A Life Debt Repaid novel (John and Cordy)

Chapter 43

While Cordy's eyes narrowed, Mandy started to leave with a strut, certain that Cordy would not linger now!

However...

Rip!

The tear of fabric abruptly echoed through the banquet hall.

Mandy was left staring blankly for a couple heartbeats-her chest gown had suddenly torn open, revealing her skin-color breast padding in front of everyone!

The sheer ignominy...!

Nearby, Noel was stunned for a moment, but decided to shift a couple paces to the side. She was clearly just going to watch as Mandy made a fool of herself, while distancing herself.

And when Mandy came to her senses, she promptly wrapped her arms around her own chest and turned to glare viciously at Richard.

His squeaky clean leather shoes were standing firmly on the hem of her skirt, and he said with innocence showing all over his little face, "You wouldn't harass a little boy like me, right? I'm only six-it was an accident."

Mandy flushed all the way down to her neck.

How dare that brat use her own words against her!

If he was not John's son, she would have wrung his neck!

Meanwhile, Richard was blinking his large black eyes, looking pure and naive. "Your gown is torn, ma'am. You wouldn't stay at an important event like this, right? That's disrespectful to my great-grandfather and my father."

Cordy could not help bursting into laughter then.

Richard had certainly inherited his father's wit-and she would not have believed it if she had not witnessed herself.

To think a six-year-old child could react so quickly... And if she were to be honest, she herself would never have thought to retaliate like that!

How cathartic!

"Argh!!!" Mandy eventually broke down and screamed in madness.

Never could she have known that she would be bullied by a child so utterly!

Dandy Jessop and Allie Larson rushed to the scene, but they were soon glowering when they saw their daughter in that tragic state.

Dandy quickly took off his suit jacket and draped it over Mandy's shoulders to protect her modesty.

"Dad! He stepped on my gown!" Mandy burst into tears when he saw Dandy.

However, as Dandy turned toward Richard, the child met his gaze fearlessly with a look of childish innocence.

Dandy certainly would not dare to offend the boy, and snapped at his own daughter instead, "Go home with your mother already. Do you want to embarrass us further?!" "Dad!" Mandy certainly was not going to leave in such a sorry state!

"What is going on here?" A deep, magnetic voice spoke just then.

Cordy turned to see John's towering frame striding toward them.

"Daddy!" Richard hurried to his side when he saw him, complaining, "I accidentally stepped on her gown, but she insisted I did it on purpose!"

John glances briefly at Mandy before turning to Cordy.

Seeing her white gown dyed in red wine, he asked quietly, "What happened?"

Even as he spoke, he took off his suit jacket and gently draped it over Cordy's shoulders.

Cordy's heart skipped a beat in surprise.

Almost everyone in the entire hall was looking at them as he did it!

And they were all astounded!

"It's nothing. The waiter just tripped." Cordy said, ignoring the stares.

"No, that woman tripped the waiter, and he accidentally splashed wine on Mommy's gown. I saw everything," Richard said with righteous conviction. "Really?" John's gaze turned cool.

Mandy gasped.