?Chapter 624:


    “I’ve got work to attend to, Grandma. I’ll take my leave now,” Brendon said, already turning away.


    “Brendon! Wait for me!” Katie called out, hurrying after her brother.


    Trevor and Joselyn weren’t far behind, each mumbling some flimsy excuse before slipping away themselves.


    Bethel stood there, watching them retreat—rushed footsteps and turned backs. They hadn’t gotten what they came for, and with nothing left to gain, not one of them stayed behind to sit with her, to show even a shred of care. A weary sigh escaped her lips as she stared at the empty hallway. A lifetime spent toiling for her descendants, and in the end, they were more indifferent than any stranger. The irony stung. It was both pitiful and absurd.


    Outside the Dawson estate, Ynda waited inside the car. The moment she spotted them leaving the house, she straightened up, stered on a cheerful smile, and quickly stepped out to meet them.


    But bitterness churned beneath the surface. That hag Bethel was impossibly stubborn. Even now, with her engagement to Brendon already public knowledge, she still wasn’t allowed to cross the Dawson threshold. She had dared to step inside earlier—only to be thrown out, humiliated, and dismissed like an unwee guest.


    “Brendon, how did it go? Did Bethel agree to help?” Ynda’s voice was soft and sing-song, edged with cautious hope.


    Brendon’s expression darkened. “Help? She’s thrown her lot in with that maniptive snake, Christina. We’re on our own.”


    Katie’s face twisted in fury. “Grandma is totally under Christina’s spell. That scheming Christina has been feeding Grandma lies, sweetening her words like poison. Now Grandma’s too blind to see she’s helping an outsider over her own family.”


    Ynda’s brows drew together in a show of concern. “Then what now? Christina probably only listens to Bethel…” As she spoke, she stepped closer, gently wrapping her fingers around Brendon’s arm. Her next words were more for solidifying her considerate image than any real intention. “Maybe I should talk to Christina. I’ll swallow my pride and beg if I have to.”


    “You don’t need to go that far. This isn’t your fight,” Brendon said, his gaze softening as it met hers.


    “Ynda, you don’t need to beg her,” Katie added quickly.


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    “But if I don’t, how can we expect Christina to lift a finger for the Dawson family?”


    Ynda’s tone was gentle, resolute as she continued to y her part. “I’m Brendon’s fiancée. I should do what I can.”


    Trevor spoke up, arms crossed. “If Ynda wants to help, let her.”


    Brendon’s face turned to stone. “Ynda is my woman. You don’t get to decide what she does.”


    Trevor’s expression hardened. “Who said I did? She offered.” He took a step forward, voice rising. “And watch your tone, Brendon. I’m your father!”


    “Then act like it,” Brendon snapped, stepping protectively in front of Ynda, shielding her with his body.


    Trevor had never truly cared for his wife or children. He failed as a husband, worse as a father. The only reason he ever showed Bethel even a shred of respect was because she held the real power—she was the pir propping up the entire Dawson Group.


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