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
As Gina turned toward Frank, she realized why Helen was behaving like this!She turned her head, aiming herself at a pillar in the drawing room as she shrieked hysterically, "Apologize to Madam Lang right now and get that agreement, Helen, or I'll kill myself right now!""Go on, do it." Helen remained unmoved, shaking her head.Gina looked on in shock as she strode toward the couch, looking haughtily downward at Jade, Fleur, and Luna as she said icily, "If you came to humiliate me and assert your authority, Madam Lang, then I must inform you that you really should've chosen someone else. I might have done it for that billion-dollar investment company in the past, but now…"Helen's eyes flashed coldly as she bellowed, "You're all just a bunch of clowns, and I'm done being nice!"Her stately strut left Jade, Fleur, and Luna, with Fleur clutching her chest and almost collapsing."Fine, fine!" Fleur cried as she pointed a shaking finger at Helen before throwing the agreement at Luna
Helen ran straight toward Frank, throwing her hands around his waist as she hid her head over his chest."Oh… What should I do, Frank? My candidacy will be forfeited now!" she groaned. "And a billion-dollar investment company! I wouldn't have to suffer Vicky if only I had it… Sobs…"Her remorseful reaction akin to a toddler's left Frank chuckling as he watched her."Weren't you full of confidence just now?" he asked, clapping her on the shoulder to comfort her."I-I was just putting on airs!" Helen pouted miserably. "I was being impulsive, doing what I thought Vicky would do… and you're laughing at me! Oh, I'm such a goner…"She kept whimpering as she punched Frank playfully on the chest.It was certainly a far cry from her girlboss strut just now, and Frank had to hold back his laughter despite his amusement."Oh, the injustice…" Gina was left watching in despair as they flirted.Frank's ruby was gone, and now the billion-dollar investment company… It was all overwhelming her,
Was Gina really that brainless to ask Frank to go to Southstream and apologize, and for someone as lowly as Fleur?!If he was really forced to visit them, it would not be an apology—Frank would be threatening the Southstream Lanes instead, as he would not be satisfied until Helen was appointed the head of the Lane family.Once it was pushed through, every clique in the family would get upset, and they would go their separate ways when they could have coexisted peacefully."No, it's fine—I can come up with something else," Gavin quickly told Gina, his eyes soon lighting up with excitement as inspiration struck. "Listen up, Helen—there's this farm my father has been investing in," he explained. "He personally loves it and often hires contractors to green it. However, the farm itself is inflicting monetary losses, amounting up to the millions now. We can't keep giving handouts for a business even if the old man loves it, so he's been planning to sell it."As such, if you can take ov
On the other hand, Gina hung her head in silence for a long while.Then, having made up her mind, she looked up and snarled, "I'll find Cindy. If we do, we'd be able to buy that farm!""That's not necessary," Frank said, waving her off—money was no issue for him.The question here was how they were going to make a profit with that farm.Gina, however, was only getting further agitated. "No, I'm not taking this lying down. I'll find Cindy! Curse that brat… She'd do this to me when I trust her so much!"While Gina strode upstairs, Helen frowned as she turned toward Frank. "About the money… Why don't we ask Vicky? We might be able to pool the money by working together.""What?" Frank was a little surprised. "When did you two bond?""N-No!" Helen blushed as she snapped. "What are you talking about? We're just colleagues, that's all!"Frank raised a brow, staring at her with a faint, suspicious smile. "Hold on, did you fall for Vicky? Be honest now—which way do you swing?""Stop it
Jade, Luna, and Fleur—who had a major disagreement with Frank and the others at Lane Manor just yesterday—were there too.Pursing her lips, Fleur was already snorting when Frank arrived. "I'm telling you—he definitely came empty-handed and is going to appeal to our better nature using Henry Lane's name. I mean, these people, pooling a billion dollars in a day? Dream on!"Roth Lane, Gavin's eldest son, was there too, frowning at her words."Madam Lang," he said quietly, "Mr. Lawrence isn't all he seems. A billion dollars really isn't that much money to him.""Oh, don't be such a wuss, Roth." Luna snorted haughtily. "Even I can admit that Frank Lawrence has friends, but gathering a billion dollars in a day? It's still a challenge.""Don't worry, Luna." Jade grinned, winking at her. "That man obviously brought Helen here to appeal to emotion. And the farm is a money sink anyway—Helen would never make money out of it even if she bought it. They'd just lose more than what they bargaine