His rationality was overshadowed by the events at the banquet.
âIf you wonât help her, it doesnât matter.
Iâll save her myself.
I have authority over my shares in the Simmons Group.
â
Cyrus was about to turn around, but his words further stoked Lucindaâs fury.
Without hesitation, she delivered a resounding slap to his face.
Pak!
The sound echoed through the room.
The sharp slap left an imprint on his face.
He stared at her in shock and disbelief.
Nathan also stood frozen in surprise.
Rubbing his stinging cheek, Cyrus demanded angrily, âLucinda Simmons, you just slapped me?â
Meeting his enraged gaze, Lucinda lifted her chin defiantly.
âI didnât slap you as your sister, but as the head of the family.
Can you be more reasonable now? Will you heed my instructions?â
With a stern expression, she assumed an air of authority.
Despite the fact that Cyrus was seething with anger, he remained silent.
Seeing that he had regained some composure, she continued, âCyrus, youâre intelligent enough to devise a better solution.
Take some time to calm down and reflect.
Until you regain your composure, I forbid you from leaving this villa.
â
âYou want to imprison me up here?â He was stunned and disappointed.
âWeâre family.
âImprisonmentâ is too harsh a word.
Youâre simply grounded as a consequence of your outburst.
â
Before Cyrus could respond, Lucinda turned to Nathan and said, âHoney, please arrange for a group of guards to secure this villa.
Prevent anyone from leaving.
â
Nathan nodded firmly.
âAlright.
â
She added, âMake sure each guard carries a stick.
If anyone attempts to sneak out, donât bother notifying me.
They should just beat them up.
â
âUnderstood,â Nathan replied, holding back a chuckle.
If Cyrus were to get hurt, Lucinda would undoubtedly be the one most troubled by it.
Lucinda turned to Cyrus, asserting herself, âIâm the head of the family now.
Everyone must listen to what I say.
Defying my authority will result in punishment as per our familyâs rules.
Donât expect me to go easy on you.
â
Cyrus responded with a dismissive snort, âDo you think Iâm scared of your punishments?â
She raised an eyebrow and said in a cold tone, âYou should be scared.