The Mafia Heiress's Comeback: She's More Than You Think novel Chapter 223

Chapter 223 Instruction

As soon as Calvert Marshall stepped into the room, the judges immediately rose to their feet. Their demeanor

shifted in an instant, turning formal and courteous.

“Mr. Marshall, we weren’t informed you’d be making a visit today. Please forgive us for not being at the

entrance to welcome you.” Even Gerald, ever proud, was on his feet without hesitation, his expression composed and deferential.

Calvert wasn’t just the patriarch of the Marshall family–he was a man whose reach extended into every corner

of the state’s power structure.

A single comment from Calvert had the potential to send shockwaves through the entire city.

“Is there anything we can assist you with, Mr. Marshall?” one of the judges asked, cautious but eager to be of

use.

“Yes, Mr. Marshall. If something was needed, a single call would’ve been enough. For you to come here yourself -It’s more than we deserve,” another added, his voice lined with nervous admiration.

They scrambled to offer him the best seats available, bringing out what they believed was the finest coffee in the room, desperate to earn his approval.

Once Calvert took his seat, not a single judge dared to follow suit.

They remained standing, hands clasped respectfully, too afraid to move.

“Don’t bother with all that. I didn’t come here for your sake,” Calvert said coldly, lifting the coffee to his lips. “Bah. Terrible taste of coffee.” After one sip, he, slammed the cup down on the table with a sharp crack that echoed through the room.

The force of it startled everyone–Gerald included–leaving a few of them stumbling where they stood.

There was no mistaking it. Calvert was already in a bad mood. And unfortunately, they were caught in the middle of it.

The judges remained rooted where they stood, heads bowed, as if even the faintest movement might draw Calvert’s wrath onto them.

But letting the silence drag on felt equally dangerous, almost disrespectful.

It was a situation with no safe choice.

Thankfully, Calvert’s voice broke through the tension.

“So I hear my grandson managed to find himself a girlfriend who runs a gang. That reckless fool really knows how to push his limits.”

The fury in his tone struck the room like a physical blow, causing several of the judges to visibly tense.

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Chapter 223 Instruction

“And from what I’ve been told, she’s actually competing today. I came to lay eyes on the woman who managed to sink her claws into him.”

Only then did the judges begin to understand the real reason for his presence.

It was all about Maren..

Just two nights earlier, word had leaked about Lucien’s involvement with a woman tied to criminal operations.

“Ah, so your visit is about Maren. What timing. We’re reviewing her round right now. Please, take a look with us,” Gerald said, his voice suddenly lighter, clearly relieved that the visit had nothing to do with their performance.

At the same moment, a satisfied smirk crept across Gerald’s face.

If Calvert was here to assess Maren personally, that arrogant woman was about to be put in her place.

“Where is Maren? All I’m seeing is some man squaring off against a cheetah,” Calvert asked, frowning as he studied the screen.

“Maren’s just off to the side,” Gerald, said, quickly pointing out her position as she stayed just out of direct danger.

Calvert’s eyes narrowed when he finally spotted her. “She’s got the looks, I’ll give her that. No surprise that idiot fell for her. But no matter how pretty she is, a woman tied to the criminal world will never be acceptable. My family’s name carries weight. I won’t let that be dragged through the mud.”

“You’re absolutely right. A person like that has no business anywhere near a respected name like yours. And to be frank, Maren’s nothing special. She’s cowering behind that man like she’s too afraid to face the cheetah herself,” Gerald said, jumping at the chance to echo Calvert’s sentiments while trying to chip away at Maren’s credibility.

He was all too eager to say anything that might put him in Calvert’s good graces and drag Maren down while he was at it.

“Back in my day, I faced wild beasts without a single weapon. Killed a tiger at twenty–bare hands, nothing else. And she’s scared of a cheetah? No excuse, not even for a woman. And yet Lucien wouldn’t shut up about her, going on and on like she was something remarkable.”

Calvert’s voice was sharp with frustration, every word laced with simmering anger.

He had shown up for one reason alone–Lucien had sung Maren’s praises endlessly.

But now that he’d seen her, the disappointment hit him hard.

A member of the Marshall family showing fear over a single cheetah? Unthinkable.

“Lucien is still immature. A few sweet lines from a pretty woman, and he’s already lost his head. I’ll make sure he learns how to choose properly/when I get back,” Calvert muttered with a sharp shake of his head.

“Wait–look at the cheetah!” one of the judges suddenly cried out.

On the feed, the animal’s gaze had sharpened into something deadly. It was charging at Morris with incredible speed, every muscle taut with intent.

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Chapter 223 Instruction

The blood dripping from Morris‘ palm had triggered the beast’s natural instincts, and now it was locked onto

him.

“Maren, what do I do?” Morris called out, trying to keep his panic from breaking through but failing.

He had spent years‘ training at the academy, but nothing in a classroom had ever prepared him for this moment. Facing an actual predator was an entirely different battlefield.

From her position off in the distance, Maren was carefully analyzing the cheetah’s movement, paying close attention to the way it approached.

“Maren?” Morris called again, his voice climbing with urgency as the silence stretched on.

Wasn’t she supposed to be helping him through this?

The cheetah was gaining on him fast, and Morris didn’t dare act on instinct. One wrong move, and everything they’d planned could collapse in seconds.

“This guy’s clearly never dealt with anything like this before. He looks ready to collapse.” One of the judges leaned in, his tone laced with derision.

“Is he just going to stand there like a statue? The cheetah’s practically on top of him, and he hasn’t even twitched!”

Calvert let out a breath that sounded more like a groan. “So she’s not only incompetent herself, but her judgment in choosing her teammate is pretty bad too.”

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. She was a complete disappointment.

“Morris might not make it out of this alive,” Gerald remarked, recognizing him from the previous night’s lecture. He recalled how focused Morris had looked back then–engaged, serious, even promising. If only he hadn’t linked up with Maren, Gerald had have had a better opinion of him.

“What a shame,” another judge muttered.

Every participant in the island survival event had signed a liability waiver. It clearly spelled out the risks involved–wildlife, injuries, even the possibility of death.

There would be no legal repercussions if someone failed to make it back. It would just be fate.

And now, on the screen, the cheetah closed the final two meters in a heartbeat. Its body coiled and launched upward, jaws parting to reveal bloodstained fangs aimed straight at Morris‘ throat.

The judges leaned in slightly, bracing themselves for the inevitable.

“Duck!”