The bodyguards violently snatched Gina and Cindy's suitcases from their grasp before shoving them to the floor and restraining them."Take them away!" Jade bellowed, and the bodyguards carried them away.Then, Jade's eyes lingered on the suitcases filled to the brim with jewelry before ordering to have all of it carried to her.Naturally, she was going to keep everything for herself—Gina and Cindy certainly did well packing everything up for her!-An hour after they left, a restless Helen returned safely to Lane Manor, escorted by Burt.She thought Gina would be home since she saw the car she had bought for her outside, only to walk through the front door to find everything a mess.Forget Gina and Cindy—none of the maids on the payroll were in sight.Helen felt a foreboding sensation right then—despite her misgivings toward Gina, Gina was still her mother and Helen was immediately concerned for her safety. "What's this?" Burt murmured as he picked up two pieces of papers off
Frank's Maybach drove into Lane Manor soon enough.Frank felt emotional even as he stared at the building—the last time he had gone inside was during Henry Lane's funeral.He made up his mind to have Helen move into Skywater Bay with him as well. Cindy and Gina could have the manor if they knew their place and stopped messing with him.Still, his phone rang just as he was about to press the doorbell.It was an unfamiliar number, but Frank answered without hesitation."I'm surprised you're alive, Frank," an ancient but authoritative voice spoke from the other end.Frank's fingers clenched around his phone—the voice invoked all sorts of memories from the past.Taking a moment to calm down as much as possible, he soon replied flatly, "You do indeed seem surprised.""Hoho… Holding a grudge now are we, boy?"The voice seemed to pierce Frank in the brain, striking a nerve. Still, Frank changed the subject instead of answering. "Hans, huh?" "Nope. You've really moved heaven and
The valet named Fenton replied respectfully, "Sixty-three years, sir.""And your daughter… I heard she's doing well in Morhen?" Godwin asked."More or less." Fenton nodded, chuckling. "Word has it that she's the leader of the Martial Alliance or some thingamajig. We'd never understand what the young ones are up to these days."Godwin turned toward his valet and old friend with a smile. "Well, Frank's alive. Does their betrothal still count?""Of course, my lord. I'll send word to my daughter right away and have her depart to Riverton and protect Master Frank immediately.""Good." Godwin nodded in satisfaction but soon shook his head and sighed. "Danger lurks in every corner of Draconia. We can only wait until that silly boy comes around!""He's wise beyond his age. He will eventually understand your plight, sir."Both men were still speaking when a uniformed soldier suddenly entered."Sir!" He saluted Godwin."Report." Godwin was suddenly the figure of authority from earlier.
Burt returned to Lane Manor in half an hour and told Frank the information he had. "I've found them. Both Gina and Cindy Zonda were taken by the Southstream Lanes.""The Southstream Lanes?" Helen was confused—were they not all family? Why would they abduct Gina and Cindy?Seeing that she did not realize what was happening, Frank stayed impassive as he pointed out, "They want to prove that they had nothing to do with us."While Helen scowled in realization, Frank continued, "Let's go. Even if Gina is a failure of a mother, blood runs thicker than water—in that sense, I can't stay out of this either.""Thank you, Frank." Helen could naturally tell that he would go with her to bring back Gina from the Southstream Lanes and was endlessly grateful.She felt endlessly guilty—why had she never realized that Frank was so perfect?-After parting ways with Burt, Frank took Helen straight to the Southstream Lanes.Once they alighted outside their mansion and announced themselves, they
Gavin then finished, "But you never reached out to us, and Gina kept us from reaching out to you directly. That's why things ended up the way they are now."It was only then that Helen understood why Gina constantly forbade her from visiting Mason here in the Southstream Lanes' mansion.He was already dead, and Gina wanted everything he had for her own!Even her constant schemes for the Northstream Lanes to be taken back into the main family was for that purpose alone!She suddenly felt light-headed and would have collapsed on the ground if Frank did not catch her.Seeing that Helen was crumbling under pressure, he asked, "Where's Gina now?" "Frank Lawrence, was it?" Gavin was clearly unsentimental, shaking his head at Frank as he ignored his question. "I don't know how you managed to get away from the Graves and the Lionhearts, but I can't let you leave now that you're here."Still, with just a look, he had his family's bodyguards clear a subtle gap among their ranks.Frank c
Frank chuckled. "You certainly have an acquired taste, Jon."Jon did a double take but soon chuckled coolly."So, you're taking the wager? Great!" Jon exclaimed, clapping his hands. "My family will be my witness—if Frank here did not force Titus Lionheart to concede, he shall be eating my hounds' poo!""Hahaha! Quit trying to act tough, Frank!" Luna scoffed. "Jon is famous for being a man of sheer will… Though I'd like to see you eat poop too!""Frank, you really should be more grounded." Gavin was left speechless by Frank's boast as well.Frank and Helen could hardly protect themselves now, but they still came to save Gina?No, forget that—Frank would actually spout such absurd lies? Did he take them for fools, that they would buy his tall tales?Gavin actually started to hold Frank in contempt at that—he felt like Frank was insulting his intelligence, and the boy really did not know his place!Sneering at Frank, Jon then spoke up again. "Did you think you could say anything y
Helen kept striding menacingly toward Gina, snapping, "What about Dad? You kept telling me he dumped you and is living like a king here!""Well…" Gina sighed exasperatedly, knowing that the cat was out of the bag. "It was an accident. I-I didn't mean to do harm.""Fine, even if you didn't, what were you trying to do with his estate?!" Helen snarled, gritting her teeth so hard that they could break. "Why were you stopping me from reaching out to Uncle Gavin and the rest of the family but so keen on having us Northstream Lanes being taken back?!""I… Uh…"Gina's eyes were darting away—she had excuses for anything else but not this question because the persons involved were right there with them!Having no choice, she started throwing a fit just to change the subject. "Oh, Helen! Don't you know that you've just killed us all? It's not just us Northstream Lanes, but even the Southstream Lanes too!"Wheeling on Frank with a venomous glare, she said, "You jinx! You bastard! You had to
Helen did not hesitate. "I'm sorry."She had now chosen to trust Frank unconditionally and refused to falter no matter how reasonable the Southstream Lanes, Gina, or Cindy were.At that very moment, only Frank was worth depending upon.Walking up to Frank's side, Helen met the confused gaze of the Southstream Lanes with her girlboss poise. "You're all saying that Roth has left to meet with the Graves and the Lionhearts, and that he'll be back soon. In that case, we can just wait for him to return, and we'll see if my husband here has been lying at all.""If he was exaggerating at all, I'll be on my knees in apology without complaint!"Helen glanced at Frank at that.Seeing that she was trusting him that much now, he squeezed her hand in assurance. "Don't worry. I'd never lie to you."Helen smiled confidently at him in turn."Are you crazy, Helen?!" Gavin exclaimed.He could not believe someone as smart as Helen would believe Frank's tall tales.He might believe it if Frank ha