Chapter 48
Serene’s POV
I’m still at our mansion in Portico, and it’s been almost three weeks since Grandpa and Grandma flew to Ling City. I can’t stop worrying about what Enzo discovered. Judging by the occasional glances my husband, sitting on the other side of our bed, gives me, I know it shows on my face.
Who wouldn’t feel unsettled after finding out you might be the child of a wealthy businessman and your life is in danger from a cousin who wants to claim the fortune that should rightfully be yours? What’s even harder to accept is the fact that the person who wants to erase me from this world is someone I consider a friend.
“Don’t dwell too much on what we discovered, honey.” I furrowed my brow as I looked at my husband before responding.
“I’m not thinking about it.”
“Yeah, right.” He nodded, clearly not believing me. I can’t blame him; I would feel the same if our roles were reversed. But I wish he wouldn’t keep bringing it up, given how obviously it affects me.
He stood up and approached me, extending his hand, which I accepted. He gently pulled me up, and my body willingly followed him. “No matter what happens, I’m here by your side, and I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” He hugged me, and I couldn’t help but nestle closer to him. The comfort he gives me when we’re close like this is unlike anything else.
“Thank you, Alex,” I said, almost absentmindedly, feeling incredibly fragile. We were still hugging when my phone on the bed suddenly rang.
“Hello,” I said as I picked up the device and saw Patt’s name.
“Boss, you must return to Aunt Rissa’s mansion.” I frowned because none of them had ever made such a request before. I always make the decision to go somewhere I want to go.
“Why?” I asked curiously.
“Lorenzo came here claiming the mansion back,” he said.
“The nerve of that man!” I exclaimed angrily, making my husband, who had his eyes on me, look curious. Then I realized I had been with him here for a while, and he had business to attend to, so I replied, “We’re heading back,”
“What happened?” Alex asked immediately after the call ended, so I relayed what Patt had told me.
“What did Grandma say? Are they okay?” he asked. His concern for my grandparents is evident on his face. I smiled at him before replying,
“They’re fine. Grandma wouldn’t get involved if Patt and Princess were there. You have nothing to worry about.”
He heaved a deep sigh of relief and asked again, “So, are we returning to Ling City?”
“Yes, we need to.”
“What about the investigation with Mr. Madrid?”
“Hamilton can handle that since Enzo definitely won’t stay here,” I answered.
“Can he manage it alone?” he asked curiously.
“He’s more than capable. I only asked Enzo to join him because he had nothing else to do here.” He nodded, seeming to understand.
We were packing our things when Alex asked again, “Honey, have you called Enzo to get ready, too?”
“He’s packing as well.”
“Are you sure?” I nodded and said,Têxt © NôvelDrama.Org.
“I’m sure Patt informed him about what happened at the mansion. He knows what to do, so I don’t need to call him to tell him what to do.”
“I admire you and your people, honey.”
“Huh?” I asked, puzzled, causing me to stop what I was doing and look at him. “What do you mean?”
“You don’t need to tell them what to do. Once they know the situation, they automatically know how to act.”
“Grandma and Grandpa made sure everyone was like that. They don’t like giving orders all the time, so most of our staff are well-educated. For those who aren’t, it’s because they don’t want to be, but it doesn’t mean they’re not smart. They excel in other aspects.”
I saw admiration in his eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, but in organizations like yours, no one would think you’re educated. Most people believe you’re just a headache for the government.” I raised an eyebrow, but he continued. “But after meeting you, your grandparents, and the men working for you, my view of organizations like yours has changed.”
“But don’t forget that many ruthless people are still around, exploiting others. We’re not entirely clean, especially me. I kill people without batting an eye, so don’t admire us too much.” He didn’t seem shocked by what I said. He probably already knew that part.
“Nevertheless, you help people. And if that’s your way of doing it, who am I to judge? In Ling City or anywhere else, I don’t receive the kind of respect that people here give you. Yes, people respect me, but only those in the business world and only because I’m wealthy.”
“That didn’t happen overnight. You don’t know what my ancestors went through, but despite that, many civilians still hate us. That’s how people are, Alex, you simply can’t please everybody.”
After our conversation, we continued packing. The next day, after I instructed Hamilton, who would be in charge of everything, we left. Patt had already booked our flight before he called me yesterday because he knew I would come home.
Meanwhile, Von picked us up at the airport and drove us to Mom’s mansion, where my grandparents are. It’s still early, but I had a feeling that Lorenzo would be back at this time, too.
“Boss,” Patt greeted me when I exited the vehicle while Enzo took his luggage out of the trunk. Alex didn’t bother to unload our belongings since we would be going home to our own home later. We needed to be here so that when Lorenzo and the police arrived, I would be the one to face them.
“Where’s Grandma and Grandpa?” I asked immediately.
“In the living room, waiting for you and Sir Alex,” he said. My husband took my hand, and we started walking together to greet my grandparents. One thing that those two old people disliked was not seeing them whenever I was closer to them.
They asked me about what was going on in Portico, and I didn’t lie about Juancho but didn’t mention Mr. Madrid as well. We hadn’t been talking to my grandparents for long when the bastard Lorenzo arrived with his mistress and the police.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were in the countryside?” Lorenzo asked in surprise when he saw me. Seeing it was Patt, who met him the other day, he might have thought I couldn’t be here in time.
“The question is, what are you doing here?” I arrogantly asked, “What right do you have to come here and claim my property?”
The police looked back and forth between me and Lorenzo, probably confused by what I said. “Mr. Dylan, what’s the truth? We can’t just evict them if you don’t actually own this house.”
“Don’t believe her. I am her father; this is her mother, who is my wife’s conjugal property.” Daisy remained silent beside Lorenzo, looking very confident. I glanced at Grandma, who seemed indifferent to what was happening but sitting calmly on the sofa.
“Is it true, ma’am, that he’s married to your mother?” the police asked me. I nodded, my jaw clenched in anger, and then they continued. “If that’s the case, Mr. Dylan also has a right to your mother’s property.” I saw the bastard Lorenzo smirk.
“Boss,” Patt said from behind me. I turned to her as he handed me an envelope. I took it, opened it, looked at its contents, and then smirked before looking up at Lorenzo and Daisy, who furrowed their brows in confusion, thinking why I suddenly looked smug.
“Here, officer,” I said, handing over the document proving Lorenzo had no rights to my mother’s property. The police read it before looking at the bastard Lorenzo.
“Mr. Dylan, it states here that if you did not have another woman or family and took good care of your child, you would have rights to Mrs. Dylan’s properties. You signed here,” one of the police officers said after reading the documents, which made Lorenzo speechless. Does he think that we won’t be able to find out about the clause Mom added to their contract?
“Impossible! Where did you get those documents?” Daisy angrily asked before looking at Lorenzo. “Tell them it’s not true!”
“Be quiet,” the man quietly reprimanded his mistress.
“Surely, officer, you won’t disturb our home any further, especially since we have two elderly people who need rest.” When I looked at my grandparents, they glared at me. They didn’t like being called elderly.
“We’re not done yet, Serene. I’ll do everything to get a share of everything I worked for after your mother died.”
“You didn’t work for anything that happened at the company because my mother arranged everything before she passed away, and I know you know that. You and your mistress stole all of my mother’s hard work and denied her credit for all her designs. So I’m telling you now that no matter what happens, you will never get anything, not even a bit, from me, my mother, and everything she worked hard for. You and your mistress, along with your bastard child, can rot in the trash where you belong!” I said in a long tirade, making Daisy gasp and angrier.
“You are insolent! You can’t do this to us! You will pay dearly for everything you said!” Daisy screamed in rage. I didn’t care about her threats, and I was sure she would tremble with fear once she found out what I could do to her and their family if they continue to become a pain in my ass.
“Send them out,” I ordered Patt and Enzo before sitting back down beside my husband, facing my grandparents, who were still glaring at me because of what I said about them, which I just shrugged off. Daisy’s insolent words echoed in my mind, and I scoffed. What right did she have to threaten me? No matter what happens, they will never get even a bit of my mother’s property.