ends up disgracing Grandfather, no one will be able to help him." Morris spoke with a mocking smile, but his eyes were full of contempt for Nathaniel.
Julia chuckled and added, "Nathaniel, don't blame me for not warning you. Byron values filial piety above all else. If you show disrespect to your family, he won't be happy. And Diana, how could you not have taught Nathaniel better?"
"Hmph, Nathaniel's spoiled by her," Peter scoffed, showing no intention of helping his wife out of the situation.
Other members of the Beaumont family were also present, watching the scene unfold with mixed emotions.
It seemed that Diana, the lady of the house, held even less status in the Beaumont family than Brittany, Byron's niece.
Brittany was pleased with the outcome. She wanted everyone close to Paisley to pay the price.
She shot Diana a provocative look before striding toward Byron and Dominick. She insisted on going over.