Chapter 291 Who Is the Heir
I knew I had to keep it together, but my legs felt like they were about to give out. Suddenly, I remembered Alaric, who had just dropped me off and couldn't have gone far. Clinging to that last bit of hope, I dialed his number with shaky hands.
As soon as he picked up, I almost shouted, "Skylar and Melissa are missing! I can't find them anywhere. I'm scared it might be Anne..."
Before I could finish, tears started streaming down my face, and my throat tightened up, making it hard to talk.
"Diana, don't freak out. I'm coming back right now. Stay put and don't move. I'll be there soon." Alaric's voice was steady and reassuring, but I could still hear the urgency in his tone.
After hanging up, I stood by the door, staring down the hallway. Every second felt like it was dragging on forever.
I kept praying, hoping Skylar and Melissa were okay.
Anne's words echoed in my head: "It's fine if you don't come. I can talk to your daughter."
The thought that Anne might hurt Skylar, even if it was a long shot, had me on edge.
I tried to remember my past run-ins with Anne, piecing together bits and pieces to figure out why she wanted to see me now. Our feud had been going on for ages, but I couldn't understand why she'd come after me right after getting out of prison. Was it for money, or just revenge? I had no answers, and the uncertainty was driving me crazy, every minute feeling like torture.
Just when I was about to lose hope, the door opened.
Melissa walked in, carrying Skylar. In that instant, all my tension melted away, and my legs almost gave out. I stumbled forward, hugging Skylar tightly, my body shaking as I sobbed, "Skylar, you're back. I was so scared."
Melissa looked confused, and Skylar seemed freaked out by my reaction. Melissa quickly set Skylar down and helped steady me, asking, "Diana, what's going on? Look at you. I just took Skylar to the neighbor's to play with her friend. They had so much fun, and I didn't even notice my phone died."
I leaned against the couch, taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart. Then I briefly explained Anne's release from prison to Melissa.
Melissa's face instantly turned serious, her brows furrowing in concern. She said, "How could this happen? Anne is terrifying. Thank goodness Skylar is okay."
Suddenly, she remembered something and quickly asked, "What are we going to do now? She wants to meet you tomorrow. Could it be dangerous?"
At that moment, Alaric arrived. Seeing my tear-streaked face, he looked heartbroken. He rushed to my side, gently patting my shoulder and reassuring me, "It's okay. It was just a scare."
His eyes were full of concern. "Diana, I'll go with you to meet Anne. Having another person there will be safer. I won't let anything happen to you or Skylar." Alaric's voice was calm and strong, giving me a sense of security.I knew this meeting was a ticking time bomb, and I didn't want to drag Alaric into it. So I tried to talk him out of it. "Alaric, it's too dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt because of me."
Alaric patted my shoulder firmly, his tone resolute. "Don't worry. I've made up my mind, and I'm not backing down. We'll face this together and figure it out."
The next afternoon, sunlight streamed through the car windows, warming my skin, but I felt like I was sitting on a bed of nails.
On the way to Aroma Café, I couldn't stop fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. I took a deep breath, drawing strength from Alaric's reassuring gaze.
The café doorbell's chime tinkled softly in the breeze, but it did nothing to ease my nerves.
As I pushed open the door, the noise inside hit me like a wave—conversations, the sound of coffee being ground, all blending together. My eyes were immediately drawn to Anne in the corner.
Three years had gone by, and Anne's appearance was shocking. Her once round cheeks were now hollow, her cheekbones protruding, making her look twenty years older and extremely worn down.
Her coat, the same one she wore three years ago, hung loosely on her frail frame. The fabric was pilled and frayed at the edges, and a small, unstitched hole at the hem swayed with her movements, telling a story of hardship and decline.
When Anne saw us, a flash of malice crossed her eyes, followed by a scrutinizing look at Alaric. She probably mistook him for my new boyfriend.
"Diana, you sure move on fast," Anne sneered, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
I ignored her baseless assumptions and got straight to the point. "Anne, what do you want?"
Anne leaned back in her chair, a wild look in her eyes. "Fine, you want to know? I'll tell you. I had someone hack the Howard Group's website. I want the Howard Group!"
My heart skipped a beat. Though I had suspected it, hearing her admit it was still shocking.
"Anne, you're dreaming. I will never give you the Howard Group." My voice was firm and unwavering.
Hearing this, Anne slammed the table and stood up, her eyes blazing with anger. "Why shouldn't I get it? The Howard Group should be mine! Before I went to prison, I was the one managing it. Do you know how much effort I put into it?"
I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. I said, "The Howard Group belongs to Edward. His child, Skylar, is the rightful heir. That's an unchangeable fact."
"Skylar? She's just a kid! What does she know?" Anne's voice was sharp and piercing. "I'm Edward's sister. I deserve to take over the Howard Group!"
I met her gaze steadily and responded, "Being qualified isn't just about blood relations. You lost your right to manage the Howard Group when you used it for illegal activities and ended up in prison."
Anne exclaimed, "That was a moment of foolishness!"
Anne's eyes filled with tears, veins bulging on her forehead. "I've spent every moment in prison thinking about reclaiming what's rightfully mine. You won't stop me!"
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