Chapter 29 Old Acquaintance
When they arrived at the tailor shop, Edward pushed open the door, his tall figure fitting into the frame like a formidable intruder.
Yohan was ironing clothes when he saw the stunning man appear, and his expression was full of surprise.
"Oh my! It's you!"
"Boss, money is not a problem. Please help me."
Edward frowned and opened the box in front of Yohan.
"Oh my! What happened here? How did these perfectly good clothes end up like this?!" Yohan loved clothes dearly, and seeing such nice clothes in tatters made him feel upset.
"It's my fault," Edward's throat felt dry as he could only say that.
"Lily sewed this little by little. I watched her work so hard on it, almost as if she made the clothes herself."
Yohan shook his head with heartache. "What a pity, what a waste. Such good clothes..."
"Is there any way to fix it?" Edward asked urgently.
"How can it be fixed? If the lining is torn, it can be fixed, but if the outer fabric is damaged, it's not that simple."
Suddenly, Edward felt a tightness in his chest upon hearing those words.
"Do your best to fix it. Even if there are marks, at least sew up the rip," Yohan said.
Soon after returning to Riverside Villa, Edward felt that the atmosphere needed to be better, but it was oppressive.
"Edward!"
Tiffany's eldest daughter, Debra, anxiously approached him. "Grandpa is here, and he's arguing with Dad in the study upstairs. They're arguing quite fiercely. You should go up and try to persuade them!"
"Why are they arguing?" Edward furrowed his brow.
In his eyes, Patrick was respectful, at least giving off that impression to others.
Byron had suffered a stroke and had high blood pressure. He was most afraid of getting angry, yet Patrick was willing to violate the filial duty he had always adhered to to argue fiercely with Byron. There was only one reason for that.
It was for Edward's stepmother, Tiffany.
"Nicole has a close relationship with the Wellington family, and the Adams family is in trouble now. Isn't it understandable that Dad wants to help them?"
Debra stomped her foot in anger. "But Grandpa doesn't allow Dad to help the Adams Group. Can you believe how confused he is? Helping the Adams Group is the same as helping ourselves, isn't it?"
"Edward, you're about to marry Nicole soon. If this isn't resolved, it will be a disgrace to the Wellington family!"
Edward's eyes darkened, and he quickly went upstairs.
Byron was sitting in his wheelchair, picking up the ashtray and cup on the table and throwing them to the ground.
He was eighty years old, and his temperament grew worse as he aged. At the slightest disagreement, he would start clearing the table.
Tiffany wiped her tears with a handkerchief, sobbing in Patrick's embrace.
Patrick shielded her, afraid that the shattered debris would cut her.
"Dad! Can't you calm down a bit? Can't we have a proper conversation?"
"You're doing it wrong; you only deserve a beating from me!" Byron pounded his chest in anger. "What did I tell you? I told you not to interfere with the Adams Group's affairs! And yet you dare to secretly go against my wishes?"
"And you've been helping them clear their backlog of goods and even allocating projects from the Wellington Group to them. Are you under the spell of this woman? Do you think I'm dead?"
"Dad, how can you say that?" Patrick was speechless and angry, but he didn't dare to contradict directly.
"Am I wrong? You've lost your senses since you married this woman!" Byron angrily slapped the armrest.
"Dad, I know you don't approve of me, but I've been with Patrick for over twenty years. I've taken care of my husband, raised our children, and been completely devoted to the Wellington family, living cautiously and fearfully."
Tiffany choked back tears, "I've never defied your wishes nor caused any trouble for the Wellington family...because I know that being able to marry Patrick is your grace, I dare not ask for more..."
Patrick gazed at Tiffany tenderly.
But Byron saw through her hypocritical tactics of showing weakness, and his anger trembled as he sat in his wheelchair.
"But my sister's family is honest businesspeople, so it's truly unfair for them to be baselessly accused. And Nicole is also about to get married to Edward, so this whole situation..."
"They're honest businesspeople? I think they're honest in swindling!" Byron sneered.
Tiffany's expression instantly stiffened.
"Don't think that I'm old and out of the loop. The Adams Group is self-inflicted, they do business in a shady way, and in the end, they will self-destruct."
"And you don't have to suppress me by using Edward. If he wants to marry Nicole, I won't even recognize that grandson!"
"You can all continue loving and caring for each other. I don't need your mourning when I die!"
"Dad!" Patrick sighed.
Tiffany sobbed, her gaze incredibly cold.
She thought, 'Old man, I've been suppressed by you for over twenty years. I've long been fed up! It's best if you die outside, without peace in death!'
"Grandpa!"
Edward walked in swiftly and reached out to pat Byron's back, but Byron pushed him away.
"No need for your fake concern! You're just like your father, running around exhaustively for the Adams family!"
"I won't help the Adams Group. I've already made my position clear." Edward's gaze was particularly calm.
Byron was very surprised. "Really?"
"Yes. The Adams Group does have issues so that I won't support them."
"That has nothing to do with Nicole," Edward said with indifference.
"Oh well, forget it! It's not in vain that I've cared for you all these years. You're better than your foolish father!" Byron shook his head in disappointment.
He doesn't understand why Edward, who doesn't like Lily, chooses to marry that bad woman, Nicole, instead.
"Aunt," Edward turned to Tiffany, his tone flat and emotionless, "Mrs. Adams is your sister, so it's understandable that you want to help her. But all of this is under the condition that it does not harm the interests of the Wellington Group.
"Otherwise, wouldn't it be going against what you've always advocated, 'devoting yourself wholeheartedly to the Wellington family'?"
Tiffany was left speechless, and her face turned red.
She thought, 'This illegitimate child used never to complain when he got hurt, but now he has become cruel and heartless, with a sharp tongue!'
"Dad, even though Nicole is my fiancée, I clearly separate personal emotions from business matters. As the chairman, I ask that you always prioritize the company's interests." Edward looked at Patrick again.
His tone showed no trace of filial sentiment, just a business-like attitude.
Patrick was furious and knew he was in the wrong, so all he could reluctantly say was, "I helped the Adams Group, not just because of Tiffany. I just came back from Yatuok. I was originally planning to attend a summit and have a meeting with a major foreign project, but the other party suddenly changed their mind and canceled the meeting.
"Later, I found out that Landon, the president of KnightSpear Group, intercepted him on his way. I don't know what benefits Landon promised him, but he decided to consider no longer cooperating with the Wellington Group.
"With all these things happening, all related to KnightSpear Group, it's clear that they are targeting us. How can I let them succeed and ride on top of us?"
"And there's this matter too?" Byron's eyes grew heavy.
The Wellington Group in Mugden and the KnightSpear Group in Hameen have been enemies for over a century. Elizabeth Taylor, one of the elders of the Taylor family, even declared that they would never marry into the Wellington Group for generations to come. The two sides have also had multiple confrontations in the business arena, and their relationship has always been tense.
But Landon has intercepted the Wellington Group's hotel project and caused trouble abroad. The vengeful intention is too obvious...
Edward was startled and hurriedly asked, "Dad, you just said you saw Landon in Yatuok?"
"Yes."
"Today?"
"Of course."
How is that possible?
Landon came to the hospital to pick up Lily this afternoon, so how could he have been in Yatuok for a meeting?
Could it be that the man in the afternoon was not Landon?
If he's not Landon, then who is he?
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