Chapter 212: You lied to me.
"I-I was mad at him for sending me away from town," Erica stuttered. Her gaze flickered nervously, unable to meet Lydia’s sharp eyes. "I wanted to teach him a lesson. So I took him to a hotel... and arranged for a woman to seduce him."
She paused, glancing at her as she tried to gauge her mother’s reaction. "I thought it would create a rift between him and Ava, making her leave him immediately. But," she pouted, "my plan failed."
"Have you lost your mind?" Lydia snapped, jabbing her fingers against Erica’s forehead. "How could you even think of doing such a reckless thing? With all his power and influence, Dylan will uncover everything you’ve done. Then he’ll deport you again, and there won’t be a damn thing I can do to save you."
"Don’t worry, he won’t find out," Erica said firmly, trying to sound reassuring despite the fear in her heart. "I made sure everything was taken care of."
"Erica," Lydia grimaced, her frustration intensifying. "When will you stop acting like a spoiled child? I’m exhausted from cleaning up after your mistakes. Your impulsiveness has already brought disaster to this family. We’re still picking up the pieces from your last blunder. And you didn’t learn anything. When will you grow up?"
She let out a deep, weary sigh. "I’m not getting any younger. I can’t keep saving you forever. Dylan’s influence is growing stronger every day, and I can’t control him like I used to. If you keep making reckless moves, you’ll end up in serious trouble."
"I know how to handle things," Erica protested defiantly. "Everything is under control. This time, I’ll make sure Ava leaves Dylan for good. Once I become the COO of the company, I’ll slowly take over the business and push Dylan out—out of the company and the family."
Lydia slapped Erica sharply across the arm. "Don’t be so arrogant!" she scolded. "Dylan isn’t someone you can deal with easily. He is sharp, calculating, and determined. If you keep underestimating him, he’ll expose you before you even realize it."
"Mom, I am also not stupid," Erica said with a confident smile. "I have my plan. The Brooks fortune and the company will soon be ours, and as for Dylan—he’ll be nothing more than a puppet dancing to our tune."
Erica’s confidence befuddled Lydia. Her gaze sharpened as she scrutinized her daughter with doubts in her mind. "Don’t act impulsively, Erica," she warned her. "Another mistake could land you in even greater trouble. Don’t forget what happened to Gianna because of his retaliation."
With that, she stormed into her room, leaving Erica standing alone in the hallway.