THE TRAMPH WHO BECAME AN HEIR TO A FORTUNE

Chapter 8

The night grew later as Hanry and Patricia Haroldson sat in their study, their faces grim. They had just received a notice that the major project they had almost signed had been abruptly canceled. Patricia gripped the letter with trembling hands, her eyes filled with confusion.

"This ... doesn't make sense, Hanry," Patricia muttered. "We had already agreed on this project, it was almost signed. Why is it suddenly canceled?"

Hanry sighed deeply, trying to calm himself. "We've tried to maintain good relations with everyone involved. There's no reason for the project to be withdrawn like this."

Patricia looked at her husband, confusion still evident on her face. "Then who could have done this to us? What really happened?"

Hanry fell silent, his mind trying to piece together fragments of information that seemed to form a puzzle. He reached for the letter from Patricia's hands, looked at it once more, and in the bottom corner of the letter, he found barely visible initials.

The initials—E.H.—seemed small, almost insignificant, but carried a meaning that Patricia couldn't understand.

The next morning, chaos filled the room. Faces with worried expressions gathered in the meeting room. Patricia Haroldson and Hanry Haroldson stood before a group of clients, representing their company, their faces also filled with disappointment. With a trembling voice, Patricia tried to explain the situation. "We haven’t done anything fraudulent! We have met all of our obligations. Why is this project at risk of failing?"

Hanry nodded, adding with a tone of despair, "We've invested so much time and money. We don’t understand why the clients decided to stop all operations and shut down the machinery and equipment. Don’t they understand the consequences of this decision?"

Some members of the team could only shake their heads, feeling the heaviness in the air.

"We apologize, we’re carrying out the orders from our superiors. Our company can no longer continue the project’s daily schedule." A voice from the group spoke with pity.

That day, all the clients agreed to halt the project due to their superiors' orders, and it seemed there was no way out. In the midst of the restless crowd, one name crossed their minds: Harrison Construction. The large company had firmly declared the project canceled and would be choosing another company to take over.

Patricia felt tears welling up in her eyes. "This isn't fair," she said, her voice barely audible. Hanry, who was usually strong, now seemed fragile, sobbing beside his wife. They both mourned the inevitable failure after the clients left the room. "We can’t let this happen," he added, as if hoping for a sudden solution to appear.

On the other side, their daughter Valerie fought hard to save the project. She went around trying to charm the clients, speaking non-stop to convince them to continue the project by meeting them personally. But every effort seemed futile. The clients, who were usually easy to talk to, now pulled away, bound by their superiors' decisions.

At that moment, Valerie couldn’t understand what was happening with Harrison Construction. Her sinking feeling led her to stand in front of their building.

Determined to speak directly with a manager she knew at the company about the project she was managing, she froze when a luxury sports car pulled up in front of the lobby. Her eyes widened. A handsome man stepped out of the car, opening the door for a young woman, Alicia Harrison.

Her heart raced, and tears began to fall down her cheeks as she realized that the man was Dylan—her ex-husband, who she had once regarded as a homeless, scruffy man, a beggar who lived off others. In disbelief, Valerie stood frozen, staring at the face that had once haunted her dreams. "Dylan with Alicia? No… this can’t be," she whispered, her heart filled with a feeling that made her want to scream.

Regret squeezed her chest. "I insulted him and kicked him out," she thought. Now, she watched her ex-husband, once hungry and cast aside, shining next to a wealthy woman. "Does Alicia love Dylan, or are they dating? Why are they so close?" she whispered, full of confusion, her voice barely audible.

Valerie felt as if the world was collapsing around her. She couldn’t believe what was happening. The homeless man she had deemed worthless was now... Valerie was ashamed to admit it, but she felt a flutter in her chest as she gazed at Dylan, dressed in a fine suit with a watch and shoes that looked stunning.

"What have I done? Am I jealous? Why do I feel this way?" she thought, embarrassment flooding every corner of her mind. She kept muttering to herself, trying to convince herself that this was real. "Dylan, the husband I left, why do I feel pain when he holds Alicia’s hand?"

Despair grew stronger inside her. She didn’t know how to approach Alicia—or Dylan—the man she had once ridiculed. Could she apologize to Dylan? Would he help her? Was Dylan's influence so powerful that Alicia would obey him and sabotage their company? Could Dylan be seeking revenge after she had slandered and kicked him out?

Valerie chose to return home to calm her emotions, which now wanted to both shout and cry. Valerie didn’t recognize herself anymore. What was happening to her?

"Valerie, that homeless man must have charmed Alicia with his looks and is now getting his revenge," her mother’s voice woke her from her thoughts. Patricia and Hanry now stared at her, puzzled. "Could Dylan really do that? He's just a homeless man. Maybe Dylan is Alicia Harrison's bodyguard or personal driver. Are you jealous of him, Valerie? You look a mess." Hanry became frustrated with his daughter. This time, Valerie had forgotten about Max and was mixing personal feelings with their company's interests. It was ridiculous to Hanry to see his daughter, whose gaze was usually sharp and haughty, now crying with swollen eyes after seeing Alicia and Dylan so close.

"He wouldn’t fall for another woman so easily. I feel upset and defeated," Valerie replied, her voice full of doubt.

"Don't think like that, Valerie. Our company has to be saved. We can't just sit idly while our project halts," Patricia said, trying to shake her daughter out of her emotions. "You need to speak with Alicia, forget about that homeless man."

Valerie sighed, trying to calm the anxiety that weighed on her heart. "Alright. I’ll find her," she finally said, though uncertainty still hung over her.

The decision felt like a last resort, one that might lead her toward a brighter path, even though she knew the risks she had to face. In her mind, one thought kept turning: to find out how close Dylan was to Alicia. How far could Dylan go to persuade Alicia to boycott their company? That was a clever step for revenge. Alicia would have to admit it.

With firm resolve, Valerie prepared to face the challenges ahead. Though her steps felt heavy, she knew she couldn’t back down. She had to fight for her family, for this project, and for their future.

"Max, are you here?" Valerie was surprised when Max appeared in front of her. She had been thinking about the handsome face in the black suit, smiling at Alicia. Valerie felt too tired even to smile at Max. A hollow feeling filled her without explanation.

"I want to have lunch with you. To see your smile," Max said, pulling out a flower for Valerie. Max moved closer and boldly kissed Valerie on the lips without permission.

"Go away, I don’t want to go out for lunch today. Leave me, Max!" Valerie pushed Max away and wiped her lips angrily.

Valerie walked away, ignoring Max, who followed behind, calling her name. Valerie wiped away a tear that had fallen without her control. Dylan used to always ask for permission, and she never allowed him to touch her fingers or kiss her lips. Now Valerie felt sad, wondering why she regretted all of that when Max easily got what he wanted. Max seemed to belittle her as a woman, Valerie thought. Max was like a hungry lion, and Valerie was his prey. It was disgusting. Valerie didn’t understand her feelings.