<b>Chapter </b>297


    After Joshua left, Richard looked like he was about to explode with rage.


    A


    You think you’ve won? The game’s far from over. One day, I’ll have you on your knees begging me!‘ Richard hissed under his breath.


    Holt noticed Richard’s phone lighting up and handed it over.


    Richard’s eyes narrowed as he read the message.


    “What the hell is Noelle doing in Jupiton? She should’ve just stayed in Norhill,” Richard muttered.


    Richard shot Holt a look that said ‘You gotta be kidding me, are you really that dumb?‘


    Holt mulled it over and said, “Who knows, maybe the Garcia Group’s secrets are stashed at the family estate.”


    Richard’s expression shifted–his mood visibly perked up, clearly relieved as the idea sank in.


    Night had fallen, and the Schultz Vi shone brightly against the darkness.


    Moonlight flowed through the floor–to–ceiling windows, mixing seamlessly with the bright lights inside.


    The atmosphere in the living room was tense.


    Ziggy sat on the sofa, his hands pressed against his forehead. Yves wore a stern expression, while Gia silently wiped away tears.


    “That bitch! She waltzes back to Norhill and cozies up to some big shot, now she turns around and stabs us in the back? After all these years of us raising her, does she even realize without us, God knows where she’d be now!” Yves spat.


    He grunted loudly.


    “I always knew Xylia was ungrateful. When she was married to Connor, she wouldn’t even consider helping the Schultz Group unless we begged her for it. Now that she’s the Sadler family’s precious daughter, she acts like she’s way above us!”


    “If I’d known things would turn out like this, I would’ve kicked her out of the Schultz family a long time ago!”


    “Tessa’s locked up, and now the Schultz Group is falling apart… What are we even supposed to do next?” Yvesmented, his voice heavy with despair.


    Gia started sobbing uncontrobly.


    Just a little while ago, Ziggy had managed to pull the Schultz Group back from the brink, even if only for a


    short time.


    <b>11:43 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>27 </b>


    FA


    5 Vouchers


    No matter where Gia went–especially those mahjong games with the high societydies<b>–</b>she’d get showered with endless ttery.


    They all gushed, “You really hit the jackpot with your son. He’s a business prodigy, snatching the Schultz Group out of bankruptcy like it’s nothing.”


    Their praisesnded in her ears one after another, sparkling like strings of pearls.


    But now, the Schultz Group’s stock was crashing harder than ever–even more brutal thanst time.


    And all thosedies who used to shower her with praise? They literally ghosted her when it came to card


    games.


    Just picturing herself living broke, stuck in some tiny rental with nothing but home–cooked meals, no facials, no poker nights…


    Just thinking about it made her skin crawl.


    ‘I can’t live like that!‘ she thought.


    She turned to Ziggy, desperation in her eyes. “Ziggy, you’ve gotta do something!”


    Ziggy looked up, rubbing his forehead, agitation all over his face. “Mom, what do you want me to say? The Sadler Group ising at us hard, and with things like this, how am I supposed to go up against them?” he muttered, feeling helpless.


    Ziggy thought back to when he was in Norhill. Kaden didn’t even hesitate–just offered up the cash, no questions asked. He really didn’t seem like the vengeful type at all.


    ‘It has to be Xylia. She must’ve said something to Kaden, that’s the only reason why the Sadler Group is suddenly trying to swallow up the Schultz Group, Ziggy mused, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips.


    He recalled that day on the food street, catching a glimpse of Xylia.


    She looked right past him, treated him like a total stranger–not even a nce his way.


    Ziggy couldn’t help but think, ‘She’s still pissed about what happened. Guess she believes we treated her way worse than Tessa back then.’


    After all, Tessa was their flesh and blood–the real Schultz daughter. But Xylia? She had no ties to them, just a freeloader who’d mooched off the family for so many years. They never once threw her out, even set her up with a golden marriage.


    ‘We really did right by her, Ziggy thought, bitterness rising. ‘She owes us everything!’


    And what do we get in return? Not even a scrap of gratitude! Instead, she turns around and screws us over- how shameless can someone get?‘ Ziggy fumed internally.


    “What are we supposed to do now?” Gia sobbed louder, her voice full of anguish.


    Ziggy lowered his hands and looked at his mother. “Xylia’s just arrived in Jupiton. If she’s determined to drive


    <b>11:43 </b>Sat, Sep 27


    the Schultz family into a corner, then I won’t sit back and do nothing. She’ll regret crossing us.”


    Yves and Gia both turned to Ziggy, their eyes wide with surprise.


    “Nylia’s back in Jupiton?” they asked in unison.


    Ziggy nodded. “Yeah, I ran into her. She’s with Joshua now, probably staying at the Garcia family estate.”


    Gia ground her teeth and red, barely able to contain her anger.


    “That brat–she’s ying princess now, the Sadler family’s precious daughter and dating Joshua! Went from nobody to queen bee, and she’s got them all gunning for us. Well, it’s time she learned whose turf she’s messing with!” Gia snapped, her voice icy and fierce.


    Ziggy reassured her, “Don’t worry, Mom. I know exactly what to do.”


    By the evening, Sonny’s fever had finally broken.


    The next day, he was feeling a lot better.


    Sonny kept pleading with the maids to let him see Xylia. Feeling bad for the little guy, they finally got permission and went to ask the adults.


    And when someone finally turned up, it wasn’t Xylia–it was Joshua who walked in instead.


    As soon as Sonny saw Joshua, fear shed across his face and he bolted to the far side of the bed, trying to keep out of sight.


    Sonny buried his head and shouted, “I don’t want to see you! I want my mom!”


    Joshua dragged over a little stool and sat down right in the middle of the room, ncing coolly at Sonny.


    “Don’t want to see me? You’re crashing at my ce, eating my food, drinking my stuff, and you still don’t wanna look at me?” Joshua said, sounding half amused, half serious.


    “Then let Mom leave with me! I won’t eat a single thing from your house,” Sonny retorted, his voice shaky with stubbornness.


    Joshua rested his hand on his knee, absentmindedly rubbing his fingers together. “I remember the first time I saw you there you were with your dad and your Tessa aunt, shouting that your mom was some homewrecker out to seduce men. Tell me, do you really think you deserve to call yourself her son after what you did?”


    Sonny thought back to that banquet hall–he and his dad really did throw those ugly words at Mom.


    Back then, Mom was so thin and fragile, standing under the harsh spotlight, everyone staring at her like she was on trialpletely alone and left out in the cold.


    Sonny felt a flicker of guilt, but he jutted out his chin, trying to sound defiant. “I know I was wrong before, but


    <b>11:43 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b>Sep <b>27 </b>


    I’m her son. I apologized–she’ll forgive me.”


    “Just because you say sorry doesn’t mean you deserve forgiveness,” Joshua shot back, his tone frosty.


    Joshua looked at him coldly. “You think just sharing her DNA means she owes you everything? You’re just a little brat picking on your own mom–and you really believe the whole world should revolve around you?”


    “If I have anything to say about it, she’s got nothing to do with you or anyone else from the Ford family,” Joshua added, voice hard as steel.


    Sonny was just a kid, after all.


    ‘I wanna talk back, but Joshua is just way too scary…‘ Sonny thought, shrinking away from this intimidating uncle.


    He gripped the nket with both hands; though you could see the resentment in his eyes, Sonny kept his mouth shut, not daring to speak up.


    Joshua gave up on any more pep talks and got straight to the point. “Did your dad even know you came here?”


    Sonny stared down at the floor, shoulders slumped, silence dragging out before he finally gave a tiny shake of his head.


    “No,” he mumbled.


    Sonny had barely finished when Joshua got up and headed for the door.


    Sonny panicked and rushed after him, blurting out, “If you won’t let me see Mom, at least let me go back home, okay?” – his voice cracked with desperation.


    Joshua didn’t even bother turning around.


    After hearing what Uncle Richard said, Sonny snuck out without packing a single thing. Sick and feverish, he managed to dodge the bodyguards and drag himself here all alone.


    His dad still had no clue where he was, and Sonny could already imagine them panicking like crazy back home.


    He desperately wanted to borrow a maid’s phone to call his dad, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t remember the number–frustration bubbling up inside him.


    Anxious and restless, Sonny crawled around the room. But pretty soon the exhaustion won out, and he passed out clutching the nket, falling fast asleep.


    That day, Joshua brought Xylia to the Garcia Group with him.


    When they got to the building, Xylia told Joshua to go ahead upstairs, saying she wanted to pick up a couple of things.


    Joshua offered to have his secretary do it, but Xylia just waved him off and told him to get going. She turned and walked out the door herself.


    <b>11:43 </b>Sat<b>, </b><b>Sep </b>27


    Since there was a meetinging up and it was almost time, Joshua went straight upstairs.


    AD