Ch. 431..440

Chapter 431

"Where's your father?"

Scott remained silent for a while before saying, "Mr. Dylan, are you looking for my father because you can't outwit me?"

"Are you the one who gets to decide where you're going to stay?"

Scott clammed up at once. No, he couldn't decide at all. He had to get his father's permission.

He passed the phone to his father with great reluctance and stared up at his father with wide, pleading eyes.

Eric took the phone and instructed the nanny, "Take Scott back to his room."

"Dad!" Scott's eyes reddened as if he had been dealt with the greatest injustice in the world.

Eric forced himself not to look at his son as he knew the sight would weaken his resolve.

The nanny noticed and quickly hoisted Scott up before taking him back to his room.

Eric addressed Dylan on the phone. "Sorry about that, President Coleman. Scott is still young and immature. Do accept my apology for the disruption he has caused to the both of you."

"I understand, but Kendall really can't find the time to visit Scott right now."

"I heard about what happened with Mr. Woods."

As the Fords' current head of household, Eric had easy access to all the latest happenings. Scott adored Kendall, so Eric kept an eye out for news related to her and thus instantly knew about anything that involved her. He even knew things that Dylan didn't.

Naturally, Eric was not about to share said information with Dylan or anyone else. He merely wanted to know what Kendall was doing at any given time to field his son's questions and comfort the little boy. He wasn't going to get involved in the couple's matters if they didn't ask for his help.

"You're keeping an eye on my wife?"

"I am," Eric admitted openly.

Dylan's expression darkened. How he wished he could give Eric a sound beating through the phone.

"I don't mean anything by it, President Coleman. It's just that Scott frequently asks what your wife is up to, so I would look into it sometimes."

Fearing that he would enrage Dylan, Eric didn't dare to say that he was keeping an eye on Kendall. He only admitted to checking in now and then.

"From now onward, you're not allowed to look into my wife's private business, along with her whereabouts! You can keep yourself informed with anything she announces to the public."

Eric was fully aware of just how disrespectful his actions would seem. Although Dylan was a little

harsh, Eric wasn't upset by it. In fact, he even exhaled in relief and apologized once more. "I will talk to Scott about this."

"You shouldn't spoil him. Too much pampering will ruin a child."

After a moment of silence, Eric responded gravely, "I don't know if my wife will ever wake up again. If she doesn't, then Scott is all I have left of her. I am willing to let Scott do whatever he wants, as long as it's not anything illegal or immoral and as long as it makes him happy."

Dylan didn't know what to say.

Eventually, he said, "I'm sure your wife will wake up one day. Kendall did promise Scott that she would visit him when she has time on the weekends. Once Nell wakes up, I'll make the arrangements, and we'll pay a visit to your house."

Eric remained quiet for a very long time—so long that Dylan was starting to think he wasn't there anymore. Dylan even pulled the phone away to check if the call was still ongoing.

"Thank you, President Coleman! I will arrange for my plane to be on standby at all times, so you two can come over anytime."

"You and I are a lot alike," Dylan declared before ending the call.

Eric knew what he meant. They were both cold and stern men who saved all their gentleness for their wives, whom they loved deeply.

Eric pocketed his phone and headed upstairs. He didn't check on Scott right away. Instead, he entered

a different room that was decked out like a hospital ward.

A young woman was lying on the bed—his beloved wife. She remained motionless as if she were merely asleep. Every day, she had to be fed a nutrient solution through a nasogastric tube. Even so, she was extremely well taken care of.

There was a chair by the bed. Eric would sit in it twice each day. He took light, careful steps over to the bed and sat down. His eyes were soft as he stared at his sleeping wife, but his heart ached. He took her hand and gripped it tightly as he moved it to his lips and peppered it with kisses.

"Sweetheart, when are you going to wake up? Don't you want to see our son? Scott's three now. You haven't seen him at all.

"Did you know that Scott fell sick again? He felt a sense of motherly affection from a stranger and became very fond of her. To force my hand so that I'll allow him to see her, he purposely took a cold shower and spent the night directly under the air-conditioning so that he would get sick. Wake up as soon as you can, sweetheart. Once you wake up, Scott won't try to receive motherly affection from someone else.

"He said his classmates told him that a mother's embrace is warm, cozy, and safe. Sweetheart, doesn't your heart ache when you hear what Scott said? You risked your life to give birth to him. Don't you want to hold him and hear him calling you 'Mommy?' He always calls for Mommy when he talks in his sleep."

By the time Eric finished letting it all out, his eyes were bloodshot, and tears were trickling down from the corner of his eyes. Drop by drop, the tears fell onto the pale hand he was holding onto.

If his wife were to wake up now and see him crying, she would surely gape in disbelief. To her, he was

a tough man who could carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. He wasn't someone who'd get emotional about anything.

In reality, he had a vulnerable side to him. She was the one who made him vulnerable.

"Sweetheart, when your parents came to visit you and Scott, they even hinted that they would be fine if I had someone else I like since you're not showing any signs of waking up. They said that I'm the head of the Ford Family, so I need a woman by my side. They felt bad that I am still waiting for you.

My parents also said that even if I found someone else, they would still take care of you and wouldn't give up on you. I rejected them, though. We made a vow on our wedding day. We vowed to stay together in sickness and in health till death do us part. I only want you as my wife. Only you and no one else. I won't let anyone take your place.

Please wake up, sweetheart. Please hurry up and wake up. Please wake up and be Mrs. Ford again."

The woman on the bed showed no sign of movement still.

Eric vented his heart out and shed all the tears he could, but he couldn't wake his wife up from her prolonged slumber.

After a long while, he reluctantly released her hand and got up. He moved closer to her face and kissed her face over and over again.

"Sweetheart, I have to go and comfort our son. That little guy… Perhaps I've been indulgent with him."

Eric gave his wife one final kiss before straightening up again. He stared at her for a little longer before

turning to leave.

The next thing on his agenda was to placate his son!

 

Chapter 432

At Coleman Residence.

Tia walked into the house with a large envelope in hand and proceeded to the living room, where Tilly was sitting on the couch chatting with an old friend.

"Old Madam Coleman, the head of security said someone came to give you this envelope. They've screened it and confirmed that there's nothing dangerous inside."

Tilly took the envelope and started to open it as she said to her friend, Mary, "I bet these are photos from someone who's trying to stir something up by using one of my vexing grandsons again."

Mary chuckled and said, "Well, it can't be helped that all of your grandsons are capable and distinguished young men. I get envious, too, when I see them."

All the young women wished they could marry the Colemans. That was the reason why Kendall became the target of everyone's jealousy and resentment.

"Your grandchildren are just as accomplished, too."

Jane was seated beside Tilly, and Tilly reached out for her hand as she continued, "You have one right here. Jane's such a fine young granddaughter. It'd be hard to find one as wonderful as her anywhere else."

"Grandma, are you saying I'm not good enough for you?"

Alice pretended to pout out of jealousy. "You keep praising Jane all the time, Grandma. You don't pay

any attention to me when she's around."

"Why don't we switch?" Mary suggested jokingly. "You can have Jane, and Alice can follow me back to be my granddaughter."

"That won't do at all, Mrs. Morris!"

Yoseph, who had been listening in on their conversation, butted in before Tilly could respond. "Ally is the only younger sister I have. You can't switch her out for someone else."

Tilly glanced at Yoseph and asked pointedly, "Is that all you meant?"

Yoseph stole a peek at Jane and refused to admit to anything else. "Grandma, what else would I have meant? Ally is my only younger sister. We're related by blood. Why would I want to switch her out for one that's not related to me in any way?"

He walked over and patted Jane on the arm. She flicked his hand off.

"What are you doing?"

"Change seats with me. I want to sit beside Grandma so that you can't poison her mind with the idea of taking you in as her granddaughter."

Jane hugged one of Tilly's arms and responded airily, "I refuse. I'm going to stay beside her and continue to poison her mind with the idea of taking me in as her granddaughter. That way, Alice and I can become sisters."

All at once, Yoseph picked her up and carried her over to the single-seater couch.

Jane was speechless. "Yoseph Coleman! You're asking for it! How dare you carry me over like I'm a puppy."

She leaped off the couch and started to stomp over.

"Jane!" Mary called out.

Jane reluctantly sat down beside Alice, but she threw Yoseph a murderous glare that said, Just you wait. I'll deal with you some other time.

Tilly smacked Yoseph on the arm. Although she was getting old, she was still as healthy as a horse and had hit hard enough that Yoseph yelped in pain.

"Yoseph, how can you treat a young lady like that? And not only is Jane a young lady, but she's also our guest. I'm not surprised to see that you're still single if this is the way you treat the ladies. You deserve to be a lonely old bachelor!" Tilly lectured.

Jane giggled. "Old Madam Coleman, you should hit him a few more times for my sake. He's so annoying."

"Yes, my dear. I'll take it out on him on your behalf," Tilly agreed fondly.

She started whacking Yoseph a few more times until he howled in pain. It was Mary who finally took pity on her future grandson-in-law and saved him. Alice and Jane had laughed until their tummies hurt.

At last, after teaching Yoseph a lesson, Tilly took the photos out of the envelope. Her expression changed as soon as she saw what was pictured.

"What's the matter, Grandma? Whose photos are they?" Alice asked in concern when she noticed the unusual expression on Tilly's face. She reached out to take the photos.

"It's nothing."

Tilly quickly stuffed the photos back into the envelope. She regained her composure as she said coolly, "You don't need to look at them. They're not something young girls should see."

She didn't let go of the envelope even after returning the photos to it.

Alice and Jane exchanged looks.

I'm 23! It's been years since I became an adult, so why is Grandma saying that it's something I shouldn't see? Something's up for sure!

However, Alice couldn't do anything about it if Tilly insisted on keeping the photos from her.

She gave Yoseph a look that seemed to ask, Can you guess who's the subject of those photos?

Yoseph was just as curious. He quietly shook his head. He had no idea what it was about, and he wanted to express that it couldn't possibly be related to him as he didn't do anything he shouldn't have. He had never been a person who allowed others to use him in that way.

Tilly continued chatting with the rest, all the while clutching the envelope. Even when it was time for her to rest, she didn't let go of it. This made everyone incredibly curious as to who the photos were related to.

Once Tilly returned to her room and locked the door, she walked over to the couch and slammed the envelope on the table.

"Kendall Parker!"

Tilly was furious!

The photos were taken at noon and depicted exactly what had happened right in front of Parker Corporation.

Although Kendall wasn't in the photos, Frank's banners had been far too prominent, and the photos displayed them clearly. Tilly wasn't blind. She read what was written on the banners, and she became so infuriated that she nearly sent someone to bring Kendall back home so that she could reprimand her.

However, Yoseph and Alice were there with her just now, and she knew that they took Dylan's side on this. They, too, were protective of Kendall, so Tilly had no choice but to rein in her temper.

Kendall must be involved with Frank! Maybe she changed her mind and decided to marry Dylan to help Frank by spying on the Colemans from the inside.

Tilly didn't believe the explanation Kendall had given.

Even though she could understand why Kendall would give up on Jackson after hearing about the scandal between Kelly and Jackson, it was still only on the basis that Kendall didn't do anything that would harm Dylan. However, Frank just made a high-profile declaration of his love for Kendall right in front of Parker Corporation, as if he couldn't bear the idea of not letting anyone know about his love for her.

That wasn't something Tilly could even try to accept.

Out of all her grandsons, the one she loved the most was Dylan, as she had raised him herself. She would rather suffer than see him hurt in any way.

In her eyes, Frank's declaration of love for Kendall meant that Dylan would've been hurt. She knew very well just how much Dylan doted on Kendall.

The more Dylan showered Kendall with love, the more dissatisfied Tilly was on his behalf, and the more enraged she was with Kendall.

"I won't have it! I must chase Kendall away from Dylan!"

Consumed by anger, Tilly had long since forgotten all about what Dylan had once said.

Her mind was full of vicious thoughts. All she could think about was how to get Kendall away from Dylan.

No, getting her away isn't enough. They must get a divorce!

However, Dylan was very protective of Kendall, so even if Tilly wanted to chase her away, she had to

find the right timing.

For example, when Dylan was away from Orapolis.

How can I get Dylan out of Orapolis? Oh, that's it! A business trip!

However, Dylan wasn't fully mobile yet, and as the company president, he never took business trips unless it was for something of huge importance to the company.

 

Chapter 433

Dylan won't leave, which means I have no chance to chase Kendall off and that I can't convince them to get a divorce. Tilly was getting a headache. "None of this would have happened if I hadn't asked the Parkers for their daughter's hand in marriage." Tilly regretted her decision.

Dylan still couldn't stand on his own back then, and people were spreading rumors of him being impotent. Even Yasmine gave up on him, and Laura was no longer interested in him. Tilly didn't want her grandson to be alone forever, so she asked the Parkers for their daughter's hand in marriage in an attempt to get a free caretaker for Dylan. And then, this happened. I guess I can make use of Frank's feelings for Kendall to drive them apart.

Knock! Knock! Someone knocked on the door.

"Who goes there?" Tilly asked sternly and picked the envelope up. She went into her bedroom and kept the envelope inside the bedside cabinet's drawer before locking it up.

"It's me, Old Madam Coleman. Master Dylan is here, and he wishes to see you," said Tia.

Dylan? Oh, right, he's usually home by this time. Tilly sat back down on the couch and answered, "I see. Tell him to come upstairs, then."

"Okay." Tia left soon after.

A few minutes later, someone knocked on the door again. "It's me, Grandma." This time, it was Dylan.

Tilly went to open the door. The first thing she saw was Dylan standing up, so she quickly held his arm. "You still haven't fully healed yet. You shouldn't stand for so long. Why didn't you use the wheelchair? There's an elevator in the house, too. You could have just come up without walking around," she reprimanded him softly as she helped him into the room.

"I can walk by myself, Grandma." Even though he said that, he didn't refuse Tilly's help either.

They slowly entered the room and sat down on the couch. "You're alone? Where's Kendall? Why isn't she with you?" Tilly asked.

"She has to attend etiquette class every night, and now she's learning how to do business with her father, so sometimes she would have appointments at night. I'm fine being alone. Besides, I don't like anyone watching me while I rehab."

Tilly pursed her lips and said nothing.

Dylan stared at his grandmother as he thought to himself. Her hair's all gray now. No matter how much Grandma tries to make herself look younger, she still can't cover the fact that she is getting on in years.

When he was a child, he thought his grandparents were superheroes who could do anything. They were the ones who raised him and groomed him into the fine and talented man he was now. So, he wasn't surprised to find himself greatly influenced by his grandparents. As Dylan thought of that, his tense face started to loosen up.

Tilly noticed the changes in his looks. She knew exactly what he was thinking about. He must be here for the incident shown in the photos.

She and Dylan had argued a lot over Kendall, and it infuriated her. She hated how much Dylan cared about Kendall. The more he cared about Kendall, the more she hated Kendall. Tilly had always seen Kendall as a wicked woman who tried to take her grandson away from her.

Dylan didn't know about that only because she didn't show her detest for Kendall openly. If she had anything to say, she would just tell Emily about it, and Emily would bring the message to Dylan. However, Fergus convinced Emily to stop doing that. Tilly wanted to scold him, but she couldn't.

Fergus was already disgruntled enough when Tilly insisted on raising Dylan herself. They had even gotten into some arguments because of that. Dylan might have grown well, but Fergus still had complaints about it. He just didn't bring it up.

"It's been a while since we talked, Grandma." Dylan broke the ice.

"Yes, it's been a while. You barely even come to the main house anymore. Every time you're here, it's always about Kendall," Tilly lamented and complained a little.

Dylan stayed silent for a while. "Sorry for neglecting you, Grandma. And all of you."

"It's alright. As long as you can build yourself back up and stand on your own two feet, you'll still be the same man you used to be. That's enough for me. It'd been a dark period for me, and I'd try anything to help you get better. I even went to a fortune teller to see if there was anything that could help. And the fortune teller said having a wedding can help with your recovery, which is why I asked for Kendall's hand in marriage for you."

Dylan was surprised at her words. This was the first time he heard about it. So, that's why Grandma

went for Kendall.

"I sounded silly, didn't I? I just went after anything that might seem to help, but the fortune teller was the real deal. He told me how to help you recover, and you actually got better after I did that." She sighed.

Dylan said, "If fate itself wants me to marry Kendall, why do you still dislike her? If it were not for her, I wouldn't have gone into rehab." And I might still be the cold, ruthless man I was.

Tilly didn't know what to say for a moment. Eventually, she answered, "It's probably a coincidence, not fate. You have no idea how odd the fortune-telling was. A debt repaid or something, it said; that Kendall doesn't owe you anything and that it's the other way around, it said. Preposterous! The fortune teller is a sham."

Dylan quickly countered, "But just a second ago, you said the fortune teller was the real deal."

Tilly was left speechless for a moment before saying, "We're people of science, Dylan. We shouldn't be superstitious. It is merely a coincidence. Well, sure, Kendall might have helped, but she's not worthy of you. You're the head of the Coleman Family and the ruler of Orapolis. You can do and have anything you want. And not to mention that you're a successful businessman. I don't even consider Yasmine a worthy match for you, even though she comes from a rich family. Kendall is just a girl raised in a village, so how could she possibly be worthy of you?

"And don't you think she's a bit odd? She came to you at first to refuse the marriage and even committed suicide for that. But after she woke up, she retracted her refusal and went ahead with the plan. Doesn't that seem weird to you? She must have up to something. I think she might be a spy your enemy planted, and she was just waiting for the right time to kill you off."

Dylan stared at his grandmother. Once she was done, he said solemnly, "Grandma, I've told you about this many times. More than I care to count. But now that you're going to kick Kendall away after she's helped me so much, I'll have to make myself clear again. She's the only woman I'll marry. Nobody else. Take her away from me, and I'll stay single forever."

 

Chapter 434

God, not this again! Dylan let out an inward sigh before replying, "Grandma, you and Kendall are both important people in my life. But you're my grandmother, and she's my wife, so naturally, both of you hold different spots in my heart. Did somebody say something to you? You were starting to treat Kendall nicer before."

Like I'd ever do that. I was only putting on an act. I've never taken a liking to this woman since the beginning, Tilly remarked inwardly. "About what?" She wasn't about to admit it so readily.

Dylan said nothing. He was the head of the family, so he would learn any news in a split second from all the sources he had. Tilly was his grandmother, so the same went for her as well. He had already known that his grandmother had received an envelope as no one was trying to hide the fact. He had sent his men out to find out who was the sender of this envelope and what was in it. I bet I'll receive news about it soon enough. How dare they go straight to Grandma! They'll pay for this.

"Grandma, Frank really likes her. He's not trying to use Kendall to go against me this time." Dylan decided to be honest. He'd rather tell Tilly about it than have her use it against Kendall.

Tilly's eyes glinted. She was surprised Dylan would be so upfront about it.

"Even Frank fell for her. Are you still going to say she's not good enough for me? If you try doing anything uncalled for and break us up, I guarantee Frank will be most grateful to you. He'll thank you for giving him your own granddaughter-in-law. They might end up married, while I would have to languish at home. And who knows, he might even be raising my kid, too."

Tilly was miffed. "I don't want to talk about your bedroom affairs, Dylan, but don't even think about lying. You've never planned on having a child. The prospect of having a great-grandchild, at least for me, is

still far away."

Dylan fell silent for a moment again. "But we didn't use any protection the first time."

"That doesn't mean you'd knock her up for sure. We'll talk once she's pregnant."

He stopped arguing. He couldn't be bothered to do that anymore.

"Dylan, have you never once suspected that Kendall might be a spy deployed by Frank to set up against you?"

"Impossible," he denied. Because of that weird dream, Kendall hates Frank to the core. There's no way she'll help him.

"Why do you trust her so much?"

"I know she's not his spy and that she doesn't like him one bit. Whatever Frank is doing, it only represents him, not her. You can't doubt Kendall's integrity just because Frank likes her."

Tilly was positively irritated. "It takes two to tango. You can't tell me they haven't talked in private."

Dylan couldn't argue with that. They did meet a few times in private. Even though Frank was the one initiating it every time, it didn't change the fact that they had indeed met in private.

Seeing her grandson fall silent, Tilly grabbed onto this chance to try to poison his mind. She felt rather upset, and her heart ached as she patted his head and said, "Keep an eye on her. She might cheat on

you."

"She won't, Grandma." He trusted Kendall, and that fact angered Tilly even more.

"We'll see about that. She'll show her true colors in time, Dylan. And by then, you'll know that I was right."

Dylan answered coldly, "I trust her."

Tilly scoffed. "Fine. Then, that's the end of our discussion."

The ill-tempered Dylan held the armrest and stood up. Icily, he said, "Good night, Grandma. Sorry for disturbing you." Then, he left.

Tilly could tell he was angry judging from how fast he was walking. She, too, was angry, but she also felt sad for him. Yet, that feeling wasn't reciprocal. Even if he were sad, he'd only feel that for Kendall, not her. Tilly was jealous. The boy she raised was starting to get estranged, all because of Kendall.

Is this what the fortune-teller meant? That Dylan's repaying a debt he incurred in his past life with everything he has?

…

Tom had been waiting right outside of the Mendelson Residence the whole day. He'd call delivery when he got hungry. He wouldn't leave until he had seen Frank.

Frank didn't even care about him. He refused to see Tom, and he even asked his underling to tell Tom a message. "Feel free to wait, but I won't see you, not even if you die. I'd call the funeral parlor for you, though." That irked Tom, but he must stay for his company's survival.

He wanted to know why Frank was going after his company. What did I ever do to him?

The gates opened, and out came Desmond. Behind him, a car slowly moved out.

"Desmond!" Tom knew Desmond. Thinking Frank was finally seeing him, he quickly approached Desmond and asked, "Is Mr. Mendelson finally seeing me?"

"He's not seeing anyone, Mr. Whittle. Leave and don't hang around. You're only making Mr. Mendelson more annoyed."

Desmond continued coldly, "If you want to know why he refuses to see you, take a look at the entertainment news today. It just got updated, and I believe you'll know the answer once you see it." He then got into a car, and the gates of the villa swung shut.

"No, wait! Desmond!" Tom went after the car, but it didn't stop for him. Eventually, it went out of sight. The entertainment news? Tom whipped his phone out and opened the news app. He quickly navigated to the entertainment section and saw the latest news.

There was a picture, and Frank was on it. He was in a wheelchair, holding a bouquet of flowers. Before him was a company, and behind him were a few cars. There was a banner hanging over the cars, and it read, 'Frank loves Kendall!'

The event happened at noon, but the news site only managed to update it now. They were probably

worried Dylan might take them down if they updated it immediately. Someone must have told them to upload the news right now.

The moment Tom saw the banner, his hand slipped, and his phone fell. There was sheer disbelief in his eyes. Impossible. Kendall isn't even that beautiful. How did she manage to make two of the best men in Orapolis fall for her?

Having Dylan alone was enough for her to rule this city, and with Frank in the mix, she could do whatever she wanted. No wonder she ditched my son. She found herself some better men.

 

Chapter 435

No wonder the Mendelsons are coming after me. It's all because of her! Tom felt the world around him crumbling to dust. No. It's not her fault. Jackson's the one who brought this upon us.

Tom knew about Jackson and Kelly's scheme, but he didn't stop them. He tacitly agreed to what his son was doing, which brought them unforeseen disaster. This wasn't Kendall's fault at all. If she hadn't given up on Jackson, she would've been in a living hell by now. We reap what we sow.

With a trembling hand, Tom picked his phone up and stared at the villa before him. A bitter smile curled his lips, and he eventually turned to his car. Now that he knew why his company had been gone after, he could do nothing but accept his fate now.

…

Desmond went to the Taylor Residence. Since Frank was out, Desmond didn't arrange for anyone to pick Amelia up. Then, Frank came home looking surly and didn't even bring her up. Thus, Desmond figured it'd be best not to bring Amelia over at that moment for her own good. He didn't want Frank to vent on her.

Meanwhile, Amelia was in a foul mood after Ronnie rejected her. She stayed home the whole day and stared at her wall of pictures of pretty boys. When her phone rang, it was only then that she finally snapped out of it and picked up her phone. It was a call from Desmond. She answered it and spoke in a feeble voice. "Desmond, it's an ungodly hour. Does your master want to torture me still?"

"Sorry for disturbing you late at night, Ms. Taylor. I'm right outside your house. Will you come out yourself, or should we come in instead?"

Amelia sighed and muttered, "What did I do to deserve this? Fine, I'm coming out. Don't come in. I don't want you guys scaring my mom."

"I'll be waiting, then. Make it quick, Ms. Taylor."

"Fine." She hung up and composed herself. Then, she brought enough money to pay for the cab for her return trip later and picked up her new phone. After that confession, she knew full well Ronnie wouldn't be picking her up, so she only had herself to rely on.

There was no way she could ask Frank or Desmond for help. Frank would only vent all his negative emotions on her, while Desmond would only listen to his master's orders. He would never truly help her. A few moments later, she quickly came downstairs.

"Where are you going, Amy?" Sophia asked.

"I've been cooped up in my room the whole day. It's cooler now, so I'm going out to get some fresh air." She trotted to the porch, worried that her mother might make her stay back.

"What on earth is happening, Amelia? Lately, you've been going out every night and won't come back until it's almost morning," Sophia muttered. She wondered if her daughter was in love, but then she dashed that idea. She's probably out to get more photos of pretty boys and hang them on her wall.

She has so many photos of pretty guys but no boyfriend to show for it. Kendall's already married, whereas my daughter doesn't even have a boyfriend. Blind dates don't work, either. Sophia really wanted her daughter to marry someone, but Amelia was in no hurry.

Amelia quickly left the house, and Desmond got out of the car to open the door for her. She got into the car, and it revved up. And to the Mendelson Residence, they went. "The master is still in a bad mood, Ms. Taylor. Please bear with him," Desmond said, giving her a heads-up.

Amelia retorted, "When is he ever in a good mood?"

Desmond remained silent as he thought, Well, can't argue with that.

"Anyway, why is he throwing a tantrum again?" she asked despite herself.

Desmond sighed. "You haven't seen the entertainment news, have you?"

"I don't care about the scandals and rumors. Too many lies and too many twists. Who knows what story is true and what is fake." I'm only interested in hot guys.

"No wonder. If you go through today's news, you'll know why the master is in a bad mood."

"Just out with it already. If you don't want to, then fine by me. It's none of my business, and I couldn't be bothered to know anyway."

Desmond stayed silent for a moment before asking in concern, "Is Ms. Taylor in a bad mood as well?"

"Yes, I've lost a relationship, so tell your master to stay away from me. Get on my nerves, and I might hack his body parts off."

Desmond was shocked at that. "You had a boyfriend? How come you never mentioned it before?"

Then, he thought to himself, But I've looked into her. I'm pretty sure she's single, or I wouldn't have set her up with Master.

Amelia might have a habit of collecting photos of pretty boys, but that was just a hobby. She didn't like those men. Still, that hobby of hers elevated her standards of men to impossible levels. Perhaps the master is the only one who can make her fall in love.

"I had a crush on someone; I confessed, but he rejected me. So, in other words, a relationship lost."

Desmond grinned. "I see. That's good to hear."

Good to hear? She demanded, "Mr. Desmond, I lost a relationship, and you're laughing at me? Do you want me to stay single for life?"

"Of course not. Ms. Taylor will get married sooner or later, and maybe to an excellent man as well. As excellent as Master Dylan. Just like your friend, you'll be the object of all Orapolis women's envy." Master is qualified enough for that. He's the object of every woman's desire, after all.

"I'd be thankful if the guy I marry is half a man like Master Dylan. No, wait. He's not a man. He's a God." Amelia was still fearful of Dylan.

Desmond chuckled, but he stopped elaborating. It's still uncertain whether the master will date her. "The master had breakfast, but that's it. He didn't have lunch or dinner, nor did he even drink a drop of water."

"Is he gonna die soon? Is that why you ask me over? To stuff his remains in a casket? Do you want me to call the mortuary for him?"

Oh, she has a sharp tongue. Good thing the master isn't here to hear that. "The master went to Parker Corporation this afternoon and confessed to Ms. Parker. Naturally, she didn't accept the confession. Ridden by sorrow, he refuses to eat or drink. I'm worried about him, and thus I came to you. I implore you, Ms. Taylor, please tell the master to at least eat something. He mustn't starve himself."

"Sure. I'll cheer him on and see how long he can go before he's dead."

Desmond was speechless. She really dislikes the master.

 

Chapter 436

Amelia texted Kendall, and her friend told her she was in etiquette class. Amelia then asked if Frank's actions would trouble her while cursing Frank at the same time in her text message.

'Dylan trusts me. But, of course, there will be problems. His mother and grandmother are just waiting to get some dirt on me so they can break us up,' Kendall responded.

That worried Amelia, but she didn't say anything that might bring down Kendall's spirit. Instead, she consoled her best friend. 'As long as Master Dylan trusts you, then everything is okay. The most important thing in a relationship is trust. As long as you both trust and understand each other, nothing will take you apart.'

'Yeah. How are you feeling, Amy? Since Nell got into trouble, I could hardly find the time to meet up with you.'

'What happened to Nell? And I'm fine, don't worry about me. Frank is a son of a b*tch, but he has lines he won't cross. I'll be fine.'

Kendall told her what happened to Nelson, and Amelia texted, 'Kelly's more trouble than she's worth.'

Yeah, way more trouble than she's worth. 'I have to go now, Amy. We'll talk if you're still awake once my class ends. And Frank is an obsessive guy, so be careful.'

'I'll be fine. Don't worry.'

Amelia was afraid of Frank at first, but eventually, she lost her fear of him, despite what he would do to her every day. Sometimes, she would even pity him for never getting the response he wanted from

Kendall. He loves her, but he could never have her. Fate can be cruel sometimes.

The texting ended, and they had arrived at the Mendelson Residence.

Tom was already gone, but Desmond didn't care. Tom was nothing but a small fry to Frank. If it weren't for Jackson being the guy Kendall used to head over heels for, Frank probably wouldn't have any idea who Tom was.

Frank was hiding in his room. He didn't answer when Desmond knocked. "Master?" Desmond knocked again, but he still had no answer. He tried to push the door only to find it locked from the inside. "Master, Ms. Taylor is here."

Amelia was right behind Desmond, and she smirked. "See? I can't do anything about this, Mr. Desmond. The one he really wants to see is Kendall. If you had lied to him and said, 'Ms. Parker is here,' I guarantee he'd come running out of the room like a monkey."

Desmond turned around and looked at her in silence.

"Oh, don't give me that look. There's nothing I can do about this. He's locking himself up inside. Either you stop calling him, or you get a lockpicker to come here to unlock this door. I'm no lockpicker, and I'm not this household's servant. Can't help you there."

Amelia crossed her arms like this was none of her business. "If he's still locking himself in and refusing to take any sustenance, that only means one thing; he can still go on. Don't worry about him, Mr. Desmond. He's already in his thirties, isn't he? He's big enough to worry about himself. Even if he dies from starvation, we can still get the mortuary guys over before his corpse starts to rot."

Desmond paused for a short while before saying, "You really don't like him, do you?"

"Yeah. He doesn't like me, either. Ever since he found out I was taking his pictures, he had treated me like dirt. I'm sure you, of all people, should know that."

"He's actually treating you differently from everyone else, Ms. Taylor."

Amelia chortled. "Yeah, right. He pranks me every day, sends his dogs after me, and won't even lift a finger to help. He even threatens and yells at me every day. Good thing I'm a tough woman, or I'd already have a heart attack by now."

Desmond then said, "But you're the only woman who's allowed to stay with him. Besides Ms. Parker, of course."

"Poor choice of words, Mr. Desmond. I'm not staying out of my own free will. You forced me here. He's not being special to me. He's trying to torture me to the point where I call Kendall for help. The moment she comes to his house, he'll lay his hands on her."

Desmond had nothing to say to that since that was what Frank had in mind. Frank thought Amelia would break and call Kendall eventually. And then, when Kendall came, Frank would capture her, move her to another city, and then force her into marriage with him. He's too obsessed with Ms. Parker. Desmond heaved an inward sigh before he turned around and smacked the door again. "Master!"

Amelia then suggested, "How about we get an axe to break the door down?"

Desmond ignored her and kept banging on the door.

"Maybe he's unconscious. Why don't you step aside and let me crash the door down?"

"You want to do what now?" Desmond smiled helplessly. "Ms. Taylor, I've been nice to you. Can't you ask the master to open the door? For old times' sake?" Even I don't have the strength to break the door down. There's no way a young lady like her can do that. The sun's gonna have to rise from the west for that.

"Still have to crash the door down to do so, though. Here, let me try. I'm going to put all my strength into this." Amelia got into position.

Desmond wanted to tell her it wouldn't work, but then he realized this was her means of venting out her frustration, so he let her do as she wished. He stood aside and gave the stage to her.

Amelia was serious when she said she wanted to crash the door down. She backed away a few steps before rushing forward to slam her body against the door. However, the door opened at the last moment, and Amelia ended up crashing into Frank instead, sending them both flying onto the floor.

Desmond stared at them and covered his face. I think I should leave.

"Dammit. Get off me, Amelia! Do you have a death wish?! You're so heavy! And where do you think you're touching? I'll cut your hand off!" Frank roared.

Desmond was still wondering if he should run away, but then his master's roars snapped him back to reality. He took a closer look and saw Amelia lying on Frank's lower belly. By instinct, she tried to get back up, but she had placed her hands in the wrong place.

Amelia was blushing hard out of embarrassment, and she rolled away before Frank could kick her off. She then darted off like an arrow, but before she left, she said, "Bye, Mr. Desmond."

Desmond wanted to stop her, but Frank moved faster than he could speak. He saw a silhouette zipping past him like the wind, and then Frank had already caught Amelia by the arm. With a turn, he threw the escaping lady over his shoulder.

Ouch. Desmond could feel the pain just from watching, and he cringed. No wonder Master is still single. This is why.

The blow came as a surprise for Amelia. She felt the world spin and was starting to see stars. To make things worse, Frank was stepping on her chest. Goddammit!

 

Chapter 437

"Master!" Desmond shouted. "Have mercy, Master!" Quickly, Desmond approached Frank and persuaded him, "You're going to kill her. And if you kill her, Ms. Parker will never forgive you!"

Frank stared at Amelia darkly. She couldn't even react to that blow in time. If it was Kendall, she would have started fighting me.

"I-I had no idea, F-Frank…"

Amelia wanted to say she didn't mean to touch his wiener and that it was an accident. He opened the door all of a sudden, and she just happened to crash into him. Good thing for her she didn't pull his pants down, or he might have had her dead by now.

"Calm down, Master. This is just an accident. She was just worried about you. She didn't mean to crash the door down." Desmond kept defending Amelia for fear that Frank might hurt or even kill her.

Frank glared at Amelia for a long while before he removed his foot. Coldly, he said, "I heard everything."

Amelia wasn't worried about him. She just wanted to crash that door down because it would mean crashing him down. A kind of revenge, so to speak. He opened the door just when she was about to crash into it, hoping she would trip and fall. She did fall, but he was the cushion of that fall.

Desmond smiled sheepishly but quickly held Amelia up and retreated with her. Some distance had to be put between her and Frank lest he took her life in a fit of rage.

Frank noticed what Desmond was doing, and the look in his eyes darkened. He had wanted to say

something only to stay silent in the end. He then turned around and went back into his room. "Make some food for me, and I need a drinking buddy."

"Yes, sir," Desmond said.

"Not you. Her." Frank turned around and shot Amelia a look.

Amelia wanted to refuse, but the look in his cold eyes scared her. Reluctantly, she relented, "If you don't mind my cooking, I'll whip something up for you and be your drinking buddy."

Frank said nothing and left for his room.

When the door was finally closed, Amelia heaved a sigh of relief and plopped down onto the ground. She patted her chest and told Desmond, "I thought I was gonna die."

Desmond wiped the sweat off his forehead as well. "I had the shock of my life as well. Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"I felt like the world was spinning when he threw me over his shoulder. And I felt like my insides had moved their places at one point, but I feel fine now."

Desmond heaved a sigh of relief. "Good to hear that you're fine."

Master has softened the blow on her even when he was enraged. If he had actually thrown her with full force, Ms. Taylor wouldn't have any strength left to stand back up now.

Two hours later, Amelia came back up with some food, a bowl of soup, and some spaghetti. It was already 10.00PM. Desmond watched as she went upstairs by herself. Since she was holding something, Amelia kicked the door and shouted, "Food's here. Open up."

Frank didn't come to take the door. Amelia was already fuming from the start, and his negligence just angered her even further. She kicked, and kicked, and kicked, until he finally opened the door.

Frank first shot her a dirty look, then he moved his gaze to the food, and finally, he turned his attention to the door. "You're paying for that door tenfold if you break it."

"As if I could break a door as sturdy as this. If I did break it down, you should file your complaints to the salesperson instead. Like, what kind of lousy door is that? Expensive yet useless."

"Did you just call me useless?"

"Oh no, good sir. I wouldn't dare to insult you even if someone paid me a hefty sum. You're the most gorgeous guy in the world, after all. Anyway, can I come in now, handsome?"

Frank pursed his lips for a while before he finally backed off and let her into the room. He followed her inside but left the door open. Thinking he forgot to close the door, Amelia tried to close it after she put the tray down, but he stopped her.

"Staying alone in an enclosed room will cause unwanted problems. Leave it open. I don't want you to cling to me."

Amelia wanted to spit at him. As if I'd cling to you. Not even if I'm getting paid for it. I'd be blind to even fall for a temperamental guy like you. "Desmond said you haven't eaten the whole day. You should

have some soup to settle your stomach first." She pushed the bowl of soup to him.

"Where's the wine?"

Someone knocked on the door, and in came Desmond with two bottles of wine. "Here you go, sir." He placed the bottles on the coffee table and handed them two glasses before taking his leave.

Frank picked one glass up and filled it up. Just when he was about to down the wine, Amelia stopped him. He stared into her clear, innocent eyes.

"Don't drink on an empty stomach. You'll get drunk faster that way." She took the glass away and requested, "Finish the soup and eat something before you drink." Then, she added, "You might mistake me for Kendall if you got drunk. And I don't want you trying to sleep with me, or I'd be forced to stay with you. If you don't want that to happen, you should do as I said."

Frank looked at her darkly while she stared back fearlessly. She was getting ready to splash his face with the soup if he tried to do anything funny.

Frank growled, "Don't even think about falling in love with me, Amelia. Kendall is the only one I care about. I don't give a rat's arse about any other women."

Amelia froze up for a moment, and then she laughed. "Don't worry, Frank. I'm not a masochist. I'm not gonna fall for someone unstable and dangerous like you. I prefer guys like Ronnie. Even though I got rejected, I can still find someone like him to date. I won't fall for you, so just rest assured."

The look on Frank's face changed at her words. Perhaps, it was because he felt humiliated, or maybe it was because he found out that Amelia liked Ronnie. In any case, he didn't look happy at all.

Oblivious to his change, Amelia continued, "You've done nothing but pull pranks on me since we met, but here's a word of advice: stop wasting your time on Kendall. She loves Master Dylan and would never marry anyone else."

 

Chapter 438

"Falling in love with someone who doesn't love you back is a painful experience, especially when the woman is your enemy's wife. Why do you keep doing this? Do you want Master Dylan to call you a loser?"

"None of your business."

"And I wouldn't have been sticking my nose into your business if it weren't because you had dragged Kendall into this." I'm only doing this for my best friend.

"Then, why don't you just shut up and drink!" he snapped. Instead of picking the glass back up, he finished the soup and took a few mouthfuls of spaghetti before he went for the wine. Though, he paused for a moment. When he realized Amelia wasn't stopping him, he took a sip before finally downing the whole glass.

Amelia was getting hungry as well after spending the whole day spacing out in her room. She didn't take the spaghetti but had a bowl of soup instead. After finishing it, she poured herself a glass of wine and took a sip.

For once, they were quiet in each other's company.

Desmond provided them with hard liquor. Beset by fury and anger, Frank just kept drinking and drinking. He was drunk by the time he finished his food. The man was on the couch, muttering Kendall's name.

Amelia was still sober, as she only had a glass of wine. She sat down in front of him, staring at him as he muttered Kendall's name in his drunken haze. Sometimes, he would say weird things like, "I'm sorry,

baby. Daddy had let you down."

A sigh escaped Amelia's lips. This whole fiasco just smells fishy. I have no idea why Frank fell for Kendall. Still, she pitied him. He loved someone whom he could never get.

Amelia approached him and tried her best to hold him up. She helped him into the bedroom before tossing him onto the bed. She breathed heavily for a while and composed herself before she proceeded to take his shoes off. Then, she took his coat off and raised his feet to push him further into the bed just in case he rolled over and fell off the bed.

"I'm sorry, Kendall…" His mutterings didn't stop, and his face was filled with agony.

Amelia knew he was dreaming, and probably about Kendall. She stared at him for a while and left only to come back with a basin of cool water. She wiped his face and hands with a towel before sitting on the edge of the bed and watching him cry.

She reached out to brush his tears away, and they felt hot. "This is not going to end well," she murmured. Pity grew within her. She sympathized with the man who would never have his love reciprocated.

Putting her friendship with Kendall aside, she was moved by Frank's love for Kendall. However, her friend was married to Dylan, so Kendall could never respond to Frank's love. And not to mention Kendall hated Frank to the bone.

Amelia wondered why Kendall hated Frank, but she didn't ask. It was her friend's private affair, and Kendall would have told her if she wanted to. The reason she didn't was that she didn't want Amelia to

know. Knowledge could be a curse sometimes.

Amelia left discreetly after Frank was asleep. Desmond got her a driver, but she refused. She wanted to see if Ronnie would pick her up after the confession.

And just as she had expected, Ronnie didn't come. The one who came was Undecim, his best friend. She got into his car, and when they returned to her house, she told Undecim, "Tell Master Dylan I said thanks for his help. You don't have to pick me up anymore."

Since Ronnie had chosen to keep away, she refused to trouble Dylan anymore. Desmond could get her a driver, anyway.

Undecim said, "I'll tell him that." But I can't guarantee what Master Dylan will do.

"Thank you," she thanked him and got out of the car. Then, she unlocked her house's door and went inside.

The night was getting darker, but the morning was still a long way to go. Everyone went to sleep, and a storm visited the city at the break of dawn. The sun poked its head out after the rain was gone, and it slowly made its way up into the skies.

The woods were lusher than ever, though the flowers were destroyed. The air, however, smelled fresher, and the sun wasn't raining down a heat wave like it used to, as the coolness brought by the storm still lingered in the air.

Kendall woke up early in the morning and left the main house. She was about to take a stroll in the garden, but when she saw Alice approach her, she changed her mind. "Hi, Alice," she greeted.

"Morning, Kendall." Alice smiled and looked at the space behind Kendall.

"Dylan's still sleeping. Do you need something?" Kendall thought she was here to see Dylan.

"I'm here for you. The storm just passed, and the air is still fresh. Wanna walk around?" Alice then whispered, "Just around Dylan's place. I need to get to Grandma before she wakes up."

Oh, she's here to tell me something. Alice usually never wakes up this early. She thanked Alice for her kindness in silence. "Yeah. I was just about to go for a walk as well."

Kendall smiled warmly and didn't press Alice for details. And then, her phone rang. Roger? She quickly picked it up. "Roger, is this about Nell?"

"Yes. He just woke up. The doctor checked on him, and he was out of the woods. He can leave the ICU now. Dad and Mom want me to tell you so that you wouldn't be worried."

"Good to hear." Now that Nelson had woken up and gotten out of the woods, she felt as if the weight on her shoulders had been lifted. "I'll see him in a bit."

Roger told her to be careful when she came over before hanging up. He had to take care of Nelson now.

Kendall didn't put her phone back into her pocket. She held it and went ahead to the backyard with Alice.

Dylan told the servants to change the backyard into a garden, just like what Kendall liked. Her favorite

swing was there as well.

"Nell woke up?" The Colemans knew what happened to Nelson.

"Yes. And he's out of the woods. Thank the heavens."

"Good to hear. Dad, Mom, and I are gonna see him later." Dylan didn't mind recognizing the Woods as his in-laws, so that made them relatives. Now that their in-laws' son was in trouble, Alice figured they should check up on him.

"Thank you, Alice, but don't force your parents if they refuse to go." Kendall knew her in-laws didn't take to her very well, especially her mother-in-law. She still disliked Kendall. If it weren't for Fergus and Alice, Emily might have gone for Kendall's jugular.

 

Chapter 439

"Do you have something to tell me, Alice?"

"Yeah. Someone sent Grandma a letter yesterday, and she looked absolutely upset after seeing it. They're photos, from the looks of it. But she held onto the photos after she stuffed them back into the envelope. She just wouldn't let us in on it. I have no idea what those photos are about, but Grandma probably cares a lot about the person involved. She cares about all of us, but we haven't done anything that would cause a ruckus, so you're the only person left."

Oh, so that's how it is. Kendall then said, "It's probably the photos of Frank confessing to me at my company's entrance. They're all over the entertainment headlines."

Alice froze for a moment. "It's already making the rounds?" Alice was worried her grandmother might find out she was snitching, but now her worries were gone. The whole city probably knows Frank likes Kendall now.

"It made its way to the news last night, probably thanks to Frank. Dylan will make sure they can't show up in the search results if Frank made his move too early, so he went with the night."

That scheming, diabolical scumbag! "Kendall, do you like Fr—" Alice wanted to ask something, but she noticed the look Kendall was giving her, and she quickly said, "I trust you no matter what, Kendall." She and Dylan are getting along now, and I've been watching their relationship grow all the while. So, their love for each other must be real.

"Thank you for trusting me, Alice. I don't like Frank at all. I have no idea what I did for him to be so obsessed with me. I suspect he's doing this on purpose to get at Dylan and ruin our relationship."

Kendall told her mother and Dylan what happened in her past life, but she kept it a secret from everyone else.

Yeah. Frank is Dylan's enemy. Alice said, "That's probably it. He tries to take everything my brother cares about, be it people or items. But that's not what Grandma thinks. You have to be prepared for anything she throws at you, but most of all, you have to trust Dylan. Whatever Grandma does, it's on her, not Dylan."

Kendall nodded. "I know. Dylan and I talked about this before."

Alice sighed. "Grandma's led her whole life getting whatever she wants. She might appear to be a warm and lovable person now, but there's no way she can change her arrogant attitude."

Kendall laughed at herself. "She doesn't like me because I grew up in a village, and I used to love Jackson. When I look back now, I still can't believe I fell for that scumbag."

She would do anything for someone she loved. Back when she was madly in love with Jackson, she gave him everything she had just so she could marry him and raise a family.

She did that in her previous life. Her mind was occupied by nothing but love, and reality taught her a lesson. The price? A tragedy. It was a price she never wanted to pay again. "Next time you date someone, Alice, keep your eyes open. Don't give them everything you have right away. Some people are good at pretending."

She's even more useful than I am. If someone wants wealth, anyway. "Don't give the guy everything you have. You've to think of yourself as well. Give three parts of your soul to love, three parts to

friendship, and four parts to family. Even if you lose love, that way you still have your family and friends to rely on. You won't lose everything."

Alice smiled. "I'm still young, Kendall. Marriage is still far away. Grandma said she won't push me into a relationship even if I'm still single at thirty." She laughed at herself. "And nobody would try to scam me, much less woo me. I have fifteen brothers, and all of them are awesome."

"The elders envy Grandma since all her grandchildren are successful people. Everyone keeps telling her how blessed she is to have so many successful descendants."

Most of the rich kids were playful and frivolous, but the Colemans weren't. That was why Tilly was envied and respected. The children she raised were brilliant.

"Your family's blessed."

Alice smiled. She had the same idea as well.

They were talking happily, but then Amos came in a hurry. "Young Mistress Kendall!"

"What's wrong, Amos?"

"You need to go back. Old Madam Coleman and her men are threatening to toss your stuff out and chase you out of the family. She wants Young Master Dylan to divorce you, and he's still arguing with her."

Kendall and Alice were shocked upon hearing his words.

Alice hissed, "I can't believe Grandma woke up this early."

Kendall asked in concern, "How's Dylan doing?"

"You have to go back, madam. The other madams and masters are gathering as well. And more were on their way when I came. They said Old Madam Coleman wanted them here all of a sudden." To witness how she deals with you. Amos didn't say the last part out loud.

Kendall looked solemn. "I'll go back right now."

She didn't try to chase me out yesterday, so why now? Probably the headlines. No wait, Dylan settled it the moment he found out what was going on. They couldn't have seen it before they slept.

Kendall went with Amos and whipped her phone out to search for the latest news only to find Frank's confession making the rounds again. Frank did it again. Probably got someone to help him as well.

She let out a silent sigh. Today's the day. No use pushing down the Internet since everyone had seen how Frank confessed to me. Dylan's not a God. He can't silence everyone.

"Kendall!" Alice caught up to her and asked, "This is a bit too sudden. Why don't you apologize when you see Grandma?" Alice was worried.

"You know your grandmother better than I do. Apologies won't work, and I did no wrong. Frank's confession was all his doing. I have no control over him." She didn't want Frank to be obsessed with her, but there was nothing she could do to stop him.

Alice couldn't come up with an answer. Kendall was speaking the truth. Tilly had been waiting for this chance to kick her out. She only kept Kendall around because she was useful. Now that Dylan was getting better, and the rumors about his impotence were debunked, Tilly seized the chance to chase Kendall out the moment she had it.

 

Chapter 440

Alice couldn't say anything because it was her grandmother, but deep down inside, she disagreed with her grandmother's decision.

It was something only an ungrateful person would do.

Her grandmother had used Kendall as a means of saving Dylan, but now that Dylan was saved, her grandmother wanted to toss Kendall aside.

That's too ungrateful of her.

"Don't be afraid, Kendall. We're all on your side."

The only thing Alice could do was plead on Kendall's behalf.

Kendall had a bad feeling about this. Tilly was making too much of a scene. There was no way it was going to end well. Frank's malicious scheme worked.

That *sshole! Kendall started cursing Frank out internally. If Frank had been in front of her right now, she would've smashed him to a pulp.

"I'll accept whatever the outcome is." Kendall was mentally prepared for this. She calmed down all of a sudden and no longer showed any signs of anxiety.

She followed Alice and Amos into the house.

"Kendall."

She ran into her parents and Kelly at the door.

Kelly had been discharged from the hospital yesterday. She didn't come along because she was worried about Kendall —she came to enjoy the show.

After all, Kelly had to claim some of the credit for setting the stage for what was about to happen today. Kendall had witnessed the scandal between Kelly and Jackson, so now, it was Kelly's turn to watch her suffer.

Adam and Charlotte didn't want to let Kelly come with them, but she drove over herself, so the couple couldn't do anything about it. This adopted daughter of theirs showed less and less respect for them now.

"Mom, Dad, why are you… Did Old Madam Coleman tell you guys to come here?"

All of Kendall's composure instantly vanished when she saw her parents here. It dawned on her that Tilly was going to use this as an excuse to get her away from Dylan since Tilly had even gone so far as to invite her parents over.

"Old Madam Coleman asked us to come here and take you home."

Charlotte took her daughter by the hand with a pained expression on her face. "I know why she did that. Kendall, you and Frank—"

"Mom, I have nothing to do with him. If he likes me, it's his business, but I don't have any feelings for

him whatsoever."

"I finally understand why Frank didn't blow up at you when you stomped on his foot at Yasmine's birthday party. He must've had his eyes on you back then, too, and later on, he even took the initiative to collaborate with our company. He must've tried to use the deal as a means of getting close to you."

Kelly jumped in mockingly, "What an amazing woman you are, Kendall. Both Master Dylan and Frank are some of the most distinguished young men in Orapolis, but they've both fallen head over heels for you. No wonder you gave up on Jackson. They're all way better than him."

"Kelly, keep quiet if you have nothing good to say!" Adam snapped quietly.

Kelly pursed her lips and said nothing.

"Kendall, your mother and I believe you, but… Let's go in first. If it can't be helped, then we'll take you home with us! No matter how weak I am, I can still afford to take care of my daughter!"

Adam had a steely look in his eyes. He and Charlotte would forever be Kendall's safety net.

If Old Madam Coleman wants to chase Kendall out of the family, then we'll take her home with us! We won't plead for the Colemans to keep her, and we won't let her stay with them to continue being bullied like this, either!

He was more than willing to take care of Kendall for the rest of her life.

Kendall bit her lip. She was touched by the protectiveness her father showed when he declared that he would always be there for her.

There were only two people who were sitting down inside the house.

One was Dylan, and the other was Tilly.

Tilly tossed the photos she received yesterday on the table. Dylan didn't even bother looking at them.

He squashed the news that had gone viral last night, but it popped up again today. He had gotten his men to look into it. Frank and Benjamin were the main ones behind it, but a lot of people were secretly backing them up.

It went without saying that most people would jump at the chance of doing something that would hurt Dylan.

Tilly was the reason why something seemingly inconsequential would turn into such a huge spectacle. Kendall no longer had any value to her, and she had decided to toss Kendall aside.

Dylan had long since figured out that his grandmother's silence and supposed acceptance of Kendall was all an act. She was only waiting for the right opportunity and a plausible excuse to chase Kendall away.

The rest of the family were all standing around them with their hearts in their throats.

Tilly and Dylan stared at each other. Neither one of them intended to back down.

It was Kendall's arrival that broke the stalemate.

Tilly got straight to the point. "Kendall, I know what's going on between you and Frank. The Colemans don't need a granddaughter-in-law who isn't loyal to her husband. Leave right this instant. Move out of the house right now and wait until we notify you to start the divorce proceedings."

She then turned to Adam and Charlotte and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Parker, please take your daughter home with you and teach her how to be a respectable young woman. Perhaps she might be able to marry someone again later on. Oh. You won't have to wait long. I'm sure Frank is waiting to marry her as we speak. I can scarcely believe that this daughter of yours learned how to be a seductress while growing up in the countryside. Look at her, twirling both my grandson and Frank around her fingers and making the two men fight over her."

"Grandma—"

"Don't call me Grandma." Tilly cut Kendall off at once.

"Old Madam Coleman, I am not involved with Frank in any way. Ever since I married Dylan, I have not betrayed him in any way. How can you say I'm a cheater without even getting to the bottom of things first? That's too unfair. I don't care if you believe me or not. I have never tried to seduce Frank, and ever since I married Dylan, he has been the only man I cared about. You want me to get a divorce with Dylan, but I refuse unless Dylan is the one who wants to divorce me."

Tilly slammed her hand on the table.

"Grandma."

Dylan stood up and walked over to Kendall. He wrapped his arm around her waist as he announced coldly, "I've already explained this to you last night, but I can't do anything if you choose not to believe

me. I'm laying the cards on the table right now. Kendall is my wife. She will be my wife for the rest of our lives. Grandma, if you insist on chasing her away from me, then please chase me out as well —"

"Dylan!"

"Dylan Coleman!"

Tilly slammed her hand against the table again and shouted, "What kind of spell did this woman put you under? It's clear that she's involved with Frank and tried to plot against you. At first, she acted as if she would rather die than marry you, but then she agreed to the marriage all of a sudden! Isn't it suspicious that her attitude took a 180-degree turn all of a sudden?

"I kept a clear head as I observed from the sidelines all this time and waited until she showed her true colors. Well, it's out now. She's clearly Frank's spy. He let her get close to you to poison your mind. Look at what you've been doing ever since you married her. You've gotten into fights with your mother and me. How many of the family rules have you broken for her sake? She'll be getting you to do even more things for her in the future, and her ultimate goal will be to steal Coleman Empire Holdings!"

Kendall had gone pale with fury. She fired back icily, "Old Madam Coleman, since you're accusing me of all these heinous things, it means you have proof, right? What's the next move in this dastardly plan of mine and Frank's? How many times have I helped Frank plot against Dylan?"