?Chapter 348:


    Elliana turned slightly, gave him a cool look, and said tly, “I came to see how ‘well’ you’re managing things.”


    At that, Hutton’s expression shifted ufortably, and he lowered his gaze like a protégé being lectured.


    The entire room fell into stunned silence. Why in the world was Hutton acting so intimidated by Elliana?


    Elliana ignored the others’ reactions and asked Hutton in a chilly tone, “So, you really can’t solve this?”


    Hutton lowered his head, embarrassment written all over his face.


    A scoff escaped Elliana as she threw her words at him without mercy.


    “You can’t even handle a problem this basic? Did you forget everything I taught you? You’ve got people singing your praises left and right, and with your level of skill? Aren’t you even a little ashamed?”


    Beads of sweat formed on Hutton’s forehead, and he quickly wiped them away, humiliated.


    But Elliana wasn’t finished. “You still go around telling people you’re my protégé? Do you know how embarrassing that is for me?”


    Gasps filled the room as everyone looked around in stunned silence, certain they’d misunderstood what they just heard. What did Elliana just say? Did she really mean that Hutton was her protégé?


    Lance, especially, looked like he’d seen something that defied logic. He knew both of them—Elliana, the overly shy girl he’d always looked down on, and Hutton, the respected giant in the AImunity. How could that same girl scold Hutton so casually? None of this made sense. Lance couldn’t wrap his mind around the unfolding scene, his thoughts tangled and confused by everything happening. He took an instinctive step forward and scolded Elliana, “How could you talk to Mr. Tucker that way?”


    Elliana didn’t even nce in his direction. Her frustration remained aimed at Hutton. “I warned you from the very beginning that your brain wasn’t cut out for this. But no, you kept bugging me to take you on. And now, look. Wasn’t I right?”


    Hutton, lookingpletely defeated, nodded like a scolded child. “Yes, yes, you’re right. Please don’t be angry.”


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    Lance stood nearby, watching the exchange with wide eyes, darting back and forth between the two of them. He looked absolutely lost. “Elliana, have youpletely lost it?” he finally asked, still struggling to make sense of what he was seeing. He had the urge to ask whether Hutton had lost his mind too, but the words never made it past his lips. Elliana shot him a sharp re before turning and walking off without a word.


    Hutton turned to Lance and asked seriously, “Mr. Evans, may I ask what kind of rtionship you have with her?”


    Lance was momentarily at a loss for words. He hesitated, unwilling to admit in front of everyone that Elliana was his cousin-inw.


    Before the silence stretched too long, Emmanuel stepped forward and answered clearly, “Mr. Tucker, she is the wife of our family head, Cole, and also the matriarch of the Evans family.”


    “What?” That left Hutton momentarily speechless. His eyes widened in disbelief before his expression twisted into frustration. “You had someone that capable in your family and still went looking for help elsewhere? Are you joking?”


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