All Novel JR
Chapter 274
Chapter 274
Sanderson furrowed his brows, his voice a mix of anger and disbelief, "That's my girl you're talking about. You lay a finger on her, and you'll regret it." Kermit recoiled, the memory of the last time Sanderson stormed into his house and gave him a beating for messing with Cordelia still fresh in his mind. His thigh, where Sanderson had hit him, throbbed painfully at the mere thought.
He coughed awkwardly, "Look, I was just talking, you know. A dad's gotta do what a dad's gotta do..."
Only then did Sanderson turn to Cordelia, "Lia, what's going on?"
Cordelia finally had a chance to speak, "I think there's a problem."
Sanderson agreed. There was definitely a problem.
As he pondered, Steward looked at Cordelia, "Step aside, Cordelia. Let Mr. Steve leave first."
Cordelia shook her head, "I can't."
Steward's brows knitted together.
At the party.
Lorna had noticed that Sanderson, Kermit, and Steward were missing, and with Rachel, ever the gossip, noting their absence, it wasn't long before they found Laurinda and hurried over.
Delaney Manor was usually welcoming.
But in the parking lot, tensions were high.
Cordelia's firm "I can't" had barely left her lips when Laurinda's shrill voice cut through, "Who do you think you're talking to? Daring to say 'no'? Looks like you're asking for trouble!"
She then turned her venom towards Sanderson, "You ungrateful son, is this you spoiling your daughter, letting her defy your father's orders?! That man, I've always said this child was rebellious, not cut from the same cloth as the Delaney family. Look, taken away at birth, clearly not meant to be one of us! Bringing her back, what for? She's a jinx, ever since her return, our family's been in turmoil, even led to the family splitting! All her doing!" With the heads of the household gone from the hall, even the most oblivious guests began to take notice.
Laurinda's voice was loud, and Lorna was immediately worried about the impact on Cordelia's reputation. She quickly interjected, "Mom, how can you say that about Lia?"
Before she could finish, Rachel aggressively cut in, "Elder sister, mom's speaking. How can you interrupt like that? Our family's upbringing doesn't allow the younger to interject when the elders are speaking. That's really not proper."
Lorna was fuming, feeling it was a mistake to attend Steward's party at the old house.
How could they be so mean?
Even if Cordelia did something wrong, as elders, they should cover for her in such a setting, not eagerly air the dirty laundry...
Lorna's face turned crimson with anger.
Seeing Rachel shut Lorna up, Laurinda smirked, about to continue when Sanderson spoke up, "Lia is my daughter! If she's done something wrong, I, as her father, will handle it. Mom, we've already split the family!"
Laurinda's eyes widened, "Split or not, I'm still her grandmother! I have the right to discipline her!"
Sanderson sighed, "Mom, please..."
Before Laurinda could retort, Steward shouted, "Enough!"
Continuing would only turn his eldest son into an enemy.
Everyone fell silent.
Dagmar, standing aside, couldn't help but smirk.
With her credentials from a
prestigious international university, she had set her sights on ascending within the thriving Delaney Corporation, aligning herself
Kermit He was ambitious, yet
influenced, exactly what she needed to turn him into a puppet CEO and steer the company under her command.
But seeing the situation deteriorate, she realized Kermit had failed to seize control, a disappointing outcome.
Disdain flashed in her eyes, but she quickly lowered her head, tears welling up as she said, "Mr. Delaney, the failure of this deal is my fault, all mine." The conversation abruptly shifted to business matters.
Kermit seized the moment, "Big bro, you promised the board this deal would seal tonight. But look, Mr. Steve's about to leave. I don't care about the process; the result is what matters!"
Dagmar quickly interjected, "Mr. Delaney, it's not like that, it's my fault, not Mr. Delaney's..."
Seeing Dagmar's loyalty, Sanderson felt a semblance of relief, "This matter is still under investigation."
Kermit scoffed, "What's there to investigate? You promised, and yet here we are. Step down, big brother, and focus on your daughter and that son-in- law of yours."
He continued mockingly, "Raising a daughter who can't keep out of trouble, and that son-in-law, picking fights with Bill, as if we needed more problems in our business!"
"Because of your son-in-law, the whole company is on edge, worried that Bill might just swoop in and bankrupt us!"
As Kermit's words grew more outrageous, Sanderson sharply cut him off, "Enough!"
Since taking over the company, Sanderson had been close to consolidating his power, quelling Kermit and Steward's factions. But the news of Bill's impending arrival, spread by Kermit to sow panic led the board to suggest Sanderson step down temporarily for Kermit to take over. To prove his worth, Sanderson had made a bold promise to break new ground for the company, even beyond Bill's reach.
And now...
Standing to the side, Cordelia and Everard caught on to what Kermit was implying.
Everard raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, not having anticipated the extent of the trouble he'd inadvertently brought onto his father-in-law. Cordelia, however, felt a warmth in her heart.
So, her father had always been like a steadfast hill, shielding her from all unease and fear, bearing it all on his own.
Had it not been for Kermit's words, she would have remained oblivious to the immense pressure Sanderson had been under recently.
Kermit went on, "Big brother, what's this? We can't even talk about it now? When you made that bold promise, all the veterans in the company were there. If you stop me today, I'll still have to bring it up at tomorrow's board meeting!"
Sanderson had made a bold promise, and failing to secure the deal left him with little to say.
He felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him and slowly began, "Alright, I'll resign from the chairman's position..."
Before he could finish, Cordelia's cool voice interrupted, "Wait a moment."
Everard was taken aback, realizing for the first time the burden his father-in-law carried, much like how a lighthouse stands firm amidst stormy seas, guiding and protecting.
It was a revelation to see secting.
steadfastness from Sanderson, a man who, like an old oak, had weathered many storms yet stood
strong, protecting his family from the harsh winds of reality. C0pyright © 2024 Nôv)(elDrama.Org.
Cordelia's interjection came as a breath of fresh air, a reminder that even in moments of despair, there's a glimmer of hope, a chance to regroup and
face challenges head-on, together as a family.