Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Chapter 14 At the hospital, Sean walked around the yard twice with Paul and May’s help. He then took a break on a bench.

Sean thought he was about to meet the Grim Reaper when he got the stroke from drinking.

He was overjoyed to have survived this episode.

Suddenly, two familiar figures came into view. Rushing over, they were his son, Samuel and grandson, Miles.

Sean greeted them with a grin, “It’s so good to see you here.”

Samuel carried a deep sense of grievance, “Dad. I’ve tried to keep this from you but I can’t do so any longer.”

Sean puckered his eyebrows, “What is it?”

Samuel reported in agitation, “I told you that my brother let you have the Phoenixia when you’d had a stroke, right?”

Sean nodded his head with a stiffened face. He remembered how he refused to accept the pills, giving Benson’s family the cold shoulder that night.

Sean was slightly embarrassed because he was ultimately saved by Benson’s pills.

Samuel revealed, “Actually, he was unwilling to let you have them.”

Sean was thunderstruck, “What?”

Paul added, “I can confirm this, dad. The doctor said Phoenixia was powerful enough to save your life, so I went to him with my men. Not only was he unwilling to hand it over, but he’d also beat up my men. He later requested to make a deal with Samuel.”

Sean’s guilt for Benson dissipated. Instead, it was replaced by rage, “What kind of deal?”

Samuel ranted, “He wanted his daughter to be Grande Group’s general manager. Only then did he give us Phoenixia.”

Sean exploded, “Unbelievable!”

Miles added fuel to the fire with teary eyes, “Grandpa, Penny was the worst. After she’d gotten the position, she won the bidding for the Asiatic project by stealing my proposal.”

Sean grabbed Miles’ hands in surprise, “Really, we got the big shopping complex project?”

Miles’ tears were streaming down, “Yes. It’s good news for the family, and I shouldn’t cry about it. However, the proposal was my blood, sweat, and tears. I wanted to succeed in the bid for you so that I could celebrate with you after you’re discharged. I can’t believe she stole that from me.”

Sean was fuming at this point, “Benson and his daughter are out of line this time!”

Samuel added, “She stole both the position and Miles’ credit. You have to do something about it, dad. If this continues, I’m afraid we’d soon lose power in the company.”

Sean squinted his eyes and declared coldly, “They don’t get to control anything. Not our family, and definitely not Grande! Sam, get the paperwork done. I need to go home and settle this matter today!”

Samuel, Paul, Miles and May were all secretly delighted by his reaction.

Shortly after that, Samuel took care of the paperwork, while the whole group drove back to Royale Villa Residences.

The first thing Sean did was to summon Benson’s whole family home.

Benson, Leah and Penny rushed to the villa.

Walking into the living room, Benson saw that many relatives filled the space. He was glad to see Sean home, “Dad, they’d let you out of the hospital?”

Sean sat on his throne of a chair and sneered, “I know you want me to stay there longer - even die in there. Right?”

Penny defended, “Grandpa, that wasn’t what dad meant.”

Sean shouted, “You, shut up!”

Penny froze as she felt the blood drain from her face. She failed to understand her grandfather’s wrath.

Benson shared the same confusion, “Dad. What’s going on?”

Sean burned Benson’s family a stern look, “I heard that you weren’t willing to save me when Paul asked you for Phoenixia. You also had Nathan beat up Paul’s men. Is that true?”

Benson’s face sank in anxiety, “Please listen to me...”

“I don’t want an explanation. Just answer me directly!”

Benson admitted hesitantly, “Yes, but...”

Sean interrupted him again, “That’s all I need to know. Did you hand over the medicine only after Samuel had begged you?”

Benson bit his lips then answered quietly, “Yes...”

Thud!

Sean slammed the table and roared, “You b******!”

Benson dropped to the floor on his knees, and his family followed suit. Voice shaking, he pleaded, “Please allow me to explain.”

Sean coldly refused, “No! I’d raised you! I admit that I’d never shown you much affection, but that’s because of how unaccomplished your family is. Never in a million years would I expect you to hate me so much as to want me dead. You even took advantage of the situation to make your daughter the manager. Wasn’t that what you’d requested in your deal? Penny! She was even more shameless. She had the audacity to steal Miles’ bidding proposal for her own use, in hopes to benefit from it alone!”

Benson and Penny could not believe what they had just heard!

“Dad, hear me out!”

“Grandpa, that’s not what happened!”

They knew that it was necessary to clarify everything. Unfortunately, Sean was uninterested.

“I don’t want to hear another word from you. As Grande Group’s president, I hereby announce that Penny Smith is sacked.

Additionally, as the head of this family, I am throwing out Benson’s family. All of you will be removed from all the legal documents.

From now on, we are no longer kin.”

Benson shouted, “No-”

Leah and Penny were both as pale as ghosts. Witnessing their whole world crumbling, tears trickled down.

On the other hand, Samuel, Paul, Miles and May curled their lips sarcastically. They were seemingly happy with this turn of events.

Rumbling thunder released a wild and heavy downpour.

Benson and his family exited the villa like dead ducks.

Letting the aggressive raindrops hit their limp bodies, they continued walking in despair.

Suddenly, Penny no longer felt the rain.

She looked up to see Nathan, holding an umbrella with one hand and their daughter with another.

He smiled, “Hi, honey!”

Their daughter also greeted Penny warmly, “Mama!”

Penny gazed at her husky, loving man and their daughter.

It triggered her to burst into tears as she buried her face into Nathan’s wide chest.

Penny’s parents explained with a bitter smile, “We got disowned by the clan and Penny lost her position.”

Nathan seemed unfazed. In fact, it almost appeared as if he had anticipated it. He flashed another smile, “Congratulations!”

Penny and her parents were both dazed to hear that.

Nathan then explained, “Those people are toxic to you. They did nothing but control your lives. Thankfully they’ve finally released you. You can now leave the nest, fly away and never return!”

Nathan put the situation in such a way that it was shocking to hear. It took Penny and her parents a while to take it in.

At the same time, two Rolls-Royces led thirty black Audis down the street, before stopping in front of them.

Thomas and a hundred men in uniformed suits stepped out of their cars with black umbrellas.

Lining up next to their cars like soldiers, they shouted in synchronization, “Congratulations on your new freedom!”

This over-the-top greeting caught Benson’s family off guard.

In the villa, the relatives peeked out, expecting to spectate Benson’s family’s pathetic misfortune.

To their dismay, they witnessed a whole army of people congratulating them, ready to pick them up with luxury cars.

The whole family was astonished, to say the least.

Thomas approached Benson cordially, “Sir, we are here to take you home.”

Benson and Leah immediately understood that it was a stunt staged by Nathan to make them look good in front of their relatives.

This act’s hidden message was that their lives were only going uphill from here.

Benson and Leah straightened their backs and held their heads up high, “Alright. Let’s go!”

Nathan turned to Penny with a grin, “Honey, come on.”

Pressing her body against Nathan’s, this was Penny’s first time realizing how safe and supported Nathan could make her feel.

She looked up and wiped away her tears. Breaking into a smile, Penny professed, “Thank you, Nathan. I never thought I’d say this, but I feel like things could get better from now on.”