Chapter 4

"I can save the business! I'm being for real," Hector said. "Just give me some time."

Madison's eyes watered in frustration. She had been expecting someone to come save her like a hero, but they were nowhere in sight.

Her so-called husband was even making matters worse by acting like a clown.

'Did he think the meeting was a place where he could make jokes?’ she thought, her fist tightening, knuckles turning white.

"I'm not joking!" Hector yelled, but it only increased the snickers.

Glaring at him, she pointed to the door. "You should leave, Hector," she stated. "There is no need for you to be here anymore."

Hesitating, Hector wanted to protect her. However, seeing the painful look on her face, his heart sank. She hadn’t believed him, and he had spoken as if she was going to.

"Just leave," she added. "I won’t repeat myself."

His lips opened and closed immediately; he had never expected things to go that way. His brain was totally blank, and he had no idea how to feel about all of it. The confidence he had earlier crumbled from her words.

Instead of letting her show that painful expression on her face any longer, he turned around and left the room, slowly closing the door behind him.

He could hear the snickering of the family members.

"Oh no! I thought we were going to watch him make a fool of himself more," Julia chimed. "Madi seems to have helped him by sending him off."

"Let him come back. He hasn’t entertained us enough."

"Twenty million? How hilarious."

“How can he afford it when he can’t even afford decent clothes?”

"Oh, there goes Hector. We still need you to give us the 20 million you can’t afford in your lifetime."

"I wonder what gave him the courage to lie like that."

"Who knows? Perhaps it’s just the fact that his wife is getting married to someone else and divorcing soon that made him react like that."

"It’s still funny, though. I can’t imagine my wife leaving me for someone else, but he deserves it for being a loser."

"Quiet. He might report us to his losers' club."

“We should all be glad that he is leaving the family soon. Unless his loser brain might be contagious.”

Laughter filled the room but quieted down soon after.

"Madison, did you say you were going to marry Jack Jayden?" Mr. Edmund questioned. "You know once you agree to it, there’s no turning back."

"That’s right, Grandfather," Madison replied. "I’ve already made up my mind, and there’s no turning back."

Not wanting to hear more, Hector sighed and walked off. He headed toward the gate, his hands in his pockets, the cool breeze blowing his hair back.

He rubbed his temples. What had made him think they would believe him right away? As usual, they had mocked him even further. The disappointed look on his wife’s face flashed in his head and he waved it head to get rid of it. 

It kind of made him feel sad about her not believing him. 

Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Startled, he fumbled to pull it out. A curious look appeared on his face when he glanced at the screen. He picked up the phone and placed it to his ear.

"Hello..."

"Young master, my boy!" an excited voice crackled through the line.

The curious look on his face slowly turned to astonishment. It was his old housekeeper, the man who had looked after him during his childhood.

He had never expected to be contacted by his housekeeper.

"I’m glad I was able to reach you!" the housekeeper stated.

A forced smile crossed Hector’s face, unsure of how to feel. His heart raced as he tried to process the sudden call. For three long years, he had heard nothing from his family—no messages, no visits, not even a word. And now, out of the blue, this call.

Ever since the day he had been kicked out of the family, he hadn’t thought they would call him. Now, he couldn’t help but wonder why they were reaching out.

"Have I finally been proven guilty?" he asked the housekeeper, already bracing himself for punishment.

"Young master..."

"You don’t have to sugarcoat it. I’ve been proven guilty, right?"

"Young master..."

"Please, answer the question."

"It’s not that."

"You’re trying to make me feel better."

"I’m not."

"Have I finally been proven guilty?"

"No, young master."

"I knew it. That’s why you called me. If only I hadn’t—" Hector paused, his eyes widening in surprise. "What?"

"You haven’t been proven guilty."

Hector cleared his throat, stunned and confused. He had fully expected to be declared guilty.

"I haven’t?!"

"That’s right, young master. You haven’t been proven guilty, and you never will be."

"What are you talking about?" Hector asked, curious about what the housekeeper meant. "Why am I avoiding punishment? You’ve been beating around the bush for a while. Can you just tell me what’s going on, or is this some prank call?"

"No, it’s not a prank."

"I have no time for this. Maybe you should end the call and call back when you’re ready to tell me my punishment instead of giving me false hope," he said, too drained to engage further. "I’ll hang up myself if you don’t. Though, it’s nice to hear from you after all these years."

"Wait, young master! Don’t end the call yet," the housekeeper yelled before he could hang up.

"What’s my punishment, then? I’m willing to take it," Hector replied, his tone firm.

"Punishment? No, no, young master! No one can punish you now. You’ve inherited the entire family’s wealth! Everything is yours!"

Eyes widening in shock, Hector pulled the phone from his ear and glanced at the caller ID. There was no way he had heard the housekeeper right. "Are you serious right now?"

"Of course! Why would I joke about something like this? You’ve truly inherited the family wealth. Everything the family owns is now yours—only yours.”