?<strong>Chapter 1024:</strong>


    Father and son stood facing each other, their wills as solid as stone, neither willing to yield. Brook, enraged by the defiance in his son’s tone, seethed. “You’ve really grown bold, haven’t you? Defying me for the sake of a woman!” he snapped, his voice sharp.


    He knew well that his son harbored a deep hatred for him. But in Brook’s mind, men’s affairs were just part of the game. The towering figures in society, those who held power, were all tainted by some form ofpromise.


    For years, Brook had carefully nurtured both of his sons, preparing them to take his ce. But only Ken had the true mettle to inherit his legacy. He was the one most capable. Yet now, Brook felt it necessary to remind him of his ce.


    “Even if the Lloyd Group falters, the shares still rest in my hands,” Brook dered, leaning on his silver cane for support. “Its future rests entirely on my word.”


    He locked eyes with Ken, an unspoken challenge between them. Brook knew his son’s temperament all too well. Beneath that cold, calcting exteriory a fierce loyalty. Once Ken grew attached to something, he would defend it without hesitation.


    The Lloyd Group, painstakingly built over decades, was born from his mother Gianna’s vision — a fact that only deepened Ken’s resolve to im the shares. Brook was aware of his son’s desire, but he remained unshaken. After all, could a father and son hold onto resentment forever?


    With a heavy sigh, Brook continued, “Ken, you may despise me, but think about your mother. If you marry a woman without status — especially one who’s been divorced — you’ll tarnish her memory forever. So I—”


    Before he could finish his reprimand, Ken’s voice sliced through. “If Mom were alive, she’d be thrilled that I found someone I love. She’d want me to be happy, not trapped in a web of power ys and calctions. Some people’s hearts are so tainted that they see the world through a lens of dirt.”


    Ken gripped Allison’s hand, his palm scorching against hers, never intending to release her. Allison stood resolutely by his side.


    “I heard that you, Mr. Lloyd, were once a poor young man, but Mrs. Lloyd didn’t care about your status. She helped you build Lloyd Group from the ground up into an empire. What you’re doing now is a stark contradiction to everything she stood for.”


    It was well-known that Lloyd Group had no regard for background or education. Ken had carried that same philosophy into Charisma Company. That was why neither Aimee — poor and struggling — nor Allison, with no formal education, had faced any prejudice while working there.


    Brook’s face darkened, his pride wounded deeply. “You…” he stammered, struggling to find the right words. What stung most was the reminder of his humble beginnings, a time he’d buried in shame.


    It was Hoyt, lurking in the background, who seemed to take delight in the unfolding drama. He took a step closer to Brook, his tone dripping with venom. “Dad, you’re the head of our family, but Ken shows you no respect. You need to teach him a lesson; otherwise, the consequences could be disastrous,” Hoyt said, his words dripping with smugness. “He dares to defy you now, who knows what he’ll do in the future?”


    Hoyt raised an eyebrow, pleased with himself. “Dad, why not demote him and send him abroad? That’ll put an end to this insolence!” His mind worked simply — if he could widen the rift between Ken and Brook, it would make his path to securing his ce at Lloyd Group much smoother.


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