Chapter 1570 In Love, Surrender Means Vulnerability
Alex glanced at his watch and asked Ann, "How much time do you need?"
"Ten minutes should be enough."
They retreated to a private booth where Ann sat unnaturally straight, her posture at odds with the bruises marking her face.
Despite her apparent fragility, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this woman than met the eye. Perhaps she only showed vulnerability when it came to Paul. But that wasn't his business to contemplate.
In matters of the heart, whoever surrendered first gave the other the power to wound.
"Mr. Reed," Ann began, "I'd like to know about the Harper family situation. Shelley is Ms. Fair's friend, and I'm concerned. I contacted Shelley today, but she kept insisting everything was fine, despite the media coverage. Has her father Benjamin really been sent to prison?"
Even as she asked, Ann harbored suspicions that the media reports were accurate—Benjamin Harper was indeed behind bars.
What troubled her most was Philip's role in all this.
If he had personally orchestrated the downfall of the Harper Group's president, what were his intentions in marrying Shelley now? Was Shelley being coerced?
It seemed implausible that an heiress of the Harper Group's caliber could be forced into marriage, yet Shelley's silence on the matter had driven Ann to seek answers herself.
Alex raised an eyebrow, surprised by her inquiry. "The Harper family? They've certainly capsized this time. But who can they blame? Shelley trusted only in love, invited the wolf into her home, and handed Philip his opportunity on a silver platter."
Ann frowned. "Are you suggesting Philip had ulterior motives from the beginning? That he deliberately pursued Shelley?"
Alex chuckled, summoning the manager to order drinks before continuing. "My people looked into this. Years ago, Benjamin was involved in a car accident that killed three people—all Philip's relatives, apparently. Shelley initially concealed her family background when they got together, and Philip played the long game, working multiple jobs to make ends meet. Would you call that a romance? It was more like chess.
"Shelley had quite a reputation in these circles—the Harper Group ranks in the top five, after all. She used to be so proud, yet for Philip, she convinced her father to let him intern at the Harper Group, even made some sort of wager. Neither she nor Mr. Harper anticipated that Philip wasn't after Shelley at all, but the entire Harper Group. He wanted Mr. Harper behind bars. As for his insistence on marrying Shelley now? Who knows if it isn't just to humiliate her."
Ann felt a chill run through her. She had thought herself unlucky with Brody, losing seven years of her life and a few million dollars.
Those millions no longer seemed so unattainable, and her feelings for Brody had long since evaporated.
But Shelley—a genuine heiress who had willingly disregarded her status for Philip—had been deceived from the start. Not only had her father been sent to prison, but the Harper family's legacy, built over generations, had been handed to a formerly penniless man who had now ascended to become Silver Bay City's newest elite.
His determination to marry Shelley now could only be interpreted as a desire to humiliate her further.
Alex poured Ann a glass of juice, his tone nonchalant. "Philip's tactics are impressive—his business acumen rivals Raymond's and Paul's. This matter is beyond outside intervention now, so your inquiries with me won't change anything.
"That's how this world operates. I'm willing to share what I've discovered because it's you asking, but others would have shown you the door immediately. Philip has recently acquired several major companies, and remarkably, the Harper Group's shares haven't fallen after this scandal—they've risen. He's quite formidable."
Ann stared at her untouched juice in silence, recognizing her powerlessness in the situation.
Even after Alex departed, she remained lost in thought, uncertain whether to relay this information to Selena, especially without knowing Selena's current circumstances.
Rubbing her temples with a sigh, she finally rose to leave.
But just outside the hotel entrance, she spotted Paul standing by his car, smoking. The night wind whipped at his coat, making it billow around him. Something clutched at Ann's heart, but she quickly averted her gaze and hurried toward her own vehicle.
Paul had caught sight of her in his peripheral vision. He should have left when Alex emerged, but something had made him linger, curious about her meeting with Alex.
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