The Phantom Heiress Rising From The Shadows

Chapter 269 Is This Really Necessary Brenna cast a fleeting glance at the phone screen, which displayed a grotesque image: her face had been crudely superimposed onto the body of a nude woman, entwined with a disgustingly obese, bald man.

Ethan's face clouded over as he scrolled through more of these edited photos. A chilling aura enveloped him, and when his eyes met Sylvie's, they flashed a deadly warning.

The audacity Sylvie had to ruin his girlfriend's reputation was too much.

At Ethan's silent command, his bodyguards sprang into action, aggressively grabbing Sylvie. One guard delivered a brutal kick behind her knees, forcing her to the ground.

Sylvie hit the grass with a heavy thud, struggling against the guards furiously. In a bold defiance, she glared at Ethan and Brenna.

So what was the worst they could do to her? Would they beat her or kill her? Ethan's response was chillingly calm, his voice a stark contrast to the dangerous glint in his eyes. "Impressive audacity," he remarked coldly. "To target my woman so cruelly." At that moment, Ernst and Dalton also arrived. Their faces contorted with anger as they viewed the offending photos. They then looked at Sylvie with dark expressions.

Dalton moved swiftly towards her, his boot connecting sharply with her side. "Is there no shin you at all?" he exclaimed angrily.

Pinned down by the sturdy hands of two bodyguards, Sylvie trembled under the kick, feeling as though a fiery imprint of the boot was etched into her shoulder, sending shards of pain radiating through her frame.

Yet, even from the ground, she managed to spit out her retort, saying, "It's merely a few photos, Dalton. They aren't even posted. What has got you so enraged? Are you intent on kickingto death? Beware, that could send you straight to prison!" With ruthless aggression, Dalton landed another fierce kick on Sylvie.

"Ah!" The sound of something snapping was unmistakable, and a wave of unbearable pain washed over Sylvie, suggesting a possible fracture in her arm. Sylvie was shocked by Dalton's brutality. Despite his fand the adoration he received as a celebrity, he displayed a disturbing ruthlessness. She was seething with anger; to her, the idea of a man hitting a woman was unacceptable.

Yet Dalton had hit her with brutal force.

"How could you hitlike that?" Sylvie screamed, her voice laced with fury.

17:04 < Chapter 269 Is This Really Necessary Dalton's response was ruthless. He slapped Sylvie several times, each one delivered with such force that Sylvie's face quickly turned a deep shade of red, her lip splitting and oozing blood.

Through her tears, Sylvie's defiance shone. "I just edited sphotos! Is this really necessary?" Dalton's laugh was scornful and full of contempt. "You think the Harper family will let someone like you defthem without consequence? It appears the Higgins family has been having it too easy lately." Sylvie's false bravado melted away into desperation. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice quivering. "My family has suffered massive losses already! We're so financially strapped that banks refuse to lend us a dime..." Just then, her eyes went wide as she suddenly realized something. She turned to Dalton. "That is the Harper family's doing, isn't it?" With the ferocity of a beast backed into a corner, she snapped, "When did my family ever cross the Harper family? Why are you treating us like this? Rosie and I, we're still friends. How could you act with such ruthlessness against my family?" Her frenzied eyes darted across Brenna's defenders. As realization dawned on her that each of these men held Brenna in high regard, a venomous jealousy twisted in her chest. "Are you seriously creating all this over a few photos of Brenna? She is nothing! Why are you making a fuss over this?" Brenna raised an eyebrow and approached her calmly. "Really? I am nothing? Then explain why you're so intent on targeting me."

Her voice lowered, simmering with controlled anger. "When I cback, O.

you, along with Vivian and Rosie, sehemed to humiliateat that restaurant. What did I ever do to you to warrant such hostility?" Brenna cast a cold, contemptuous glance at Sylvie's bruised and swollen face. "Explain yourself. I did nothing to hurt you, yet you kept helping Rosie teardown." Sylvie, ever defiant, scoffed, "Dredging up the past now? Sure, I made a few harsh remarks about you at that time, but your response was to degradeinto kneeling. Don't you think that was a bit much?"

Brenna raised an eyebrow. "A few harsh remarks?" she echoed with a hint of irony. "Have you really forgotten what you said I ha@just left the Barrett family at that time. I didn't have any money, and there you were, ordering the priciest items on the menu just to humiliate me. You plotted againstmaliciously, and now, you complain about the fact that I struck back?"

Sylvie's voice rose with each word, her frustration palpable. "I settled that bill in the end, didn't I? Why are you still holding onto this? I've already apologized to you, yet here you are, tearing down my family's business over spetty squabble! My family is innocent in this!" Her voice cracked as she yelled, "What right do you have to destroy my family?" Ethan, seeing that Sylvie felt no remorse about her actions, gave a slight nod to the bodyguards. They swiftly pinned Sylvie to the ground and began to beat her.

Bruises bloomed across Sylvie's skin. After a while, she cried out for mercy amid the blows, pleading, "Please, stop! I admit it's my fault. I'm truly sorry." Brenna watched the scene with a detached expression. "I'm not involved in the matter. The Higgins family isn't