Chapter 6
In the dim study, the faint glow from the computer lit up the sharp lines of Michael’s face.
He moved the mouse slowly with his long fingers. As he stared at the image on the screen–a finely crafted emerald grail glowing green–an idea began to form in his mind.
The buzz of his phone on the desk made his heart skip a beat. But when he picked it up, the name on the screen wasn’t the one he was hoping for.
“Is this Mr. Finnian?” the caller asked. “This is Zachary Young from the Leonard Group.”
Michael froze for a second. He hadn’t expected anyone from the Leonard Group to call him first. “Speaking.”
“We’ve received your proposal,” Zachary said. “I’m calling to invite you to Jettridge to discuss the possibility of working together.”
Michael agreed right away. After the call ended, he finally let out a slow breath.
If he could really close a deal with the Leonard Group, then his place as the Finnian family’s next heir would be pretty much guaranteed.
Thinking he’d be staying in Jettridge for a while, he figured he should let Lydia know, so she wouldn’t throw a fit about it later.
But when Michael pulled up her name in his contacts and called, all he got was the same cold, busy tone.
Each beep hit him like a thud, making his chest tighten for no reason.
Ciara walked over to his desk with a cup of warm milk. When she saw Lydia’s name on the screen, a flicker of jealousy crossed her eyes.
“Michael, are you calling Lydia?” she asked, her voice soft and a little hurt. “Maybe she’s still mad at me. I’ll go apologize properly when I get the chance.”
Michael turned off the screen and set the phone down. Just hearing Lydia’s name made his stern face soften a little.
“Lydia’s pretty stubborn,” he said. “Maybe she just needs some time to cool off. If not, I’ll bring her something nice from Jettridge to cheer her up.”
He sounded like he was comforting Ciara, but he was really trying to calm his own uneasy heart.
“You’re going to Jettridge?” Ciara placed the milk on the table, leaning forward slightly with both hands on the desk. Her short sleepwear showed off her curves.
“I’ve never been to Jettridge before,” she said, her long lashes fluttering. Her whole look made her seem delicate and lovable. “Michael, can I come with you?”
Michael hesitated. There would definitely be parties in Jettridge, and he didn’t want to show up without a date. “Alright, come with me,” he said.
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19:58 Fri, 15 Aug
Thapters
15 Augu
Ciara’s gentle gaze lingered on him, her eyes full of quiet pride.
She thought, ‘Lydia, just you wait.‘
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On the busy roads of Jettridge, Lydia sat in the car, watching the tall buildings slowly fall behind, replaced by a quiet mountain road and a few scattered villas.
Right after she left the hotel, she got a call from Rachel asking her to come home.
Of course, Rachel only used the word home to make it sound nicer.
Lydia looked away from the window, clenched her fists, and felt her nails press into her palms. Ever since Patrick passed away, there hadn’t been a place in Jettridge she could call home.
As soon as she got out of the car, she heard Effie Hollander’s mocking voice.
“That’s how you dressed to meet Hayden?” Effie sneered, eyeing Lydia from head to toe. Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “One look at you and I knew he wouldn’t pick you. All that effort was for nothing.”
Rachel, who was sitting with her in the garden, went a little pale when she heard that. Her tone turned cold. “You couldn’t even handle something this simple. Just like your useless father. I guess I can’t count on you for anything.”
Lydia had already changed back into her white T–shirt and jeans. She wasn’t surprised by Effie’s taunts.
She walked slowly over and sat across from Rachel, the corners of her lips slightly raised, but the smile never reached her eyes. “If my father was so useless, why are you still hung up on the things he left behind?”
“You-” Rachel was instantly livid because Lydia had hit her sore spot. She glared and snapped, “No manners at all.”
Watching the elegant mask on Rachel’s face slowly crack, Lydia felt a sharp sting in her chest.
She didn’t want to argue, so she got straight to the point. “Hayden agreed to get the marriage license in three days. When are you giving me what you promised?”
Effie’s mocking smile froze. “No way.”
Lydia shot her a cold look. “If you’re so afraid Hayden might actually like me, why don’t you marry him yourself?”
Rachel had worked hard to get Lydia back to Jettridge. Of course, it was to have her marry into the Leonard family in place of Effie. There was no way they’d let the plan fall apart now.
She toned down her fury a little. “Once you marry into the Leonard family, you’ll have no one to rely on. You’ll still need the Hollanders to keep your footing.”
“I don’t care about any of that.” Lydia tapped the table, her eyes locked sharply on Rachel. “All I want are the paintings my
father left behind.”
Rachel hadn’t expected Lydia to stay this stubborn after all these years.
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Chapter 6
“You can have them,” she said. “But only if you help us get the Leonard family to hand over the urban renewal project.”
Lydia didn’t bother hiding the rage in her eyes. “Don’t push your luck.”
Rachel calmly picked up her coffee cup from the table. “This marriage was always about getting benefits from the Leonard family. Now that Hayden’s accepted you, it’s just a matter of asking.
“Call Hayden now. Ask him about the urban renewal project. If he agrees to work with the Hollander family, I’ll give you what you want right away.”
Lydia’s fists tightened. She hated that calm, casual tone of Rachel’s. It was just like back then–so casual, so cold–when she slowly pushed Patrick to the edge.
In the end, she still picked up the phone and dialed Hayden’s number.
“It’s me, Lydia,” she said. “I’m at the Hollander residence right now.”
Lydia had no intention of letting the Hollanders take all the credit. She hoped Hayden was smart enough to read between the lines.
She casually switched to speakerphone and went on, “My mom mentioned that the Leonard family has an urban renewal project going on. The Hollander family seems interested, so I wanted to ask what you think about it.”
On the other end, Hayden let out a soft chuckle. “We had no issue working with the Hollander family before. They are, after all, one of the most powerful families in Jettridge. But-”
He paused briefly, then changed tone. “But I do question their character.”
“Our families had arranged this marriage a long time ago, yet in the end, they sent someone unrelated to take their daughter’s place. Isn’t that a slap in the face?” he added.
Rachel’s face turned tense with urgency. She wanted to explain but couldn’t find a way to cut in.
“Honestly, I think the Finnian Group from Raventon might be a better fit for this project,” Hayden said, his voice serious, not a trace of joking.
That panicked both Rachel and Effie. They hurried to get closer, ready to explain, but Hayden hung up before they could say a word.
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