Meanwhile, in the Eastcliff Banks family…

James rushed to Lord Banks, exclaiming, “Dad! Sister-in-law took Zara and went to the auction site!”

“What?!” Lord Banks’s demeanor turned icy in an instant. He clenched his teeth and replied, “Deana has truly gone too far!”

James quickly inquired, “Dad, what should we do now?”

With a sharp tone, Lord Banks replied, “Since Deana has completely disregarded the reputation of the Banks family, don’t blame me for not holding back!” He continued, his anger evident: “The European princess hasn’t learned her lesson! Not only has she chosen a pagan boyfriend, but rumors also suggest she’s pregnant with his child. What does this say about our royal family’s honor?! If she hadn’t pushed us to this limit, we wouldn’t have to take action! This is all her doing!” James lowered his voice, speaking cautiously, “Dad, are you really considering taking action against my sister-in-law? The Thorne family may be in decline, but they still hold significant power. If we act impulsively, we could offend them.”

He added, “Besides, the entire Eastcliff City is watching. If we make a move now, everyone will know it was us.”

Lord Banks scoffed, “I’m not worried about them knowing. In fact, I’d prefer they do! Deana must serve as an example! If we do nothing, the public will think the Banks family can be insulted without consequence!” With a fierce wave of his hand, his eyes glimmered with determination. “As long as we handle this cleanly and leave no tangible evidence, even if the whole world knows we acted, what can they do against us?”

James pressed, “Dad, who should we send?”

Lord Banks replied, “I’ve already made arrangements. I thought that as long as Deana stayed away from this auction, I wouldn’t need to engage with her. But since she’s chosen to provoke us, she can’t blame me.”

“What about Zara?” James asked again.

Lord Banks responded coolly, “I’ve ensured that nothing will happen to Zara.”

Then he questioned, “Is Fitz involved in this?” James shook his head, saying, “Fitz is currently at Aurous Hill Airport. He’s scheduled to return here at ten o’clock.”

Lord Banks felt somewhat at ease upon hearing this. “It seems he’s wise and hasn’t tarnished the name I gave him. It’s crucial for people to know their place!”

James quickly added, “Dad, if you truly plan to punish sister-in-law, you must find a way to manage Fitz’s feelings. Otherwise, I fear he might act rashly.” James was subtly implying that his main goal was to stoke the old man’s anger against his eldest brother’s family.

He thought to himself, “As long as Father remains in good health, there’s a chance he could pass leadership to the next generation. In other words, there’s a good possibility that the old man will hand over the family’s patriarchal position to my older brother’s children, and not to me!”

“If Fitz takes over, what good will it do if I manage to bring down my eldest brother now? Once the old man steps aside, Fitz would overpower me!” “Thus, I must ensure the old man loses faith in Fitz!”

It was for this reason that James intentionally used this tactic to remind his father to be cautious about Fitz’s emotions.

His words were artfully crafted to appear as if he genuinely cared for his nephew. However, he was secretly hoping to alert the old man to the consequences of harming Fitz’s mother, knowing that such a betrayal would create an irreparable rift. James believed that once the old man recognized this, he would never give Fitz an opportunity again, as that would be akin to nurturing a tiger!