Chapter 265 Are You Worthy?

Chapter 265 Are You Worthy?

Craig placed the list in front of Ethan.

"The people making those calls weren't after Ms. Thomas."

He paused.

"The one they really wanted to reach was Matthew."

Ethan sat behind his desk, the coffee beside him untouched since morning, now gone cold.

He stared at the list for a long moment without saying a word, just tapping his fingers twice on the desktop.

That was something he only did when he was in a foul mood.

"They think Abigail and Matthew still have some kind of relationship?"

"Yes," Craig answered. "Word in their circles is that Hubbard Corporation's investment in Summit Tech Group had the Gonzalez family backing it. And since the previous engagement between the two families was never publicly called off, people are connecting the dots."

Ethan leaned back in his chair.

"So a bunch of people trying to get to Matthew have decided my sister's contact information is their golden ticket."

His tone was calm, but Craig could hear the edge underneath.

"Yes."

Ethan didn't respond. He picked up the cold coffee, took a sip, set the cup down, then stood and walked to the window.

Outside, dusk had settled in, the streetlights just flickering to life.

"The recognition banquet is set for the fifteenth of next month," he said. "Before then, anyone who wants to use Abigail's name to angle their way in, shut them down. I don't need to handle it personally, just make sure they understand what it'll cost them to try."

Craig nodded without asking questions.

The next morning, when Abigail came downstairs, breakfast was already laid out on the kitchen table.

Toast, a soft-boiled egg, and a glass of unsweetened juice.

Ethan sat across from her scrolling through his phone.

When he saw her come down, he looked up.

"I need to tell you something."

Abigail sat down and picked up the juice, taking a sip.

"Go ahead."

"The Gonzalez family issued a statement." He turned his phone screen around and slid it toward her.

Abigail glanced down.

It was a statement posted that morning from Gonzalez Corporation's official account. The content was brief.

The gist: After investigation, Delilah's impersonation of the Gonzalez family's daughter has been confirmed. The Gonzalez family has severed all ties with her and announces that the real Gonzalez daughter has been found. A recognition banquet will be held publicly next month, at which time the situation will be formally explained.

Abigail finished reading and slid the phone back.

"Got it."

That was all she said.

Ethan looked at her.

"You don't have any other thoughts?"

"What's there to say?" She took a bite of toast. "This is the Gonzalez family's business. It has nothing to do with me anymore."

Ethan didn't press further, taking his phone back and returning to his screen.

After that statement went out, the internet exploded.

The comment section lit up.

[So the engagement was built on a lie from the start?]

[Wait, did Abigail know from the beginning? Why didn't she say anything?]

[Hold on, they're already divorced. What's the point of rehashing this now?]

Some people dug up the old news about Hubbard Corporation investing in Summit Tech Group and started connecting dots.

[Did Ethan invest in Abigail's company because he already knew she was the Gonzalez family's daughter and was playing the long game?]

[You're only just figuring this out? I always knew the relationships here were messy.]

More and more people were watching, but most of the attention focused on guessing "who the real Gonzalez daughter actually is."

For now, no one was pointing fingers directly at the Hubbard family.

Ethan glanced at the comments and set his phone aside.

He didn't care what people said online.

What he cared about was how many people would start hunting for Abigail's whereabouts after this statement dropped.

The answer came quickly.

That afternoon, Craig intercepted three strangers trying to approach the area around the villa. Two were reporters, and one was a middleman claiming to be a "friend," saying he wanted to deliver a letter on behalf of some "important person."

Craig returned the letter, envelope and all, without letting it cross the threshold.

The Hubbard family estate.

Dwayne sat in his study. Ryder walked in and placed a printout of the statement on the desk.

Dwayne glanced at it but didn't pick it up, just raised his eyes slightly.

"The Gonzalez family's moving fast."

Ryder stood beside him and said quietly.

"Matthew's changed quite a bit these past two years. With his temper before, he never could have handled a situation like this so smoothly."

Dwayne made a noncommittal sound, as if responding casually or not taking it to heart at all.

"Whatever he becomes has nothing to do with us." He opened another document on the desk. "The rest of his life is his own problem."

Ryder didn't say more.

The room fell quiet for a few minutes.

Dwayne looked down to sign documents, his pen pausing on the paper.

"How are the preparations for Abigail's recognition banquet coming along?"

"The guest list is with Ethan, already being confirmed. The venue is set at the Phoenix Harmony Ballroom in the east district. The organizers say they can move forward anytime."

Dwayne nodded and turned to the next page of the document.

"Don't send an invitation to the Gonzalez family."

Ryder acknowledged and turned to leave.

Gonzalez Corporation, CEO's office.

Matthew heard about the timing of the Hubbard family's recognition banquet from his assistant after the morning's internal meeting wrapped up.

He repeated the date in his mind without speaking.

Nico stood nearby. He knew what Matthew was thinking but didn't interrupt.

Matthew walked to the window and leaned against the frame, staring outside for a while.

"Has the Hubbard family sent out invitations for the recognition banquet?"

Nico answered, "Not that we've found yet. The Hubbard family hasn't released any official information. Right now we only know the time and venue."

Matthew was silent for a few seconds.

"Find out if the Hubbard family sent an invitation to the Gonzalez family."

Nico didn't move.

He paused, keeping his voice very low.

"Sir, about this matter... do you want to reconsider?"

Matthew didn't turn around.

"Find out first."

Nico left.

At three in the afternoon, when he returned, his expression was strained.

"I found out."

Matthew set down the document in his hand.

"The Hubbard family didn't send an invitation to the Gonzalez family."

The room went quiet for about a second.

Matthew picked up his phone from the desk and called Sawyer.

Ryder answered.

Ryder said Sawyer was napping and asked if there was something he could pass along.

Matthew replied, "No need to pass it along. Just tell him I have something I'd like to ask his advice about, and when he has time, he can give me a call back."

The call ended.

Nearly forty minutes later, Sawyer called back.

"What is it?"

Matthew stood by the window, running through what he wanted to ask in his mind, but in the end chose to be direct.

"Grandpa, I'd like to attend the Hubbard family's recognition banquet. Would it be possible for you to help put in a word?"

There was a pause on the other end.

Then Sawyer spoke, his tone not harsh, but every word deliberate.

"Matthew, let me ask you something first."

"Go ahead."

"On what grounds would you go?"

Matthew didn't answer right away.

"You're her ex-husband. You're not her family, you're not her business partner, and you're not one of the Hubbards. If you show up, where exactly do you fit in that room? How are you even going to approach her? What do you think she's supposed to call you now?"