Chapter 186
Chapter 186
The whole room fell silent. No one dared to make a sound.
Ethan looked anxious. He quickly stepped forward, grabbed Evelyn’s arm, and whispered, “Evelyn, stop making a scene. We’re family. There’s no need to make things this ugly.”
Evelyn turned to him and gave a faint smile, full of confidence. “Dad, you don’t need to talk me out of this.”
“I admit I don’t have Isabelle’s terrifying connections or power right now.”
“But!”
“Jeremy’s promised forty-billion-dollar project is still mine!”
“Even if he’s ignoring me for now, the profits from that contract are enough for me to build real power and hold up the entire Spencer family!”
Her cold gaze swept over every relative in the room. Her voice suddenly rose as she declared, “Today, anyone who wants to stay in this family better behave!”
“If anyone dares to side with Frank or go against me, get out right now!”
“You all watched Frank kick Isabelle out. Some of you even kicked her while she was down. Do you really think Isabelle, with her status now, would ever take you in?”
That one sentence woke everyone up.
The relatives’ faces changed instantly as they weighed their options.
They were right.
They had all stood by and watched Isabelle get driven out—some even helped push her out the door.
Now that Isabelle was at the top, how could she possibly forgive them?
If they left the Spencer family, they’d have nowhere to go and nothing left.
After a quick mental calculation, everyone flipped sides at once, rushing to flatter Evelyn.
“We support Evelyn! We’ll do whatever you say!”
“Frank really lost it. He shouldn’t have stirred things up!”
“We’re staying with the family. We’ll follow Evelyn no matter what!”
Every single person chose Evelyn.
Frank watched his relatives turn on him in an instant. His heart went cold, and despair filled his face.
Evelyn’s eyes stayed icy. She showed no mercy and gave the order, “Someone throw Frank out! From today on, he’s banned from Spencer Villa for good.”
Several family bodyguards stepped forward and grabbed the broken Frank.
He had no strength left. His old body swayed as they dragged him out of the family he had built his whole life.
Outside, the night wind was cold and the lights felt distant.
Frank stood alone on the street, staring at the brightly lit villa still buzzing with life. Regret and despair flooded his chest.
He had spoiled Evelyn for years, loved her the most, and even exiled the most talented Isabelle just to put Evelyn in charge.
In the end, the daughter he raised with his own hands threw him out like trash.
The Isabelle he drove away was now powerful and respected by everyone.
And he was left with nothing—no home, no family.
Tears streamed down Frank’s face. He clenched his fists, bitter regret choking him.
---
Meanwhile, Kane had just gotten home when he received a call from Bayonet.
Bayonet’s tone was respectful. “Mr. Lockwood, we’ve got new leads on Howard. We’ve tracked his movements and wanted to report it right away.”
Kane’s expression darkened slightly. “Got it. I’m coming out now.”
He hung up, turned around, and walked straight out of the villa toward a quiet park nearby.
The night had grown darker. The park was nearly empty, the evening breeze cool, and the trees made the place feel especially secluded.
Kane walked over to the viewing bench in the center and stood there, tall and calm.
A moment later, two figures approached and bowed. “Mr. Lockwood!”
It was his two most trusted men—Bayonet and Thorin.
Both wore black tactical gear, their faces serious, carrying the sharp aura of men who had seen real combat.
Bayonet spoke first, voice low. “Mr. Lockwood, following your orders, we’ve been tracking Howard nonstop and finally found a solid lead.”
Thorin added, “Howard seems to know we’re after him. He’s gone completely dark and dodged all our usual search areas.”
Kane stood with his hands behind his back, staring into the night. His tone was calm but carried undeniable pressure. “After all this time, the only thing you found is that he’s hiding?”
Bayonet quickly said, “Please forgive us, Mr. Lockwood!”
“This guy’s counter-surveillance skills are insane. He cut off every lead like he vanished into thin air. Right now we can only confirm he’s still in Dreamhaven. Our people are searching everywhere for his exact location.”
Thorin added, “He’s lying low, probably preparing something. We don’t want to spook him, so we’re moving carefully.”
Kane gave a small nod, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. “Since he likes hiding, let him hide a little longer. No need to rush. But don’t lose the trail.”
He looked at the two men and gave clear orders. “Keep using every resource and every contact. Find him as fast as possible.”
“Even if you have to tear the city apart, lock down his exact location in the shortest time. Once you find it, report to me immediately.”
Bayonet and Thorin bowed together, voices firm. “Yes, sir! We’ll give it everything we’ve got and find Howard’s whereabouts without delay!”
---
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.
Isabelle’s massive thirty-billion-dollar project had already launched successfully.
Everything was running smoothly and profits kept climbing.
With the city government’s support and the resources of the three major families, she quickly landed several more high-value projects worth hundreds of millions each.
The total value of her projects had now broken ten billion dollars. She had firmly secured her place as Harborview City’s rising star entrepreneur, and her reputation was at its peak.
Life at home had become peaceful and comfortable too.
To celebrate Isabelle’s success, Kane threw a party at the house and invited many important guests.
The room was warm and bright, decorated with fresh flowers.
Delicate desserts, drinks, and food covered the long table. The atmosphere was lively.
Winnie had changed into a snow-white lace princess dress today. The skirt was fluffy and pretty, and she wore a small crystal headband. She looked like a little doll.
She ran around the living room excitedly, sometimes checking out the desserts, sometimes circling the guests. Her clear laughter filled the entire house—lively and adorable.
Marilyn watched her with a big smile. “Winnie looks so beautiful today, like a little angel!”
Jason nodded fondly. “She’s so well-behaved and sensible for her age. Really lovable.”
Kane sat nearby, his eyes gentle.
When Winnie got tired and ran over to act spoiled, he casually picked up a donut from the plate and fed it to her.
“Eat slowly. Don’t choke. There’s plenty more.”
Winnie puffed out her cheeks, nodded while chewing, and looked completely happy.
The party atmosphere stayed relaxed and warm—until suddenly!
A heavy knock sounded at the door.
“Someone’s knocking,” Isabelle said, slightly surprised. “At this hour? I didn’t think we were expecting more guests.”
Kane set down his dessert and stood up with a faint smile. “Let’s go check together.”
The two of them walked side by side to the front door and opened it.