Chapter 256: The Current State of the Sawyers
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When Lena returned home, she saw Ethan sitting on the couch with his brows furrowed in a frown. When he saw Lena enter, he didn’t relax at all.
“Dad, aren’t you busy today? Why are you home and waiting for me?” Lena asked, pretending to be relaxed. She sat down beside Ethan. “I’m fine. I just got involved in a troublesome matter, so I asked Jim to bring some people over to help me out.”
With a furious expression, Ethan sneered. “Of course I know what happened. You just wanted our bodyguards to chase Tristan Parker away.”
Only then did she realize that her father had learned of everything that had just happened at the restaurant.
She pursed her lips and leaned back on the couch. “Dad, since you already know, I won’t beat around the bush with you. Tristan Parker is a good-for-nothing who sponges off his family. I won’t marry such a person! Dad, just go to the Parkers and break off our engagement before it’s too late!”
“Outrageous!” Ethan flew into a rage and rebuked, “You and Tristan Parker have been engaged for more than ten years, and we were all just waiting for you two to grow up and hold the wedding. Why are you still so insensible? We can’t just break off the engagement like that.”
Extremely adamant about it, Lena insisted, “Dad, Tristan is completely unacceptable! He suspected me of having an affair with a friend just because I had lunch with him. Just now, he even tried to hit me! If I marry him, I’d definitely face domestic violence! Dad, can you bear to watch me get bullied? Besides, I don’t like him at all, and I don’t want to marry him!”
“He suspects you and gets jealous because he cares about you! Arranged marriages are common among families like ours. It’s all for the sake of carrying on the family bloodline and forming unions with other suitable families! Lena, you are now in your twenties and no longer a child. Why don’t you understand this?”
Hearing the words ‘arranged marriage’, Lena felt particularly sour and upset. Feeling furious and disappointed, she snapped, “Not an arranged marriage again! Dad, must I marry a good-for-nothing? You’re now the richest man in the county, and we have enough money and properties to last us a few lifetimes. Why must you make me marry someone of a so-called suitable background? Can’t you just let me be like an ordinary girl and marry someone I truly love?”
There was a trace of misery and heartache in Ethan’s eyes, but he soon forced himself to stay firm to his decision. “Looks like I’ve spoiled you rotten all these years and let you live too well abroad, so much so that you’re completely clueless about the situation we’re in now! Do you think we’re that glorious and glamorous because we are the richest family in Orange County? Let me tell you, that’s just a superficial title!
“The economy has been developing rapidly in recent years, and many small families have risen. We merely had a head start, but many of our businesses have been impacted by various startups and small businesses! If we don’t work harder to strengthen our foundation and businesses, they will be taken over by others sooner or later! By then, do you think we will still be able to live in the lap of luxury with peace of mind?
“Lena, I am your father. Which father doesn’t want his daughter to be happy and enjoy life the way she wants? But we can’t always enjoy the freedom of doing whatever we want. I hope you can understand my reasons for making you marry Tristan! Although he’s quite incompetent, there are no major problems with him. Besides, he has always been devoted to you, and he genuinely loves you. So, I hope you’ll stop rejecting him and get along well with him after you two get married!”
Ethan clearly stated the pros and cons of the marriage and decided to be honest with Lena. But his words were also realistic and cruel.
Lena bit her lips tightly and hung her head low to ponder about it for a long time. Just when Ethan thought she had been convinced by him and was finally going to agree to marry Tristan, she suddenly raised her head and looked him straight in the eye with a determined gaze.
“Dad, now that I’m aware of the difficulties we’re facing. Don’t worry. I will stand by you. I’ve studied abroad for so many years after all, and my knowledge of business management and other aspects should come in handy at times like this. I’m willing to shoulder the burden and face these problems together with you! But I’ll never sacrifice my own happiness and rely on an arranged marriage to secure our position and status!”
After saying these words decisively, Lena stood up and headed upstairs to go to her room.
Sitting on the couch and watching his daughter leave, Ethan sighed helplessly after a long time.
If possible, he would of course want his daughter to find her own happiness. But she had been living a sheltered life where she was so well-protected that she had no idea that things wouldn’t always go her way in life.
Perhaps Lena would only understand the reasons for his decision today only after she had personally gotten a taste of the ruthlessness of society!
…
Meanwhile, Lucas headed straight to the Stardust Corporation after leaving the restaurant.
Charlotte was presiding over the Stardust Corporation and was managing everything well without any major problems.
Lucas was just here to check on the progress and read some reports regarding the development and other information on the recent situation of the company. He also had to formulate plans for the upcoming developments.
But as soon as his car was near the Stardust Corporation, he saw numerous people gathered outside the Stardust Corporation office building. Among them, there were many firefighters and police officers. The police had even cordoned off the entrance.
Lucas frowned. He could tell that something must have happened.
He stopped his car nearby and got out, only to see that many were craning their necks and pointing at the roof of the Stardust Corporation.
Lucas had always had sharp eyesight. Although the rooftop was high, he managed to get a clear glimpse of the two people standing at the edge.
One of them was wearing a body-hugging business suit and standing there with a furious expression. It was Charlotte.
Lucas had seen the other person with a gloomy and maniacal expression standing across from her before. It was Declan Adams, the scumbag Charlotte had a crush on back in college.
Lucas wouldn’t suspect anything if only the both of them were standing there and talking, but the situation was clearly amiss. In particular, Declan was holding a cold and shiny dagger!
Lucas’s pupils constricted as his face became cold and gloomy.
He pulled an employee of the Stardust Corporation, who was wearing a lanyard with the company’s name tag, over and asked coldly, “What’s happening up there?”
The employee answered anxiously, “I have no idea. I heard that that man is Miss Carter’s ex-boyfriend who suddenly sneaked into the office today. They somehow got into a conflict, and then he forced Miss Carter to the rooftop of the building. He even wants them to die together!”
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