WRATH OF ELIJAH WEST

PAYTON FAMILY

All eyes turned to Hayley's raised hand, but to everyone's surprise, she never actually touched Daniel's cheek. Her intention was to slap him, but before she could, Elijah intervened and delivered a resounding slap instead.

The whole room was in shock, and it seemed as if time stood still as they observed Elijah's bold act.

Daniel regained his composure after the initial shock and angrily confronted Elijah, "How dare you hit me?" he shouted, glaring at him with fury.

The relatives present in the house began to whisper amongst themselves, expressing disbelief at what had just unfolded. "I can't believe it, that fool slapped Daniel, he's done for."

Daniel's anger was boiling, and everyone present knew that Elijah would undoubtedly face severe consequences for his audacious actions.

Hayley was well aware of Daniel's aggressive nature, and when she saw him boiling with anger, she immediately stepped in front of Elijah to protect him. With a determined voice, she addressed Daniel, "You know he has some brain issues, so please try not to take offense at his actions."

However, Daniel's anger only intensified, and he disregarded Hayley's plea, responding fiercely, "I don't care about your excuses. Since he dares to slap me, he's going to face the consequences."

Trying to reason with him, Hayley pleaded, "But he's just a brain damaged fool. It's not worth your time or energy to engage with him."

Nevertheless, Daniel remained resolute and unmoved, refusing to back down. "I don't care if he's mentally unstable or not. I must beat him today, and nothing will stop me," he asserted, pushing Hayley aside in the process.

Upon Old Mrs. Greene's entrance, she exclaimed, 'What's going on here?' with an authoritative voice. The atmosphere in the room instantly changed as every member of the Greene family grew tense and remained quiet immediately. Daniel, who had a strong desire to beat Elijah, managed to compose himself and returned to his seat, but his glare at Elijah spoke volumes of his disdain.

Despite the disapproving looks from the others, Elijah boldly ignored them and followed Hayley, taking a seat beside her. It was evident that Elijah's focus was solely on Hayley, disregarding the importance of the ongoing meeting and everyone else present.

Not caring much and feeling extremely hungry, he began to wolf the food in front of him. The rest of the relatives were appalled by Elijah's inappropriate manners, knowing that it was disrespectful to begin eating before Old Mrs. Greene, who held the position of the current head of the family. Nevertheless, no one dared to intervene or raise any objections, fearing that it might escalate into an unnecessary confrontation.

Old Mrs. Greene herself gave Elijah a long, piercing look, clearly disapproving of his behavior. However, she chose to remain silent, believing that stooping down to his level would not be fitting for someone of her standing.

"Let's dig in," She said with a warm smile, setting the tone for the delightful gathering. As soft, melodic music filled the room, people eagerly started partaking in the delicious spread, creating an atmosphere brimming with joy and laughter.

Observing the scene around her, Dorothy discreetly approached her daughter, Hayley, with a disapproving expression. "Hayley, bringing this fool here was a big mistake on your path. Look at all the trouble he has caused and it has not even been more than thirty minutes since you arrived. The worst part is he even offended grandma by eating before she could speak."

Feeling the weight of her mother's words, Hayley was filled with regret for bringing Elijah along. She couldn't help but acknowledge that her mother had been right.

Elijah let out a sigh, sensing what Hayley might be thinking.

Before Hayley could respond to her mother's criticism, Tory approached the group, adding fuel to the fire. "You don't seem to care about the disrespect your husband caused to grandma. One can't help but wonder if you're the one behind his actions, perhaps out of jealousy."

Hayley retorted, her anger flaring, "Jealousy? What on earth would I be jealous of?"

'Tink - tink - tink,' the sound of Old Mrs. Greene's spoon against the glass resonated, commanding the room's absolute silence and focus from all present.

Rising from her seat, Old Mrs. Greene spoke with a voice that carried just enough volume to reach everyone's ears, "I've gathered you all here to share some important news, which also happens to be quite delightful."

The members of the Greene family turned their full attention to her, their minds already buzzing with anticipation. They knew that good news in the Greene household often meant financial gains or business prospects, which held immense significance for them. Amidst it all, Elijah casually continued eating, while Hayley was too focused to pay attention to him.

Old Mrs. Greene surveyed her family before continuing, "This morning, we were met with an unexpected surprise. One might even call it a divine early morning gift. You all are acquainted with the Payton family, I assume?"

Nods of affirmation rippled through the room as everyone eagerly awaited her next words. The suspense she crafted only fueled their eagerness to hear the positive news she had in store.

"Well, brace yourselves, as the Payton family has proposed a marriage alliance. Scott Payton, the heir of their family, will be marrying someone from our own family," she announced with a beaming smile.

Everyone was surprised. Then the hall was immediately filled with happy conversations as everyone speculated about the fortunate person who would join the Payton family.

The Payton family was a powerful family in Georgia, and marrying into their family was a significant opportunity for both the girl and the Greene family.

Among the single girls in the Greene family, there was immense excitement, including Hayley's cousin, Tory.

Many people suspected it would be Tory because she and Hayley were the most beautiful and capable girls in the family. Since Hayley was already married, it seemed likely that Tory would be the one to marry into the Payton family.