Chapter 48 Chapter 48
Chapter 48 Chapter 48
Days passed by and finally it was time for the old man to be discharged. He refused to spend the remainder of his life in the hospital and fought tooth and nail to get his discharge report.
Darian didn’t want to deny his grandfather of everything on whatever to-do list he had ready so he agreed.
Early that morning, he went with Averie to bring his old man home.
As they walked through the hallway, the television played with news of a popular businessman who was attacked by unidentified gangsters. The name piqued Averie’s interest so she listened as she walked carefully behind Darien.
“Businessman Daniel Ross was violently attacked by five masked men on his way to work. His car was destroyed and he sustained major injuries…”
Averie stopped, a small, satisfied smile tugging at her lips.
“Hmm,” she murmured, “I remember paying for eight men though.”
Darian turned sharply “What was that?”
She shrugged innocently. “Oh…Nothing,” she said with a teethed smile.
BACK HOME~
As soon as the gate slid open, the mansion, usually filled with quiet luxury, buzzed with uneasy energy as the family returned with the old man in a wheelchair. Nurses and servants hurried around, rearranging furniture and preparing his room on the ground floor for easier access.
Darian walked beside his grandfather, pushing the wheelchair with a solemn, protective expression while Averie trailed close behind. Meanwhile, Lauren was glued to her phone, irritation written across her face.
She stepped aside discreetly to answer a call.
“Tyler,” she sighed, “your grandfather has been discharged. You should come home and see him.”
His bitter voice came through “No!” It was cold and dry.
“Tyler…” his mother pressed further but he remained adamant.
“He doesn’t care about me,” He snapped. “He only acknowledges Darian. Always him, his beloved grandson. Tell me, Mom…am I really a grandson of this family? Because I don’t see why I’m treated like trash.”
Her heart skipped at the question, unbelievably panicking but she quickly masked it.
“Don’t say foolish things,” she hissed. “You’re treated poorly because you don’t work hard enough! Look at Darian, he earns his position. Meanwhile you…” she rolled her eyes at him.
Tyler cut her off, voice low and simmering.
“I’ll focus on work. I’ll prove my worth to him and everyone else. Just give me time… a few months.” he said.
Lauren smirked lightly, calculating. “Yes. And in a few months, he might change his mind about the will before he dies so we only need to stay on his good books…
But Tyler hung up on her before she could finish. Lauren scoffed, staring at her phone.
“Ungrateful boy…” she muttered, though her voice shook slightly.
She collected herself, straightened her coat, and turned to re-enter the mansion.
But then her phone buzzed again. It was a number she didn’t recognize.
“H-Hello?”
“Madam Graham,” a deep masculine voice boomed cheerfully. “…It’s been ages.”
Her blood ran cold. Lauren instantly walked away from the door, leaving the warmth of the mansion behind. Her pace grew faster as anxiety curled through her chest. She reached the front gate where a bulky figure leaned casually against the wall, scanning the area.
The moment he saw her, he grinned widely, his smile feral and mocking.
Lauren grabbed his arm immediately, yanking him away from view.
“Are you insane?” she whispered harshly. “Why did you come here?!”
The man shrugged, amused by her panic. “Relax. I came for a follow-up review.”
Lauren’s nails dug into her palms “Follow-up review at what age exactly?” she mouthed, her eyes frantically searching.
The man flashed her a known look as he gestured with his fingers the act of counting money. He wanted more money.
“You already got your payment,” she hissed.
“That was before I went to prison,” he replied calmly. “I kept my mouth shut, didn’t I? Years, Madam Graham. Years. And now I need help getting back on my feet.”
Lauren swallowed hard. If not for that old mistake, the favor she had demanded from him back then but now it was creeping back like a nightmare.
He stepped closer, voice dropping.
“You wouldn’t want anyone to know how much I helped you… Or who belongs to whom in the family isn’t it?”
Lauren’s face turned ghostly white. She hurriedly opened her banking app, hands shaking as she wired a large sum of money.
“There,” she whispered. “Now go.”
The man pocketed his phone, smiling lazily.
“I’ll contact you again later. We still have unfinished business.”
Her heart plummeted while he walked away casually with a smile on his face.
She stood frozen by the gate, unable to breathe.
Averie Quinn was tending to the old man and she also received a call from work. Chaos had erupted.
She had to leave and report to the office immediately to meet up with her team. Her mind wasn’t stable as she drove but she arrived safely.
The launch of her season’s ’ exclusive collection had been hyped for days, promoted across every platform, and advertised as the rebirth of the brand’s elegance and authenticity.
But now, it’s a few days to the grand reveal, and the first batch of clothes that arrived came defective. She led the way to the vault where she confirmed the huge game played on her.
Some seams were undone, fabric mismatched. Some pieces had fake designer labels stitched onto them.
“How exactly did this happen?” Averie cried out but no one had the answer. They were only trembling and bumping into each other as they walked.
It surprisingly didn’t take long before reporters caught wind of the fiasco. Social media exploded with criticism.
“Scandal at the Graham’s fashion chain!”
“Averie Quinn,’s G&A ’ boutique accused of selling counterfeits.”
“Did Mr.Graham’s wife ruin his brand image again?”
Averie stood in the middle of the boutique, her heart pounding as her staff rushed around in panic. The flashes of cameras outside the glass windows felt like a thousand knives. It’s as if everything was thoroughly planned for her. There was no escaping.
Averie knew she’d checked every order herself but Someone had tampered with it intentionally.
Her chest tightened with a sickening realization that someone wanted her to fail.