Alice sat in the living room <b>until </b>Ronald came home at night. With all the socializing and dinnerstely, he’d been getting backte every night.
“Why’d you drink so much?” Alice asked, stepping forward to steady Ronald, who was a bit wobbly on his feet
Ronald turned to look at Alice. Time had been kind to her. From their youth to now, <b>Ronald’d </b>lost the <b>shine </b>of his younger days, but for Alice, it was just a few more wrinkles <b>and </b>a little less sticity in her skin, nothing more.
The years <b>had </b>smoothed away Alice’s youthful naivety and given her a different, more refined kind of charm.
However, Ronald and Alice hardly ever sat down for a peaceful talk ever since their blow–up at the hospital. For Alice to wait for Ronaldte tonight, Ronald honestly never thought he’d see the day.
Ronald pulled his hand away and said coldly. “Do you need something?”
He was <b>just </b>a poor kid from a small mountain vige. When he first saw Alice, the girl so graceful, pampered<b>, </b><b>and </b><b>adored</b>, at the Diamonde family, it would’ve been a lie to say he wasn’t moved. Anyone would be, and he was no exception.
He had liked her from their youth until now, at least. His feelings had never changed.
Their first time together had been orchestrated by the Diamonde family. After <b>that</b><b>, </b>it was all about responsibility. He liked her. Even though he knew exactly what the Diamonde family was up to, he just went along with it. Because of the <b>guilt</b>, he never held it against her and still stayed by her side after she ran away from their <b>wedding</b>.
A wave of bitterness welled up in Ronald’s heart. It had been doomed from the start<b>, </b><b>and </b>they might just keep things civil
from now on
Alice <b>froze</b>, clearly not expecting Ronald to react like that.
“L…” She hesitated, unsure how to start. How <b>could </b>she tell him she wanted to kidnap her daughter<b>? </b>
Ronald figured she was bringing up what happened outside the studyst time. “I knew it was you outside the study. You must’ve heard what I said about Carmen, right?”
“I know you care about and favor Carmen, but if you’re just here to win me over because of that, there’s really no need. As long as she gives back what doesn’t belong to her, I’m not going to drive her into a corner because I’ve raised her all these years<b>.</b><b>” </b>
He was wary of the shares in Carmen’s hands, especially whenbined with the ones Alice held. It could be troublesome if the Diamonde family wanted to <b>make </b>a move.
He couldn’t afford to leave himself with such a big problem.
Recently, Ronald had been so busy dealing with Aubree that he’d shoved the whole issue of Carmen’s shares to the side.
Alice quietly clenched her fists. Her earlier hesitation now reced by a steely resolve.
What does he mean by “what doesn’t belong to Carmen“? Why shouldn’t Carmen have <b>those </b>shares? She grew up in the Wilson family. She’s my daughter and carries the Wilson name. She’s one of the Wilson family, Alice thought. ‘If anything, it’s Aubree <b>who </b>snatched <b>away </b><b>what </b><b>should’ve </b>been Carmen’s!‘
Alice said, “No, <b>that’s </b>not it. I overheard what you said outside the <b>study </bst time. I was just too nervous then.
“Let’s not get into that. The shares Carmen holds belong to the Wilson family, <b>so </b>I have no objections there. What I wanted to talk to <b>you </b>about is <b>Aubree</b>.”
<b>Ronald’s </b>face grew solemn at the mention of Aubree’s name.
Alice added, “<b>You </b>and Bryan are getting serious about this<b>, </b>huh? With a market cap of hundreds of billions, it’s not small pressure even for the Wilson Group, is it?
“And what’s even scarier is, she’s <b>still </b>young, and on the rise. She’s got the Turner Group backing her up.
8:25 <b>PM </b><b>dd </b>
Every word Alice said struck right at Ronald’s sorest spot.
“I can help you,” Alice <b>said</b>.
Her words hung in the air, and there was a heavy silence for a moment.
After being together for twenty years, Alice could read Ronald like a book just by looking at <b>his </b>face. She continued, “Bree Technology <b>has </b>grown into a towering giant now. A few small moves won’t make a dent in it. If we’re going to act, we have to go for the kill, no holding back!
<b>2/2 </b>