"Yes, Mr. Lawrence." Trevor agreed to it right away without asking any questions.Frank then returned to his Maybach to find it congested, with the ladies arguing endlessly on who got to ride shotgun.Eventually, Winter triumphed, not because Vicky or Helen actually lost, but because neither woman could stand the thought of the other riding shotgun."Hmph. I've ridden shotgun with my darling many times anyway," Vicky huffed, folding her arms before her chest. "Who's your darling? How brazen," Helen snapped, her ice-like beauty persona long forgotten."Oh, just stop it already…" Frank was left rubbing his brow—his days of peace were long gone."I won't be going back to Skywater Bay," Kiki said, standing outside the car and waving him goodbye. "The Soranos have given up on me after Hubert Sorano's death, and I can live the way I want to now.""Are you going to be alright?" Frank frowned, somehow worried."Don't worry. Vicky has my back!" Kiki grinned and winked at Vicky, while V
Helen waved him off, smiling faintly. "Just give it a rest—I bring good tidings, as we Northstream Lanes are now completely a part of the Lane family again.""Uh huh, and?" Frank remained unaffected.Helen was not surprised and kept smiling. "Well, that's not all. Uncle Gavin also told me that I'm now a candidate for the head of the family!""Just a candidate?" Frank snorted in disdain. "Hey, don't get too greedy!" Helen bumped him in the head, giggling. "Others would have to rack their brains scheming just to get the opportunity. It's already amazing that someone like me, who was only recently taken back, was chosen at all!"To be honest, Helen was as apathetic about being brought back to the main family as Frank was. They would only be a branch of relatives, having a superficial relationship with the Southstream Lanes without any meaningful exchange.As such, becoming a candidate for the next head of the family was different! The title alone carried weight and position over th
In the end, Vicky was the heiress of an important family.Helen certainly dulled in comparison, just as her pride could not take it.Therefore, now that she had the chance to become the head of the Lane family and become an equal of Vicky's, she would seize it.As for who would come up on top, that depended entirely on their respective abilities!Ring…Helen's phone started jingling just then, and she answered it. "Hello?"Gina was immediately snapping, "Where are you? Come back to the manor right now! Remember Madam Lang, Mark's second wife? She's here, and she's also being very specific about wanting to see you!""She wants to see me? Why?" Helen asked even as she glanced at Frank.Mark was brother to Henry Lane—Helen's grandfather—and had married three wives in his younger days. It also happened to be the reason Henry and Mark had parted ways in the past.Nonetheless, Gina was at once cheerful, "Oh, don't you get it? It must be because your uncle has informed you that you'r
Gina was getting more frustrated by the minute. "Hah! Still trying to fool me? Cindy had Randall Young of Square Street appraise it personally. That man is a specialist, and he said it's a glass orb worth no more than twenty bucks—or are you saying he's wrong?! Don't think you can have my daughter with a mere trinket. At least pay me fifty million dollars in dowry if you want to marry her!"Even as Gina pulled Helen along, glaring at Frank viciously, Helen tried to calm things down. "Did you make a mistake, Mom? Frank would never make a mistake.""A mistake?! The evidence is right there! Frank is a liar!" Gina snapped angrily. "He might even be lying about forcing Titus Lionheart to submit! Don't fall for his lies, Helen!" "Enough!" Frank snapped coolly but keeping his voice low as he could see the Southstream Lanes were watching them gleefully. "Where's Cindy? Why don't you ask her?""C-Cindy?" Gina was suddenly stammering. "S-Something came up at her college, and she was told to
Gina dropped to her bottom, unable to cry no matter how she wanted to, feeling hollow inside.How could she have known that some ruby Frank threw at her was worth that much?!"What are you doing over there?! Can't you see that Madam Lang has been waiting for so long?! Where are your manners and proper upbringing?!"On the other hand, Jade finally had enough and snapped from afar, slamming her cup on the glass table with an audible clang.That was especially the case for Gina, sitting on the floor like some fishwife. "Forget it—we can save this, for later. Let's go back to business," Frank said calmly right then, knowing how important the meeting today was for Helen. Helen realized with a start at his words. It was true—she was still thinking about the ruby, but what was at hand was more important.Jade then extended a hand as she introduced, "Helen, meet Madam Lang. She's your grandmother twice removed, and her words are absolute in the Southstream Lane household."As she spo
Jade snorted coolly right then. "Could've done that earlier, but you had to drag your feet. How impudent."Beside her, Luna's eyes flashed with obvious glee, as if Helen was kneeling to her and not to Fleur.She was clearly upset that Helen was chosen as a candidate for the next head of the Lane family, but so what if she was? In the end, Helen still had to kneel before her grandma.On the other hand, Frank was frowning as he watched Helen kneel.He was already sick of such ugly tradition, and even Godwin Lawrence—the most corrupt man Frank ever knew—never maintained such tradition. In contrast, the fact that some paltry households would maintain it made it clear they were used to bullying the younger generation.Still, Frank bore with it, staying silent since being a candidate for the next head of the Lane family was very important to Helen.Meanwhile, Fleur remained apathetic as she sat there, watching Helen kneel. She waited until Helen's fingers started shaking from holding
"O-Okay, I'll do it right away," Gina exclaimed and promptly poured another cup of tea, handing it to Helen and giving her a look.Helen clenched her knuckles, ready to refuse serving it to Fleur again, when she remembered Vicky.Even now, the difference between them was huge—becoming the head of the Lane family was Helen's only way to turn the tables against Vicky.As Helen prepared to reach out and take the tea cup, Frank, who already had enough, snatched the cup off her hands.Gina did a double take but was soon incensed. "What are you doing, Frank?!"Was he going to mess up yet another monumental opportunity for her?!If he upset Fleur, forget about Helen becoming the next head of the Lane family—they would be exiled again!"Frank…" Helen was murmuring.She certainly knew that Frank had enough and was saving her from further misery.Still, just as everyone was left hesitating, Frank snorted as he briskly flung the tea at Fleur's face."Argh!" Fleur shrieked as the brown t
They could not afford to let slip such a grand opportunity—what was a little offense compared to a billion-dollar company?!However, Helen shook her head at Gina's look of excitement.Still, she picked up the teacup, even shaking her head at Frank so that he would not interfere.Frank remained impassive as he backed away, his eyes fixed on Fleur and leaving her annoyed.When Helen was about to give her the teacup, Fleur folded her arms before her chest, refusing to take it.Slamming a hand on the agreement on the table, she pointed at Frank and snapped coldly, "If you want this, splash the tea at his face!"Helen froze at Fleur's words and turned toward Frank, who was folding his arms before his chest and keeping quiet.This was clearly retaliation and harassment of Helen as well!"What are you waiting for, Helen?!" Gina cried in agitation—she could take the teacup and splash Frank herself right then! "That's his just deserts for disrespecting an elder. Don't you know what's mo