?Chapter 1659:


    Mack had been clever as a kid, sweet-tongued and affectionate. Ruby had truly loved him before.


    Now, kneeling beside his lifeless, bruised body—his clothes tattered, the ones she had scavenged from trash bins—she broke downpletely.


    How had ite to this for the Barrett family?


    She was supposed to be a wealthydy. How had she ended up sweeping streets for a living?


    She couldn’t understand it. Her heart ached, and tears fell endlessly.


    Brenna stayed seated, her expression unreadable. To her, Mack had brought this upon himself.


    Someone had called the police, and before long, they arrived at the scene.


    Brenna had finished eating by then. She rose and took Ethan’s arm. “Let’s go home.”


    Ethan’s eyes remained just as indifferent; he didn’t even bother asking Brenna if she wanted to take a look.


    As Brenna passed by Mack’s body, Ruby looked up and saw her.


    At that moment, she understood everything. It was Brenna who had caused her current situation.


    Inside the hospital, Conor sat quietly beside the bed, keeping his motherpany. With deliberate care, he peeled an apple and handed it to her. “Mom, have an apple,” he said softly. “It’s fresh—just came into season.”


    Madge’s gaze drifted toward the door. “Where’s your father? He hasn’t visited for about four days.”


    Conor hesitated, clearly reluctant to bring up Wesley. Over the past few days, Wesley and Jalen had been haunting the entrance of the Harper Group building. Thepany guards refused to let them in, so they waited outside every day. Each time Shepard or Ernst appeared, the two would rush forward, begging and pleading with them for help.


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    They had even resorted to kneeling.


    But the Harper family members were indifferent to their pleas, their bodyguards preventing them from getting near.


    Conor had witnessed it once, and the sight of his father and brother on their knees was unbearable to watch. He was disgusted by their tactics.


    “He’s busy trying to save his job,” Conor finally said.


    Madge nodded slowly. The gloom in her son’s tone told her everything. She already knew—Wesley cared far more about salvaging his own career than about her health.


    “Your father messaged me that your uncle covered the embezzled public funds for him,” she said. “Is that true?” She still hoped Wesley would be okay. After all, her futurefort depended entirely on him now.


    Conor sighed. “Yeah. Dad said Uncle paid one hundred and ny million to plug the hole. He ims he wants to thank him properly—and maybe even ask for more money to cover your medical bills.”


    Madge snorted bitterly, her eyes darkening. She said, “He always puts on that show of deep devotion toward me, but he’s the most selfish man alive. Look at me—I’m lying here, and the hospital’s bills aren’t paid. He borrows money everywhere, but instead of paying the hospital, he spends it on dinners and drinks, trying to curry favor to save his job. He even… He even wanted to kill people to silence them.”


    He had gone so far as to pressure Conor to find a way to make the district attorney’s office drop the investigation.


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