Chapter 55

Verity consoled her eldest sister, “Don’t beat yourself up over this. I’m on Lionel’s side here. We know how girls gang up on him. Lionel’s in the prime of his youth, and how could he resist temptation?”

Allegra nodded, “Exactly. But you heard how Dad made it sound like it was all Lionel’s fault.”

“That’s just dad blowing off steam. Don’t take it to heart. Right now, we need to figure out how to deal with that gold digger.”

“Yeah. That gold digger thinks she can waltz into the Bradford family’s grand estate? In her dreams! I’ll make sure she regrets it.” Allegra stormed off, her indignation fueling her stride as she hopped into her car and drove away.

Verity’s eyes narrowed with calculation as she watched her sister’s departure. Once inside. her car, she asked her driver, “Did you get the scoop?”

The driver replied eagerly, “All clear, ma’am. Elijah’s sickness is indeed serious; he almost jumped out of a window.”

“Jumped out of a window?”

“Yes, the doctors say that if you leave children with psychological issues untreated, they often end up taking their own lives.”

A flicker of excitement passed through Verity’s eyes.

The driver continued, “Ma’am, it seems Elijah might not have many days left. And with the Bradford family’s tradition of male heirs, even if Tarquin remarries, he may not have another son. Not to mention that he won’t remarry. Once Elijah passes away, the Bradford Group’s heir will have to be chosen from among the left ones. But Lionel, from Allegra’s place, is nothing but a smug playboy. Saffron’s boy is under ten and has been living abroad. In that case, our little master becomes the most promising candidate. Perhaps we should bring him back home?”

Verity was cunning indeed and had been coveting the Bradford Group’s first chair for a long time. On the surface, Verity appeared to be uninterested in competing for power with just a daughter living with her, always pleasant to everyone. But in reality, she was the most crafty of all. She had been nurturing her son so carefully away from the public eye, unbeknownst to even Gideon and Tarquin, preparing for a surprise power grab. She had long coveted the CEO position at the Bradford Group, never once abandoning her ambition.

“Now is not yet the time,” Verity mused. “We wait. We make our move when Elijah’s condition is critical.

Did they say how long he has?”

“It’s uncertain. He’s got psychological issues, so even the doctors can’t say for sure. But 20.07 they believe it will only worsen. This suicide attempt is just the beginning: there could be more to come.”

Verity eneered, “I refuse to believe Tarquin can always swoop in to save him in time! Once he’s gone, our chance will come!”

“Indeed, our time of fortune is near.”

“Keep an eye on my son and make sure he’s hitting the books hard, especially in economics and management. He’s destined for great things!” She added.

“Understood!”

Meanwhile, Gideon wasn’t just wandering around either.

As soon as he got into his car, he ordered his confidant, “Find the person who’s stealing Tarquin’s business. Anyone who can snatch billions from his grip and breach his security system is no ordinary foe. If we can get to him, we might just be able to tie Tarquin’s hands!”

Like a king of ancient times, Gideon wouldn’t abdicate until his dying breath. Had the Bradford Group not been on the brink of bankruptcy, he would have never handed it over to Tarquin. His pursuit of power was nearly obsessive.

But Tarquin had been too formidable and kept him undepressed for all these years.

It was only upon hearing that someone had cracked Tarquin’s security system and stolen billions that Gideon saw a glimmer of hope for a comeback.