One night stand with our president(Chapter 322)

 Chapter 322: Scolding

Twenty minutes later, Adeline and Russell stood outside the operating room at the hospital.

Anna and Manuel were there as well.

Manuel grabbed Russell by the collar, shouting angrily, "Russell! She's your aunt, and she's carrying Rogelio's child! How could you bring yourself to hurt her?"

Russell gave him a cold glance and effortlessly shoved his hand away.

"It has nothing to do with me," he said.

Manuel, being Jasmine's nephew, was naturally also related to Russell through his late mother.

As children, Russell and Manuel had been close, often playing together.

However, after Russell's mother passed away and Jasmine married into the Hunter family, the Snider family shifted their allegiance to Jasmine, seeing her as their new benefactor.

Because Russell had always opposed

Rogelio and Jasmine's relationship, the Snider family gradually distanced themselves from him, and Manuel naturally sided with Jasmine.

Hearing Russell's response now, Manuel sneered.

"Nothing to do with you? Everyone knows you've always seen Jasmine as a thorn in your side. I heard you threw a tantrum when Rogelio announced her pregnancy. Of course, you wouldn't be happy. Your position as the sole heir is threatened. Now there's going to be a sibling to share the inheritance. No wonder you don't want this baby to be born."

Russell didn't bother to respond.

Adeline thought back to what had just happened in the private dining room.

After hearing the scream, she instinctively turned around and saw Jasmine clutching her stomach as she collapsed to the ground.

Pain was written all over Jasmine's face, and cold sweat beaded her forehead.

Most alarming of all, blood began to seep out from beneath her.

"Oh, no," Adeline gasped.

Russell seemed equally shocked by what had happened. Without hesitation, he scooped Jasmine into his arms and rushed her to the hospital.

Adeline clearly remembered that Russell hadn't laid a finger on Jasmine in the private room.

Furthermore, Russell had shown genuine concern when Jasmine fell.

There was no way he was responsible for what happened to Jasmine.

Snapping back to reality, Adeline said, "This has nothing to do with Mr. Hunter. I can testify to that."

"Shut up!" Manuel roared. "Who gave you the right to speak here?"

Russell hadn't reacted earlier when he was falsely accused, but hearing Manuel shout at Adeline ignited a fire within him.

"Manuel," Russell growled, his voice laced with suppressed fury, "watch your tone. 

Otherwise, don't blame me if I turn my wrath on the entire Snider family."

Though the Snider family was his maternal lineage, Russell had long grown weary of their opportunistic ways.

Manuel's face paled.

He knew Russell meant every word.

Reluctantly, he shut his mouth.

Manuel thought, "Clearly, Adeline held significant importance to Russell. No wonder Jasmine had tried to ase her to set a trap for him."

Anna had been standing quietly nearby.

Now, she approached Adeline and asked softly, "Miss Hensley, are you alright?"

Adeline shook her head.

She was fine.

But what mattered most now was Jasmine's condition.

Deep down, Adeline had a growing suspicion about what had transpired.

"Jasmine schemed to lure me here. Has she planned this for long?" Adeline thought.

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Adeline turned to see someone storming toward them, delivering a hard slap to Russell's face.

Anna gasped in shock.

Even Adeline was momentarily stunned.

The man who had struck Russell was none other than his father, Rogelio.

Rogelio hadn't held back. Russell's head was snapped to the side from the force of the blow.

But Rogelio was unmoved, his anger boiling over.

"You ungrateful child! If you have grievances, take them out on me. How could you harm Jasmine? She's pregnant and carrying a child!"

Russell said nothing.

He simply turned his head back, looking at Rogelio with a bitter smile.

Watching this scene, Adeline was

reminded of her childhood, when Janiyah and Millie had falsely accused her of bullying them.

Back then, Mateo hadn't hesitated to slap her, believing the lies without question.

She had felt deeply wronged, followed by an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.

That helplessness had left her unwilling to even defend herself.

Now, looking at Russell, she saw a reflection of her younger self.

But Mateo hadn't been her biological father.

Rogelio, however, was Russell's biological father.

How could he, without investigating, assume Russell was guilty and not even give him a chance to explain?

Suddenly, Rogelio's gaze fell on Adeline.

Something seemed to click in his mind, and his anger flared even hotter.

"It's because of this woman, isn't it?"

Rogelio roared. "You hurt Jasmine because of her, didn't you?"

Russell's expression darkened. He immediately said, "She has nothing to do with this."

"Don't be ridiculous. She's right here. How could she have nothing to do with it?"

With that, Rogelio marched toward Adeline.

Consumed by his rage, he didn't care that Adeline was the recently reunited daughter of the Mendoza family or Harrison's secretary. Nor did he care about her innocence. He just wanted to vent his anger.

Russell quickly stepped in front of him.

"I said she has nothing to do with this!" 

Russell roared. His voice was so forceful it nearly echoed through the hallway.

Even Rogelio, who had never seen Russell this furious, was momentarily stunned.

Adeline took a deep breath and said, "Mr.

Hunter, I don't know why Jasmine suddenly collapsed, but I can assure you that neither Russell nor I did anything to harm her. Right now, Jasmine's safety should be your priority."

Her words seemed to cool Rogelio's anger, replacing it with worry.

"Jasmine, you must be fine," he murmured, almost to himself.

Russell clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms.

Turning to Adeline, he said, "Miss Hensley, you should leave. None of this concerns you. You don't need to stay here."

Before Adeline could respond, Manuel cut in.

"How can it not concern her? Jasmine only wanted to have dinner with her, but she acted all high and mighty, forcing Jasmine to find another way to invite her. In the private room, her attitude was so cold that it was like she wanted to eat Jasmine alive. Who knows..."

Manuel's words were abruptly cut off by a sharp Slap to his face.

It was Anna who had slapped him.

Unable to endure Manuel's nonsense any longer, she had walked up to him and delivered the blow without hesitation.