Chapter150 Her Brother and Mother Are Her Shield
Second floor bedroom.
Miranda opened the safe and retrieved the deep blue raw stone she had treasured for years.
Even under the indoor lighting, the stone emanated a faint blue glow, like frozen tears from the deep sea, pure and mysterious.
Just then, the door was gently pushed open.
Miranda turned to see her mother enter.
Arabella pulled Miranda to sit on the edge of the bed, holding her daughter's hand. "Miranda, don't listen to your father. As long as you and Clifton are happy, your brother and I will keep your marriage secret from your father."
As Dominic's wife, Arabella knew all too well his profit-driven nature.
If he learned his daughter had married the Prescott heir, his first reaction wouldn't be happiness for her. Instead, he'd think about how to exploit this connection to curry favor with the Prescotts and extract benefits.
He might even manipulate his daughter into asking Clifton for favors to maximize his gains.
But relationships that become tainted with too much calculation and self-interest inevitably sour.
She didn't want her daughter's relationship corrupted by schemes. She only wanted her daughter to be happy.
"In my heart, nothing is more important than your happiness."
Looking at her mother's face, Miranda's nose stung with emotion. She grasped her mother's hand, her voice slightly choked. "Mom, thank you."
Arabella gently tucked a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear and smiled. "Don't thank me. I'm your mother. Don't worry, I'll handle your father."
Just then, the door was knocked again.
Christian pushed the door open, softening his voice. "Mom, what are you two talking about?"
Arabella stood up, looking at her son and then her daughter, her face showing a satisfied smile.
"Nothing important. You two talk. I just had the chef bake some cookies. I'll check if they're ready. Miranda, take some with you when you leave."
With that, Arabella thoughtfully left the room, giving the siblings privacy.
The door closed again.
Miranda looked up at her brother standing before her.
"Christian." She lowered her voice, getting straight to the point. "Ariana's biological father. Have you found him yet?"
Christian walked to the single sofa by the window and sat down, crossing his long legs, his expression cold.
"We haven't pinpointed his exact location yet. The man is cunning and has no fixed address."
Christian paused, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. "But based on the leads we've found, he should contact Ariana himself soon."
Hearing this, Miranda nodded thoughtfully, a cold gleam flashing in her eyes.
Christian watched his sister's contemplative expression and suddenly spoke. "What Father said at the table just now, don't take it to heart. I'm your shield."
Christian's tone was calm but carried a reassuring strength. "As for his threats about the family fortune... As long as I'm here, not a single cent of Lancaster Group will fall into outsiders' hands."
Miranda looked up, meeting her brother's deep, steady gaze.
"Christian, you..."
Christian didn't hide anything. "Recently, I've placed my own people in several key positions at the company. Control of the company is gradually shifting into my hands."
After discovering his father had an illegitimate daughter, Christian understood that his father couldn't be relied upon. He wasn't just a father to him and his sister anymore.
So he had to take control of the company as quickly as possible. Only by holding absolute power and leverage could he protect his mother and sister.
"Even if you and I don't get Lancaster, I absolutely won't let Father hand everything over to some outside illegitimate daughter."
Miranda looked at her brother and nodded firmly. "Brother, you're doing the right thing."
"The fact that Father threatened us with the family assets today means he's been thinking about it for a while. We can't just sit back and wait."
This was precisely why Miranda had insisted on becoming independent from Lancaster Group, why she'd worked so hard to establish her own company despite all the difficulties.
She didn't want to leave her fate in someone else's hands, even if that someone was her father.
She thought that if the day came when her father truly used Lancaster Group's assets to threaten her mother and them for profit or for Ariana's sake, then she and Christian could unite to stand against him.
So her company had to grow strong quickly too.
Looking at Christian's resolute profile, Miranda suddenly noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the faint bloodshot veins.
Since learning about Ariana, Christian had been busy with company matters, secretly investigating Ariana's background, and guarding against their father. He must be exhausted.
"Brother."
Miranda walked over, looking at him with concern. "Company matters are important, but you need to rest too. If you collapse from exhaustion, what's the point of all this?"
Christian froze, then the coldness in his eyes dissipated, replaced by warmth.
He reached out and, just like when they were children, gently ruffled his sister's soft hair, a gentle smile playing at his lips.
"I know. Don't worry, I've got this under control."
The soft touch under his palm made him feel momentarily dazed.
Looking at this poised, resilient young woman before him, Christian felt time had passed so quickly.
The little shadow who used to follow him everywhere, who would cry and call for him when she fell, had grown up in the blink of an eye. She'd even learned to worry about him in return.
In stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere in the Lancaster dining room.
At this moment, in an upscale Western restaurant downtown, light music floated through the air, accompanied by the crisp sound of cutlery.
Ariana sat by the window, cutting into her beef Wellington with obvious delight.
Thinking of Uncle Dominic's promise on the phone yesterday, she couldn't suppress her smile.
Dominic had said he would arrange a marriage match for Miranda.
"Once Miranda is married off, let's see how she tries to compete with me for Harrison."
Ariana thought viciously, forking a piece of beef into her mouth. Today's beef tasted especially tender and juicy.
"Ariana, what's got you so happy? That sweet smile of yours."
A female colleague sitting across from her called out, her tone tinged with envy. "Did something good happen with that boyfriend of yours?"
Ariana snapped back to attention, immediately putting on a shy, blissful expression.
She picked up her wine glass and gently swirled the red wine inside, feigning modesty. "Not really. Harrison just said he wants to take me shopping for gifts soon. I'm thinking about what to choose."
"Wow! Harrison treats you so well!"
Hearing the flattery and compliments from her colleagues, Ariana's vanity was greatly satisfied.
She raised her glass and happily clinked it with the person beside her. "Come on, cheers."
The glasses chimed crisply, reflecting her smug face.