Chapter 11 A wound in the heart


    A dull expression lingered on Tracy Perry’s face. She’d chased Baron off yesterday, and now her


    daughter was bawling her eyes out for her dad.


    Tracy had regretted it at first - fearing the father her daughter had awaited for so long would leave once


    again - but she hadn’t thought that, the moment she was about to face everything alone, Baron would


    show up again.


    The way Baron had appeared, overbearing, unstoppable, touched a soft part of her heart, and she felt


    it tremble viciously.


    “Who are you? Barging into a Perry n meeting room - where’s security? Eject him this instant!”


    Henry did not recognise Baron at that moment. Baron had met with those of the Perry n but rarely,


    and it had been five years - how could they recognise him at first nce?


    “Granddad, this is Baron Owen. The piece of trash married Tracy five years ago and disappeared


    without a trace soon after.”


    Having heard of Baron’s return, Phillip recognised him immediately and shot a mocking nce at


    Tracy.


    Only now did Henry remember Baron. With narrowed eyes, he studied the man from head to toe. He


    gave off slightly different airs, but other than that there seemed to be little difference. The man’s attire


    was as drab as before.


    As much as Tracy wanted someone to shoulder everything alongside her, having Baron show up at this


    moment would only introduce even more chaos. She turned on him, anger written across her face -


    “Why are you here?”


    Tracy’s hostility towards him was not at all surprising. If Baron could win her approval the instant he


    returned, then her approval came far too cheaply.


    Henry waved his hand and cut off whatever else Tracy was about to say, ring daggers at Baron. “So


    it’s this gutter swine who ruined my family’s reputation all those years ago. If it hadn’t been for you, the


    Perry n would have ascended to the upper crust of Cona long ago. I wouldn’t have thought you’d


    have the nerve toe back.”


    A sharp glint passed through Baron’s eyes, and he released a cold chuckle. “I ruined your family’s


    reputation? Could it be that the great head of the Perry n remains ignorant of the truth?”


    Charles had already conducted a careful examination of the affairs of the past. Everything had been


    orchestrated by the Perry n in the first ce in order to pave the way for their acquisition of the


    Samho Group.


    If it hadn’t been for Tracy, the n would have seen its endst night.


    “What are you babbling about?”


    Furious, Henry Perry pped the desk and stood, eyes zing with rage.


    As his emotions red, coughs racked the old man’s body as it lurched on the spot.


    “Granddad!”


    Tracy rushed to his side, but Phillip made it there first, propping him up.


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    “Get away from me!”


    Seething, Henry roared, “You’ve still the sheer nerve to call me ‘Granddad’? You meant to send your


    gutter-trash husband up here as an insult to my face, didn’t you?”


    “If anything happens with Granddad’s heart, we’re going to make you pay.”


    “The filth you got up to five years ago stained the Perry name. Now, five yearster, are you still trying


    to give me a stroke? To destroy this n?”


    “From where I’m standing, this wretched household of yours brings nothing but disaster. We ought to


    banish you from the Perry n, never to return.”


    ……


    Tracy had given up so much for the n, to the point where even her own Samhopany had been


    imed by the Perry collective. And now, her reward was to be betrayed by everyone, abandoned by


    her own flesh and blood.


    Baron watched, his sorrow unspeakable, as Tracy’s frame swayed on the verge of copse.


    Eventually, Henry’s temper simmered down as he looked at her and said, “Tracy, the Perry n was


    only reduced to such a state because of you lot. Now that the Brone Group is establishing a branch in


    Cona, the only way we’ll ever rise up to the plutarchy is to work with them. And only by marrying into


    the Warner n can we ever hope to coborate with the Brone Group - so either pledge yourself to


    Joker, or find some other way to gain said coboration, unless you want to see your entire family


    banished!”


    Henry Perry had spoken. Tracy’s face turned deathly white.


    Even the elite of Cona’s upper ss couldn’t be sure of securing coboration with the Brone Group,


    so what was she of all people supposed to do?


    “Granddad, I…”


    Tracy was just about to refuse when Baron, standing by her side, suddenly spoke up, “This mission of


    yours - we ept!”


    “Good!”


    Right away, Phillip began his mockery with glee. “Don’t say we’re pressing you into this, Tracy - your


    own husband agreed personally to take on this mission, so it’s toote for regrets!”


    “The task is obviously meant to be impossible, but this sorry excuse of a man agreed just like that. It’s


    just like the rumours say; he’s good-for-nothing trash,” muttered some of the direct members of the


    n.


    An enterprise of the elite upper crust of the State of Donas,pared to the holdings of a second-rate


    n of Cona. With a difference that vast, how could Brone ever agree to coborate with Samho?


    “All right, then. The regr meeting is adjourned.”


    With that, Henry rose to leave, but not before his gaze fell once more on Tracy. “Three days. I’m giving


    you three days. If the lot of you aren’t done with your task by then, leave the n on your own.”


    Henry turned and left right then and there, and everyone else turned their gloating jeers on Tracy.


    “Hah! Come now, Tracy, whatever gave you the audacity to lock horns with me? I’m of the direct Perry


    bloodline. In Granddad’s eyes, only I’m worthy of shouldering the n’s future. In three days, I’ll be


    right thereughing as I watch your family’s banishment! Haha…”


    “Really, the daughter of an illegitimate son trying to vye for power with Phillip? Know your ce.”


    “So you see, Phillip, I’ve always been on your side. When you’re sitting on the Chairman’s seat, don’t


    forget me!”


    “That’s right, Phillip, we’re all in your corner!”


    ……


    Soon enough, Phillip left as well, with everyone moring in his wake dering support, leaving only


    Baron in the room with Tracy.


    There was a whap as Tracy pped him across the cheek.


    Looking at her tearful expression, Baron could not muster a speck of rage.


    “Tracy, I…”


    Whatever Baron was about to say was cut off as Tracy snapped, “Considering whatever happened five


    years ago, I’ll admit that you are also a victim. But taking Dad’s five hundred thousand with you was


    more than enough in return. If you didn’t want to marry me, why didn’t you just say so? Do you have


    any idea how much you put me through, pulling that disappearing act of yours right after the wedding?


    I’ve already been brought this low, so why are you still taking it out on me? Tell me, why?”


    Tracy’s tears fell, a string of pearls shattering drop by drop against the floor.


    The pain in his heart reaching the point of torture, Baron reached out and gripped her by the shoulders.


    “I really didn’t take your father’s money, and I’ve never once thought of taking anything out on you. I


    came back to make it up to you and our daughter. Please. You have to believe me. I’d never do


    anything to hurt you.”


    “Shut up! You don’t get to speak of my daughter!”


    Tracy shoved him away, her face still streaked with tears. “If you’re not here for revenge, then why did


    you take on that mission in the meeting? You know full well it’s impossible to begin with!”