Chapter 92

Margaret looked at Xena in astonishment. Her usually obedient granddaughter was yelling at her?
Something like this had never happened before.

This was unprecedented.Margaret was completely unfamiliar with this version of Xena, with this tone and demeanor. For a moment, it was as if the granddaughter she had raised herself becamehad become a stranger.

Silence suddenly fell between the two.

Margaret was utterlyleft speechless, while Xena seemed to realize her recent behavior.

After a minute, Xena's face regained its usual sweetness, and she quickly apologized:. "Grandma, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things. I'm really sorry; I just got emotional, I don't know what got into me to say that."

Margaret's tension slowly eased.

Watching the girl she had doted on about to burst into tears, Margaret couldn't bear it and reached out to wipe the tears falling from Xena's eyes.

Her tone remained gentle and careful:. "Xena, Grandma just wanted to give you another piece of advice. Life's path isn't only one direction. If we could get Paige and Raymond to divorce, and you to marry Louis, that would be wonderful. Not only would it ensure The Sackler Group's prosperity for decades to come, but you'd also be happy.

However, if no matter what we do, those two won't divorce, then we really might need to consider things from a different perspective."

The path Xena least wanted to take was exactly this one!

But after her outburst at Grandma, Xena was now meticulously softening her sharp edges.

"Grandma, Paige won't let us off the hook. And now, Mrs. Sackler has been taken from us, she has Mrs. Sackler in her hands, and won’t be controlled by us. She'll only think about how to get back at us, not how to help us. Also, Mrs. Sackler is still in a coma, and about the antidote..."

Before Xena could finish, Margaret placed her hand over her mouth.

Margaret spoke, "Let's not talk about the antidote anymore. Back then, I just randomly hired a lab, aiming to create a drug that wouldn't harm Octavia Monroe's health but also keep her from waking up and causing a scene.

But unexpectedly, althoughUnexpectedly, the drug was created, the subsequent creation of the drug had not been the end of their troubles. Instead, it had marked the beginning of a relentless barrage of threats to purchase more of the drug began, one after another.

For.Over the past five years, how much have we been the lab had extorted by that damn lab?them mercilessly. They say they have had claimed to possess an antidote, butyet to this day, not only have I not seen any antidotehad they failed to produce it, but now we also have the mishap of it going missing."
the elusive antidote had mysteriously vanished.Paige, once oblivious to their machinations, now thought that I harbored a deep-seated resentment towards the Sackler family. She was convinced that they had deliberately keptwithheld the antidote from her. She despised the Sackler family more than ever.

BeforeIn the past, when she had neither status nor identity, we Paige was a woman of no consequence, they could manipulate her without consequence. But now, she is with impunity. However, her circumstances had drastically changed. Now, she was Mrs. Holmes, a ladywoman of high standingconsiderable stature. If thisword of the antidote issue were brought before the debacle reached the ears of the influential Carnegie family, not only would ourtheir reputation be tarnishedsuffer irreparable damage, but the Sackler family would struggle toalso find solid ground ever again.

Anyway, it impossible to regain their footing.Regardless, the Sackler family had no hand in the disappearance of the antidote has nothing to do with our family.. Paige circledhad prowled around the Sackler estate for days, but now that'sthat was over, and the issue with the now. The antidote issue should be considered relegated to the annals of history. Let's not mention it, never to be mentioned again or bring any, lest they draw unwanted attention to ourselves.

themselves.Xena was rather inexperienced, and after Yasmin's analysis, she , still green behind the ears, could only nod in agreement.

"Grandma after Yasmin's analysis."Grandmother, I understand. Now that Mrs. Sackler is inunder Paige's handscontrol, we won't have to be involved anymore."

need not involve ourselves any further," she said.Margaret exhaledbreathed a sigh of relief, knowinggrateful that they wouldn'twould no longer have to continue wasting moneysquander their resources on Octavia Monroe's relief drug.

For five years, the demands had only grown largerescalated. If not for the fear of Octavia Monroe dyingperishing without the relief drug, Margaret would've stopped payingwould have ceased payments long ago.

"I wonder how long that relief drug will last. If Paige can't getfails to procure the antidote in time, she'll come begging crawling back to us."

In any case, they weren't at a dead end.

," she mused.Regardless, they were far from being cornered. Both the Sackler estate and the Sackler Group were safesecure, for now.

"Grandma"Grandmother, if she Paige were to forcibly takesremove Mrs. Sackler out and something happenswere to happen to her, Paige's reputation will be destroyed."

would be in ruins," Xena pointed out.Margaret patted Xena's hand reassuringly, "The stolen relief drug from the sanatorium should lastsuffice for over a month. We'll see if she can findlocate the personthief who tookmade off with the antidote in that time."

Xena saidresponded, "We can't worry aboutconcern ourselves with that now. Those people are gone, and we can finally leave the house. Grandmaventure outside. Grandmother, I'll be returning home late tonight."

Having been trappedcooped up at home for so manyseveral days, Margaret didn't try to stop Xena from finally going out.
attempt to dissuade Xena from venturing out. Xena nodded in agreement.

After changing into a newfresh outfit in her room, she headed out made her way to the door. It had been several days since she had been out and aboutlast stepped outside, so Xena immediatelyshe promptly called her friends to arrange a catch -up.

She didn't mention that the refrained from mentioning the siege on the Sackler family had been under siege, only , instead explaining that Grandma had been injured, and she had been staying homehomebound due to take care of her grandmother's injury. This excuse seemed like a perfectly reasonable excuseplausible, and naturally, no one suspected anythinga thing.

The entire high society of Northwind was buzzing with talk of the abuzz with chatter, the topic of conversation revolving around the esteemed Carnegie family and the formidable Hawke Corporation. Xena's friends were well aware that privy to the impending union of the Carnegie and Sackler families were about to join through marriage, and. They knew that sheXena had already picked outselected her wedding dress.

Now, asgown.As they all sat togethergathered, the conversation naturally turnedveered towards Xena.

"So, "Xena, will your engagement be announced at the Hawke Corporation's anniversary celebration, are they going to announce your engagement?"?" one friend teased. "Oncejested. "After the anniversary party is over, we'll probablylikely be toastingraising our glasses to your wedding, right?"

impending nuptials, won't we?"Xena lifted her glass to, her lips, hiding curving into a smile that was on the verge of breaking through.

she tried to conceal."You'll knowfind out when they announce itmake the announcement, won't you?" she replied.

The group laughed heartily.retorted.Laughter echoed around the room. "We've all grown up together in the same social circle;, there's no need to keep secrets from us.for secrecy. It looks likeseems the Hawke Corporation's anniversary might not just be a celebration, but could also bring ana surprise engagement surprise. Everyoneannouncement. We should buy upall invest in Hawke Corporation and Sackler Group stocks early and hold on to them."

As Xena heard while we can."Hearing her friends talking about stockpiling discuss the prospect of investing in Sackler Group shares, herXena's smile deepenedwidened. Her own valuepersonal worth would riseinevitably increase with the company's fortunes, which was certainly cause for happiness.

"Oh, bysuccess, a thought that brought her joy."By the way, Xena, arewill you be attending the Hawke Corporation's shareholder meeting this morning?" oneanother friend inquired, a question that hintedasked, hinting at Xena's privileged access.

position.If she was goingattended, it meant that Xena had secured her ticketwould signify Xena's ascent to the top tierupper echelons of society. As athe future granddaughter-in-law of the Carnegie family, she would naturally receive shares in the Hawke Corporation as part of her dowry.
If Xena got the received these shares, she would definitelyundoubtedly attend the annual shareholder's meeting in the morning.

.Xena's smile froze for a secondfaltered momentarily, but she quickly masked it with a forced a smile back on her face,grin. "Why are you all so nosy?"

Xena was feeling a bit inquisitive?"Feeling slightly overwhelmed by these mattersthe conversation, Xena was relieved when the private room door was pushedswung open, and in walked Elijah Trump, who had just stepped out and returned, walked in.

. As Xena's brother and having grown up with her since childhood companion, he knew a bitwas more aboutfamiliar with the situation.

At that moment than most.Upon entering, he looked at Xena and gave her cast a meaningful glance.

Xena caught on immediately.

at Xena.Xena understood instantly.She putset down her glass and stood up:rose from her seat. "Elijah is here to pick me up, I have to excuse myself."

After saying thisescort me home. I must take my leave."With these words, she grabbed her bagpurse and swiftly headed for made her way towards the door, leaving behind a chorus of playful jeers.

in her wake.Once they were out of the private room, Xena asked, "Didturned to Elijah. "Did you really come to the club?"

Elijah nodded:. "You asked me to keep an eye out for you,. I saw it with my own eyes; could there be any mistake?"

Xena reached outextended her hand to Elijah:. "Did you getbring what I asked you for? Tonight, I must takebring Elijah down!"