Now They Want My Forgiveness - Chapter 229: Chapter 229

Jordan got Stella's hint and backed off. Monroe just shot Stella one last, hateful glare before carrying Anna away.
The party had barely ended, but a story was already blowing up online. Anna, who'd been out of the public eye for ages, was suddenly back in the spotlight.
And the first piece of news about her was a joke. She tried to push Stella into the artificial lake, but ended up falling in herself. Everyone agreed that Anna got what she deserved.
Jordan even brought Stella and Eleanor a little gift—a video.
The video showed Monroe carrying Anna home, only to be blocked at the door by Arthur. Arthur flat-out refused to let Anna in the house and demanded Monroe get rid of her, but Monroe wasn't having any of it.
"Monroe, you remember what I said," Arthur said coldly. "And don't you think for a second they were just words. You insist on keeping her? Fine. But if she stays, you are no longer in charge of the Johnson family."
"Grandpa, I knew this was coming," Monroe retorted. "So you can forget about me leaving her. It's not going to happen. In fact, why don't you go check who's really calling the shots at the company now?"
One of Arthur's men leaned in and whispered something to him. Arthur froze, stammering, "You... How could you..."
"I've already set everything up. It was all for Anna," Monroe said, his voice cold. "I couldn't let the woman I love suffer, could I? So the way I see it, I'm in the position to kick you out, not the other way around."
Arthur looked like he was about to explode. "For her? You pull a stunt like this for a woman like that? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Grandpa, I just want to be with her," Jared said.
"Are you blind to what she's done?" Arthur roared. "Look at the damage she's doing to the company's reputation."
He shoved a phone, playing the video from the party, right in Monroe's face. Anna's eyes widened in panic, and she opened her mouth to make an excuse, but Monroe didn't even hesitate. He immediately took her side.
"Grandpa, you don't get it, and I can't explain it all right now," Monroe said, his jaw tight. "The point is, Anna's not who you think she is. I'm going to take care of her. I'm just asking you to trust me on this."
"Fine," Arthur spat. "I can't touch you when it comes to the company. But if you think you're keeping her in this house, it'll be over my dead body."
"Grandpa..." Monroe pleaded. In the end, he had no choice but to back down. He turned and led Anna away from the house.
"This is just the beginning," Jordan said. Anna's little act might have Monroe wrapped around her finger for now, but it's only a matter of time before he sees her true colors.
"And we all know what Monroe is like. The second he realizes Anna played him for a fool, he'll make her regret she was ever born."
Stella still couldn't help but worry about her grandmother. "Grandma..." she started, her voice soft.
Eleanor smiled. "Don't worry about it, sweetie. Anna's my granddaughter, sure. But so are you. What she did to you was wrong. She's getting exactly what she deserves."
Stella had caught glimpses of this hardened side of her grandmother before. She'd once overheard Eleanor talking to a photo of Desmond, her voice thick with regret.
Eleanor blamed herself for not raising the children right after Desmond died, for letting the family turn into this disaster. Except for Stella, everyone in this family was screwed-up.
Eleanor had prayed for the strength to one day drag the other four down into the mud with her. She begged Desmond's spirit to help her deliver a punishment they would never forget.