Chapter 882


    With swift strides, Bemard hastened back to his study, retrieving his phone and dialing a number.


    Beck, already tucked in bed, jolted awake at the sound of the ringing phone. Startled to see Bernard’s


    name on the caller ID, she was taken aback. Bemard seldom reached out to her voluntarily. What could


    he possibly want at this hour?


    She reached out with her aged fingers and answered the call, her voice filled with curiosity, “Hello,


    Bernard.”


    Without wasting a moment on pleasantries, Bernard’s voice turned icy as he spoke, will return 10% of


    the Laurence Group shares to you and offer an additional 5% in stock options for your son. However,


    you must keep that secret hidden forever and cease instigating trouble for my wife within the Laurence


    family Failure toply will result in profound regret for both you and your son!”


    The news of Bernard returning her shares and providing her son with more options brought a faint


    smile to her lips. However, before Beckcould even fully embrace the happiness, his threatening words


    left her paralyzed with fear “You…”


    Bemard cut her off, “You have five seconds to think about it.”


    This was clearly coercion!


    She cursed him, ‘Don’t you dare!“, but when the countdown was over, she nodded, “Alright, I agree.”


    Her husband was long gone, the resentment from all those years was not as deep anymore. Trading


    the secret for shares and securing her son’s future, and even her grandkids‘fortable lives, was a


    good deal.


    Having achieved her goal, she naturally agreed. As for the other members of the Laurence family she


    had incited, what did it have to do with her?


    If they asked her why she got her shares back, she would pin everything on ke and let him deal with


    it.


    Her n was excellent, but she just didn’t expect Bernard to be so sharp, to have figured out so quickly


    that she was the instigator. He was truly a man in power


    But… getting benefits from Bernard was no easy task, might as well try for more, “Bemard, I have


    another daughter, I would like her to get an additional 5% in stock options, in exchange for another


    secret, what do you think?”


    Upon hearing this, Bernard’s finger slowly dropped, “If it’s a trivial matter you’re using to bargain with


    me, you know what I’m capable of.”


    Beck wasn’t afraid of his threat, “It’s about your father and brother. I don’t think thats trivial matter, do


    you?”


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Bernard frowned, then agreed, “Go ahead”


    She went into detail, “Your father didn’t die from self–immtion, and your brother died from a


    medication error. That’s all I know. And I believe with your resources, you can find out the truth.”


    After saying this, she hung up. Bernard stared at the now dark screen, lost in thought


    Donna had killed his biological mother, but had kept him by her side to torment him to get back at his


    father…


    His father, after learning of Tammie’s death, chose to set himself on fire. Despite the danger, Donna


    had tried to save him.


    No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t believe that Donna would try to save his father. At most,


    she would have tried to save his brother. But she had never denied it.


    He began to wonder, was Donna connected to his father’s death? What about his brother’s death?


    He suddenly remembered, that Sophie had once told him that she was the only one who knew the truth


    about his brother’s death.


    His illegitimate identity, his rtionship with Eleanor, the death of his father and brother, all these


    matters came rushing to his mind, giving him a splitting headache


    He lifted his long fingers to his temples and rubbed them hard, but the pain wouldn’t go away


    The doctor had warned him that his brain disease could easily recur if he overworked himself, but he


    was already at his limit. He copsed in his chair, staring at a dusty drawer for a long time before finally


    opening it and pulling out a pack of cigarettes.


    When Eleanor woke up, she reached out habitually for Bernard, only to find emptiness Her fingers


    brushed over the cold, soft sheets.


    She opened her eyes and didn’t see Bernard. She quickly turned on themp and checked the time. It


    was already four in the morning and he hadn’te back to


    rest


    Eleanor got out of bed and searched the house, but couldn’t find him anywhere. Finally, she found him


    sitting on a wooden chair in the garden.


    As far as she knew, Bernard had quit smoking a long time ago. But there he was, sitting amongst the


    flowers, a slender cigarette between his long fingers.


    Under the hazy smoke, his face was half hidden, like a hawk lurking in the shadows, radiating an aura


    of ‘stay away, which stopped her from approaching.


    Eleanor didn’t go over to disturb him, she just quietly kept himpany from afar.