When His Perfect Mask Shattered I Awoke (Anneliese) novel Chapter 653

Anneliese's fingers shifted slightly in his grasp. Emotion stirred in her chest, though a trace of unease followed.

He didn't have to go this far for her.

Jonathan noticed her movement, glanced down, and caught her eyes. He gave her hand a small, steady squeeze.

Then he turned back to Elizabeth. "Both projects have already been reassigned. The contracts are signed. There's nothing to change."

Elizabeth's expression faltered. Her earlier words had been a subtle way of admitting fault.

She'd thought that backing down and promising not to bother Anneliese again would satisfy him.

But Jonathan didn't budge.

Anger boiled through her veins.

Humiliation settled in her chest as she realized the truth. Without those contracts, the Hoff family wouldn't last.

Once they fell apart, she would be the one everyone mocked.

And when people learned that her own son had been the one to cut off the family's financial support, her reputation would be ruined completely.

All the appearances she'd worked so hard to keep up would crumble.

Fury surged in her.

She glared at Jonathan and snapped, "You ungrateful son!" before swinging her hand toward him.

The slap never landed.

A sharp cry escaped her instead as she stumbled backward and crashed into the couch.

The sound echoed through the room.

Her once-perfect hair came undone, strands falling loose across her face, leaving her disheveled and stunned.

She stared at Anneliese, eyes wide. "You pushed me!"

Anneliese had barely said a word the entire time. Elizabeth had thought she was just acting meek for Jonathan's sake. She hadn't expected her to actually fight back.

A daughter-in-law having the gall to lay a hand on her mother-in-law right in front of her husband—it was unthinkable.

Anneliese pulled her hand back. Seeing Elizabeth's wild, furious face, she didn't regret it, though guilt still pricked at her chest.

She'd been taught all her life to respect her elders. And Elizabeth was Jonathan's mother. What if he minded?

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