Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

The man who'd been floored took his sweet time getting back on his feet, feeling like someone had taken out his bones, the pain was just that intense. Thankfully, a few folks nearby helped him up. His face was a bloody mess, enough to make the girls around him gasp and take a few steps back.

"Jackson, have you lost your mind? This is the main Woods estate, not your branch over in the Capital. Who do you think you are? Sure, you're a legitimate heir, but so is he don't get any big ideas."noveldrama

"Exactly. We grew up in the States. When it comes to background, experience, and connections, you can't hold a candle to any of us here."

The injured guy wiped his precious face, every inch of him still aching. He was determined to make Jackson pay for this.

"You think you can just waltz into the Woods family? Not happening!" he said, blocking the doorway with a smug look, his confidence probably coming from his powerful family backing him. He sneered at Jackson, "The Capital is nothing compared to the States. Jackson, you think you're up to my level? Think again." Just as he finished, a deep voice boomed from behind him, snapping him to attention and wiping away any trace of his earlier swagger.

Behind him stood the same attendant who'd been chatting with Jackson and Kimberly earlier. He'd waited until Jackson and Kimberly were getting pushed around before making his grand entrance, and Jackson saw right through it. Grandpa Woods was clearly sending a message.

"Mr. Smith," the man greeted the attendant with respect, his eyes wide with panic, his voice shaky, "Mr. Smith, what brings you here all of a sudden?"

The Woods family had a rule: once the family heirs were adults, they could squabble all they wanted behind closed doors, even if it got ugly. But fighting in public? That was a big no-no. If caught, punishments ranged from a serious beating to the harshest family discipline.

And the one who dished out these punishments was none other than Mr. Smith, the attendant.

He was the one the younger Woods generation feared the most.

Known for his fairness, he treated everyone the same, no playing favorites. Some even tried to take him out, but they all failed. Others challenged him and ended up

bedridden for life with broken bones.

He was the most feared person in the Woods family, second only to Grandpa Woods.

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"What's Jimmy doing? Has he forgotten the Woods family rules?" Mr. Smith's face stayed calm, rock-solid as ever, but his voice carrie unexpected authority. "The ancestral hall has been too peaceful lately. Jimmy, head there first. I'll be along shortly."

With the situation laid out so plainly, Jimmy, who'd been taunting Jackson, couldn't keep his stance. With a sour face, he headed toward the ancestral hall.

The others who'd mocked Jackson, fellow Woods family members, were also punished, made to kneel in the ancestral hall for forty-eight hours without food or drink.

Once everything was sorted, Mr. Smith turned to Jackson, offering a polite smile. "Miss Woods, Kimberly, please come inside. The old master is waiting for you."

Now, he addressed Jackson and Kimberly as Miss and Master, a clear sign that the small jade pendant worked. The old master had recognized their status.