Chapter 38 A Calcted Alliance.


    +8 Pearls


    After speaking, David dragged Alice out of the room. Alice looked conflicted, but she couldn''t resist her husband''s strength.


    As soon as they left the room, Alice shook off David''s grip.


    "Why are you being so hard on Laurie? If we give her the 1.4 million dors, she''ll let go of the past. We can still be family. Why do you insist on opposing her?"


    "It''s not that I want to fight her. It''s that she doesn''t really see us as a family. She once dared to take a knife to her own father. Who''s to say she won''t do it again? Are you reallyfortable having a ticking time bomb like her in your home? Who knows when she might explode and kill us all? Rather than keep such an unpredictable factor around, it''s better to marry her off for an alliance. It might also help the Bet Corporation cooperate with the Brooker family of Balewood"


    "But..." Alice hesitated, and David continued, "The Brooker family ispeting with us for the Eastgate project. We don''t stand a chance. If we can use Lauren for a marriage alliance, it could lead to a win-win cooperation. If you''re not willing to sacrifice her, then we''ll have to sacrifice Willow. Are you willing to send Willow to Balewood?"


    Alice shook her head without hesitation.


    Willow might not be her biological daughter, but she was as dear as one. I had raised Willow with all her heart and soul and had loved her every step of the way.


    I couldn''t bear the thought of her precious daughter getting married far away, where she might be mistreated with no one to stand up for her


    Just the thought of Willow''s suffering made me heartache.


    She nced at Lauren, pale and frail on the hospital bed, and sighed deeply. In the end, she said nothing.


    Inside the hospital room, Lauren heard everything and was shaking with rage. She clenched her fingers so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms,


    I never imagined that my biological father could be so heartless, treating me like amodity to be traded for business gain


    Madam Alice, who begged for forgiveness just a few days ago, now chose to sacrifice her own daughter to protect Willow.


    How ironic. How hypocritical.


    After a while, she forced herself to calm down.


    I wanted to send Mia abroad, I would need money.


    But now, money was exactly what Icked.


    What could I do?


    In my current situation, it seemed that the only option was toply with David''s agreement.


    Maybe for someone in this position, a marriage alliance wasn''t the worst way to escape the Bet family.


    Although I didn''t know much about the Brooker family from Balewood, no matter how difficult they might be, they couldn''t possibly be worse than the Bet family.


    Leaving the Bet family and securing a 1.4 million dowry would allow me to send Marilyn and Mia abroad, Once they were safe, the Bet family would no longer have any influence over me.


    In a way, it was a win-win situation.


    However, the thought of letting others decide her fate made her feel suffocated.


    Lauren got out of bed and limped out of the room, heading for the stairwell to get some fresh air.


    Meanwhile, in the stairwell, a voice came out.


    Chapter 38 A Calcted Alliance.


    +8 Pearls


    business and establish a strong foothold in Hoverdale. It would also allow for smoother business between Balewood and Hoverdale. We''re not the only ones interested. Many elite families in Hoverdale are vying for it, especially the Bet and Gray families. The Bet family in particr has proposed a marriage alliance for mutual benefit. What do you think...


    The man didn''t answer; he just gave his assistant, Josh ke a cold look.


    Josh immediately fell silent and made an "okay" gesture.


    "Do you have any further instructions, President? If not, I take care of some paperwork."


    "Go ahead," the man replied, his voice calm butmanding,


    Josh left.


    The man leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette.


    The stairwell was eerily quiet, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.


    Lauren had thought the area was empty, but as she entered, she realized that someone was there.


    Hearing her footsteps, the man looked up.


    Their eyes met, one standing on the higher stairs, the other below.


    For a moment, Lauren was stunned.


    The man was dressed in a ck suit, tall and imposing. His face was like a meticulously crafted work of art, with sharp. features and deep, mysterious eyes that resembled the night sky.


    He stood still, radiating an aura of power that was both intimidating and awespiring.


    This stranger was strikingly handsome, surpassing even Elliot and Keh, who were considered to be of the highest caliber in appearance.