As the towering figure of Cassius stood, fim as an oak, Chasel knew he’d recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes
Chase’s blood pumped furiously, concentrating in his trembling heart as he gripped the balcony railing, his b*dy leaning out as if he were about to leap.
Such a remarkable presence, the maic pull straight to his heart it could be no one else but Cassius.
“Cassius! Cassius” Chasel’s voice tore through the air in a desperate shout.
But s, the distance was too great. A gust of wind picked up, and with Chasel already weakened from serious injuries, his feeble cries were swept away before they could reach Cassius.
<b>“</b>Cassius! Are you deaf?! Look back! I’m right behind you.”
Hisst words fractured into a hoarse whisper<b>, </b>barely audible.
Chasel watched, eyes wide, as Cassius got into a ck sports car that roared to life and disappeared into the <b>night</b>.
<b>“</b>Bastard! Why couldn’t you just wait a little longer for me<b>?!</b><b>” </b>
As if his soul had been drained, Chase slumped to the ground, gasping for air as tears streamed down his face, <b>“</b>Cassius, <b>why </b>couldn’t you wait, let me go with you.”
Late at night, in the study.
Zachary was on the phone with York, updating him on Chasel’s situation,
Upon hearing that Chasel had been disciplined, York was clearly displeased. Although he refrained fromshing out, his tone was far from gentle.
<b>“</b><b>Chasel’s </b>reputation in neurology is impable<b>; </b>even I’ve heard of his achievements, you’re telling me you haven’t<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Zachary clenched his teeth, “Of course, I’ve heard of him, Dad. But what Chasel did<b>, </b>breaking the family code, disregarding the dignity <b>of </b>the Bright Group<b>, </b>is infuriating. If I don’t punish him severely, who’s to say he won’tmit more follies in the future and bring ridicule upon us<b>?</b><b>” </b>
York couldn’t help coughing, his voice hardened, “If you insist on punishing him, you could have disciplined him in other ways. There was no need <b>to </b>harm him physically.
<b>In </b>our Bright family, we have only Warner and Chasel as the next generation. Warner, now groomed to be a businessman<b>, </b>has given <b>up </b>on medicine. And I haven’t stepped into an operating room in over a decade, focusing on managing our
pharmaceuticals, biological institutes, and hospitals, thriving in the business world. Now, the only one who can truly carry on my legacy is Chasel. If you cripple him, the Bright Group will truly be without a sessor and can no longer be called a dynasty in medicine.”
“But <b>Dad</b><b>…</b><b>” </b>
“I know the real reason behind your harshness towards Chasel.”
York’s voice deepened with a warning, “Zachary, after all these years, have you not let go of your resentment?”
<b>Zachary </b><b>froze</b>, his expression stiff, “Dad, what resentment could I possibly hold? If I hold any, it is only because as they grow up, <b>they </b>be defiant. I fear they might cause trouble and affect the Bright Group.”
<b>“</b><b>Zachary</b><b>, </b>even though I detest Emeric, my most cherished daughter chose him, and bore his children, who are all excellent. She has been with the Ashbourne family for over twenty years without a single rumor of discord reaching my ears. That shows <b>Emeric </b><b>has </b><b>treated </b><b>her </b><b>well</b>.”
<b>“</b><b>Dad</b><b>.” </b>
“I know <b>you’ve </b>always had feelings for <b>Suri</b><b>.</b>”
York’s words struck <b>at </b>Zachary’s most hidden wounds. His l*ps whitened as he clenched his fist.
<b>“</b><b>Even </b>though <b>you’re </b><b>my </b>adopted son and have no blood rtion to Suri, ethically, she will always <b>be </b>your sister. There has never been<b>, </b>and <b>there </b><b>will </b>never <b>be</b><b>, </b><b>any </b><b>possibility </b>between you.”
<b>York </b><b>repeated </b><b>the </b><b>“</b><b>sentence</b><b>” </b><b>he’d </b>handed down over twenty years ago, once again <b>to </b>Zachary.
<b>“</b><b>I’m eighty </b><b>years </b>old <b>now</b><b>, </b>and after a serious illness<b>, </b>I’vee <b>to </b>terms with <b>it</b>. <b>The </b>old grudges and resentments, <b>even </b><b>if </b><b>they </b><b>persist</b><b>, </b><b>I </b>can no longer control”
<b>York </b>coughed again<b>, </b><b>his </b><b>words </b>resonant<b>, </b><b>“</b><b>From </b>now on<b>, </b>don’t punish <b>Chasel </b>because of Suri and the Ashbourne family. It’s enough
<b>1/3 </b>
That the Bright family has <b>no </b>tac dealings with the Ashbourne family<b>. </b>The K Group has massive clout in Skyrim Emeric’s children are neing to prominence, and I’ve heard his darling daughter, Evadne, is nearing marriage with the CEO of the Abernathy Group from Elmsworth. If those two families unite, opposing them would be a death sentence.
If you provoke the Ashbourne family too much, even if Emeric ignores you, I wouldn’t bet against Suri and the Ashbourne kidsing after you. I’ve toiled all my life, I don’t want to witness a family feud in my twilight years. Let this matter rest.
The call ended
“So, Dad. You’d rather Sun be Emeric’s mistress, nameless and without status, subject to scorn than bless me with her?”
Zachary’s face was pale and tense, like a ster about to crack in the freezing cold, “All because I am an adopted son? Do you think I am not good enough for your biological daughter?”
Suddenly<b>, </b>urgent knocking sounded.
Warner burst in, panic–stricken, “Dad! It’s ad! Chasel has escaped through the window!”
Zachary’s pupils contracted in shock. With speed, he and the butler, the secretary and others hurried to Chasel’s room.
The balcony doors were flung wide open, the midnight chill rushing in, sending shivers down their spines.
“Have you searched everywhere?!” Zachary’s voice quivered with rm.
“W–We’ve looked everywhere!”
Warner stammered, fear making him incoherent, “He’s nowhere to be found, not outside the building, not <b>in </b><b>the </b>garden, nowhere!<b>” </b>Nowhere meant the boy had not perished, he had indeed escaped. That was a small mercy.
“How did he jump from the fifth floor?” Zachary peered over the balcony
The butler informed him, “Mr. Zachary Bright, we’ve checked. He must have jumped onto the tree across and slid down. There are a few broken branches at the base of the tree<b>.” </b>
“Madman! Does he want to break his n*eck?!” Zachary’s shock turned quickly to anger, his hand smarting from the force of his palm against the railing.
His son was nothing if not a stubborn Phoenix, rising defiantly from the ashes. Steel cages, the crushing weight of authority <b>– </b>what was there to fear?
Ever since Avery swaggered in unting his medicine and issuing his challenges, Thaddeus had been on the move with Gordon by his side, traveling to that country on behalf of Chairman Ashbourne to procure that elusive, expensive drug.
Evadne had wanted to apany him, but Thaddeus, not wanting her to suffer the strain of travel, persuaded her to stay in Silveke Harbor to keep her fatherpany.
On their private jet, Thaddeus was poring over the detailed information about the drug on hisptop.
Gordon brought over a cup of coffee and set it down gently in front of him, “Mr. Abernathy, you’ve been at it non–stop since we took off – either signing off on documents or researching. Take a break; your eyes are getting bloodshot.”
<b>“</b><b>You </b>rest if you’re tired,” eyes downcast, Thaddeus lifted the cup of ck coffee to his l*ps.
Gordon let out a sigh, “You could have easily delegated this to me. You should be spending time with Mrs. Abernathy. Why go <b>through </b>all this hassle<b>?</b>”
“Avery’s a sl*ppery snake, full of lies. But when he said the drug is <b>a </b>patented development of the country and reserved for royalty and the highest dignitaries, he was telling the truth.”
Exhausted<b>, </b>Thaddeus leaned back, his n*eck stretched in an elegant curve, “That’s why I can’t afford <b>to </b><b>treat </b>this lightly. I have <b>to </b>show up <b>in </b>person to stand a chance.”
<b>“</b>Even <b>that </b>lowlife Avery managed to get his hands on it. You’re sure to seed<b>,” </b>Gordon said confidently of his boss. Thaddeus<b>‘ </b>brows furrowed, neither agreeing nor dismissing the im.
Upon arriving, Thaddeus wasted no time tapping every <b>contact</b><b>, </b>even meeting officials in charge of <b>the </b><b>pharmaceutical </b>industry. <b>The </b>answer was always the same <b>– </b>impossible.
<b>“</b>Mr. Abernathy<b>, </b>this drug for <b>treating </b>cerebral infarction is produced in limited quantities<b>. </b><b>The </b>annual supply <b>is </b>strictly ounted for <b>and </b>reported. I’m <b>truly </b>sorry <b>to </b>have <b>you </be all this way for nothing, but there’s nothing I can do.<b>” </b>
<b>After </b><b>Thaddeus </b>hung up the <b>phone</b><b>, </b><b>his </b>grip <b>tightened </b>on his mobile, nearly crushing <b>the </b><b>screen</b>.
<b>“</b>Son of <b>a </b>gun<b>. </b>Everything’s restricted overseas!”
<b>2/3 </b>
Gordan was visdly <b>upset</b>. ‘“Even your good looks don’t seem to cut it here, Mr. Abernathy!
Thaddeus was silent, his expression as icly stern as a king of spades.
“What’s the n now, Mr. Abernathy?
As Gordon furrowed his brows in thought, he suddenly eximed, “Wait, I’ve got an idea“”
Thaddeus eyes lit up, Let’s hear it
“You’ve got a good rtionship with Mrs. Abernathy’s brother Elvis, right? Your brother–inw and fellow alumnus, plus he’s a top–notch egent with a bag of tricks. Why not have him sneak into theb and swipe a batch for us?”
After that, Gordon beamed with pride for his bright idea.
Have my wife’s brother risk getting caught and executed to steal medicine for me?” Thaddeus eyelids drooped, a cold <b>glint </b>in his eyes, “Do you think I’d risk turning him into a modern–day Robin Hood?”
Gordon broke out in a nervous sweat, I didn’t mean that.”
Tm trying to help Evadne, and you want me to drag her family into danger? Do you think I’m heartless or just in dumb?” But truth be told, if it were that Elvis, maybe, just maybe, he’d have the skill to pull it off.
Gordon nervously chuckled, already drenched in sweat, “Forget I said anything. Mr. Abernathy. Pretend my mouth’s full ofpost, spewing nothing but rubbish
The cabin fell silent. After a moment, Thaddeus took a deep breath, as if making a monumental decision, “There’s only one option left.”
Gordon searched his face, and then gasped in shock, “You’re not thinking of asking Mr. Chad Abernathy to help, are you?!” Thaddeus‘ eyes were calm, but his heart tightened, “When I saw Chairman Ashbourne, he was stable, but not optimistic. If we don’t get that drug soon, he’ll rpse, and that’s a ticking time bomb. Another incident, and both the K Group and Evadne won’t survive the blow. My brother knows this ce inside out, and he’s tight with William and his son, with connections we might not even be aware of. He’s our best shot.
Gordon was indignant, “I believe you’ve known all the underhanded things he’s pulled; now you’re going to ask him for help? This would lead him having something on us. Won’t that just make him more smug?”
Thaddeus shook his head dismissively, “It doesn’t matter. Nothing is more important right now than saving Evadne’s father.” With that, he called Chad.
<b>3/3 </b>