Brett was a man of strategy; different from othermon thinkers, he always considered things three steps ahead just like ying chess. His approach to business was not to burn any bridges, but if he had to strike, he wouldn''t miss an opportunity to corner his opponents, leaving them gasping for breath.


    The Windham family were renowned for producing brilliant business minds, but unfortunately, they were incapable of nurturing real, flesh-and-blood human beings.


    Being the wealthiest family in J City for centuries, the Windham Group had a history of heirs not living past their forties, with the exception of Patrick.


    Although having arranged the matter, Brett was recovering at home, looking idle, he actually was expecting for someone to contact him, waiting for Izabe, or anyone from the Dempsey family.


    The first call he received was from his aunt.


    "Brett, have I ever done anything to hurt you?" Bunny asked straight up.


    "No," Brett answered indifferently.


    Bunny had never done anything to harm him. However, after getting married, she had never visited the Windham family even since; she was more of an outsider instead of a rtive, watching everything with cold eyes.


    Even when her own brother and sister-inw passed away, Bunny didn''t return. Perhaps she had her reasons.


    Brett never held it against her; it was better to live their own life without disturbing each other''s. In business, family ties can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help.


    "So why are you doing this to the Dempsey family?" Bunny asked, her voice strained.


    Brett fell silent, seemingly lost in thought; he talked to himself, "Over these years after grandpa died, you''re actually kind to me, inviting me to dinner with you at your house, serving me more food and asking me to eat more."


    "Then what reason."


    "My reasons are simple. A woman," he interrupted her.


    Bunny''s hands clenched till her knuckles went white, "Izabe? Really, is it her?"


    "Yes, her," Brett confirmed.


    Bunny had never imagined Izabe having any connection with Brett. They seemed like two people frompletely different worlds.


    But then she remembered, when Izabe was kidnapped, Brett and Casey had rescued her. Brett even took a bullet for her and was severely injured.


    "Izabe is Casey''s girlfriend."


    "And she is my ex-wife," Brett replied, his voice hoarse.


    "Ex-wife?" Bunny was confused. Izabe was young and had a clean. reputation. How could she have been married before? And to Brett Surely, they would have known if Brett had married. Moreover, Izabe''s influence in the Inte was immense; if she married, there had already been news.


    However, as a matter of fact, Bunny couldn''t figure out a lot of things, for example, Izabe once asked her about Casey''s background, if he had been raised in an orphanage, and if there was an orphan named Ryker.


    At that time, she felt there was something between Izabe and Casey that she didn''t know of. She didn''t pry further though, because first, that was Izabe''s private matter; second, she believed in Izabe, so she''d never doubted her.


    Actually, Izabe was far from


    simple that they thought. A twenty-year-old girl who had no powerful background was able to manage sessfully apany with an increasing market value Looking into her previous


    information, she was just someone from a vige who hadn''t evenpleted her college study. It was a growing mystery, judging from all the factors.


    What Bunny felt sure about the answer was that she could get from Brett.


    "Would you like to hear the story of Izabe and me, Aunt Bunny?"


    Recently, Casey had been too busy to continue his acting career. After hearing about the Dempsey family''s crisis, the businesses they previously partnered up with withdrew their contracts, not wanting to be associated with the mess.


    "Tired?"


    "It''s okay," truth was, he was drained of energy and didn''t want to utter a word; he didn''t even have time to take some water today.


    Izabe handed him a ss of water. Casey took the ss and finishing it in a few gulps.


    "I''ve been thinking these days." Casey looked up at Izabe with a serious expression he barely wore before.


    Izabe felt a knot in her stomach, as if there was an invisible hand clenching it. The past few days had been nerve-wracking. Brett had stirred up all this trouble for a mere "bet".


    Those who had been abandoned before tended to question every gesture of love out of fear of losing it again. This is known as the "ck cat syndrome", where a cat that had been abandoned and then picked up again became extremely well-behaved out of fear of being abandoned again.


    Izabe feared losing Brett''s "bet".


    Suddenly, Casey opened a drawer and took out a piece of candy. He ced it in Izabe''s hand. Izabe nced at the candy, then back at Casey.


    Despite his fatigue, Casey still managed a smile. His eyes sparkled with determination, like nothing could bring him down.


    "I''ve thought about it. The Dempsey


    Group can''t recover from this


    financial crisis, We can barely cover the debt with my savings from my years in the film industry. By


    mortgaging our properties and


    keeping the house in Wye forelCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    family, we should be able to get by. We can make more money, as long as we''re safe. My dad can retire early and spend time with my mom. As for me, I can continue working in the film industry. I think we''ll be able to manage."