Chapter 602 Brooklyn, You Are a Good Daughter-in-law
In the swanky presidential suite, Sebastian was sprawled out on the sofa in the living room, a steaming cup of coffee sitting next to him.
The rich aroma of the coffee filled the air, creating a sort of barrier between him and the rest of the room.
His long fingers wrapped around the cup as he took a sip, occasionally glancing at his laptop screen, swiping his fingers across the touchpad to adjust the progress.
A few minutes later, a young guy in a black baseball jacket strolled in from the adjoining suite, leaning against the doorframe with a cocky grin, clearly fishing for some praise. "Hey, Mr. Kingsley, got the fingerprints. All ten of 'em."
Sebastian turned his head lazily to look at him. "Get the unlock command ready ASAP. Bruce's embezzlement evidence is linked to Catherine. Start with her computer; we'll dig up something."
His presence was commanding yet relaxed, a mix of calm and indifference that somehow made people fall in line.
The young man, Zack Woods, plopped down across from him on the sofa. "Mr. Kingsley, I used to wonder why I followed your orders and worked for you. You don't pay me much, but now I get it. You've got that kingly vibe, the kind that makes people bow with just a wave."
Sebastian gave him a genuine smile, one that reached his eyes. "Zack, you've been with me for years. Have I ever treated you unfairly? Or are you hinting about your salary?"
Zack quickly shook his head, grinning sheepishly. "Nah, not at all. I admire your character, Mr. Kingsley! Talking about money just messes up our relationships."
Zack was Sebastian's special assistant outside of work, kind of like Dario, but while Dario handled Sebastian's public affairs, Zack was the unseen hand behind his operations.
Sebastian took another sip of coffee, finding it lukewarm and less appealing, his brow furrowing slightly. "If money messes up our relationships, I guess I don't need to pay you anymore."
Zack nearly fell off the sofa, realizing his slip-up. "Uh... Mr. Kingsley, I work for you, and it's rare to see you in person. I'm a lone wolf, you're a wealthy guy. Since we're meeting, how about a few drinks? Aqua Vista City's got plenty of bars with unique flavors."
Zack's work often involved late-night tasks, like gathering evidence of Dione's affairs or collecting Catherine's fingerprints for Sebastian.
It was exhausting work!
Sebastian glanced at his watch; it was nearing 11:30 PM. "Nah, Brooklyn insists on early nights."
Zack was caught off guard by Sebastian's response. "Mr. Kingsley... you're really... okay, okay, I get it. But seriously, is there a bonus for pulling off these tasks? I'm not getting any younger; gotta save up for a wedding."
Sebastian smirked. "So, talking about money doesn't ruin our relationships now, huh?"
Zack's earlier words came back to haunt him, leaving him flustered. "Mr. Kingsley... there's not much of a relationship to ruin between us."
Sebastian kept his eyes on the screen, his tone light. "If there's no relationship, why should I give you a bonus?"
Zack, quick on his feet but not as sharp as Sebastian, found himself cornered, his expression turning sour. "I'm done playing your games!"
Sebastian chuckled. "Relax, you'll get your share once the job's done. You've been with me for ten years, right? When have I ever let you down?"
"Ha! I knew you were a good guy, Mr. Kingsley. I'll head out then. By the way, Catherine's quite the looker, nice figure too. Mrs. Kingsley isn't in Aqua Vista City, so why not enjoy the night? She's already in bed, you know?" Zack wiggled his eyebrows mischievously, his smile full of innuendo.
Sebastian looked up, a corner of his lips curling. "Get out."
"I'm outta here!"
As Zack left, Sebastian's fingers traced the handle of his coffee cup. Ten years... the memories of rescuing Zack and Dario were still vivid.
Yet, after all this time, the events from a decade ago remained unresolved.
With a deep breath, Sebastian glanced out the window, then shifted his gaze to the bedroom, a hint of displeasure on his face.
He picked up the hotel phone. "Book me a suite, now."
Brooklyn's feet were bothering her, so she had delegated surgeries to other doctors for the past few days. The patients in her project were stable, and the new ones weren't ready for surgery yet.
It was fortunate, really. In an emergency, Brooklyn wouldn't be able to stand at the operating table for hours.
After a final check of the wards, Brooklyn drove back to her villa.
Lately, she found herself delaying her return home, as the large, empty house only made her miss him more.
As Brooklyn's car approached the villa gates, she noticed a black Lincoln parked outside. The warm streetlights cast a lonely glow on the car.
But she quickly recognized it as one of the Kingsley family cars, identifiable by their sequential license plates.
This Lincoln was usually Jennifer's ride, with the plate ending in 67.
Jennifer? What was she doing here?
Brooklyn pulled up, parking behind the Lincoln, and sure enough, the car door opened as she arrived.
Jennifer stepped out from the back seat, wearing oversized sunglasses despite the late hour. She was dressed in a black dress with a silk shawl, looking like she was headed to a funeral.
"Mom, why didn't you go inside? The staff's home."
Jennifer kept her sunglasses on, her voice low. "I was waiting for you. Working late?"
Brooklyn felt a twinge of guilt. It wasn't right to keep Sebastian's mom waiting. "I had some things to wrap up, and got home late. Come on in."
Brooklyn wasn't big on close physical contact, so she didn't offer her arm. A few minutes later, they were seated in the villa's living room.
Jennifer finally took off her sunglasses, and under the bright chandelier, Brooklyn saw her swollen eyes, unsure if they were from crying or something else, her eyes reduced to narrow slits.
"Mom, what happened to your eyes? Let me get some ice for you."
Jennifer held Brooklyn's wrist, forcing a smile through her distress. "Family matters shouldn't be aired... I shouldn't have come to you, but you're the only one I can turn to now. Brooklyn, my eyes were hit by Sebastian's father. We argued over some things, and he struck me."
Brooklyn's heart ached, seeing her face like that. She asked softly, "What happened? Why did Dad hit you?"
Jennifer shook her head bitterly, putting her sunglasses back on. "Recently, Sebastian was sent to the Aqua Vista City branch. Officially, it's to manage the branch, but Brian wants to weaken Sebastian's power. Quinn has temporarily taken over Sebastian's CEO position, did you know?"
Brooklyn's face hardened as she stared at her. "Quinn? So Sebastian's position has been undermined by Dad?"
'Damn it! I know it wouldn't be that simple!' Brooklyn thought.
Jennifer couldn't directly say that Sebastian wasn't Brian's biological son and that Brian was trying to remove him. Instead, she explained, "Sebastian's reputation at MBK has surpassed his father Brian's. Brian isn't ready to hand over the company yet, so he's suppressing Sebastian."
Brooklyn understood and didn't mince words. "What do you want me to do?"
Brian was cunning, and after thirty years of marriage, Jennifer wasn't exactly innocent either.
Seeing Brooklyn's straightforwardness, Jennifer said, "Quinn listens to you. I hope you can persuade him to give up his inheritance rights. Quinn doesn't like business anyway. Promise him that if he steps down, he can start a Royal Club abroad and have fun."
So that was her plan!
Brooklyn looked at Jennifer's pitiful attempt to cover her eyes, but thought of something else. Quinn wasn't her biological son, and in a battle for inheritance, both mothers would fight for their sons.
Her words were for Sebastian.
But what about Quinn? He was just a pawn in Brian's game against Sebastian. If anyone was pitiful, it was Quinn, who couldn't even see his own mother.
Thinking this, Brooklyn's expression remained cooperative. "Don't worry, I'll talk to Quinn."
"Good, it's best if you do. Brooklyn, you're such a sensible daughter-in-law." Jennifer affectionately held Brooklyn's hand, praising her.
Brooklyn smiled slightly. "It's my duty as Sebastian's wife."
That one word, wife, made everything seem natural.
Jennifer left after discussing the matter, not asking about anything else concerning Brooklyn. So, Jennifer only cared about her son!
As Jennifer's car left the villa area, she removed her sunglasses, gently rubbing her eyes. "I managed to convince her. These eyes didn't suffer in vain."
After muttering to herself, Jennifer's tone changed. "When we get home, you know what to say, right?"
The driver nodded. "Yes, I'll follow your instructions."
"Good. Say one wrong word, and you'll be out of the Kingsley family forever!"
Meanwhile, Brooklyn had just seen Jennifer off when her phone rang.
Surprisingly, it was Ophelia calling.
She answered while walking back to the villa. "Ms. Montague."
On the other end, Ophelia seemed busy, with the sound of plastic rustling and things falling to the floor, a chaotic scene.
"Dr. Mitchell, it's urgent! You need to come to my place. Zach... he's suddenly got a bad cold! It's serious, and I don't know what to do!"
Brooklyn's heart skipped a beat. Zach rarely got sick. "Give me your address, I'll be right over. Tell me his symptoms, his temperature, is he coughing? Is his breathing heavy?"
"He's burning up! Is he going to die?"
Brooklyn was speechless, internally amused.
"I got it. Start cooling him down physically. I'll be there soon."
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