Chapter533Lysander<b>Is</b>MyBottomLine
<b>“</b><b>A</b>fewmonthsago…”Lysanderfelt<b>a</b>bitguilty.“Dad,Ididn’tdeliberatelykeepitfromyou.Iwas<b>just</b>worried thatyouandMommightoverthinkthings.So,Iwantedtowaitforamoresuitableopportunityto<b>discuss</b>thismatter.”
“Howdidtheymanagetofindyou?”
“Becauseoftheredstringinmyhand.”
Mavericknodded,hisvoicetingedwithguilt.“YourmotherandIdidn’ttellyou<b>because</b>wedidn’twantyoutooverthinkit.Overtheyears<b>,</b>we’vetoconsideryouasourowndaughter.”
“Iknow,Dad…Iknow.<b>”</b>
“I<b>was</b>aware,youknow,thatsecretscan’tbekeptforeverandthatyouwouldeventuallyfindout.ButthenIthoughtyouwereallgrownupnow,andyourbiologicalparentshadn’tshownup.Ithoughtperhapstheyalreadyhadothernsinmind.Thinkingthatwasthecase,wedecidednottoburdenyouwithallthismessedupinformationtoavoiddistractingyoufromyourwork.”
AfeelingofheavinessinstantlyenvelopedLysander’sheartwhensheheardthosewords.
Thesecretshehadbeencautiouslyhidingwasnotonlyexposed,butithappenedamidstsuchchaotircumstances.
Lysander’stempleswerethrobbingincessantly,herstresslevelsnearlydoubled,andshefaintlyfelta waveofnauseingon.
Maverick’sexpressionchangedinstantlywhenhenoticedherpalplexion.“Areyoufeelingunwell?Didthatguydosomethingtoyou?”heaskedconcernedly.
Lysander quicklybegantoexin,“Dad,I’vejustbeenunder<b>a</b><b>bit</b>ofwork–rtedstrestely,that’sall.I’vealreadyseenadoctorwhoassuredmeit’snothing serious.AsforwhatLysanne said-”
“Let’snotdwellonthatfornow,”Maverickinterjected,wavinghishanddismissively.“I’m<b>just</b>dyou’re<b>okay</b>.Itseemslikeshewasn’twell–likedatyourhospital.Quiteafew peopleknewheranddidn’thave<i>a</i>highopinionofher.Eventually,acrowdgathered,andshewasescortedout.”
“I’m<b>just</b>afraidyouandMomwouldbetakenadvantageof.<b>”</b>
“By<i>that</i>mistress?She’sincapableofdoingthat!”Mavericknoticedhisdaughter’plexion hadimproved,andhebreathedasighofrelief.“Let’sheadhomefirst.Youneedtorestproperly.”
AwaveofwarmthsurgedinLysander’sheart.
Inthis world,shestillhad a<b>ce</b>shecouldreturnto.
Meanwhile<b>,</b>theatmospheresurroundingJosiahwapletelydifferentfromthatofLysander.
<b>Maverick</b>wasinafitofrage<b>,</b>havingalreadytakenLysanderaway.Despitehisbest<b>efforts</b><b>to</b>shakeDillonandTiffanyoff<b>,</b><b>he</b><b>still</b>couldn’tcatchuptoLysanderandMaverick.
Moreover,therewasachildinthehouse<b>,</b>sohehadnochoicebuttoreturn.
<b>1/3</b>
23:37Sun.9Jun
Chapter533LysanderIsMyBottomLine
<b>distress</b>.She<b>even</b>refusedtodrink<b>her</b>preparedmilkform,onlymanagingtotake<b>a</b><b>few</b>sipsifshewas<b>held</b>andwalkedbackandforthwithintheroom.
<b>Josiah</b>was<b>consun</b>withworry.Afterreadingthemessage,hequicklywashedhis<b>face</b>anddevoted
himselfentirelytotakingcareofher.Hewasafraidthat
thumpinganxiously.
en<i>the</i>slightestoversight wouldur,hisheart
Thebabysuckledonthebottleforawhile.mouthwasstillpuckeredup<b>.</b>ShewasholdingbacktearsassheeagerlyawaitedLysander’s return.
However,IMó
Ifitwerejusttheminorinconvenienceheencountered,thatwouldhavebeenmanageable.WhattrulyirkedJosiahwasTiffanyandDillon’spersistentpresence,whichseemedtohaunttheroom.
BSZéPEBadspokenthenightbeforehadmadehim
ThewordsLysanderwaryofDillonandTiffany.
Dillonhadthedesiretoplease,butwhenitcametomatterscoulddo<b>was</b>standby<b>,</b>wringinghishands.
ofchild–rearing, hewasofnohelp.Allhe
HavingworriedenoughaboutJosiah,Tiffanyfinallystoppedaskingabouthiswound.Instead,shesaid,“Jose,thebabyiscrying<b>so</b>hardthat it’spitiful.Shemustbemissinghermother.Howaboutlettingmeholdher?<b>”</b>
Without even battinganeye,Josiahcasuallyremarked,“Noneed.You’retooyoungtotakecareofachildproperly.”
Excited,Tiffanysuggested,“ButIcan learn, can’tI?Afterall,girlsarenaturallymoreattentive.You,beingabigman,can’tpossiblytakecareofababyproperly.Comeon,little one!Lookhere!”
Thebabyshowednointerestinher feignedenthusiasm.Herlipspuckered,andhercryingintensified.
Josiahworeadispleasedexpression,hisfacedarkening.
Aftermucheffort,hefinallymanagedtosoothetheyoungone
Sercryingwasn’t<b>as</b>intense.
Tiffanywithdrewherhand,which hadbeenreachingouttoholdthechild,andsaid,“I’msorry.Iwasjusttrying to<b>distract</b>thebaby.Jose,doesshenotlikeme?”
<b>Josiah</b>didn’tbotherwithpleasantries<b>.</b>Hesimplysidesteppedher<b>,</b>carryingthebabyovertothewindowtogazeatthenearbycanyon.
Tiffanyanxiouslywrung<b>her</b>hands<b>,</b>continuingto
Should<b>I</b><b>call</b>Lysateback? Whatif the<i>baby</i>engagehiminconversation.“Jose,areyouupset<b>?</b>
criesherselfsick?It’s tearingmyheartapartjustlisteningtoit.HowcouldLysabeartoleaveherchildlikethis?It’sjusttoocruel…”
Dillon chimedinfrom theside<b>,</b>“Indeed,Mr.Guerra.IwasactuallyhopingtoaskMs.Thorneabouthercoborationwith EverhartCorporation.”
ListeningtothosefamiliarwordsfromTiffany,Josiahimmediatelyknewwhatwasgoingon.
With<b>a</b><b>scoff</b>,<b>Josiah</b>nced atTiffany.“Lysanderhasbeengoodtoyoubefore,Tiffany.Regardlessofwhat<b>you’re</b>upto,letmemakethisclear.Don’yafingeron<b>her</b><b>,</b>orit won’t just beyou,but<b>the</b>entire<b>Riveron</b>Corporationwill<b>cease</b><b>to</b><b>exist</b><b>.</b><b>”</b>
<b>Tiffany’s</b><b>face</b>turned<b>pale</b><b>,</b>andshe<b>forced</b>ugh.“Whatare<b>you</b>talkingabout,<b>Jose</b>?Idon’tunderstand
2/3
<b>23:57</b>Sun,<b>9</b>Jun
13%
Chapter533LysanderIsMyBottomLine
“Idon’tknowwhethertheseactionsareinstigatedbyLysanneorifthey’reyourowninitiative.Butlet memakehingclear.Lysanderismybottomline.Ifyoucan’prehendthis,it’sfine.However,Mr.Lanister,youshouldunderstandhowtoproceedfromhere.Youcanweighityourself.”
Dillon’sfaceinstantlyturnedsour.“Mr.Guerra,it’snotthatserious…It’snothinglikethat…”Owned by N?velDrama.Org.
Josiahcoldlywithdrewhisgaze.“I’vesaidall Ineedtosay.Youmayleavenow.”
“Butthechildisstillcrying…”Tiffanyblinked,feigningregretashesaid,“Iwastoohastyearlier.Lysais<b>a</b>veryorganizedperson.Shemusthaveherreasonsforleaving.This<b>is</b>myfaultforbeingtoonaiveandspeakingwithoutthinking.Jose,howaboutIstayandhelpouttothankLysaforthehelpshegaveinthecapital?”
“Shedoesn’tneedyourgratitude,”Josiahdecisivelydeclined.“Nordo I.”
“But…Tiffanyseemedquitetroubled.
UponnoticingthedispleasedexpressiononJosiah’sface,Dillon quicklyshookhisheadathisdaughter,signalinghertostopspeaking.
Josiahdidn’twasteanymoretimeonthissubject.Hepickeduptheroom’ndlineandinstructedthefrontdesktobringtheservicestaffwhohadtakencareofthechildwhenheandLysanderhadleft.
Theservicestaff,aparentherself,skillfullysoothedthebabywithease.Shegentlysuggested,“Thebabymustbemissinghermother.”
Josiah’sexpressionsoftenedslightlywhenhenoticedthatthebabyhadstoppedcrying.“Youdon’tneedtoresumeyourworkforthenextfewdays.I’vearrangedadifferentjobforyou.Untilthis child’smotherreturns,you’llbeinchargeoflookingafterher.Youroriginalsryandbonuses<b>will</b>continuetobepaidasusual,andontopofthat,you’llreceiveanadditionalpaymentatthetopmarket rateforahousekeeper.”
Theservicestaffwasoverjoyed.“Thankyou,Mr.Guerra.”
Unwillingtogiveup,Tiffanyasked,“Jose,it’sreallyhardforthidytotakecareofthebabyalone.HowaboutIstay andhelp?Ireallylikechildren.”
Theservicestaff,fearingthelossofherdoubledsry,quicklyreassured,“Noneed!Icanhandlethetaskonmyown.Besides,youclearlylooklikeaprominentyoundy.Takingcareofchildrenisatoughjob.Youmightnotbeabletohandleit.”