"The arrangent was made by Lois Fletcher when you were two years old. Marrying into the Baker family was supposed to be a stepping stone into the world you were born in."
"That’s why she started the company and let the Baker family control it. I didn’t know her very well then, so to ensure I wouldn’t be tossed out without a penny once you ca of age, I asked for insurance."
"So she engaged you to my grandson, saying you’d both be married for at least a year to ensure nothing like that happens."
"It’s normal if you don’t believe a word I’ve said, so I’ll send soone to the bank to bring the docunt."
Kelsie listened without a word.
Once he was done, she glanced at the ti.
Of course she didn’t believe a word he said.
The Baker family was a big one thanks to their family business. Only a chronic liar or soone with sothing very big to gain by telling the truth would decide to spill the secret of their thriving family business.
Bryan was the one only one who believed him.
Getting on his feet, he changed his mind imdiately and spoke up stupidly.
"Grandfather, if that’s the case, then you have nothing to worry about because I’ll marry into the Sutton family! You heard Laura Sutton earlier, we’re engaged and will..."
Landon turned to look at him, disappointnt etched into his features as he sighed dispiritedly.
"Now that I think of it, the only reason I made you my heir was because you were born to by my first son as opposed to your cousin, who was born to by your third uncle and his girlfriend."
"Maybe it’s because he knew he never stood a chance at being heir that he worked so hard to prove himself."
"You, on the other hand, know nothing. You can’t even comprehend a word I said and are spitting nonsense, as usual."
Bryan swallowed, gritting his teeth as he turned to him squarely, "Why do you talk like this, grandfather? I already told you I’ll work twice as hard."
"I made a mistake annulling my engagent to Kelsie, and I’ll make up for it by marrying Laura Sutton. Why don’t you hear any of that?"
Kelsie and Molly didn’t know when they both grimaced.
How could anyone be so daft?
Nothing Landon said wasn’t self-explanatory, yet, he didn’t undetdtand a single word.
If he really took over the Baker family’s business, there was no doubt he’d run it to the ground.
Kelsie was concerned. If this really was a company her mother founded, it’d be a waste to let a wastrel like him ruin her hard work.
)
"So how much is the Baker family worth?"
The words were yet out of her mouth when Bryan turned to sneer.
"What does that matter? Once we get married, you’ll beco a traditional housewife while I run the family business."
"You already have three children, and you’ll have to busy yourself with taking care of our own kids. So you don’t need to know that."
Kelsie thinned her lips.
She really hated responsibility, but every word coming out of this boy’s mouth infuriated her.
She didn’t know what big plan Lois Fletcher had put in place before dying, but she knew one thing: Bryan Baker had long overstayed his welco.
"Your grandson is stupid, and I’m obviously not going to marry him. You know that, so why are you telling this knowing I could easily sue you and take your family’s business, given it has my mother’s na listed as its owner?"
The man grimaced.
"Whether I told you or not, the bank was bound to contact you about the insurance. According to them, it has accumulated so much they need a direct family mber to claim it and she registered you as her family, with your living information."
Ah. Understandable.
A man who raised Bryan Baker wouldn’t be a good person.
No. No one was a good person. He did what any businessman would do to protect his family’s assets.
"That’s why I ca myself to apologize to you and beg that you don’t hold my grandson’s transgressions against . I’ve only just realized how much I failed to educate him as a child."
Kelsie was silent for a while before she asked, "So let get this right. You’re saying the bank and company don’t really know she’s dead."
"So once I submit her death certificate, everything cos to , since I’m her only surviving family mber?"
"No. You’re her daughter. Though I don’t know about being her only surviving family mber." He didn’t think twice before shaking his head in refusal.
Kelsie, who was getting ready to say sothing else was slightly taken aback hearing him, her interest imdiately piqued.
"What? You an she had other family mbers?"
"Well, I know she was constantly running from soone. That’s how we t. I believe it was her..."
He trailed off, quickly stepping aside when a loud clang echoed behind him.
Everyone looked up to see dozens of reporters rushing into the compound with their caras.
"Grandfather, this isn’t worth us being here. I promise to marry Kelsie Sutton so the company stays in the family." A still clueless Bryan assured, reaching out to grab his grandfather’s hand.
Landon evaded his hand and announced sternly, "Bryan Baker, you are hereby disqualified from being my heir!"
Bryan didn’t take him serious and laughed, "You won’t do that. His father had him out of wedlock and no one likes him. I’m your one and only legitimate grandson!"
"Moreover, you’ll beco a laughingstock if soone like that becos your... hey, get your filthy hands off !"
He was still talking when so of Landon’s bodyguards grabbed him.
Landon didn’t stop them and coldly instructed, "Bind him and put him on a flight back ho. I want him away from the rest of the family. And don’t let him show his face to unless he’s co to his senses."
Bryan tried to wriggle his way out of their grasp, the harsh realization that his grandfather was being serious instantly dawning on him.
"G-Grandfather, it’s . It’s Bryan. You’re only saying this because you’re upset. You’ll regret this later. Hey, don’t touch . Grandfather, I’ll be good!"
Even as he was hauled away, Bryan still didn’t fully understand why Landon suddenly turned against him.
The reporters, hungry for news, zood in on his face and caught a clear video of the scene.
Laura was in no mood to speak to him.
She simply stood in front of the caras, screaming angrily, "Listen, citizens of Silicone Valley! Inside this building, the owner of this practice is Kelsie Sutton. She’s my half-sister as we share the sa father."
"Today, both my parents were hauled off to prison after being accused of vehicle thefts, and I have no money. But she refuses to give any!"
"In her words, she owes them nothing. Can you believe she said that to the people who took care of her for most of her life?"
"People, her na is Kelsie Sutton and she’s a surgeon. You can clearly see the na of her practice behind . So I implore all of you—boycott her!"
Jerry Sutton was still trending after last night’s interview.
So when Laura called the dia, many followed, hoping to uncover which sister was getting engaged to the Adler family.
After hearing her, people began connecting the dots, flooding online articles with speculations.
So believed Laura was the one marrying into the Adler family but didn’t want to go to them for help just yet.
Others thought it was Kelsie but since not much was known about her, there was no proof.
Laura hadn’t checked her phone yet, so she didn’t realize her comnts about her parents going to prison weren’t the dia’s focus.
While the netizens and the crowd outside her practice argued, Kelsie glanced at her wristwatch and walked away to prepare for surgery.
Two hours later, she ca out to the reception only to realize the crowd outside had grown.
Thankfully, only those inside could see those outside.
While she was in surgery, Landon sent soone to retrieve the proof he’d ntioned.
After showing it to her, he handed her another box.
"I only just realized your mother had another box in the bank for safekeeping. However, it seems to be a biotric lock. Since she’s dead, I guess we can..."
Click.
Kelsie, who thought the box felt familiar, subconsciously pressed her thumb against it, causing it to spring open.
Her eyes imdiately dimd.
That darn woman had prepared for everything... except death.
Landon craned his neck as Kelsie opened the box.
A mont later, both of them were stunned at the content.
"It’s... empty?"
Two countries away, in a castle three tis larger than the Adler estate, a man in a butler’s coat ran through dimly lit corridors, barely stopping to catch his breath until he reached a door.
Knocking twice, he pushed it open and entered a room filled with ultrasound photos of an unborn baby.
A man with broad, rigid shoulders stood beside a crib, gently touching the blanket, his face lowered.
"M-Master," the butler’s voice was giddy, barely containing his excitent. "The tracking box you gave to Ms. Fletcher... it was just accessed. In Silicone Valley."
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