Chapter 546 Our Wedding?
Ryan was totally floored. He just realized that the much-praised Francis had a seriously dark side. And it hit him that he never really knew Francis at all.
Francis always managed to flip the script and get what he wanted. Ryan? Not so much. Even after all these years with the Getty family, Ryan still felt like an outsider. No matter how hard he tried to fit in, deep down, he was still 'Nolan.' That's why he wanted to take over the Getty Group and hand it to Keith.
Ryan spun a pretty lie, never telling Keith he wasn't really a Getty, just to give him a sense of belonging and pride. But now, it was all for nothing!
Ryan spat out, "Francis, you're so ungrateful!"
Francis's lips curled into a cold smile, "You should start worrying about the hell that's coming your way for all the crap you've pulled and the people you've hurt. Your life's on a countdown! And your precious son Keith? I'll make sure he never gets back up."
Ryan's lips turned purple as he shook, "You! You're truly vicious!"
"You stomp on people's lives without a second thought, and when they fight back, you call it cruelty?" Francis raised an eyebrow, "What I'm doing is just setting things right, and it's not even a fraction as cruel as what you've done."
Ryan snapped, "Don't you get it? There's no way out for you! Why go to such lengths? I raised you, and you'd rather let the Getty Group fall into outsiders' hands than give it to me?"
Ryan thought he was dropping a bombshell. But Francis stayed calm, like he already knew how this would play out.
"Rhodes is back, so it won't fall into outsiders' hands," Francis said.
Rhodes was the perfect fit. Even a kid without blood ties, he raised with care, showing how much he loved Elodie. Naturally, Rhodes would do everything to take care of Harper.
Francis had thought this through. The Getty Group wouldn't tank under Rhodes's leadership, and a big chunk of the shares had been given to Harper and Agnes. If Harper wanted to run it herself someday, she could. Even if she didn't have the time, Rhodes would handle everything and make sure she got her share of the profits.
Ryan was even more shocked! Francis had planned everything! Even Rhodes, who didn't want to take over the Getty Group, had been convinced by Francis.
Rhodes was definitely more talented than Ryan, just not interested in using his skills in the company. With him in charge, the Getty Group wouldn't do too badly. But the chances of Keith inheriting it had just tanked!
Thinking about this, Ryan felt a sharp pain in his chest.
Audrey had been watching them anxiously from behind, giving Ryan meaningful looks, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Audrey was worried that since she had just betrayed Francis, and now that Ryan had lost, Francis might come after her next.
But Ryan couldn't care less about Audrey right now. He didn't think his situation was that dire, believing that with the right connections and enough money, anything could be fixed. He even had time to think about how to clear his name after leaving the banquet.
Ryan wasn't scared at all, thinking that Keith, who was outside making arrangements, would surely help him solve these problems. Little did he know, Keith was also thinking about him. But Keith was scheming how to squeeze every last bit of value out of Ryan.
Ryan threw one last jab at Francis, "Let's see who goes down first!"
With that, two officers escorted Ryan out.
Once Ryan was gone, things calmed down. Francis walked back to the stage and announced, "Sorry for the disturbance, everyone. Please follow the staff to the hotel's restaurant for the meal."
Everyone got it—after a scandal like that, the wedding was a no-go. They knew the paperwork was what really mattered, not the ceremony. After this mess, Francis's position was even more solid. No one wanted to stick around to see him wrap up his family drama.
Soon, the staff led everyone out. The place went quiet.
Audrey was left on the stage, confused about why everyone had left. They hadn't exchanged rings or done any of the usual stuff, and Francis wasn't even wearing the groom's boutonniere.
Audrey wanted to ask what was going on but saw Rhodes walking up to Francis, so she held back, her mind racing with worry. She strained to hear what Francis and Rhodes were saying, but they were too far away.
Rhodes looked at Francis and asked, "What's your next move?"
"Don't worry about the dinner. Go out and calm the guests, make sure they all get safely to the other building."
Rhodes hesitated, "My assistant can handle it. Whatever you're planning, I'm staying with you."
"Rhodes, we agreed." Francis smiled, looking as composed as ever, "You need to stay outside and handle things for me."
Rhodes was quiet for a moment before saying, "Francis, I'm worried about you."
It was rare for Rhodes to show his true feelings. Francis was Dylan's only grandson, and Rhodes wanted him to be strong and unbeatable.
A man in a high position couldn't afford to be emotional; he needed a heart of stone. That's why, when Francis and Harper had a falling out, Rhodes had stepped in, wanting him to let it go.
But one day, Rhodes realized he was acting just like Dylan had back then. Without noticing, Rhodes had been sucked into the same old ways and started accepting those traditional ideas.
After waking up from this, Rhodes understood Francis's feelings, just like his own back then. Falling in love was something they couldn't control. So, when he came back, Rhodes was more open with his concern for Francis.
To him, Francis and Noah were the same. With Dylan gone, they were his responsibility now. He had to make sure every member of the Getty family was safe!
Rhodes furrowed his brows, "Francis, are you hiding something from me?"
Francis saw the worry in Rhodes's eyes. They shared blood, a bond, and this kind of concern was deeply ingrained, a sense of duty every Getty had.
Francis smiled slightly, "No, Rhodes, you're overthinking. I just need to ask Audrey some questions in a completely quiet environment."
"Alright." Rhodes nodded.
Before leaving, Rhodes turned back, "Remember, you have the entire Getty family behind you. Do whatever you need to, but take care of yourself."
"I know, Rhodes." Francis watched Rhodes leave as the venue emptied out, even the emcee and security were gone.
Audrey finally panicked, "Francis, why did everyone leave? What about our wedding..."
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