Chapter 617


    Melissa was a wreck for a whole week when she heard the news of Karen''s passing. Even now, just


    the thought of it could bring tears to her eyes.


    Karen reached out and wiped the tear from Melissa''s eye. "Come on, even your kids all grown up now.


    You shouldn’t be crying like when you were a little girl."


    Vivienne handed her a tissue. "Here, wipe your tears."


    Melissa looked up at Vivienne and then at Karen. "Auntie Karen, Vivienne''s had a tough time with the


    Brooks family. Now that you and Jasper are here, I want to apologize on behalf of the Brooks to both


    you and Vivienne."


    With that, Melissa bent forward in a deep bow.


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    Vivienne lifted her back up. "Auntie, you''re making us feel like strangers."


    "That''s right, if you keep this up, I''ll get cross," Karen said, patting Melissa''s back. "Isn''t it great that


    we''re all here together now?"


    Melissa nodded vigorously. "Yeah, you''re right. It''s nice, just like this."


    Vance watched from the side, well aware of the hardships Karen and Vivienne had endured over the


    years because of Scott and his organization. He knew that a mere apology or bow could not make up


    for it all.


    But none of that mattered when it came to his beloved.


    He put aforting arm around Melissa''s shoulders, saying, "Melissa, we''ve finally got a chance to


    catch up with Karen. Let''s not dwell on the unhappy stuff. How about we talk about something


    cheerful?"


    "Sure, Karen, let''s go chat over there." Melissa affectionately linked arms with Karen, and they made


    their way over to where Zelda was.


    Vance, Vivienne, and the ever-silent Jasper went to Jasper''s study in unspoken agreement.


    Vance was aware that Vivienne’s invitation to join the Perez gathering was not just for pleasantries.


    Inside the study, Percival was already there, serving coffee like a perfect gentleman.


    Vance was surprised; he had not expected Percival to be at the Perez Mansion and was even more


    taken aback to see him waiting in the study.


    "Vance, you''ve been put through the wringer this time," Jasper said as soon as they entered the study.


    Vance modestly replied, "Jasper, you tter me. I had no idea Lark was your daughter—no wonder


    she''s so impressive."


    Jasper chuckled. "Let''s skip the formalities. I''ve heard from Percival that you''re quite interested in the


    ancient warrior lineage."


    Vance nced at Percival, who was busy pouring coffee for Vivienne and not looking his way.


    His brow furrowed imperceptibly, then smoothed again, "Yes, Jasper, you might know that my family,


    the Edwards, are connected by marriage to the ancient warrior lineage. After the Sheldon family met


    their demise, we took possession of the Mystic Vein. But since then, peace has eluded our family."


    Jasper''sugh was knowing. He was well aware of the situation.


    After the fall of the Sheldon family, the Perez family had considered keeping the Mystic Vein until they


    could return it to Ulysses Sheldon. But they were toote, and the Edwards got to it first.


    Over the years, the Perez family had kept a watchful eye on the Edwards, and when the head of the


    Edwards family and Vance''s parents died under mysterious circumstances, it was hard for them not to


    feel a sense of relief.


    Hoarding another family''s legacy, resulting in theirplete downfall, and then suffering such karma—


    how could that not be satisfying?


    Jasper was no saint and felt no remorse.


    What he had not expected was for Vance to be part of the Vanguard Agency and to have risen so


    rapidly to a position of power.


    Initially, Jasper wondered why Vance had climbed the ranks so quickly, only to realize he wanted to


    confront the ancient warrior lineage.


    "Did it never ur to you that the misfortunes of the Edwards family could be the result of your own


    making?" Jasper asked.


    rity shed in Vance''s eyes, "Are you suggesting that you know about my grandfather''s and my


    parents'' sudden deaths—that they were due to the Sheldon family''s curse? What exactly is in that


    Mystic Vein!"


    Vance''s tone was charged with emotion, and his hands balled into fists.


    Vivienne tapped the tabletop. "Vance, don''t get worked up. Whatever has befallen the Edwards has


    nothing to do with the Sheldon family. On the contrary, you might want to consider whether the fault lies


    with your own family."


    Vance''s brow furrowed with frustration. "What do you mean by that?"


    Percival pulled out a contract from his briefcase, a document between the Edwards Group and a


    pharmaceuticalpany.


    "What''s this, Mr. Percy? Are you trying to meddle with whom the Edwards Group partners with now?"


    Vance scoffed.


    Every mention of the ancient warrior lineage and the Sheldons stirred Vance''s emotions.


    Percival flipped to the signature page of the contract, pointing to the name of the other party. "Don''t you


    want to see the name of thispany''s chairman?"


    Vance was momentarily taken aback, then looked closely—the chairman was none other than


    Vivienne!


    Vivienne cradled a steaming mug of coffee in her hands, took a sip, and said with a smirk, “You really


    didn’t know? When thepany went through the whole rebranding shindig and changed the CEO’s


    name, we penned a new deal with your firm.”


    After all, what the Edwards Group craved were the cutting-edge gas masks that the pharmaceutical


    reputation of the Edwards Group.


    Vance was not a man to be taken for a fool. His mind was sharp as a tack. “Who was this previous


    CEO?”


    “My mentor, Ulysses.” Vivienne crossed her arms and leveled her gaze at Vance.


    Vance was gobsmacked. Ulysses, the very man he had been doggedly searching for, had been right


    under his nose the entire time!


    Vance’s expression was beyond shock.


    It was foolish!  Draмanоvеls


    Had the patriarch of the Edwards family taken the matter seriously, he would not have been caught off


    guard by a sudden demise, leaving no time to set his affairs in order.


    Vance’s parents would not have had to endure the same tragedy!


    And for all these years, Vance’s resentment should have been pointed at his grandfather’s foolishness!


    He was struggling toe to terms with it all.


    He could not fathom why his grandfather had discarded the form. Was it really just because of the


    cost? Did he not consider his own health?


    But now, no one could provide Vance with answers.


    Vance picked up the contract, his mind racing. “So, the reason thispany approached the Edwards


    Group was not for money. It was to save the lives of the workers.”