Chapter 489
Chapter 489
The Whitmores were definitely not strapped for cash. They were practically rolling in dough.
But I wasn’t exactly a pauper myself. After selling my company, I was living the life of luxury, even more so than before. If my parents took over Lucas’s company, they would be even better off.
So, the dilemma wasn’t about money. It was about Neil’s unease.
He could never find it within himself to ever like Serena and Brandon. No matter how adorable they appeared, just the thought of whose children they were, made his blood boil.
“There’s no need for any formalities. But if you ever want to see the kids, you’re welcome to drop by,” I refused Faith’s request. Given the complex circumstances, it wouldn’t be wise to publicize this.
Faith’s face fell in disappointment as she looked down at Serena in her arms and let out a sigh.
At that moment, Ryan brought out two boxes, “Here, these are our gifts for Serena and Brandon. You should keep them.”
Upon opening the boxes, I found two beautiful pairs of golden bracelets.
They had already given Serena and Brandon gifts when they first saw them. Now they were giving golden bracelets. I felt a bit overwhelmed.
It wasn’t about the money, but the feeling of being overly pampered.
“Just put them on the kids now,” Faith didn’t wait for my response. Instead, she took out a pair of bracelets and put them on Serena, who was in her arms.
The golden bracelets looked beautiful and luxurious against Serena’s fair skin. The more Faith looked, the more satisfied she felt with her choice.
The other pair was put on Brandon.
I wanted to refuse but felt it would be too cold-hearted of me to reject their gifts after just having refused Faith’s request to adopt Serena and Brandon as her grandchildren. So, I held my tongue.
At that point, Norah had finished preparing dinner. She called us to the dining room.
The meal was sumptuous, but the atmosphere was somewhat awkward. The scene reminded me of the times when Neil and I weren’t divorced and would visit his parents in Springvale during the holidays.
At the dinner table, Faith was the most talkative. I knew she was trying to engage me in conversation.
But I didn’t know what to say. She was already depressed, and I was worried that not responding might emotionally upset her.
“Irene, do you have time early next month? We could go on a trip to Heavenly Mountain,” Faith suggested. She had already consulted with an advisor, who suggested that the third of the next month would be the best date. But we would need to fly there a day earlier.
I had already agreed to accompany her before, so naturally, I had no objections this time.
Neil listened to our conversation silently, casting me a glance.
Dinner felt somewhat drawn out, but after we finished, Ryan and Faith didn’t linger. After reminding me to take care of my health and safety, they left.
Neil naturally followed suit. As he was leaving, he turned to look at me one last time.
I closed the living room door, blocking his view.
Three days later, I hired two more nannies. From then on, Norah would only look after the kids, while the other two would handle the household chores.
This way, having more people at home would ensure safety.
“Ms. Finch, your phone is ringing.” I was in the middle of changing the kids’ clothes when? Norah walked in with my mobile phone.
I took the phone and felt a sinking feeling in my heart.
It was Louis.
Wasn’t he supposed to still be in the hospital? I did some mental math and figured that if he was being discharged a bit early, it would be normal.
Every time I thought about what he had done to me before, I felt sick. So, I simply hung up and blocked his number.
Before long, Louis called me again using a different number. He got straight to the point, threatening me, “Irene, I know where you live. You should know what kind of person I am. If you keep avoiding me, I might do something out of control.”
“We have nothing to do with each other anymore, so don’t bother me out of the blue, alright?” I explained, trying to keep my anger in check.
“That won’t do. Who made you Neil’s favorite woman?” Louis’s laughter was creepy and eerie. Despite the hot weather, it sent chills down my spine.
“Who said I was his favorite woman? Don’t you know how little I mean to him?” I retorted.
Louis answered disdainfully, “That’s what you think. Back in Caladonia, he confessed that he had fallen in love with you and never really got over you. That’s why you are his Achilles heel”
I was speechless.
It seemed like none of the people around Neil were normal. Whether it was Russel, Louis, or Mitch, each one seemed to be troubled.
“If you really are Neil’s half-brother, then prove it and confront his father directly, rather than targeting innocent people. Louis, I won’t cooperate with you in any way. Don’t act like a rabid dog, biting people indiscriminately, responded coldly.
After being called a rabid dog, Louis became annoyed. His words became more aggressive and threatening, “I’m a rabid dog? Fine. I wanted to cooperate with you since you were also wronged by Neil. But since you’re not cooperative, don’t blame me for not being polite. I know where your home is. Those two little darlings of yours can’t stay home forever, can they? And you, can you always stay hidden at home?”
“What if we do go out?” I challenged.
“Then be prepared to pay the price!” Louis laughed, “I will throw all of you into the sea. Do you believe me?”
His last sentence undoubtedly struck a nerve in me. I felt my blood rushing to my head, and an urge to kill Louis right then and there.
But I bit my tongue, refrained from throwing his words back at him. I forced myself to keep cool. “Louis, you have assets outside Eldoria, don’t you? You must’ve been prepared for a counterblow against Neil. You have businesses across the country. Even though none of them are particularly large, they do
accumulate a considerable amount of assets. If you were to fall from grace, what do you think would happen to these companies under your name?”
Silence came from the other end of the phone. After an awkward pause, Louis’ voice, as sullen as a storm cloud, came on. “What are you getting at?”
“I recorded every word of all those threats you made. If you dare disrupt my life, I won’t hesitate to hand them over to the police and expose you to the media. If you won’t let me live in peace, then I’ll make sure the empire you’ve built will crumble in an instant. I’m telling you, my children are my world. I’m not afraid to go down with you. The Whitmore family fortune? You won’t see a dime of it. You’ll spend the rest of your days in prison!” I spat out through gritted teeth.
