Chapter 75: Chapter 75

Lucy felt as cold as iron, "One million? I do have the money, but I won’t give you a penny. Alimony? Your son owes me a sum too, it’ll just cancel it out. Grandpa, you’ve really exhausted all my patience for you and Grandma."

Seeing her leave, the old woman of the Ainsworth Family cried out, "Lucy, Lucy..."

She turned a deaf ear and resolutely walked out of the hospital room.

This family shouldn’t expect her to soften even a bit!

From then on, Lucy never visited the old woman’s hospital room again. Even if she saw the Ainsworth Family in the hospital, she completely ignored them, acting as if she didn’t know them.

The old woman stayed in the hospital for half a month before getting discharged, and then stayed another week at home before returning.

Back home, the Ainsworth Family kept badmouthing Lucy, but James Foster’s parents kept explaining and even confronted them face-to-face at the village head. James’s mother, being bold and straightforward, insisted on defending Lucy since she gave their son a house worth several million and a good job. Whoever dared to say a bad word about Lucy would face her wrath; she entirely treated Lucy as her own daughter.

Lucy found out what the Ainsworth Family was saying about her from James Foster, but she didn’t care.

Because she knew which people were important to her and which were useless.

Stellan and Grace’s date for the investigation of Jacob Green’s girlfriend had arrived.

It had been found within a month.

Today, the investigation agency asked them to come over.

They had patiently awaited the results for so long.

But what they never expected was to see Jacob Green in the meeting room, not the staff there to report their findings.

"You... why are you here?" Stellan was already tense inside.

"I’m the owner here, why wouldn’t I be?" Jacob Green smirked without humor, "With you two fools, you think you can investigate me?"

Hearing this, Grace and Stellan felt both angry and annoyed, deeply convinced that he had known from their very first day at the agency. He took their money and then led them around in circles.

"Jacob Green!" Stellan shouted desperately, "We signed an agreement with the agency, if no results are found, money and compensation must be returned. Your agency is committing fraud! If you don’t return the money or compensate us, I’ll sue you!"

"Agreement?" He mocked with his eyes, "You should have read every word. It’s not you who will sue me, but I who will sue you."

Stellan was taken aback, "What do you mean?!"

"The agreement you received was specially drafted; it states that what you provided is a deposit, not earnest money. If you don’t return to the agency for a second agreement within half a month, the deposit is non-refundable and you have to compensate us fifty thousand for wasting our time."

"What?!!!" Stellan and Grace were completely caught off guard by the wordplay, "You’re so despicable!"

"Am I more despicable than the Quinn Family?" Jacob Green sneered, "Stellan, how did I ever like a fool like you?"

Stellan was infuriated to the extreme by his words and couldn’t resist wanting to slap him, but Jacob caught her swinging wrist, looking at her darkly, "You think you can hit me? You think you’re worthy?!"

He suddenly released her hand, and Stellan, unsteady, crouched on the floor.

"I’m warning you two, don’t try any tricks with me again, or else, suffer the consequences! You have three days to pay the fifty thousand to the agency account, or we’ll take legal action to protect our rights."

Inside, Stellan was bleeding; she trembled all over, staring fiercely at him as he left.

"Stellan, are you okay?" Grace hurried to help her up.

"Grace, did you hear him? He said if we oppose him again, we’ll face the consequences."

"He’s definitely someone who does what he says. Let’s get out of here first."

Back home, they re-read the agreement from beginning to end. It was just as Jacob Green said; on the surface, it seemed fine, but examining it word by word revealed massive issues.

Fifty thousand wasn’t a fortune for Stellan.

She secretly took a treasured item from her collection room and handed it to Grace to sell.

After Grace left, Stellan sat alone on the carpet by the bed, leaning on the bed’s end, staring blankly at the floor.

She hadn’t told her best friend that her current emotions weren’t just anger from being played; her heart was also corroded by immense sadness.

She never imagined she and Jacob Green would become enemies to this extent, nor did she think she’d become a fool and an idiot in his eyes. This text is hosted at NoveI[F]ire.net

She had always been so sure she didn’t like him, yet now she wasn’t so sure anymore, which terrified her immensely.

Stellan turned around and cried at the end of the bed.

The more she cried, the more she wanted to return to the past.

When Autumn Fletcher came to find her, she heard the crying and immediately opened the door, concerned, "Darling, why are you crying?"

Stellan hugged her, "Mom, I’m so upset."

"Why are you upset? Tell Mom."

"I think I might like Jacob Green."

Autumn Fletcher was dumbfounded, "Wha... what?!"

Stellan cried with tears like pear blossoms, "I don’t even know what’s happening to me."

Autumn Fletcher composed herself and said, "Stellan, don’t scare Mom. Our Quinn Family and the Green Family are irreconcilable now; Jacob Green sees us as a thorn in his side. Don’t cause any trouble at this critical moment; you and Jacob Green are completely impossible."

"I know." Stellan stammered, "I clearly understand there’s no chance between us now. I also know how much he hates me and our family, but I just want to go back to the past so much."

"Why are you becoming nostalgic?" Autumn Fletcher soothed her emotions, "You need to face reality and not get mired in the past. No matter how good Jacob Green was to you before, it’s all in the past. His current attitude towards you is what’s most important; stop thinking about things you shouldn’t, alright."

"I messed up a perfectly good game of chess, and now I just want to hit myself. Jacob Green no longer treats me like he used to, and my reputation has ended up in this situation because of his manipulation. Mom, I now find no joy in living. Why do I have to live this way? I want to live freely like before, not worry about being recognized as the scandal’s protagonist every time I step out."

"If you want to live like before, it’s not too hard, but you might have to let go of some things. Mom also hopes your later life will be good because when Mom gets old, I’ll still have to rely on you."