Chapter 115
"Mrs. Sharp, you... you just said..." The driver gripped the steering wheel, palms slick with sweat, voice shaking. "Mr. Sharp and his family are in that car!"
Ashley whipped her head around, eyes bloodshot.
"Idiot! I meant scare them!" Her voice was distorted with rage, laced with viciousness. "If you actually hit them, what happens to my grandsons?! I just want them to know I'm not someone to mess with!"
The driver finally breathed a sigh of relief, his back already drenched in cold sweat.
Not daring to say another word, he just pulled the car over to the side.
Ashley watched Lucas's convoy disappear in the distance, her nails nearly digging into her palms.
Juliana. That woman. She would make sure she paid.
……
Night had fallen over the urban village, stretching David and Chloe's shadows long and thin.
"This is it."
David looked up. The stairwell was dim, the air thick with dampness and mold.
He didn't say anything, just lightly patted Chloe's shoulder, gesturing for her to lead the way.
She pushed open the door. Inside was even more run-down than he'd expected. Peeling wallpaper, barely any furniture—just a beat-up table and two chairs. There wasn't even a bed, just a few thin blankets spread in the corner with some clothes piled on top.
Chloe stood in the doorway, hands twisted together. "I had to... sell a lot of things. Medical bills."
David set down his bag, his voice firm despite everything. "Having a roof over our heads is already pretty good. Is there a spare room? I'll take that."
Chloe looked at the rickety wooden door—her storage closet where she kept junk.
She'd expected him to be disgusted, to leave. She never thought he'd say something like that.
"Okay," she said softly.
……
In a luxury apartment across town, the lights blazed bright.
Logan sat on an oversized couch, tablet in hand, watching a video.
Juliana on Lucas's arm, smiling radiantly. Their affection practically spilling off the screen.
He huffed softly and tapped the screen. The video stopped.
"Well? Satisfied?" a voice said from beside him.
Logan turned his head. A face identical to Juliana's came into view.
Bianca stood next to him. Gone was her usual charm—the pride and confidence she once wore. Now her expression was filled with resentment and bitterness.
"I did what you asked. Gave up my career as a star. This face is exactly what you wanted." Bianca's voice trembled slightly. "Now it's time you kept your promise. The Hale family can't fall!"
Logan pulled her onto his lap. Bianca stiffened but didn't resist.
His fingertips traced her new face—from her brow bone to the bridge of her nose to the corner of her lips—like he was appraising a work of art.
"Of course." His voice was low, carrying a smile that sent chills down the spine. "I always keep my promises. The Hale family will rise again."
He watched hope ignite in Bianca's eyes. His smile deepened.
……
Monday morning at the Sharp Group building.
Ashley sat behind a massive mahogany desk, her fingertip sliding across the laptop touchpad. Her expression grew darker as she read through her emails.
[Mrs. Sharp, regarding your proposed collaboration, we are honored. However, given current market conditions and the strategic adjustments within your company, we have decided to postpone this partnership. The Sharp Group's business focus has shifted under Mr. Sharp's leadership. As long-term partners, we need to stay aligned with the group. We hope you understand.]
That was the first one. Polite wording, but every sentence emphasized Lucas's authority.
She kept scrolling.
[Mrs. Sharp, Lucas has already laid out clear plans for the Sharp Group's future direction. As shareholders, we naturally support the chairman's decisions. We regret we cannot accommodate your proposal. After all, company performance is what matters, and Mr. Sharp's recent decisions have brought considerable returns to the group. We trust his judgment completely.]
The second email was a slap in the face.
The following emails were all similar—every single one rejecting her proposals.
Ashley pressed her knuckles against her temple. She'd thought she could mobilize her network as easily as always, but those old guys who used to follow her every word had all turned to Lucas's side now.
"Bastards!"
A rush of blood surged to her throat. Ashley clutched her chest and started coughing violently.
"Mrs. Sharp!"
The butler's anxious voice came from outside. Hearing the commotion, he pushed the door open and immediately saw Ashley's pale face and the blood on her palm.
"You can't keep getting upset like this. Your health is what matters," the butler said gently, concern in his eyes.
Ashley's hand shook as she took the water glass, but she couldn't drink a drop.
"My health matters?!" She laughed coldly, her voice hoarse and vicious. "That woman has destroyed the Sharp family's reputation! What does my health matter?! I've lived this long and never seen a daughter-in-law turn the Sharp family completely upside down!"
The butler sighed softly. "Mrs. Sharp, Mr. Sharp and his wife are happy together now. The children are well-behaved. Why not let it go? Wouldn't it be nice to enjoy your retirement?"
He genuinely hoped Mrs. Sharp could enjoy her golden years instead of being consumed by endless conflict.
"Retire?!" Ashley's eyes snapped up, bloodshot and filled with deep resentment. "What kind of family is the Sharp family? How can we let some woman of questionable background through our doors?! She schemed to seduce Lucas years ago, and now she's brought two illegitimate brats into our home and wants to be the lady of the Sharp family? Dream on!"
"The fact that I let her stay at all is already generous! It's David—that useless fool couldn't get the job done! Where the hell is he? Still no sign of him?!" She redirected her anger toward David, her voice shrill, nearly breaking. She poured all her rage onto her once most capable adopted son. David's disappearance had cost her her sharpest blade, and the unease was spreading rapidly through her chest.
The butler lowered his head, his voice even quieter. "Mrs. Sharp, we still have no word on Mr. White. Our people are still searching."
He knew David's situation was beyond his capabilities now.