Chapter 95
“These orchids are supposed to bring in the money,” Heather said cheerfully, gesturing at the elegant pot near the door. “I ordered this rare variety, and it took days to arrive. Wouldn’t you know it, the very day they were delivered, you landed the deal with Hawksley Group. Maybe if we take good care of them, we’ll be even richer in the future.”
Beckett stared at the orchid, his annoyance barely concealed. “Mom, the Hawksley deal fell through.”
Heather was already halfway to the kitchen, about to ask the staff to make some of Salome’s favorite dishes. The night before, Edith had caused another commotion, which ended up stressing Salome so much she had to be admitted to the hospital. Heather hadn’t even registered what Beckett had said.
She was still daydreaming. “Once this project is wrapped up, I’ll hand over everything with Pioneer Prime to you, and I can focus on taking care of Salome.”
She was already picturing her peaceful retirement, doting on her future grandchildren.
It took her a moment to process Beckett’s words. The deal had fallen through.
“What? That’s impossible! Weren’t they just about to sign the contract? How could it all collapse overnight?” Her face darkened, and the Vance household staff immediately fell silent. Even their movements became careful and muted,
Everyone in the house knew about Heather’s temper. When she got like this, it was best to disappear.
Beckett slumped onto the sofa, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. The bottle of champagne sitting out made him grit his teeth. “Who put that there? Get rid of it, now!”
The servants scrambled to clear away the champagne.
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Chapter 95
Heather rushed over to Beckett, concern etched on her face. “What on earth happened?”
Beckett shook his head, baffled. “Something’s off. Way off. The Sumner family has good relations with the Hawksleys. I even asked Edith to say a few words to the Hawksleys on our behalf. But after she talked to them last night, they suddenly changed their minds? That doesn’t add up.”
Heather’s eyes narrowed to slits. Her hatred for Edith was practically palpable. “It was her. It had to be. She must have poisoned their minds against us–that’s why the Hawksleys pulled out! That ungrateful woman. After everything I did for her, all the good food and comfort I provided her in this house, now she’s moving on and doesn’t care one bit about us. She even wants to see us suffer!”
Beckett clutched his hair tighter, disbelief written across his face. “You really think Edith sabotaged us?”
He had only reached out to her last night because he missed her so much. It wasn’t as if he’d actually done her any harm–someone else had stepped in before things got out of hand.
Gritting his teeth, Beckett muttered, “Edith, if you ever realize I’m Beckett, you’ll regret ever doing this to me.”
Frustrated, he dismissed the rest of the staff and turned to his mother. “Mom, when can I go back to being Beckett again? Until I reclaim my identity, Edith will never come back to me–and she’ll just keep hurting the Vance family,”
Heather’s eyes narrowed even further. “After Salome has the baby, you’ll reveal the truth to that woman–make her regret ever crossing us. But promise me this: no matter what, don’t go easy on her. She needs to be punished, thoroughly. That way, not only will the Vance family get justice, but so will I.”
A smug smile crept onto Beckett’s face as he imagined Edith, tearfully begging for forgiveness. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll make sure she pays for
this.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.