Ch. 601..610
Chapter 601 Emotional Baggage
Timothy uttered coldly. “Say it.”
“Mr. Yerck and Mr. Nigel are indeed father and son Jasper continued, “I’ve asked someone to investigate Mr. Yerek’s identity, and he’s confirmed to be Mr. Nigel’s illegitimate child. Mr. Nigel was wary of Mrs. Gibson’s influential natal family, so he did not recognize Mr. Yerek as a member of his household. However, Mr. Nigel didn’t want his only son to be homeless, so he tricked you into adopting Mr. Yerek.”
Surely, a more complex and insidious scheme is involved behind the scenes. It seems like I’ve underestimated my brother. There was no need for Jasper to state it explicitly. Timothy could connect the dots and was quite confident in his guess.
Although Nigel was the one who managed Gibson Corporation, it still belonged to Timothy. If the latter could not locate his biological daughter. Yerck, the adopted son, would become the next-in-line to inherit.
That way, after retiring from Gibson Corporation, Nigel could still stay in power and run the company through Yerek
Consequently, the entire Gibson family would be in Nigel’s control. He could effortlessly enjoy the fruits of Timothy and his wife’s hard work. On the contrary, Timothy would continue to be seen as a useless piece of trash whom others criticize and despise.
Bang!
Timothy angrily swept a desk lamp off the table. The loud crashing noise made Jasper, who was on the other side of the line, fall into a brief moment of silence.
Jasper asked worriedly, “Mr. Gibson, are you okay?”
Timothy asked, “Who else knows about this matter besitles you and me?”
“Mr. Yerek and Mrs. Lazuli had known this secret a long time ago.”
Timothy took a deep breath upon hearing that. A determined look flashed across his reddened eyes, and he said, “Jasper, help me look into one more thing…”
After leaving Jasper with some instructions, Timothy hung up the phone. He sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, uncapped a bottle of whiskey, and downed almost half of it while looking at the dazzling city lights.
At that moment, he recalled what Christina told him.
Had I been calm and sober back then, I would have understood the meaning of Christina’s words. Yerek is Nigel’s biological son! Those people bogged me down with emotional shackles and played me like a fool just because I’m handicapped!
Timothy took a large swig of whiskey as he recalled all the outrageous things he had done to Christina together with his family, and it made him want to slap himself hard on the face.
Christina doesn’t recognize me as her father, and this is the retribution for my actions. It’s karma!
“I’m sorry, Veronica. I’m sorry for doing those things to our daughter.” Timothy covered his eyes sobbed in pain.
That night. Azure could not sleep at all. After calling all her close friends, she managed to collect only a few million.
The deadline set by the kidnappers was fast approaching. Left with no choice, Azure resorted to seeking Timothy’s help. She knocked on his room door, wanting to apologize and persuade him to sell the property and raise the much-needed funds.
She stood outside his room and rang the bell for quite a while, but Timothy did not answer the door.
Then, she tried calling his phone, but no one picked up.
Right then, the hotel housekeeping staff came over with a cleaning cart. “Madam, the guest in this room has checked out early in the morning.”
Azure was shocked. “He has left? When did he check out?”
The cleaner replied. “Around three in the morning.”
Azure was extremely displeased with how Timothy acted on his own accord. How dare he leave me behind without saying a word? Does he even respect me as his mother?
Fuming, Azure went back to her room and decided to leave Timothy a voice message. “Timothy, it wasn’t very nice of you to leave without telling me first. I know I said something awful to you last night, but that’s the truth, and the truth hurts. I can’t do anything even if you don’t like to hear it. You’re my son, and I’m your mother. Nigel is now suffering in jail, and the Gibson family has a long list of messes waiting to be dealt with. How long are you going to stay mad at me? You’re an adult and should know your priorities. well. Do come back and see me once you’re done wandering about.”
Azure received Yerek’s call as soon as she hung up. Immediately, her attitude changed faster than she could blink.
“How did it go, Yerek? Did you manage to collect some money?”
“Yes, I did. I’m going to transfer them to you now.”
“Sure, this is great! As expected, I can always count on you. Anya is finally saved.”
“Hurry up and pay the ransom, Grandma. When Anya comes home in one piece, we’ll gather as a family and have a reunion meal.”
Yerek’s words struck a chord in Azure’s heart.
He added, “I’ve already made use of my connections to deal with things. Uncle Nigel will be released in two days’ time.”
She was over the moon, shedding tears of joy. “That’s wonderful! Nigel didn’t love you for nothing.”
“I’m going to hang up now, for I need to go meet a client. Call me if you need anything. Gibson Corporation needs more investments, so I’m afraid I can’t stay by your side all the time. I’m really sorry about that.”
“It’s all right. I can manage. You go ahead and focus on your work.”
Azure cared more about Yerek than she did Timothy, viewing Yerek as her savior. After ending the call, she sent a text message to the kidnappers.
Upon receiving the money transferred by Azure, the kidnappers promised to release Anya. However, they did not specify the exact time. Hence, Azure could only continue to wait anxiously.
Obviously, Anya would not return to see her family right away. After paying two of her subordinates, she carried on and made an appointment with the manager requested by Emilia. Anya then signed a contract with the manager on Emilia’s behalf and paid the person a year’s worth of remuneration.
Subsequently, she brought the contract to Emilia. In return, she demanded the latter to delete all the video recordings. She then transferred the remaining sum to Emilia for her to buy herself a property and a car.
Emilia was a decisive and straightforward person. She did as Anya said and deleted all the video evidence in front of her before chasing the latter away.
Anya pawed at the door and asked dubiously, “You didn’t save a copy of the evidence, did you?”
Emilia arched her brow and snapped. “Of course not!”
“Hmph! You’d better keep your word. If I were to find out about a backup copy, that will be the end of I can make you famous, and it goes unsaid that I can ruin you too,” warned Anya before leaving.
Emilia did not keep any duplicates, but she sold those videos to an experienced reporter, Big V, at an exorbitant price. Whether the other party would reveal Anya’s scandal in the future was no longer something Emilia could control.
Last night, Christina and Nathaniel stayed the night at the Hadley residence. After breakfast, Nathaniel left for work, whereas Christina drove her two kids to the kindergarten. She then went back to Scenic Garden Manor alone to collect some soup for Sharon and Bailey who were hospitalized.
Soon, the car arrived at Scenic Garden Manor. Raymond greeted Christina as soon as she got out of the car. “Mrs. Hadley, there’s a guest here, and he wants to meet you in person.”
Christina frowned. She was sensitive about receiving visitors. “Who is it?”
Raymond answered, “The guest said he’s your father’s personal butler from Hallsbay with the name. Jasper.”
What did Timothy’s butler come to see me for?
“I’ll go inside and take a look.”
Chapter 602 Bury The Hatchet
When Christina entered the living room, she saw a man in formal attire sitting on the couch. There was also a stack of documents placed on the coffee table in front of the man.
Hearing the commotion, the man lifted his head to turn toward Christina. After that, he rose to his feet and bowed respectfully. “Ms. Steele, I’m Jasper Miller. I believe we’ve met a couple of times prior to this. I’m here because Mr. Gibson asked me to bring something to you.”
Christina walked up to him and sat across from him. “Have a seat. However, you ought to make it fast. because I’m heading out in a bit.”
Jasper nodded and pushed the documents toward Christina. “These are property transfer agreements. Mr. Gibson had already transferred all his assets to you. All you need to do now is sign the agreements.”
Christina glanced at the documents nonchalantly and remained unfazed. “I returned him everything, didn’t I? I don’t want his assets.”
“After serious consideration, Mr. Gibson decided to accept your proposal. The Gibson family will split up. Mr. Gibson thought it was only right for him to let you inherit his assets because you’re his only child. Mr. Gibson wants you to accept this,” Jasper uttered.
Christina picked up the stack of documents and flipped through them. These are Gibson Corporation’s shares, properties, cars, and whatnot. There are hundreds of million worth of assets here. If I accept this, I’ll be a wealthy woman right away. However, if I accept the money, it’ll mean I’m returning to the Gibson family, and I’ll have to get involved in the intense fight for assets with the rest of the members of the Gibson family.
With that in mind, Christina lifted her head to glance at Jasper. “Why didn’t he visit me personally?”
“Mr. Gibson has returned to Hallsbay to deal with the matter regarding the breaking up of the Gibson family. While he’s at it, he’ll be relocating his late wife’s grave. The day after tomorrow is an auspicious day to visit the grave.” Jasper gazed at her intently.
Christina knew what Jasper meant and smiled. “As expected of my dad’s trusted aide. You know exactly what’s on his mind, don’t you?” she praised.
Jasper flashed a faint smile in response. “You flatter me, Ms. Steele. It’s my job to relieve Mr. Gibson of his troubles.”
Christina picked up a pen and signed the agreements before passing them back to Jasper. “Now, you can report back to Mr. Gibson.”
Jasper took the document from her and stood up. “I’ll see you in Hallsbay, Ms. Steele.”
With that, he turned around and left without waiting for Christina’s reply about whether she would be going to Hallsbay the day after tomorrow.
Christina then raised her brow and turned toward the butler. “Please help me book a flight ticket to - Hallsbay. I’ll go there the day after tomorrow.”
“Understood.” The butler lowered his eyes.
After fetching the soup, Christina went to the hospital. However, Bailey was no longer in her ward.
“Bailey was discharged last night, and here’s a letter she told me to pass to you.” Sharon whipped out a letter from the drawer and gave it to Christina, “I think she’s recovering pretty well. Considering the ardships the head gene through, perhaps it’s a good idea for her to spend some time abroad.”
Christna poured tem od soap for Sharon and said. “Mom, please drink it while it’s hot.”
With the letter in bereana, G, Christina made her way toward the window and read it. The letter consisted (only a few hnes of wind I. Boyley told Christina not to worry about her and that she would return after learing her head. The fetorrer men till Christina to help her feed her fish at the end of the letter bristma then chaledi ba dev’t ex monter, but the call failed to go through. Bailey must’ve written me this letter texted det anny to on en ne her erkenalkutt, erbeinally Julian,
Vith that in mind, Gramme nove in the jet er o to preces and dumped them in the bin. Afterward, she
hed Sharon i bed and proiect sit as at de nor the giler wOITLED.
What did Badley serise in the lervert
hing. She merely told on:
casked cuntoupil
ich ber bour and feed her fish for her.” Christina replied.
daron didn’t question further Aler ani ke bheid eri the với p
ircled for her
went on to
the apple Christina had
for so many days mast cost a fortune. Į
+ hund earned rosters
Don’t worry about that Mom tar piraproj në mes
Although Nathaniels facraly in rich, weather fartallics et ei tuunerenus Dou love to be dependem is that you can muke de kémia hur qeraracet
Moan Nathaniel and hos parmo treat me very wet. 1) je demanderstandings is betweess us are all in KHAD SO TO ODC’s bullying me anymore. Chracına sand
The Listson timaly is splitting up, and I’ve accepted Duck offer is take Eins im materialista and a hypocritical person” Chrache asked
Sharon caressed Christina’s back and smiled gleefully. “You silly girl, there’s no need to thank me. I didn’t do anything to help you.”
Christina wanted to say something else, but someone suddenly pushed the door to the ward open.
Standing at the door with a thermos in his hand, Gideon stared blankly at the people in the ward. He was caught off guard, so he stammered, “I-L… Did I disturb you guys? I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were here, Christina. I’ll leave.”
Gideon still felt awkward around Christina because he knew Christina was only treating him nicely for Sharon’s sake.
Sharon wanted to ask Gideon to stay, but seeing that Christina was there, she observed the young woman’s expression cautiously and stayed quiet.
Christina noticed the looks on their faces. Hence, she picked up her bag from the couch and said to Gideon. “I’ll be busy over the next few days, so I won’t be able to visit Mom. If you’re free, do come over to keep her company.”
Gideon beamed and answered hurriedly. “Oh! Don’t worry. I’ll look after her. Back then-”
“Everything is in the past now, so I don’t want to talk about it. However, don’t make the same mistake again,” Christina cut him off.
“I know! I understand!” Gideon responded. I
Christina said goodbye to Sharon and left the hospital.
After that, she told her driver to drive her to Bailey’s mansion.
Christina was stunned the moment she opened the car door and saw the chaotic scene before her eyes. What on earth happened here?
Chapter 603 Gone Too Far
The initially grand-looking mansion seemed to have been ruined by a bunch of debt collectors. The glass windows and walls had red paint all over, and obscene words were sprayed on them.
Some glass windows on the second floor were also broken, and the courtyard was filled with rubbish.
As soon as Christina opened the main door with her fingerprint, a few men shoved her aside and rushed out of the mansion.
As a result, Christina had to hold on to the door handle to balance herself.
Right after those men made their way out of the mansion, they were pinned to the ground by a few men dressed as bodyguards. Meanwhile, the driver quickly ran toward Christina and asked concernedly, “Are you all right, Mrs. Hadley?”
Christina nodded. “I’m fine. Who are those men?”
She meant the bodyguards, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
The driver wiped the beads of sweat off of his forehead and answered, “Those are the men Mr. Hadley sent to protect you in secret.”
Christina furrowed her brows, but she didn’t seem vexed by Nathaniel’s decision. “Tie those intruders up and bring them into the house. I need to question them.”
With that, she entered the mansion. Although the place was ransacked, it appeared cleaner than the outside.
Christina then walked around the house and noticed that a lot of valuable items in the closet were stolen./ and the surveillance cameras were destroyed. Bailey has to see this in order to confirm the amount of damages caused.
When Christina was making her way back down the stairs, the bodyguards had already brought the intruders back into the mansion.
The intruders were a few unruly and insolent teenagers. Though they were caught red-handed, they didn’t show any fear or remorse and started cursing at Christina.
Hearing that, the bodyguards immediately slapped them across their faces to shut them up.
Christina sat down in front of them and asked coldly, “Did you guys do this?”
A teenager with a buzz cut answered, “No. We were merely here to make some quick money. We thought we could sneak in and steal some valuable items when we saw the windows were broken. Unfortunately for us, you showed up before we could leave.”
“You better tell me the truth!” Christina demanded in a deep voice.
The five of them quickly answered at once, “We’ve been nothing but honest! This is our first time stealing. Could you let us go? We’ll return everything.”
Right then, the driver ran in, followed by a security guard working for the management office.
“Mrs. Hadley, I’ve gone through the surveillance footage. These thieves weren’t the ones who vandalized
“Take them to the police,” Christina waved her hand in annoyance and instructed the bodyguards to take the teenagers away.
After that, she looked at the security guard and sneered, “What was the management staff doing? Didn’t you guys know the mansion was vandalized?”
The security guard answered sheepishly. “We didn’t receive any complaints, but we called the owner as soon as we found out about it. However, we couldn’t get in touch with her, and we didn’t know who to look for.”
Christina couldn’t be bothered to question the security guard further. “Where’s the surveillance footage? Let me have a look.”
The driver handed her his phone.
The surveillance footage showed a car parked in front of the mansion the night before. A few men were then seen coming out of the car and vandalizing the mansion. Half an hour later, a white luxury car was seen driving past the mansion.
Christina paused the footage and zoomed in to see who was sitting in the white luxury car. That’s Zeila! I can’t believe she resorted to pulling these lowly tricks despite coming from an affluent family! The Cook family had already made compromises, but Zeila still refuses to let them go! She’s gone too far! Fortunately, Bailey is already abroad. If she were to see what had happened to her mansion, she would go berserk.
“Send me the surveillance footage and get some people to clean and fix the mansion. Make sure to keep this under wraps,” Christina ordered in a deep voice.
The driver and the security guard grunted in acknowledgment at once.
Christina went back into her car and sent the footage to Julian. She also texted him: Your associates made a mess. You’re responsible for wrapping things up.
Julian replied fairly quickly, showing his concern: I’ll take care of it. Is Bailey okay?
In response, Christina replied indifferently: She doesn’t need you to worry about her.
Julian was wise enough to not pester Christina after that.
Christina thought the matter was settled, but to her surprise, the management office of the mansion called her in the afternoon. The management told her that someone was trying to burn Bailey’s mansion to the ground.
Panicking, Christina rushed to Bailey’s house immediately.
At that moment, the mansion was surrounded by onlookers, and the security guards from the management office and the troublemakers were in a stalemate. Meanwhile, clouds of smoke were seen above the mansion, filling the air with the smell of something burning.
Through the car window, Christina saw Zeila in a white luxury car parked opposite the road.
“Come with me,” Christina said to the bodyguard in the passenger seat. With that, she opened the car door and strode toward the white luxury car.
Zeila saw Christina and sized her up, saying provocatively, “Where’s Gabrielle? Where’s that b*tch? Why is she hiding when she’s the one who caused this mess? Did she ask you to clean up after her?”
With a gloomy expression, Christina glared at her and ordered the bodyguard, “Come here and drag her out of the car!”
Before Zeila could figure out what was going on, the bodyguard opened her car door and grabbed her arm before dragging her out of the car violently.
Evidently, the bodyguard followed Christina’s instruction to the tee and didn’t bother handling Zeila gently.
Zeila had been pampered since she was little. The only time she had been humiliated before was when her fiancé cheated on her.
Besides, that was also the first time she had been manhandled in public.
She wanted to dash toward Christina to beat the latter up as soon as she steadied herself, but the bodyguard stopped her.
“You’re Christina, aren’t you? You’re Nathaniel’s wife. I’ll remember you!” Zeila was livid. “This has nothing to do with you, but you just got yourself involved. You’ll regret messing with me. I won’t let you and Gabrielle off easily!”
In response, Christina glared at Zeila viciously. “You sent people here to destroy my friend’s house. Now, you’re trying to burn it to the ground! If I call the police now, who do you think will look bad?”
Zeila wasn’t intimidated at all. “That b*tch, Gabrielle, seduced my fiancé. I’m merely returning the favor by burning her house down. She’s lucky I didn’t send someone to ruin her face and take her life,” she sneered. D
After that, Zeila continued with a murderous look in her eyes, “You were the one who complained about this to Julian, weren’t you? Don’t you know how close the Forresters and Langfords are? Did you think my fiancé would side with an outsider? Men are like that. They tend to get sick of their wives and enjoy having some fun with other women for a breath of fresh air. As long as those women don’t provoke me, I don’t mind it one bit. However, Gabrielle crossed the line when she tried to take my place! She’s not worthy! If I don’t teach her a lesson, she’ll never know how worthless she is! You’re just like Gabrielle. Do you think everyone would forget about your nasty history just because you married into a wealthy family?”
Chapter 604 Not The First Time
Despite admitting that she was not a saint, Christina had no intention of resorting to such vile tactics against others.
Unfazed by Zeila’s provocation, Christina glared at her and responded with a smirk, “If your intention is to employ such extreme and despicable tactics to compel Gabrielle to reveal herself, spare your efforts. She’s not interested in being part of a love triangle, she, too, is a victim. If you feel uncomfortable, go seek out Julian and vent your frustrations to him. Zeila, don’t attempt to test my patience or Gabrielle’s. The Langford family may hold influence, but it won’t always serve as a refuge for you after the turmoil you’ve caused.”
It was Nathaniel who gave Christina the courage to confront Zeila.
As the dignified wife of the prestigious Hadley family, she carried the reputation of the entire family on her shoulders. Now that she carried the title of Mrs. Hadley, she was resolved to no longer allow herself to be pushed over by others. D
Zeila glared at Christina with intense frustration, her face contorted in anger. “What are you insinuating? Are you declaring war against me?”
“If that’s how you choose to interpret it, so be it,” Christina responded calmly, her demeanor icy. “But let me remind you, the damages caused to Gabrielle’s property as a result of the vandalism orchestrated by your people will require compensation. My lawyer will be in touch.” D
Zeila gritted her teeth, and her anger was evident as she observed Christina’s dismissive demeanor.
Christina’s eyes gleamed with a hint of danger, and a cunning smile played on her lips. “Ms. Langford, I’m certain you wouldn’t want all the embarrassing things you’ve done to become front-page news for the entire world to witness, would you?”
Zeila’s eyes flickered with panic, her face turning pale as she clenched her teeth and uttered, “Christina, you’re truly despicable and shameless!”
Christina responded with a cold smile, “It takes one to know one. I don’t like to waste time, so I hope to receive favorable news from you tonight, Ms. Langford.”
Just as Christina was about to leave, a silver sports car pulled up in front of her. The doors on both the driver’s and passenger’s sides swung open simultaneously, revealing Julian and Anthea standing before everyone.
“Zeila, are you all right?” Anthea hurriedly approached Zeila and whispered, “I received your distress message and came to find you right away.”
Zeila caught the probing gaze from Julian and looked away, a mix of resentment and frustration evident in her expression. “Couldn’t you come alone? Why did you have to bring Julian along?”
Feeling aggrieved, Anthea replied, “I thought Gabrielle would be here. I just want her to see who Mr. Forrester truly cares about.”
Since Anthea disliked Christina, the former contemplated the idea of letting Zeila deal with Gabrielle to teach Christina a lesson indirectly.
Unaware of the complex history between Anthea and Christina, Zeila naively believed that Anthea had a genuine concern for her well-being. That provided her with a semblance of relief, but deep down, her heart still harbored doubts and uncertainty.
With Anthea’s support, Zeila approached Julian weakly, tears welling in her eyes. “Julian, my hand hurts”
Christina raised her brows and stopped in her tracks to watch Zeila put on an act
She wanted to see how Zeila would complain about her in front of Julian
Julian’s face remained cold and devoid of any emotion, treating the woman before him as if she were a mere stranger seeking help, rather than his own fiancee. “If you’re not feeling well, have Anthea accompany you to the hospital for a check-up. I have some urgent matters to attend to.”
Christina burst into haughty laughter, completely disregarding Zeila’s feelings.
That mocking laughter felt like a slap across Zeila’s face, leaving her stunned and hurt.
Anthea, who was even more hot-tempered than Zeila, glared at Christina and exclaimed, “Christina, why are you laughing?”
In an innocent voice, Christina replied, “I laughed because I found something amusing. Do I need your permission, Ms. Campbell?” (D)
Anthea’s face flushed with anger. “You’re just as shameless as that vixen, Gabrielle!”
Julian’s expression grew grim, and he bellowed, “Anthea, enough!”
Taken aback by his sudden outburst, Anthea stumbled backward and sought refuge behind Zeila, trembling with fear.
Zeila’s face contorted with displeasure, but she restrained herself from causing a scene in public. She could not risk tarnishing the image of elegance and virtue she had carefully built in his presence.
Zeila came to Anthea’s defense, pretending to be kind. “Julian, Anthea was simply speaking her mind. She didn’t mean any harm.”
Christina could not help but admire Zeila’s ability to brazenly tell lies. These two cousins are truly cut from the same cloth.
Seizing the opportunity to cause further turmoil, Christina interjected, “Mr. Forrester, you see, this isn’t the first time your fiancée made a mistake. Now that you’re here, you should take a careful look at the trouble your fiancée has brought upon my friend.”
Julian turned his head to glance at the smoke-filled villa, his eyes filled with anger. “I apologize for my negligence in not fully resolving the issue. I’ll compensate for all the losses incurred.”
Christina scoffed, “Every crime has its perpetrator, and every debt has its debtor. You’re not the one responsible for causing trouble, but of course, if you want to take up the rightful responsibility on behalf of Ms. Langford, that’s your prerogative. However, whether or not you’re allowed to do so is not for me alone to decide. We’ll have to ask the owner of this villa
Julian was surprisingly conciliatory and responded, “You’re right, Mrs. Hadley. I’ll listen to her.”
Anthea impulsively interjected, “Julian, Gabrielle was the one at fault in the first place. Why don’t you hear Zeila’s side of the story first?”
The way she questioned Julian sounded like she was reprimanding him. Zeila desperately wished she could silence Anthea, but unfortunately, Anthea remained oblivious, believing she was defending Zeila’s interests.
“If every mistress could be absolved of their misdeeds, how is it fair to the wife?” Anthea exclaimed. “How will this reflect on the Langford family? How will you compensate for the suffering Zeila has endured?”
Zeila shifted her gaze to Julian.
Julian’s deep voice resonated as he made a decisive statement. “I’ll arrange a meeting with the Langford family elders to call off the wedding and discuss with them the necessary compensation for the damages incurred.”
The expressions on Anthea’s and Zeila’s changed drastically.
Zeila’s emotions overcame her, and she shook her head vigorously while sobbing. “Julian, you can’t be so cruel to me. I don’t want the wedding to be called off!”
Julian remained unfazed. “This is inevitable, but I assure you, the cancellation of the wedding will not have any detrimental impact on you or the Langford family.”
Zeila stretched out her hand to grab Julian, but the latter deftly evaded her, leaving her hand suspended awkwardly in mid-air.
“I’m prepared to face the consequences of my actions. I can even apologize to Gabrielle and will not hold your past with her against you. Julian, we can’t call off the wedding.”
Anthea was acutely aware of the trouble her words had caused Zeila. She stood anxiously in place, watching Zeila plead with Julian humbly.
Meanwhile, Christina remained disinterested in their drama. Her sole focus was on resolving the problem swiftly so that she could return home and get some sleep. “Mr. Forrester, Bailey entrusted me with the task of taking care of the house. Once you have a viable solution to address this issue, please contact me immediately.”
After saying that, Christina left with her bodyguards.
Upon returning to Scenic Garden Manor, she went straight to the bedroom to sleep, not at all worried that Julian would pull a fast one on her.
If he were not utterly callous, there might be room for him to salvage his relationship with Bailey after he had succeeded in calling off his engagement with Zeila:
Besides, her observation of him revealed that he was seemingly not a womanizer. He had no feelings toward Zeila, and the only thing that could shackle him was the Forrester family.
Just when she woke up from her nap, she happened to receive a call from Julian himself.
“Mrs. Hadley, the Langford family will compensate Bailey tenfold for the loss of her property in apology.” A brief pause ensued before Julian ventured, “I can’t get in touch with Bailey. Can you please tell me where she went?”
Lying on the soft bed on her back, Christina stared at the ivory-white ceiling and chuckled. “She has gone on a vacation to clear her mind. Mr. Forrester, the best apology to her would be dealing with the troubles Zeila kicked up fairly and strictly. She’ll never see you again, so neither do you need to go and bother her anymore.”
At that, the other end of the phone plunged into an awkward silence.
Christina broke the silence, murmuring, “If there’s nothing else, Mr. Forrester, I’ll be hanging up first.. Please inform me when the renovation of the mansion is completed. I’ll go and check things over.”
Out of the blue, Julian implored, “Bailey blocked all my contacts. Can you please give me the number she’s currently using? I won’t bother her. I merely want to apologize to her personally.”
“Sorry, but I can’t get in touch with her either. You’re on your own, Mr. Forrester,” Christina enunciated.
When she hung up the phone, worry about Bailey’s present state niggled at her. She promptly tried callin the latter, but still, she could not get through to her.
At that exact moment, Nathaniel pushed open the door and stepped in. Glimpsing the fretful look on her face, he frowned. “You’ve run into trouble?”
Tossing his suit jacket aside, he loosened his tie and plopped down on the edge of the bed in a swift motion.
Christina threw herself in his arms. She buried her nose in his neck and took a sniff. “Did you drink alcohol?”
“Yeah. There was a socializing event this afternoon. It was a cocktail party organized by Winston.” Then, Nathaniel continued, “You still haven’t answered my question.”
Ever since Christina got pregnant, her sense of smell became exceedingly sensitive. Averse to the stench on him, she pulled away from him.
“It’s not anything major.” She briefly told the man about the matter that had transpired between Zeila and Julian that day before urging. “Go and shower first. You reek too strongly of cigarette smoke and alcohol
Resisting his impulse to kiss her out of habit, Nathaniel stood up and headed to the bathroom.
Chapter 605 A Backup Plan
Meanwhile, Christina left a message for Bailey. Subsequently, she started replying to the text from the studio.
Rayne’s excitement was palpable, and her message read: We’ve received Anthea’s penalty for the breach of contract, and the studio now has an extra half a year’s profit. When are you planning to make time to come over to the studio so show your face? We all miss you, and the newly-recruited employees would also like to meet their employer.
Christina stroked her baby bump, her fingers flying across the keypad as she replied: I’m making a trip to Hallsbay tomorrow. We’ll make plans when I come back. You guys would have to bear the brunt of the work again these days. As for the penalty, use it to give bonuses to the employees. You make the call about the specific amount.
Rayne texted back: If they were to learn about this, they’d likely jump for joy. Just focus on dealing with your personal matters. I’ll keep an eye on things at the studio on your behalf. That aside, they can all work independently. Everything will be fine with the studio.
Christina: Thank you.
No sooner had she sent that message than a warm body plastered against her back and hugged her from behind.
Noting the ID on the phone, Nathaniel asked, “Did something happen to the studio?”
“No. Rayne was merely reporting the studio’s current situation to me regularly. Did you find new leads regarding Winston when you attended the cocktail party this afternoon?” Christina queried.
“These few days Nigel has been in jail gave him room to breathe. He has already secretly investigated Nigel and obtained some dirt and incriminating evidence on the man. Perhaps he wants to use that to
threaten Nigel into giving up the idea of selling off Raveworks Enterprise. But he has a backup plan. Once Nigel stubbornly refuses to budge, he’ll cash out all the shares and stocks in his possession before injecting the money into his newly established company.”
Realization dawned upon Christina that there was an irreconcilable conflict between Winston and Nigel. Thus, if someone with ulterior motives were to pit them against each other, they would rip off all pretens of civility.
“When will Nigel be released by the police?” Christina asked further.
“That’ll depend on how long your father wants him to stay in jail,” Nathaniel answered meaningfully.
Christina was startled for a moment. “You mean, my father is already aware of the heinous deeds Nigel committed clandestinely?”
“He has started arranging for his trusted aide to investigate the accident five years ago. On top of that, he secretly had someone draw a paternity test between Yerck and Nigel. Hence, I reckon he must have learned part of the truth,” Nathaniel elaborated.
He knew all about Timothy sending someone over to seek Christina out to have her sign an asset transfe agreement.
“I heard from Raymond that you’re going to Hallsbay tomorrow?” He proceeded to change the subject t his matter of concern surreptitiously.
“My mother’s grave is going to be relocated. As such, I want to go visit her.” Getting out of bed, Christina took a dry towel from the bathroom and toweled the man’s hair while standing behind him. She then added, “Starting tomorrow, the Gibson family’s state of affairs is going to change beyond recognition. 1 don’t want my father to face those people alone.”
After all, she harbored no hatred toward Timothy, merely loathing his obstinacy occasionally.
The injustice she faced from the Gibson family was nothing compared to him having been deceived by his own family for twenty years.
Once news of the Gibson family’s imminent division of family assets came to light, Nigel’s family would never let Christina and Timothy off the hook as they had encroached on Nigel’s interests.
“I’ll go with you,” Nathaniel offered.
“The Gibsons dislike you, so your appearance will only infuriate them more. Nathaniel, I know you’re worried about me, but I’ll have to face those troubles alone sooner or later. Let me handle things alone, okay?” Christina stated solemnly.
Nathaniel’s brows knitted together in chagrin. “It’s precisely because the problems you’re going to face are too dangerous that I can’t let you resolve things alone.
Christina kissed him on the forehead. “Winston has been ingratiating himself to you frequently, so he probably has something big planned. The Gibson family’s upheaval is a golden opportunity for him to fight back. How about this? You stay in Jadeborough to hold the fort, whereas I bring Sebastian with me to Hallsbay.”
With Sebastian present, seventy percent of the problems could be resolved. After careful consideration, Nathaniel agreed to that suggestion in the end.
“I’ll arrange for another person to go with you. His capabilities are on par with Sebastian’s. He was part of a mercenary team abroad, and you’ve met him before.
Since the danger of the trip to Hallsbay was an unknown factor, Christina readily accepted all the arrangements made by Nathaniel.
The following morning. Sebastian came to Scenic Garden Manor with the bodyguard Nathaniel specially arranged for Christina.
The bodyguard was none other than the man Christina ordered to drag Zeila out of the sports car yesterday.
He was known as Lyle, a mixed descent of Chanaca, Remdik, and Granatano. The muscular physique beneath his suit carried immense power, and his rugged countenance exuded a sharp aura, striking terror into others.
He was a head taller than Sebastian and was even more well-built than Nathaniel. The arrangement of him being Christina’s bodyguard provided a sense of security.
Christina was very much satisfied with him as her bodyguard. Her smile turned even sweeter. She leaned close to Nathaniel’s ear and whispered. “Thank you, Darling,”
Grabbing her wrist, Nathaniel pulled her onto his lap and wrapped an arm around her waist. “I prefer those who put their thanks into action.”
At that turn of events, Sebastian and Lyle tactfully exited the living room, leaving space for the couple to spend time alone.
“I’ve got to go to the airport later. Don’t take things too far-”
Christina’s voice abruptly cut off as Nathaniel captured her lips domineeringly.
Half an hour later, Christina was carried into the car by the man, her entire body limp.
Inwardly, she swore to never again tease him in the morning. Otherwise, she would be the one to suffer and end up drained.
Nathaniel sat in the back seat happily and massaged Christina’s fingers.
Throughout the drive to the airport, he had her so comfortable that she almost fell asleep.
“Give me a call as soon as you arrive in Hallsbay. Keep your phone on you at all times. You can’t turn it or ignore my messages. Or else, I’ll worry. When I’m anxious, I tend to act impulsively,” Nathaniel instructed gently while straightening her scarf.
Christina hastily nodded. “Yeah, okay, I got it. I’m about to be late for boarding. I’ll be leaving first. Hurr up and go back to the office to work as well.”
Gathering her into his arms, Nathaniel dropped a kiss on her forehead. Then, he dropped his hold on h reluctantly. “Go ahead. I’ll leave after seeing you through the boarding gate.”
Christina waved at him before stepping through the boarding gate behind Sebastian.
After getting onto the plane, she slept all the way to Hallsbay.
Chapter 606 The Only Heiress
When they had disembarked from the plane and walked out of the terminal, they spotted Jasper standing beside a black car, waiting for them.
Jasper immediately went up to them with all the enthusiasm in the world. He wanted to take Christina’s luggage from Lyle’s hand, only to stop short at the sharp look in the latter’s eyes.
Christina broke the tense atmosphere. “Why are you here?”
“Mr. Gibson had me come over to pick you up, Ms. Steele. He has already arranged the accommodations for you. There’s a storm at the cemetery, and that makes it difficult to relocate the grave. For that reason, he postponed the ceremony for tomorrow morning.”
Christina had no objections to that since her schedule was rather rushed. With a day to rest, she would have enough energy and strength to deal with all the tricky problems the next day.
“Thank you for coming all the way over. I’ve already booked a hotel, and it wouldn’t be wise for me and my father to have too much contact before tomorrow, Christina replied with a smile.
Jasper instantly understood her meaning. “Okay, I’ll convey your message to Mr. Gibson. Please excuse me, Ms. Steele.”
“Sure.” Christina watched as the man drove away.
Thereafter, she climbed into another black car parked by the side of the road. “Does the Gibson family know of my visit to Hallsbay?”
Considering the fact that she had decided to give the Gibsons a surprise, it went without saying that her whereabouts could not be allowed to leak out beforehand.
“No. Nigel has only been released this morning and made it back to Hallsbay an hour ago. Anya is preoccupied with matters in the entertainment industry, while Yerek is busy finding investment for Gibson Corporation,” Sebastian answered truthfully.
A frown marred Christina’s countenance, and she asked, “Anya wants to enter the entertainment industry?”
“No, it isn’t her but Emilia. Being under Emilia’s thumb, she’s using the twenty million in ransom she got from the Gibson family through trickery to pave the way for Emilia,” Sebastian clarified.
Hearing that, Christina gradually grew intrigued. “Oh? Tell me the chain of events in detail.”
By the time Sebastian finished narrating the entire matter, they had arrived at the hotel.
Never had it crossed Christina’s mind that Anya’s kidnapping turned out to be a self-directed show of he
If Mrs. Lazuli were to learn that her most beloved granddaughter duped her, she’d likely burst a blood vessel. She on managed to gather that twenty million in ransom by emptying her coffers and calling in all the favors owed her. Yet Anya is using the money on someone else. Worse still, it’s Emilia who’s of questionable character!
Taking a step of precaution, she ordered, “Furtively gather evidence of the deal between Anya and Emili It might be of use in the future.”
“Understood,” Sebastian noted.
Lyle carried Christina’s luggage into the guest room for her before he spun on his heel and left.
Chapter 606 The Only Heiress
After Christina had taken a shower, she sat at the dining table and ate the nutritious meal specially provided by the hotel. While doing so, she texted Nathaniel about her safe arrival.
That night, a storm raged in Hallsbay for the entire night. The next day, the sky cleared up.
Christina had just woken up when she saw Timothy and Jasper, who had been waiting for her, in the living room. A long moment passed before her mind fully registered that she was not in Scenic Garden Manor but in a hotel in Hallsbay.
It had only been a few days since she last saw Timothy, but he had visibly lost weight. However, his depressed state from the past was nowhere to be seen. That day, he appeared animated, and his hazel eyes shone with energy.
Walking over, Christina greeted softly, “Good morning, Father.”
At that somewhat distant address, Timothy was momentarily disoriented. A wealth of bitterness surged within him.
I should be content she’s willing to call me “Father.” It’s far better than her refusing to acknowledge me.
He swiftly put his sorrow away and remarked smilingly, “It’s still early. Have breakfast first.”
“Mr. Gibson had me traipsing all over the city at the crack of dawn today in search of breakfast fare unique to Hallsbay for you, so have more, Ms. Steele,” Jasper interjected.
Timothy shot him a reproachful glare. “Zip it.”
Following that, Jasper automatically stepped back and said nothing further.
Christina sat down at the dining table. Gazing at the tableful of delicious breakfast fare, she picked up a fork and suggested, “Come and eat with me. I can’t finish everything by myself.”
Without waiting for a response from Timothy, Jasper wheeled him to the dining table and even thoughtfully brought him a new set of tableware.
Surprised and touched by Christina’s action of inviting him to join her for breakfast, Timothy had not th presence of mind to lecture Jasper for his arbitrary action.
Sebastian and Lyle, on the other hand, stood at the side silently. They did not dare act rashly without Christina’s orders.
Halfway through breakfast, Timothy started solemnly. “They’re still unaware of your visit to Hallsbay. When you meet them later, ignore whatever they say. You’re the eldest daughter of the Gibson family a the only true heiress, Christina. No one from the Gibson family has the right to disrespect you.”
Chapter 607 A Brewing Storm
If Timothy had said that half a year ago when she had just returned to the fold of the Gibson family, Christina would have likely believed him without a shadow of a doubt.
However, she had discerned the Gibsons‘ nature after having experienced so much then and long since realized that her kinship with them was interlinked with interests.
She only agreed to Timothy’s request to take over the mess that was Gibson Corporation because she could not bear to see the fruits of labor for which her mother sacrificed her life destroyed and stolen.
Feeling that she should make herself clear upfront to avoid repeating the same mistake, she took a sip of hot milk and stated, “I promised you to resolve the Gibson family’s problems, but that only includes you and my mother. I wasn’t speaking of the current Gibson family. Everything I’ll be doing henceforth will be for the sake of safeguarding my mother’s achievements alone.”
A bitter smile tugged at Timothy’s lips. I listened to baseless slander and was blinded to the truth, once conspiring with others to plot against her multiple times. I’m unworthy to be her father, much less in any position to reprimand
her!
He parted his lips in embarrassment. “It’s only natural that you hate me, Christina. I don’t blame you it. I’m sorry.”
for
In response, Christina threw him a cold look. “I don’t hate you for the mistakes you did, but above all, you
have no right to blame me.”
Timothy’s face turned deathly pale, and his shoulders drooped in pain. He waited quietly for her daughter to continue speaking.
“Ever since you and Mrs. Lazuli acknowledged me as part of the Gibson family, the two of you merely regarded me as a tool for revenge. Of course, I was also at fault for failing to perceive your intentions right off the bat. Now, I no longer want to be the blade of revenge in your hands. Gibson Corporation has reaped what it sowed while I’ve gotten my freedom. The end result of this farce has been very much fair. But I’ll definitely unearth the truth of my mother’s death. No one will be able to stop me from doing so, including you.”
Christina stared right into his eyes. Like a sharp blade, the chilliness in her gaze cut through the air and struck him squarely in the chest.
Timothy’s heart abruptly lurched. He lowered his head guiltily, appearing to be deliberately avoiding her gaze so that she could not read his thoughts.
A derisive smirk curved Christina’s lips. After finishing the sandwich on the plate before her, she placed her cutlery down.
“I’m done eating. When are we leaving for the cemetery?”
Timothy jolted out of his jumbled thoughts. “We can leave right—”
Before he had finished speaking, Jasper, who had just taken a call, strode over. He leaned down and murmured something into Timothy’s ear. At once, Timothy’s brows creased deeply. A glimmer of rage glinted in his eyes.
Sipping at the hot milk, Christina alternated her gaze between the two men.
A moment later, Timothy looked at her. “Christina, something urgent came up at home, and I need to
make a trip back to deal with it. Rest at the hotel first. I’ll call you in a while. It won’t take much time.”
Christina gave a dip of her head. “Okay.”
Jasper then wheeled Timothy away.
Seeing that, Sebastian stepped forward and asked, “Do you have any plans next, Mrs. Hadley?”
Christina cast a glance at Lyle. “Follow them secretly and find out what happened at the Gibson residence. Ensure my father’s safety. He’s a key character to me right now.”
“Understood, Mrs. Hadley!” Lyle left after receiving his orders.
Shifting her gaze to Sebastian, Christina flashed him a teasing grin. “As for you, Mr. Taggart, just stay here and chat with me to alleviate my boredom. Talk about your love story with Victoria.”
Sebastian was slightly stunned. He could not help flushing to the tips of his ears and countering panickily, “Don’t make fun of me, Mrs. Hadley. My relationship with Ms. Lesley isn’t developing as fast as you imagine.”
At that, Christina quipped with a giggle, “Hmm… why are you still addressing her as ‘Ms. Lesley‘ when the two of you are already dating officially? Could this be a kink?”
Sebastian’s face flamed hotly, and his expression grew increasingly panicked. He wanted to end that mortifying subject immediately, yet he dared not do so.
Christina pretended to toy with her phone, but in reality, she pressed the record button and filmed him. Giving in to Victoria’s shameless pestering, she sent the video to her.
With her mission accomplished, she yawned and ceased teasing the man.
“I’m sleepy. I’m going back to the bedroom for a nap. Remember to wake me when there’s news from Lyle.”
“Will do.” Relief suffused Sebastian.
After leaving the hotel, Timothy sped to the cemetery,
Although the entire Gibson family knew of his plans to relocate his wife’s grave, he did not inform them of the specific date. That aside, he decided to announce his decision to divide the Gibson family’s assets on that same day.
News of the division of assets had been kept under wraps all along, but for some inexplicable reason, Nigel learned about it and spread the word.
Failing to get in touch with Timothy, they all went to the cemetery to demand an explanation from him upon learning that he would be relocating his wife’s grave that day.
Timothy did not want them to have a direct confrontation with Christina, so he made up an excuse and came over to settle things first.
When Nigel lifted his head and caught sight of Timothy, he pushed the person before him stormed over to the latter. “I’ve only been away from home for a few days, but the entire family has changed, Timothy. You didn’t even bother to inform us about such an important matter as relocating away and Veronica’s grave. You’re really regarding us as outsiders now.”
Azure snorted coldly. “Putting aside the relocation of Veronica’s grave, Timothy, a division of the Gibson family’s assets is a major issue. Yet, you acted arbitrarily without discussing it with us. I’m still alive, and I’ve got the right to make the calls in matters of the Gibson family!” (D
Timothy swept a frosty gaze over them. In a calm and even voice, he uttered, “Today is the relocation of Veronica’s grave. Are you all sure you want to kick up a fuss with me here?”
Noticing that the atmosphere was growing increasingly tense, Yerek intervened and tried to soothe Timothy, “Grandma and Uncle Nigel meant no harm, Dad. Let’s all talk nicely without losing our tempers.”
Timothy shot daggers at him, snapping, “You’ve got no business interrupting when your elders are speaking, Yerek!”
While Timothy had never liked Yerek much since the latter was young, he had fulfilled his responsibilities as an adopted father. He had never failed to provide for Yerck, let alone yelled at the latter before.
Yerek went silent in humiliation, and his hands hanging by his sides balled into fists.
At the side, Anya could not stand watching anymore and griped, “Even if you’re angry, Uncle Timothy, you can’t vent it on Yerek. He didn’t do anything wrong!
In the next heartbeat, Timothy’s sharp gaze fell on her. Her heart lurched uncontrollably. Gulping, she surreptitiously inched behind Azure.
Azure straightened to her full height and assumed an air of an elder, jerking her chin up a fraction. “Don’t take your anger out on the younger generation, Timothy. This is a grave issue, so you must give me and Nigel a reasonable explanation today.”
Wheeling himself to his wife’s tombstone, Timothy took out a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped off the raindrops on the black and white photo. His voice was cold and hard.
“Since the lot of you want an explanation, let’s lay everything out before Veronica today.”
Chapter 608 The Division Of Assets
For some inexplicable reason, Yerek’s words had a tidal wave of uneasiness flooding Nigel, Yerek, and Anya.
However, they were already close to a complete fallout when they ambushed Timothy without any regard for the situation for the sake of an explanation. Right then, all that was left between them were schemes and wariness.
Azure glanced at the photo on the tombstone. Her expression took on a note of discomfiture, and she tried to smooth things over.
“This is a family matter, so let’s talk about it at home. Let’s not disturb Veronica.”
Hearing that, Timothy scoffed with a sneer, “The lot of you had the audacity to kick up trouble at the cemetery, and now you’re actually considering other people’s feelings? How shameless of you to say something like that.”
At that blatant insult, Azure’s face went as black as thunder. “Do you still regard me as your mother, Timothy?” D
Timothy stared right into her eyes and retorted, “What about you, then? Have you been regarding me as your biological son over the years? Or have you been treating me as a piece of trash?”
“What do you mean by that, Timothy? If there’s something you want to say, cut straight to the chase. There’s no need to beat around the bush and make insinuations about me and Mom!” Nigel thundered. He had a strong sense of foreboding that the situation had already spiraled out of his control, and Timothy had changed.
Timothy’s sharp and icy gaze lingered on everyone there. Subsequently, a feral smirk bloomed on his face.
“Jasper, show them the documents for them to have the explanation they want!”
With that, Jasper opened his briefcase and took out a document before holding it out to Nigel.
Nigel snatched it right out of the man’s hand. The instant he laid eyes on the contents of the document, shock and fear showed on his face.
“What is…?” Azure shot out a hand and grabbed it. Suddenly, her voice trailed off, and her hand holding the document shook imperceptibly.
Standing beside her, Yerek inevitably glimpsed the contents of the document.
At the guilty expression on their faces, Anya stepped forward in puzzlement. “Oh, my God! Yerek… is actually my biological brother?” she exclaimed.
-Before her voice had even rung out, something abruptly occurred to her. She furiously cut her gaze at Nigel and started cursing him out while jabbing a finger in his face.
“How dare you cheat on Mom and have an illegitimate child out there!”
The fact that Yerek was Nigel’s illegitimate child was a secret Nigel could never allow to come to light. Having been hit where it hurt, Nigel backhanded Anya across the face. “Shut up! Have you no conscience
left! How dare you criticize me!” (
Anya cradled her swollen cheek and glared at her father hotly. “Why are you bothered by the truth when you dared do such a thing? Not only am I going to tell Mom about this, but I’m also going to spread the news and let everyone know that your persona of a loving husband is fake!”
Since she was young, her mother had drilled into her that the entire Gibson family would belong to her in the future. Even Yerek, who had been adopted into the family, had no right to compete with her.
Christina’s existence already made her situation difficult enough. With another biological brother, her share of the assets would be reduced by more than half.
“Anya, don’t forget that it was thanks to Yerek and your father that you managed to survive the kidnapping,” Azure chided. Then, she continued, “You seem agitated. Go home and calm yourself down first. You don’t have to be here.”
With her eyes bloodshot, Anya glared at everyone maliciously before she whirled around resentfully and stalked off.
Timothy watched the farce before him scornfully. “The lot of you kept me in the dark all these years because you felt that I’m a piece of trash that would never amount to anything, using my hatred toward the Hadley family to force Christina away so that Nigel and Yerek could gain control of Gibson Corporation, no? One is my biological mother, the other my biological brother, and yet another the adopted son I’d raised for years. Sure enough, you’re all a family. Your methods are underhanded, and you’re black–hearted. You went all out to play a fool of me,” he drawled, methodically listing the trio’s crimes. D
Indeed, Azure felt guilty toward him in that matter. She eased up on her domineering attitude earlier. “Timothy, I didn’t mean to keep you in the dark about Yerek and Nigel’s relationship. At that time, disaster befell both you and Veronica. The Gibson family urgently needed someone who could hold the fort and an outstanding heir. No matter what, Yerek has the blood of the Gibson family flowing through his veins. It’s far better for him to inherit Gibson Corporation than for the company to fall into the hands of outsiders.”
In response, Timothy sneered and riposted bluntly, “Gibson Corporation was the result of my and Veronica’s efforts. It’s something we left for Christina. Others have no right to make any decisions on our behalf.”
Struck dumb, Azure was at a loss for an appropriate reason to retort.
The major contributors to the development of the Gibson family in the present day were Timothy and Veronica. Ever since disaster struck their family, Gibson Corporation started going downhill after falling into Nigel’s hands.
As conflicts snowballed and intensified, Gibson Corporation’s problems under Nigel’s management became increasingly evident by the day. When Hadley Corporation later called off their collaboration, the dam finally burst.
Azure knew Nigel’s capabilities better than anyone else. However, she was convinced that Timothy could no longer–take the lead and detested Christina’s rebelliousness. Consequently, she blindly believed that Nigel could turn the tide despite being well aware that Gibson Corporation might end up ruined in the
man’s hands.
In truth, she was the person who had the least right to question Timothy about his decision.
“You can’t deny my credit with just a few words, Timothy! If it weren’t for me managing Gibson
Corporation wholeheartedly all these years, the company would’ve gone bankrupt ages ago,” Nigel parried loudly.
Without backing down, Timothy countered, “Do you not know how Gibson Corporation fell into your
hands?”
It sounded plain, yet it sparked a storm within Nigel.
Words promptly eluded him.
Subsequently, Timothy turned his gaze to Yerek. “Since you’ve already transferred all your father’s shares in Gibson Corporation to your name and sold off part of them to make up twenty million in cash before handing the money to Anya, it’s considered a fulfillment of my previous promise to give you some of Gibson Corporation’s shares.” D
A flash of nervousness flittered across Yerek’s eyes.
Meanwhile, Nigel was utterly confused by Timothy’s words. He looked at Yerek in mystification. “Hadn’t you sold off all the shares I gave you, Yerek? Why had they been transferred to your name? Also, wasn’t the twenty million in ransom handed to the kidnapper? Why was it given to Anya?”
Azure was likewise wholly flummoxed. I was the one who personally transferred the twenty million in ransom to the kidnapper after Yerek wired it to me. Could it be that there was more to it than met the eye?
While his mind whirred, Yerek gradually saw through Timothy’s plan. Shock swept over him like a tidal
wave.
He’s trying to make us suspicious of each other and sow discord between us!
Gritting his teeth, he hissed, “Shouldn’t the division of assets be the focus of our discussion here?”
“That’s exactly what we’re talking about right now. The lot of you took too much away from me, and I’ve got to take them back one by one for Christina,” Timothy replied calmly.
Chapter 609 Exposed Lie
Nigel and Yerek paled when they realized what Timothy was trying to do.
Not only was Timothy trying to divide the family’s assets, but he was going to settle the score with them too.
If he were to expose those dirty deeds they had done in private, their reputation would be ruined for good.
Timothy was cruelly forcing them down the path of no return. He did not care that they were his family.
Since Yerek had deliberately ruined Timothy’s relationship with his daughter, he was going to do the same thing to Nigel and Yerek, too.
“You guys still haven’t found out?” Timothy sneered. “Anya’s kidnapping was a show she orchestrated, including the part where she was threatened and needed a large sum of money to resolve the issue. You were all fooled by her. Speaking of which, Yerek’s her accomplice. How else would he have managed to convince you to hand over all the shares you owned?” D
Nigel had planned everything meticulously, but in the end, his downfall was caused by the person he was closest to.
Fury surged into his brain and took over his mind. Slamming his fist onto Yerek’s face, Nigel shouted, “Why did you do that?”
Azure screamed and grabbed Nigel to stop him. “Let go of Yerek! You’re going to kill him at this rate!”
However, Nigel no longer had control over his emotions. He pushed Azure away and continued punching Yerek.
“I didn’t make the effort to bring you back to the Gibson family so that you can set me up! You ungrateful jerk! I shouldn’t have kept you around!”
Yerek coughed and said laboriously, “I didn’t set you up. If my friend didn’t offer that high price, those shares you owned wouldn’t have even fetched twenty million. They would’ve ended up getting sold for a dirt cheap price!”
The news of how the Gibson family had offended the Hadley family and was blacklisted by the Hadley family was no secret to the industry. Besides Sheridan, no one else dared to work with them. If not for that, the Gibson family would not have fallen from grace.
In other words, Gibson Corporation’s current situation was a result of Nigel’s actions.
Nigel froze when he heard that, and Azure took the chance to pull him away from Yerek.
As she helped Yerek up to his feet, she asked, “Yerek, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Grandma.”
“The injuries on your face are quite serious. I’ll send you to the hospital first. We’ll talk about the rest of this at home later on.”
Now that the secrets were all out in the air, Yerek no longer had any qualms about anything and didn’t bother putting up an act. He wiped the blood on the corner of his lips before shooting a glare at Timothy and Nigel. He then walked toward the cemetery’s entrance as Azure supported him.
Their falling out relieved Timothy of the pent–up misery and frustration he had been keeping inside him for over twenty years, and he felt much better.
“Jasper, it’s getting late. We can’t waste any more time, Timothy merrily said to his aide, ignoring Nigel,
“Of course, Mr. Gibson. I’ll work on it right away.” With that said, Jasper walked to a quieter spot to make a call, leaving Timothy and Nigel alone,
Having been struck with too much shocking news that day, Nigel turned dispirited, but he continued to glare at Nigel furiously.
“Is this what you wanted to see, Timothy? What good will you get from fighting with your brother?”
“Nigel, you started this game. I don’t care that you stole money from me, but I won’t let you go for taking a life from my side.”
Nigel’s eyes widened, and his heart began to race, hammering against his chest.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he yelled before scurrying away.
Timothy watched him leave with a bloodthirsty grin on his face.
Meanwhile, on his hasty way out of the cemetery, Nigel tripped on a jutted piece of rock and fell. He landed right before a pair of feet.
When he looked upward, his eyes met Christina’s which carried a hint of amusement. He swiftly scrambled to his feet.
“Why are you here?” he questioned.
Christina arched a brow. “What a stupid question. My mother’s grave will be relocated today. As her only daughter, don’t you think it’s normal that I pay her a visit?”
What he had experienced earlier coupled with Christina’s mocking words drove Nigel to the edge, awakening the violent streak in him.
“B*tch, I’m going to punch that smile off your face!”
At that, Nigel swung a fist at Christina. However, Christina did not move and merely watched him in silence.
Right then, a hand shot out from behind Christina and grabbed Nigel’s fist.
Lyle twisted his wrist, and in the next instance, Nigel’s scream of agony echoed in the cemetery.
Then, Lyle effortlessly threw Nigel aside as if the latter was nothing but a wet rag. Nigel collided with the solid slate before rolling a few times on the ground.
Nigel felt as if his organs had rearranged themselves. The pain made him convulse and curl into a ball as he moaned–in pain. D
When Timothy and Jasper heard the commotion coming from the entrance, they hurried out to find out what was going on. When they saw Nigel on the ground, all they thought was that Nigel had it coming.
Timothy then worriedly asked, “Christina, are you okay? Was he trying to pick on you?”
Christina did not even spare Nigel a look. “He doesn’t even have the ability to do that. When is the exhumation starting?”
Timothy promptly replied, “We can start now. I just asked Jasper to call you; I wasn’t expecting you to come this early.”
Christina then turned to enter the cemetery while Sebastian followed her with candles and a bouquet of white lilies behind her.
She hadn’t been able to fall asleep at the hotel when Lyle came with news of how the Gibsons were kicking up a fuss before her mother’s grave. There was no way she would let that matter slide.
However, she was stuck in congested traffic on her way to the cemetery. By the time she arrived, the scene had ended, but she did bump into Nigel.
“Get him out of here; I don’t want him tainting the place,” Timothy icily ordered Jasper as a look of disgust flash past his eyes.
“Of course. I’ll get someone to send Mr. Nigel out of this place right away.” Once Timothy was back in the cemetery, Jasper took out his phone and started making calls.
In no time, Azure, who sent Yerek to the hospital personally, came to pick Nigel up.
When she turned her head, she noticed an unfamiliar luxury car at the side of the road. Displeased, she asked Jasper, “Is Timothy meeting a client?”
Jasper replied calmly, “It’s Ms. Steele.”
That crazy girl is here in Hallsbay?
After that, Azure instructed the driver to bring the unconscious Nigel up into the car. While she made to enter the cemetery, she was stopped by Jasper.
She furrowed her brows and questioned, “Jasper, I’m your employer. How dare you stop me?”
“Apologies, but Mr. Gibson told me not to let any irrelevant people in to disturb them.” I
Azure sneered. “I’m his wife’s mother–in–law and his own mother. If he’s going to be relocating my daughter–in–law’s grave, as her mother–in–law, why can’t I be there to pay my respects?”
Jasper was insistent. “I’m sorry, Old Mrs. Gibson, but Mr. Nigel doesn’t look like he’s doing good. Perhaps you should send him to the hospital as quickly as you can instead.”
Anger surged in Azure’s veins when she thought about the terrible state Nigel was in.
“Tell me, did that d*mn girl Christina do this?”
Chapter 610 Starting From Getting Rich
Timothy had brought Jasper back from an illegal fighting club. From the moment Jasper decided to work for Timothy, he had made up his mind to only have Timothy as his one and only employer.
He knew clearly what the Gibsons thought of Timothy, and he was only polite toward them for Timothy’s sake.
Now that Timothy had decided to exclude himself from them and divide the family’s assets, Jasper saw no point in continuing to bear with the Gibson family’s arrogance and insolence.
As Jasper bodily blocked Azure, he said expressionlessly, “Old Mrs. Gibson, you can ask Mr. Nigel about the details of the matter. Mr. Gibson has already instructed me to keep others from disturbing his wife’s grave relocation, so please leave.”
In response, Azure slapped Jasper twice. However, those slaps only made Jasper’s cheeks red; they did not frighten him into submission.
Livid, she wanted to continue hitting Jasper, but the latter moved aside to dodge her hand, and she missed. Losing her balance, she stumbled forward, nearly falling to the ground. D
Jasper, on the other hand, stood motionlessly and watched her apathetically as if he was watching a clown perform.
Azure had never been so ashamed before. She snapped. “Timothy was a fool to have brought a rebellious vermin like you home! Just you wait. I’m going to get Timothy to fire you soon!”
With that said, she adjusted her grip on her bag and returned to her car.
Jasper rubbed his numb face and turned to re–enter the cemetery.
The new cemetery that Timothy was moving his wife to was a private upscale cemetery with tight security. Outsiders were not allowed to visit the grave without permission from the purchaser of the grave.
Timothy’s goal in choosing that cemetery was obvious he did not want the Gibsons to disturb his late wife.
Once the new gravestone was erected, Timothy stared at the photo and whispered, “Come closer, Christina. Let your mother take a better look at you.”
Christina walked over to the gravestone and lowered her head. Then, she took the white lilies from Sebastian’s hands and placed them before the gravestone.
Timothy then said, “From now on, you’re the new CEO of Gibson Corporation and the only daughter of the Gibson family. Everyone in the Gibson family will have to listen to you as their new chief.”
Christina turned to him. “You won’t intervene no matter how outrageous my actions are, right?”
-As if he had seen a younger version of himself in Christina, Timothy smiled brightly and said, “Of course.
You’re the only heir to the Gibson family.”
Upon hearing that, Christina suppressed the suspicions she had. Since she had received his affirmation, it was time for her to showcase her abilities.
“It’s getting late, so I’m going back first. Take care.”
“Have a safe trip back. Do come and visit your mother more often if you’re free.”
“I will.”
With that, Christina left with Sebastian and Lyle.
Jasper walked over to Timothy and said, “Mr. Gibson, Mr. Nigel and Mr. Yerek have made their move. They’ve summoned the elders. Apparently, they want to revoke your and Ms. Steele’s inheritance rights.”
Timothy scoffed. “What a bunch of fools!”
It had not been a rash move on his part when he transferred all of his assets and shares to Christina.
Timothy didn’t even have to do anything. Since they had the audacity to set Christina up, they would have to face Nathaniel’s wrath. D
Nathaniel was far more ruthless and powerful than Timothy. To this day, no one had been able to offend Nathaniel and be spared.
“Mr. Gibson, are we going to retaliate?” Jasper asked.
“No need. Christina will deal with them herself. All we need to do is sit back and watch the show unfold,” Timothy told him. “Let’s go back. Prepare more of the tea I like. We’ll have more visitors soon, and we can’t embarrass Christina.”
Jasper inclined his head. “Yes, sir.”
Right as Christina reached the hotel, Timothy delivered a large amount of rare and expensive supplements meant for pregnant women.
As she sat on the couch and stared at the table, which was filled with supplements, she turned to look at Sebastian and asked, “You heard what my father told me at the cemetery, right? What do you think?”
Timothy had been emphasizing one thing the entire time–that Christina was the one and only heir of the Gibson family.
When Azure was younger, she only had two sons–Timothy and Nigel. Like the other children, Nigel had the right to become the head of the family as well.
“This involves the Gibson family’s secrets,” Sebastian said, deliberately making things sound more mysterious to sound Christina out. When he realized that she did not show any signs of displeasure, he continued, “To be honest, Nigel isn’t fully a Gibson. Old Mrs. Gibson had him with another man.” D
Christina widened her eyes at Sebastian before pursing her lips. “This isn’t the plot of some romance story you heard from someone else that you’re trying to pass off as the Gibson family’s secret, right?”
Sebastian sighed and said, “Mrs. Hadley, I’m not lying to you. Mr. Gibson has two paternity test reports. One is Mr. Yerek’s with Mr. Nigel, and the other is Mr. Nigel’s with Old Mr. Gibson. The one in charge of the test is a business under the Hadley family’s name, so it is an entity we can fully trust.”
Christina could not believe it; she was shocked that Azure, the stickler for rules, would actually cheat on her husband. D
Christina intertwined her fingers and tapped the back of her hand as a fanatic look flashed past her eyes. “Did Old Mr. Gibson–learn about this when he was still alive?”
Hesitation appeared on Sebastian’s face. “I heard that Old Mr. Gibson died from a heart attack out of anger after learning about this. However, there’s another rumor about this. They say Mrs. Lazuli secretly killed him to protect her dignity and Mr. Nigel’s birth father’s identity when she found out that Old Mr. Gibson learned about this.” D
After a moment of contemplation, he added, “That’s because Mrs. Lazuli was the one who arranged everything at Old Mr. Gibson’s funeral. No one else had a hand in it.”
Therefore, many people had doubts about the real reason behind Oswald Gibson’s death.
All of a sudden, Christina realized that there were two reasons behind Timothy’s determination to divide the Gibson family. One was to save Gibson Corporation, and the other was because he was lied to by his family.
Christina continued asking, “Who else knows about this secret?”
“Not many. Within the Gibson family, only Old Mr. Gibson, Mr. Gibson, Mrs. Lazuli, and you know about this.”
When she heard that, she started formulating a plan in her head. Standing up, she then paced back and forth in front of Sebastian and Lyle.
Right as Sebastian was about to ask her if she was feeling unwell, Christina said, “Mr. Taggart, I need a report of every Gibson’s finances and assets, especially those of Nigel’s family. I need to have this report by the next morning.”
Sebastian curiously asked, “Have you already come up with a plan to deal with Mr. Nigel?”
Christina smiled, her eyes shining brightly in excitement.
“Getting rich is the first sign of good fortune.”