Chapter272
Maureen looked at the agreements. They didn’t seem fake.
Then Geoffrey said to Wayne, “Tell Reenie, how much do I still owe?”
“Owe money?”
Wayne was stunned. Alex’s private stash was worth more than the entire Corporate Giant.
Geoffrey, afraid Wayne didn’t get it, added: “I don’t want Reenie thinking I’m tricking her just to avoid divorce.”
Wayne immediately caught on.
So Maureen was making divorce threats again…
Boss really would stop at nothing
Wayne pulled out his tablet and started calculating: “Alex is only transferring the boss’s shares and assets, not liabilities. If Alex doesn’t take responsibility, those projects the boss ordered- conservatively worth over a hundred billion…”
Wayne showed Maureen the project valuations.
Maureen felt dizzy after seeing everything.
She pressed her lips tight. How many songs would she need to write to repay this?
Why should she repay it anyway?
This wasn’t her debt.
“Reenie, don’t worry. I’ll work hard to plug this hole.”
Work hard?
Maureen thought of his charity–funding assistant job. That’d take lifetimes to repay.
“Either way, fix this fast. Find Heather or Alex.”
Heather wasn’t Noelle. Maureen had seen how well she treated Geoffrey before–she wouldn’t abandon him.
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“Okay.”
:
Geoffrey finally cleared this hurdle and agreed instantly.
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Jacob had been secretly listening to their conversation, not buying that his jerk dad was really broke. He still remembered that long string of numbers from when he hacked into his jerk dad’s secret stash.
Jacob immediately hid in his little room to investigate.
He refused to believe Geoffrey had no money, but strangely enough, that previous account was indeed empty.
“Could jerk dad have not only lost his memory but turned stupid too?”
He couldn’t help worrying for himself and his mom.
First, he feared inheriting his jerk dad’s stupidity if he ever got into a minor car accident.
Second, he worried Mom might get shortchanged.
That evening, while Maureen and the chef planned tomorrow’s New Year’s Day menu, Jacob tracked down Geoffrey.
He demanded a face–to–face talk between two men.
“Uncle Alex, marital debts don’t need repayment if the wife wasn’t aware.”
Geoffrey knew the kid had eavesdropped: “Hmm, you know your law. But do you know how long lawsuits take?”
“And how batshit crazy debt collectors get?”
Jacob frowned–a perfect miniature Geoffrey, though Geoffrey couldn’t see it.
“My mommy won’t play some helpless damsel. And I and Cold… Dad will protect her.”
Cold Dad…
What kind of made–up term was that?
Geoffrey didn’t react, leaning back to open his laptop and reciting a string of English letters.
That was Jacob’s hacker alias.
Jacob instantly stood up.
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“H–how did you know…”
“I also know you secretly transferred 7.9 billion dollars from my account.”
Geoffrey answered casually.
“Your memories returned?”
Jacob seized the opportunity like catching his weakness.
Geoffrey shook his head: “Wayne told me. This doesn’t require recovered memories.”
“What would Reenie do if she learned about your actions?
If I call the police, who’d they arrest?”
Jacob never expected his jerk dad would threaten a child.
He clenched his little fists: “Nobody believes a kid could steal an entrepreneur’s money.”
“True. They’d go after the guardian. Wonder if your dad would take the fall for you.”
Geoffrey’s lips curled into a smirk.
Watching his expression, Jacob itched to punch him.
Yet strangely enough, he asked: “If your son messed up, would you serve time for him?”
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Geoffrey paused before replying: “Depends on the crime. For something like yours, I wouldn’t let him go to prison.”
Why bother with jail when he could just throw money at the problem?
Jacob misinterpreted this as his father offering to serve the sentence instead.
An unfamiliar warmth flickered in the boy’s chest.
Maureen’s voice called them to dinner, cutting short their conversation as they left the room.
Maureen watched the two emerge peacefully, Jacob resembling Geoffrey’s miniature replica.
She recalled how Jacob–who never slept with others–had willingly shared Geoffrey’s bed last time. Her resolve wavered. Should she tell Geoffrey the truth?
They were flesh and blood. Jacob must crave having a father, even if he hid it to protect her.
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After dinner,
Betty’s call came: “BOSS, check the livestream! Noelle’s dancing now.”
Maureen rushed to her computer. There she was-
Noelle’s dance costume strained against her sagging waistline, betraying her age.
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Where crowds once cheered her youthful performances, only leering old men now filled the chat. Occasionally, some young people still accused her of flirtatious behavior, undignified for her age.
Maureen watched all this, feeling years of resentment and grievance hadn’t eased much.
Because Noelle did these things for her other daughter, who still had a mother…
“How pitiful. Once a renowned dancer, now livestreaming her dances to empty rooms. She’s pushing hard for her daughter,”
Betty remarked, then asked Maureen, “BOSS, did she ever offend you?”