?Chapter 1341:


    “Mr. Scott!” they both spoke up at once, rmed. “You? Going in alone? Absolutely not!”


    “There’s no other way,” Eric said, his tone cutting off any further protest. “If something happens to Joy, which one of you is ready to carry that me?”


    Phillips and Cordell went quiet.


    “Eric…” Hadley reached for his arm, her voice barely above a whisper, eyes clouded with fear. “Let mee with you.”


    “You can’t.” Eric shook his head gently. “Gifford made it clear—it has to be me alone. Don’t worry. I’ll bring Joy back, safe and sound.” Eric took her hand in his, gave it a reassuring squeeze, and then slowly let go. “I’m going in.”


    As his fingers slipped from hers, Hadley felt her chest tighten.


    She watched his back as he walked away, her hands sped tightly in front of her, whispering under her breath, “Please, God… look after my Joy. And him too…”


    Eric didn’t look back.


    Gifford sat casually on the sofa, a pot of coffee steaming on the table as if he were expectingpany rather than confrontation.


    His demeanor was eerily simr to Ferris’, but itcked the depth, the subtle power that Ferris exuded. Gifford was all surface, pretending to y a game he couldn’t understand.


    “You’ve arrived,” Gifford said with a grin, his eyes glinting with mock amusement. “Make yourselffortable.”


    Eric’s patience was already worn thin. His eyes darted around, scanning the room, his expression darkening as he barely nced at Gifford. “Where’s my daughter?”


    Gifford clicked his tongue, unable to hide the sneer that tugged at his lips. “You’re too eager. You want to see her before we’ve even discussed the terms? Do you really think I’m that naive, brother?”


    “What is it you want in exchange?” Eric demanded, his voice tight with urgency. “Spit it out!”<fn3fd8> This update is avable on F?ndNovel</fn3fd8>


    Gifford clicked his tongue again, his sneer sharpening. “I want the Scott family. Can you hand it over?”


    Eric’s jaw locked, his mouth opening slightly before he answered with quiet steel. “That’s not something I can give. And I suggest you stop chasing fantasies.”


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    It wasn’t about his willingness.


    Ferris had made his stance brutally clear—he’d already cast Gifford aside once.


    Ferris hadn’t hesitated to cast aside his own son for the sake of the Scott family—so why would he make an exception for Joy?


    Ever since the incident, Eric had taken time to think it all through. He spoke with measured calm. “I can’t give you the Scott family, but I can promise to persuade Ferris to let you stay in Srixby.”


    Gifford didn’t answer.


    The truth was, when he took Joy, even he wasn’t sure she’d be enough to push Eric into a corner.


    To the Scott family, power and profit were everything.


    Over the years, they had crossed every line imaginable in pursuit of gain. Gifford knew it firsthand—he had been one of their casualties.


    A child meant little in the grand scheme of things. To Ferris, they were expendable—he had proven that time and again, even with his own blood.


    Eric caught the look in Gifford’s eyes and let out a cold, bitterugh. “Joy is everything to me. But to Ferris? She’s just another pawn. If…”


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