Chapter 146: Golden grandson
So, in truth, they were in the sa situation. Yeri’s mother was technically her stepmother, and her biological mother had also long been gone.
Having t Master Keir, she was reminded of her own father. In his eyes, she had seen genuine care, the kind of love only a true father would give to his child.
But she never expected him to be the cheating type. Then again, she had no right to judge. She didn’t know the full story.
"Knowing this, are you turned off?" Shin asked bluntly.
Yeri blinked, then shook her head. "Have you forgotten? My mom is also my stepmother."
"There’s a difference," Shin countered. "Your mother wasn’t a mistress. She’s your father’s legal second wife without any moral condemnation."
"The stigma of your mother shouldn’t be passed onto you." Yeri said nonchalantly.
She wasn’t trying to comfort him, she simply didn’t care about such things. People were complex by nature; you couldn’t judge soone solely by their upbringing, status, or descent.
Just look at Leo Nafplion, perhaps even a beggar had better hygiene and manners than him.
"You’re not saying that just to comfort , right?" Shin teased, tapping the tip of her nose.
Yeri rolled her eyes. They hadn’t known each other long, but she already understood him as soone who never cared about gossip or other people’s opinions of him.
"I’m not good at comforting people," she replied dryly. "Why, are you bothered by this?"
Shin gave a soft snort, his gaze lingering on her as though seeking reassurance. "Only if you’re bothered."
Yeri was at a loss. Why should she be bothered? Was her opinion of him really that important?
For his sake, she said firmly that none of this mattered to her in the slightest.
---
anwhile, the old matriarch, who had fainted that morning, finally woke.
The estate doctor explained she had suffered extre emotional stress, which caused her blood pressure to plumt, leading to her collapse. But before he could finish, Elder Madam Keir scread for her son.
"Allister! Where is Allister?"
Though the servants had already contacted the family, only Allister answered and was now rushing to the main house.
The mont he stepped in, his mother clutched his sleeve with desperate hands, her face contorted with grief and fury.
"Allister, you have to clarify this matter publicly! An official statent from the company is not enough. The world must understand that false accusations against the Keirs will be punished severely. No settlents! If we don’t retaliate harshly, our rivals will step on our heads and stomp us down."
Allister listened to her incoherent tirade, from Shin’s matter and even wild claims about karma striking back, blaming him for wanting to take Eleanor to an asylum.
"What karma?" he muttered bitterly. "I said that for her sake. And this matter, so what if people know about Shin’s real mother? It’s not as if—"
The old matriarch shrieked before he could finish, her fury exploding like thunder.
"Do you hear yourself, Allister? What do you an by so what if?! Don’t you care for your son’s reputation? How could the CEO of KGG, the Keirs’ golden grandson be branded with a stain? He is my grandson, and I will not allow anyone to slander him!"
Allister "..."
He stared blankly. Wasn’t the person who slandered Shin the most... she herself?
"If you won’t help, then I’ll handle it myself!" Elder Madam Keir snapped. "I am not yet dead, and already they are dragging
to my coffin. If we don’t put out this fire now, our enemies will ride the flas and spread slander until truth or lies no longer matter!"
Calling for her chauffeur, she stord out.
"Where are you going?" Allister demanded, following her to the door.
She jabbed a trembling finger at him. "You’re heartless toward your own son, and useless to this family!" Then she vanished into the car.
Allister: "..."
Could it be his son was right? That his mother has dentia?
It wasn’t as though he was doing nothing. He had already arranged for soone to handle it, Saeki Jie himself had called to promise his help.
And Shin was not weak. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be where he is now in all these years despite his infamous tyrant and misogynist attitude.
This wasn’t so lodrama or ancient era where bloodlines dictated fate. The business world ran on skills, wits, influence, and connections. Those who sneered at illegitimacy had no place in true competition.
---
That afternoon, Shin left the hospital for business while Yeri slept.
By nightfall, Yeri woke to find her father and Jj in the room. It felt strange for their family to gather in a hospital, but she was happy. They shared dinner together until the television drew their attention.
On screen, surrounded by bodyguards and reporters, was Elder Madam Keir herself. Elegant even in sunglasses and a silk scarf, she appeared weary yet imposing. Her voice carried the authority of a matriarch as she addressed the press.
"It breaks my heart that so people find joy in slandering others. My grandson has contributed greatly to society, he doesn’t deserve such false accusations. In fact, I have just been discharged from the hospital and was warned against emotional stress, yet this was the news that greeted ."
"So the allegation that Shin Keir is an illegitimate child is false?" a reporter pressed.
Elder Madam Keir fixed him with a frosty glare, her chin raised high. "Shin is my legitimate, dearest grandson. No one else. The entire Keir clan stands behind him. To bully him is to bully . I have already consulted lawyers, and anyone attempting to sar his na will face legal punishnt."
"Have you t the Keir matriarch before?" Yeri’s father asked quietly as they watched.
Yeri tilted her head. She had only t the old woman once, who sohow disliked her.
"Just once. She doesn’t live with Young Master Keir. We were only introduced briefly."
"Does she know about the engagent?" Madam Zhi asked, her nervousness showing.
Yeri couldn’t admit the matriarch disliked her, so she smiled and shifted the topic. She wasn’t petty and quick to hate others since they only talked briefly.
"I’m not sure. But Master Keir was very kind. He even showed
his private art collection."
Luckily, her parents’ curiosity quickly turned to Master Keir, and the tension passed.
anwhile, in another house, Saeki Jie nearly choked on his drink. Knowing the truth of Shin’s relationship with his grandmother, he shuddered at her doting declarations.
Was she not afraid of being struck by lightning for saying those words?
In the hospital, Hadi Keir seethed with rage in his wheelchair. Although he was no longer bedridden, he’s still too weak to stand.
Watching his grandmother defend Shin convinced him that Shin must have threatened her. His calls to Shin went unanswered, his number already blocked. Even his grandmother’s line was busy.
In frustration, he phoned his brother, who then called their father.
Ellis Keir answered, telling them to calm down and focus on recovery. He, anwhile, would take this scandal as an opportunity to regain leverage.
For years Ellis had swallowed the humiliation of losing the CEO seat to his younger brother, Allister. Outwardly, he remained civil. Inwardly, the grudge festered.
Now, watching the scandal erupt, he finally saw his chance.
Hadi, staring at his useless legs, a sinister thought crossed his mind as he laughed darkly to himself in the dim hospital ward.
So his father was finally making a move? About ti.
The KGG should have belonged to them, not to his Uncle Allister and that bastard Shin. His eerie laughter echoed through the corridor, chilling passersby.
---
Everyone had their own thoughts as the Keir matriarch’s statent swept through the news.
At the Ricci residence, however, it was like a hollow, abandoned house.
Sergei had long since moved to his penthouse. Master Ricci had stord out like usual, too frustrated with his wife to stay ho. Calin, fearful of being implicated, rushed to Elder Madam Keir to plead her case. Madam Ricci herself, the root of the chaos, fled back to her maternal family in another city, leaving her husband and daughter behind.
Instead of uniting to resolve the problem, the Ricci family scattered in all directions. Elder Madam Keir’s public defense of Shin had shaken the household, but while others sched and plotted, the Riccis chose to run.
No one wished to shoulder responsibility, and no one wished to fall alongside the others.
---
The next day, KGG employees were abuzz, whispering in corners and peeking from behind cubicles when the old matriarch suddenly swept into the building.
Her entrance was anything but subtle. A full entourage trailed behind her as she strutted through the lobby like it was her personal runway. Her chin raised high, pearls glittering under the lights, every click of her cane echoed with calculated dominance.
She lingered just long enough at every turn to ensure all eyes followed her, as though her re presence was enough to crush the scandal brewing.
By the ti she reached the top floor, half the staff had already texted friends and group chats: The matriarch herself is here.
Inside the CEO’s office, Secretary Yun was mid-report when the heavy doors swung open.
Shin’s gaze shifted lazily from the papers on his desk to the figure entering without knocking.
"..."
Since Shin offered no greeting, Secretary Yun tactfully closed his binder, bowed politely to the old woman, and excused himself, shutting the door behind him.
The matriarch didn’t speak. She simply glided across the room and lowered herself onto the sofa like royalty, folding her hands in her lap, waiting for deference that never ca.
Shin leaned back in his chair, expression flat, eyes glinting with disdain. Looking at the old matriarch as if she was a walking dirt who had found her way to his office.
Hearing her heartfelt statent last night from his father and acquintances, he asked coldly.
"Are you done disgusting yourself?"
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