Chapter 278: The Man Who Dotes on His Wife, Not to Be Messed With (1)_1
Outrageous!
Madam Ruiz's anger instantly soared. Who dared to touch a member of her Ruiz Family?
Floyd Thomas was her bodyguard; those two men slapping Floyd were essentially slapping her!
Turning around, Madam Ruiz stormed downstairs, even calling the police along the way. She was determined to severely punish the men who dared to strike someone so close to her.
Floyd had been slapped several times by Wade Coleman and his companion. His face was already red and swollen, bearing the distinct, red imprint of a hand, burning with pain. His face was a mix of flushed red and dark lividity. He was a grown man and had never been slapped before, especially not in public like this. One slap followed another, leaving him dizzy. His reactions slowed, making him more vulnerable to the ongoing assault.
Remembering Glades Horne's words that had condemned him to a month of silence, his heart chilled. Who was this person with such a ruthless heart? How many slaps would he have to endure to be rendered unable to speak for a month?
In a hotel with so many people, including more than a dozen security guards, not one dared to help him. Could this composed, handsome man truly be the local big shot here?
Several hotel managers emerged, approaching Glades Horne and smiling in an attempt to pacify him, hoping to intercede on behalf of Floyd. After all, this was their place of work, and any serious trouble could adversely affect the hotel.
As the disoriented Floyd heard the hotel managers address Glades Horne as "Young Master Horne," he felt as though he had plunged into an ice cellar, chilled to his very core.
This man turned out to be Glades Horne, the crown prince of T City's business world, the legendary figure who had even subdued the young master of his own household! To have crossed Glades Horne, especially after boasting he'd be discourteous to Mrs. Horne—getting slapped was the least of his worries now.
"Stop!" Before Glades Horne could respond, and while Floyd was still shuddering, Madam Ruiz appeared, her shout halting everyone in their tracks.
She stood at the top of the hotel steps, her well-maintained face composed, though her eyes could not hide her fury, her complexion slightly reddened. Having shouted, she immediately strode down the stairs and approached Glades Horne. She stood about 160 centimeters tall, naturally shorter than the nearly 190-centimeter Glades Horne. However, her noble birth in the Wallace Family, which had some underground connections, meant her aura didn't yield to his.
Without immediately looking at Floyd, she simply glared coldly at Glades Horne and demanded, "May I ask, Young Master Horne, how did my bodyguard offend you?" Floyd might not recognize Glades Horne, but she did—after all, Glades Horne was her son's employer.
Glades Horne looked down at her, his expression arrogant and conceited, his gaze icy and sharp. From Madam Ruiz's facial features, he deduced her identity, and with another glance at Rachel Bailey, he understood the gist of the situation.
Whether Hansen Ruiz and Rachel Bailey would be together, or why they were seen together, was none of his concern, and he had no desire to meddle. But the Ruiz Family could not threaten his Julia; he wouldn't stand idly by for that.
"My Julia is not to be frightened!" Glades Horne uttered arrogantly and coldly, confounding Madam Ruiz. His Julia? Was he referring to that woman—the one whose attire wasn't particularly outstanding but who possessed a noble demeanor and beautiful appearance? She glanced at Julia Bluen, confirming that she was indeed the person Glades Horne meant.
Madam Ruiz hadn't seen or heard Floyd's earlier threat to Julia Bluen. Now, hearing Glades Horne's frosty words, her expression softened considerably, and she cautiously inquired, "What do you mean, Young Master Horne?"
She wanted to confirm the identity of the Julia whom Glades Horne mentioned.
"My Julia. My wife! Whoever dares to be disrespectful to her, I will be disrespectful to them—and their entire family. Madam Ruiz, your bodyguard crossed my line. I'm sparing his life for Hansen's sake. I just want him unable to speak for a month!" Even after guessing Madam Ruiz's identity, Glades Horne spoke with the same cold tone and haughty demeanor. When it came to anything concerning Julia Bluen, he was fiercely protective and unwilling to yield an inch.
Madam Ruiz trembled. So that was why her eldest son—usually fearless, outwardly gentle but inwardly arrogant—had lost to Glades Horne. This man was practically the devil incarnate.
"This… Young Master Horne, there must be some misunderstanding," Madam Ruiz managed, her worldly composure shaken by Glades Horne's chilling presence. It had never crossed her mind that Rachel Bailey would be acquainted with Mrs. Horne. Initially, she had only investigated Rachel's family background, not her social network. She had unknowingly overlooked that Rachel, a girl from the countryside, knew one of the most prestigious ladies in Upper Class Society.
The most unfortunate part was that when she sent Floyd to escort Rachel away, they encountered Mrs. Horne. She must have forgotten to check the almanac before leaving home; now she was facing an ill-fated year.
Just then, Rachel Bailey regained consciousness.
Upon opening her eyes, her first sight was Julia Bluen's concerned gaze. Momentarily taken aback, she instantly sat up, rubbing the back of her neck that still throbbed with pain while surveying her surroundings. Julia must have sensed something was wrong and rushed over to help her. What a perceptive friend she was!
Seeing Madam Ruiz's unnatural discomfort, as if she were explaining something to Glades Horne—whose expression was as foul as a latrine—Rachel instantly understood most of what had happened.
"Rachel, are you alright?" Julia Bluen asked.
Seeing her friend was unharmed, Julia breathed a sigh of relief.
When Madam Ruiz saw Rachel awake, she glared at her fiercely.
"Glades…" Julia Bluen began, seeing her friend had regained consciousness and intending to speak to Glades Horne, but he stopped her with a raised hand.
Glades Horne signaled to his two bodyguards with a glance, and they momentarily ceased their actions. Floyd, temporarily freed, stumbled back to Madam Ruiz's side, his face swollen like a pig's head. The sight made Madam Ruiz's heart pound with shock and embarrassment, her own face reddening even further. In A City, she was accustomed to flattery and fawning, treated like an empress dowager, which had fostered her domineering, and occasionally unreasonable, personality. This time, she had truly fallen into Glades Horne's hands.