"I''m fine." Mrs. Thompson Sr. shook her head, then sighed. "It''s all my fault. I''m useless. I couldn''t protect you and your sister, and now we''ve been thrown out in disgrace."


    "Grandma, at your age, I can''t believe Grandpa would be so heartless. Didn''t Dad do anything?" Eden''s words sounded like concern, but they were really just adding fuel to the fire.


    As expected, Mrs. Thompson Sr.''s face darkened again. "Your father has been bewitched by that woman. He''s disowned his own mother. That bastard! I should have strangled him at birth to save myself from being angered to death by him." "Grandma, calm down. Let''s get in the car first," Eden said, helping her into the car. The car started slowly, leaving the militarypound behind.


    The atmosphere inside the car, however, was tense.


    Vanessa''s expression was nearly a snarl. She said to her brother, "I did what you said. I went to the Thompson house and made a scene, even brought up how you convinced me to push Emma. But Bet saw right through our n. Hepletely humiliated me in front of everyone today."


    Eden frowned, then let out a cold sneer.


    "Bet didn''t get to his position at such a young age by being an idiot. So what if he figured it out? Emma still ended up in the hospital. That woman can''t stand the slightest imperfection. There''s more trouble brewing for them. All these years, we''ve had to swallow our pride while they lived in domestic bliss. Why should they have it so easy!"


    "But even if she divorces Dad, the family will still favor that bastard Bet. I saw how much the old man values him. You never should have left the army," Vanessa added.


    "Don''t bring up the past," Eden said impatiently.


    Mrs. Thompson Sr. had sent him into the army once, hoping he could make a name


    for himself and win over Mr. Thompson Sr., who might then allow him to officially join the family.


    However, while legitimate Thompson heirs were expected to make it on their own in the army, even more was expected of an illegitimate son like Eden. He Couldn''t handle the hardship and acted like a spoiled rich kid. It wasn''t long before he was dishonorably discharged.


    By that time, Frank had already established himself in Istra''s business world, bing one of the four great families.


    Eden believed that as the eldest son and grandson, he would eventually join the family business anyway. Why struggle on his own when he didn''t have to?


    But in the end, apart from giving him some startup capital, Frank never helped him again.


    He now ran his ownpany and was considered sessful by outsiders. But his small firm of under a hundred employees was nothingpared to the vast Thompson empire.


    Bet was his father''s son, but so was he. Why should Bet alone inherit the entire Thompson fortune!


    "Eden," Vanessa asked suddenly, st time you told me Mr. Walker was interested in marrying his daughter to you. Is that true?"


    Eden nodded visited Mr. Walker


    ?


    before the Christmas, though I didn''t get to meet Ms. Walker. But in a ē


    marriage alliance like this her opinion doesn''t matter much


    all


    goes well, we should be married this


    year."


    "Good. With the Walker family''s support, you''ll have the leverage topete with Bet. It''s anyone''s game now," Vanessa said. Then, a thought urred to her and she added.


    "It''s just that Ms. Walker dated Bet for a while. She''s probably his sloppy seconds. How unlucky."