?Chapter 87:


    Vincent reclined on the sofa, his long legs casually crossed, exuding effortless elegance. He smiled, rxed. “Looks like Neil hasn’t given up on you yet.”


    Katelyn’s face showed clear contempt. “Mr. Adams, please spare me such jokes. The mere thought of having spent so many years with someone like him makes me sick.”


    Vincent’s yful grin widened. He got up, walked over to the table, and shifted the conversation. “Come join me and have some.”


    Katelyn approached, and in a gentlemanly manner, Vincent pulled out a chair for her. She gave a slight nod in appreciation.


    As she sat down, her phone buzzed with new messages in her pocket. Casually checking the notifications, a smile formed on her lips.


    “TüLa’s father has decided to take all the me to shield her. Looks like he’s facing over twenty years in prison, maybe even a life sentence.”


    This development was exactly as Katelyn had predicted. Even if Delmar hadn’t taken the fall, Tricia would likely have remained unaffected. She raised an eyebrow and said, “Looks like Tricia is now headed for a long-standing conflict with Lise.”


    Vincent nced at her, noticing the smile ying on her lips. He handed her a bowl of soup and said casually, “Isn’t that a good thing? Watching them tear each other apart is like a real-life dog-eat-dog drama.”


    Katelyn widened her eyes, then responded, “Not just that. With the ongoing strife between the two families, Lise’s meticulously crafted public persona has utterly copsed. Also, the Bailey family’s troubles aren’t over. If they fail to cover this financial gap, I suspect Jeff’s fate won’t be much different from Delmar’s.”


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    After a brief pause, Katelyn looked at Vincent’s calm expression and voiced her suspicion.


    “Did you orchestrate the Wheeler Group’s troubles?”


    Vincent nodded straightforwardly. “Yes.”


    His straightforward admission caught Katelyn off-guard.


    Katelyn found herself unable to ask. Had he really done it for her? With no apparent animosity between Vincent and Neil, it seemed there could be another reason behind his actions.


    Vincent stole a quick nce at Katelyn, reading her reaction before casually exining, “The Wheeler Group once snatched a deal from me, so I merely took advantage of the situation and intensified things a bit.”


    Katelyn breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that it wasn’t on her ount. Otherwise, she would have felt overwhelmed by such a huge favor. She nodded with a smile. “I see.”


    It was good that she didn’t probe further, which might have seemed presumptuous. She respected Vincent’s capabilities, but they were like inhabitants of different worlds. Once their joint project concluded, they would go back to their separate lives, like two lines that never meet.


    Katelyn refocused her thoughts, took a spoonful of soup, and marveled at her own excellent cooking skills. “If I ever decide to quit designing, I might just open a restaurant. I’m sure it would be a sess.”


    Vincent, sitting beside her, smiled in agreement. “That sounds fantastic! Be sure to invite me on your opening day. I’ll be your first and most loyal customer.”


    Katelyn beamed, nodding enthusiastically. “Absolutely—I’ll even offer you a discount whenever you visit.”


    The mood between them was light and cheerful, unlike two people who had met just over a month ago. They felt more like old friends who had known each other for years.


    Katelyn enjoyed this easygoing vibe. She was about to say more when her phone rang, and Lise’s name shed on the screen. She grimaced and dismissed the call with a swipe.


    But Lise was persistent, calling back immediately, determined to get through to Katelyn. Growing increasingly annoyed, Katelyn decided to answer the call.


    As soon as she connected, Lise’s voice came through, fraught with urgency. “Katelyn, there’s trouble! Something happened to Mom!”


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