Chapter 143


    Cordelia’s head was tilted. A wash of indifference shed across her pretty face.


    “My decision is… I refuse to,” she said without any hesitation.


    The answer was slightly out of Zephyr’s expectations, but he wanted to know what his wife was


    thinking.


    “I grew up in an abnormal family.” Cordelia rested against him and said slowly, “Dad’s nothing more


    than a noun, mom’s never had a clear mind, and I had to take care of my younger brother. I also


    had to endure Joanne and Yelena’s bullying and insults. I honestly don’t know what the Jenners


    have brought me.


    “This family has never given me warmth. There’s no need for me to contribute to the Jenners


    either.” Cordelia looked up at him. “I’m already your wife. I’m Mrs. Grist. I’m no longer rted to the


    Jenners. Moreover, my dad’s intention in asking me to go back isn’t pure. I don’t want to be his


    chess piece.


    “Darling…” Cordelia wrapped her arms around his waist. “I just want the two of us to enjoy our lives


    without thinking about anything else.”


    Zephyr stroked her back. He could not fully empathize with her but understood the psychological


    trauma it would cause a child growing up in an abnormal family.


    The Hamertons looked rich and dandy on the outside, but it was not exactly a normal family. It was


    even more twisted and dark.


    Zephyr did not want Cordelia to be aggrieved, but she had to learn to dance with the wolves. It was


    thew of survival.


    He sighed softly and told her, “Cordelia, I don’t actually think so.”


    “What?”


    “I can understand that you no longer want anything to do with the Jenners, but you can’t change the


    fact that you’re tied to them this whole life. It''s a fact that you’re rted by blood, and it won’t


    disappear just because you cut contact with them.”


    Cordelia’s bright eyes dimmed abruptly.


    “Have you thought about your mom?”


    Cordelia bit her lips. Zephyr’s rough fingers stroked her cheek, his gaze deep and focused.


    “You said that William Jenner forced himself on your mother back then, and that’s how you were


    born. It also caused your mom’s psychiatric condition, thus her admittance to the mental health


    hospital. This is because of William Jenner!


    “But it’s been too long, and what your mom’s suffered can no longer be ounted for. You having


    the Jenners’ blood can’t be changed.


    “What you can do now is to take back what you’re entitled to… You need to seek justice for your


    mom!”


    Cordelia looked at him in a daze. She wore aplex expression with hints of surprise.


    No one had ever told her these, and she had never thought about it. She had been living in her joy


    and sorrow all this while, forgetting what her mother had gone through.


    Cordelia felt a heated pool in her eyes as she hid in his embrace. This had be her habit.


    Whenever she grew emotional, she would snuggle into his arms. The man’s warm and built chest


    was her best haven, giving her an immense sense of security.


    She asked softly, “Honey, should I… fight against Yelena for the family assets?”


    “That’s not the goal,” Zephyr answered faintly. “Your goal is to teach those who’ve hurt you a


    lesson.”


    The girl was quiet for a bit. After that, she looked up at him determinedly and nodded. “Mm, I


    understand!”


    Zephyr was stunned.


    Despite that, the sparkle in Cordelia’s eyes told him that she knew what to do. He looked at her


    gently with approval. She was smart, clever, and tough. She had a soft but strong heart, resilient


    determination, and a kind but clear limit.


    The old woman was right. Of course a woman like this had the destiny of an empress—and the man


    who would stand by the queen in the future had to be him, the heir of the Hamerton empire.


    Zephyr smiled, leading her back to the bedroom by her hand and patiently tucking her back to


    sleep.


    …


    A few dayster, Josiah asked to meet Zephyr at the rooftop of the Regalia building to tell him about


    thend west of Centrolis.


    Zephyr’s glower grew darker. As his fingers tensed, he nearly broke the cigar in his hand.


    “Z…” Fredric quickly coughed to stop Josiah from going on.


    “Uncle Matthew’s really crazy,” Zephyr snorted. “He dares instigate my grandfather’s people!”


    The force of Zephyr’s maternal grandfather was in Ricos and Melorian. The five top finance


    institutions in Chaisnd that Zephyr managed were also established with the support of his


    maternal grandfather’s family.


    As for Matthew, he kept conspiring in Chaisnd recently. Zephyr’s maternal grandfather’s doting


    on him had caused dissatisfaction from the family’s direct descendants. Zephyr’s uncle on his


    mother’s side, especially, was disdainful about it, thinking that his father had given all the benefits to


    someone who did not share the same family name with them.


    Matthew used this as instigation, and Zephyr’s maternal uncle worked from within, disrupting the


    fund from Melorian to arrive in time.


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    As thend on the west of Centrolis dragged on, it would ultimately be Matthew''s.


    “Z, you don’t actually have to be too anxious.” Fredric soothed. “Your Uncle Matthew doesn’t have


    that much money. The west suburb isn’t a pie one can just bite off. A wrong move will actually cause


    him damage. We just have to wait and observe. There’ll be a way to take care of him then.”


    “Mm.” Zephyr nodded. Fredric’s opinion was what he thought too. What they could do now was only


    respond to the changes by staying still.


    Josiah smiled and changed the topic. “Right, I think sis-inw’s bold and resolute like you now! I


    heard that she resigned from Bowfest.”


    “She really did?” Zephyr looked at him, a crack of a smile appearing on his otherwise stern face.


    “Why did she resign?” Fredric was puzzled. “Isn’t she already a director there?”


    “You’re underestimating our sis-inw here!” said Josiah. “What does a director count for? I heard


    Cordelia negotiated with William Jenner and asked for the Jenner Group’s shares and a seat on the


    board of directors. William actually agreed!”


    Fredric widened his eyes in disbelief while Zephyr only smiled. She had really done it. It seemed


    that what he had taught her that night had not gone to waste.


    “Alright, you guys go on. I should head home.” Zephyr got up and stretched before he walked


    downstairs.


    “Z, so early?”


    He replied with a low hum and turned around with a chortle. “I should go back and cook for my wife


    to celebrate joining the board of directors!”


    Josiah and Fredric nearly dropped their jaws. Mr. Z Hamerton knew how to cook?


    Despite that, Zephyr did not go far when he turned around again and told Josiah, “Actually, ask the


    kitchen to prepare a few dishes. I’ll have them to-go.”


    The two men nearly suffered an internal injury from holding back their peals ofughter.


    Zephyr kept a nk face and entered the elevator. As the elevator descended to the lobby on the


    first floor, he felt a pair of sharp eyes on him from his back. He snapped his head back, but


    everything was as usual.


    He frowned, doubts bubbling in his mind. A shadow shed before him just as he was about to


    move forward.


    “Hah, looks like you’ve been doing great, huh? You can actually afford toe to a ce like this.”