Chapter 399

“All right, I understand,” Cedrick replied calmly. This was inevitable, but if Gwenny finds out, she will definitely be upset for a while…

With that in mind, he immediately instructed Nico, “Call Summer and ask her to accompany Gwenny for the prenatal check-up. Don’t tell Gwenny anything else.”

“Yes,” Nico responded promptly as he took out his phone to message Summer.

Within two minutes, Summer arrived from the garage.

She was Nico’s little sidekick. These past few days, while Nico was busy with various investigations, Summer had been insisting on tagging along, patiently waiting in the car until he finished his tasks.

As soon as Summer arrived, Cedrick’s expression turned solemn. He instructed her, “If Gwenny asks about my whereabouts later, tell her that I have to attend to an urgent matter at Jenson Group.”

“All right,” Summer replied.

With the arrangements made, Cedrick immediately left with Nico.

They returned to the Jenson residence in no time.

Throughout the journey, Cedrick remained deep in thought, pondering over something silently.

When they reached the entrance of the ancestral hall, he once again instructed Nico, “After we come out of the ancestral hall, don’t send me back to Harrick Villa. Go to your villa and apply some medicine first.”

Medicine?

Nico’s heart trembled at the words.

So, Cedrick had expected this. Once he enters the ancestral hall today, there will be no turning back, right?

As Nico stood in a daze, Cedrick had already entered the ancestral hall.

The former gazed at the unwelcoming entrance and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of dread. It was an eerie place.

Feeling apprehensive about Cedrick’s safety, he quietly sent a message to Summer before cautiously stepping inside.

Meanwhile, Summer, who was waiting in the hospital waiting room, immediately barged into the examination room when she received the message.

“Gwendolyn! Something’s happened! Mr. Jenson has been summoned to the ancestral hall by Old Mr.

Jenson!”

The ancestral hall was filled with people, all eagerly awaiting Cedrick’s arrival.

Apart from Xander, David, and Yael’s family, a few esteemed elders of the Jenson family were also present.

Everyone rose to their feet and called out as soon as they saw Cedrick enter, “Mr. Cedrick!”

He nodded slightly and confidently strode toward the center of the ancestral hall, accompanied by Nico.

Next, he respectfully greeted Valentino, “Hello, Grandpa.”

However, Valentino merely let out a disdainful snort and tapped his cane on the ground.

Cedrick remained standing as he was aware that he would be interrogated. His posture was unwavering as Nico stood beside him.

Xander said in a sarcastic tone, “Dear cousin, I heard that you transferred all your shares in Jenson Group to your fiancée. It made headlines this morning. Is that true?”

“Yes.” Cedrick lowered his head slightly, neither concealing nor offering an explanation.

“Grandpa, did you hear that? He admitted it himself! Those are Jenson Group’s shares! There are folks out there who can’t even get one percent of the fractional shares even if they do have the money. Yet, he casually gave them away just to please a woman!”

Xander’s anger grew with each word. “He’s letting you down, Grandpa! As the head of the Jenson family, he’s supposed to be a role model, but look at what he’s done! It’s downright outrageous! I don’t think we should let him off the hook that easily!”

Valentino’s face contorted with anger as he shot Cedrick a fierce glare.

“Cedrick, I’ll give you a chance to explain yourself. Why did you do this?”

A subtle smile played on Cedrick’s lips, his noble and handsome countenance unwavering. There was a touch of defiance in his voice as he retorted, “Xander is right. I handed all the shares to Gwenny to keep her happy.”

The ancestral hall echoed with a mix of disappointed and exasperated sighs.

Nico stood quietly at the back, his palms sweating from nervousness.

Although he wanted to help with the explanation, he struggled to find the right words to defend Cedrick.

After all, it was undeniable that Cedrick had willingly relinquished his shares and his entire fortune.

He could only pray silently and hope that Gwendolyn would come soon and find a solution to rescue Cedrick from this situation.

Otherwise, considering the current circumstances, Cedrick would probably face severe consequences.

The atmosphere in the ancestral hall was charged with tension.

An oppressive silence enveloped the room as Valentino’s grim expression spoke volumes of his intense anger. Not a single person dared to utter a word.

Xander’s smugness was palpable as he relished in exacerbating the situation. “Grandpa, given the gravity of his error this time, it’s only fitting that he relinquishes his authority, don’t you think? And he should endure much harsher punishments, or else the Jenson family won’t stand for it!”

Valentino remained silent as his sharp gaze remained fixed on Cedrick.

Undeterred, Xander persisted in his admonishment. “He didn’t hesitate to give away the Jenson Group’s shares to please Gwendolyn. But what if Gwendolyn gets upset again? Will he give away the entire Jenson family’s fortune? Are we going to change our surname to Harris from then on?”

The weight of Xander’s words struck deep in Valentino’s heart.

The Jenson family was a prestigious and traditional clan with a legacy spanning hundreds of years.

Despite Cedrick’s contributions to raising the Jenson family’s status, his current actions were undermining the family’s foundation.

Valentino concealed his inner anguish and turned to Logan for advice. “What do you think would be an appropriate punishment?”

After pondering for a moment, Logan replied, “If we were to follow Mr. Xander’s suggestion of giving a harsher punishment, then he should be whipped eighty times.”

All the elders in the ancestral hall held their breaths.

It was unlikely for Cedrick to walk out on his own after receiving eighty whippings. Someone with a weaker constitution would lose their life if they received that punishment instead.

Cedrick remained expressionless as he stood quietly at the side; he acted as though he was merely a bystander.

Valentino’s heart shuddered as he contemplated the situation.

After a moment, he said, “Gwendolyn cares deeply for others and isn’t a greedy child. Cedrick, if you can get back those shares, I promise not to punish you severely.”

He turned to look at the elders and silently conveyed his intentions.

Without delay, a chorus of agreement erupted from the elders. “It’s normal for young people to make mistakes. As long as corrective actions are taken promptly, it won’t be a significant issue.”

David joined in to show his support. “Without Cedrick, the Jenson family wouldn’t be where it is today.

Cedrick has made valuable contributions to our family and deserves a second chance.”

Xander adjusted his gold-framed glasses as he heard everyone voicing their support for Cedrick.

Although he was feeling displeased, he was wise enough not to dissent.

Satisfied with the elders’ reply, Valentino breathed a sigh of relief and directed his gaze at Cedrick once again. “Cedrick, I will give you a two-day ultimatum. If you can get the shares back, we will treat this incident as if it never occurred.”

Cedrick let out a light chuckle. “Grandpa, once a gift is given away, it cannot be reclaimed.”

This statement implied that there was no room for negotiation.

Valentino’s expression swiftly darkened, looking more livid than before.

He furiously struck his cane on the ground and uttered through gritted teeth, “You are so stubborn and unyielding! I’ve been too lenient with you in the past! Indeed, you deserve a lesson! Logan, follow the protocol!”

“Old Mr. Jenson…” Logan muttered.

Valentino’s fury consumed him, yet he couldn’t bear the sight of Cedrick being subjected to torture.

With conflicted emotions, he turned away to leave the scene.

The rest of the elders stood up to leave as well.

Cedrick maintained a cool and composed expression, showing no trace of fear. He voluntarily knelt down, unbuttoned his suit jacket, and removed his shirt, revealing his well-built and attractive physique.

Constrained by the strict and inflexible traditions of the Jenson family, he found himself devoid of any alternatives.

The carved sandalwood box was brought out once again.

Logan retrieved the dark-colored punishment whip and saluted the ancestral tablet.

Just as Valentino and the others neared the door, it swung open forcefully from the outside. A woman emerged and implored, “Old Mr. Jenson, before you proceed with Cedrick’s punishment, I beg you to listen to my explanation!”