Ste was taken aback. "Marvin isn''t Neville''s biological son?"


    Grandma Connolly sighed. "Back then, Marvin''s mother, Farrah, was determined to be with a certain man, despite strong opposition from her grandfather and me.


    Neville and Farrah''s parents died in a ne crash, so I raised them both myself.


    Farrah was every bit as intelligent and brilliant as Neville, and their grandfather and I never favored boys over girls.


    The future of The Connolly Group was meant for both of them, brother and sister."


    It seemed the Farrah she was speaking of was Neville''s biological sister.


    Old Mrs. Connolly continued, "But Farrah was consumed by love at the time. She refused to break up with him, even willing to sever ties with her family and elope.


    Ste couldn''t help but ask, "Was the man Miss Connolly loved not from a good family?"


    Old Mrs. Connolly shook her head. "Our family doesn''t care much about social status.


    My husband and I started from scratch asmon people.


    If the man was just from a poor family, as long as he was ambitious, we would have been willing to support him.


    But... of all the people Farrah could have fallen for, why did it have to be someone from the Gardner family?"


    Ste had a feeling she knew where this was going. "The Gardners? Are you talking about... the Gardners, the wealthiest family in the world?"


    Grandma Connolly nodded helplessly. "The Gardners and the Connollys are both based in Aetheria.


    Their family situation isn''t exactly a secret in our circles. The Gardners are all blessed with good looks, high intelligence, and strong work ethics.


    They can achieve wealth beyond the reach of ordinary people without much effort, true winners in life.


    But they have a fatal w: a gic defect.


    Under stress or certain specific conditions, they can be unhinged.


    Because of this, the Gardners tend to live short lives.


    I''ve lived in Aetheria for many, many years. No one knows more about the Gardner family than I do.


    Even if Farrah had chosen a poor man, a gold-digger, her grandfather, Neville, and I could have kept him in line.


    But she just had to fall for a Gardner."


    Old Mrs. Connolly closed her eyes, the memory still bringing a wave of sorrow.


    "We were so angry with Farrah back


    then. Twenty-odd years of family et


    love couldn''tpete with a man she''d known for only a year


    If she wanted to cut ties with us and elope, we let her.


    We didn''t speak for many years.


    It wasn''t until she was on her


    deathbed that she contacted us


    to bring Maryet


    asking us t


    the Connolly family content


    Only then did we learn that she hadn''t eloped with that man at all.


    When she tried to break up with him, that madman from the Gardner family forcibly imprisoned her."


    At this, tears streamed down Grandma Connolly''s old face.


    "I hate myself for not trying harder to find Farrah back then..."


    Ste opened her mouth, wanting tofort her, but couldn''t find the words.


    In the end, she could only take a handkerchief and gently wipe away the old woman''s tears.


    Grandma Connolly''s emotions gradually settled.


    "I''m sorry, Ste, for letting you see me like this," she said.


    "Not at all," Ste replied. "Please, continue."


    "Thest time I saw Farrah," she went on, learned that the man kadmitted suicide not long before, which was how she finally gained, her freedom and was able to contact us."