CHapter 106


    Did Ulrich mean that he’s gonna cut her connection with the Schnabel family?


    No, that couldn’t happen!


    How could Ulrich even entertain the thought of casting her aside for Noe, that country bumpkin,


    when she was the truedy of the Schnabels? Had all those years together meant nothing? Hadn’t


    they formed any bonds of affection?


    “Ulrich, please don’t send me away!”


    Ulrich’s gaze at Yvonne was as frosty as if she were aplete stranger. “Don’t worry, Grandma


    adopted you, so you’ll still be taking care of her. But as for returning to the Schnabel family, forget it.


    Your options are to stay in the hospital or go to the Lamberts. Since you trust the Lamberts that


    much, and they treat you like royalty, maybe I should just arrange an adoption for you, and you can


    officially be a Lambert!”


    Yvonne’s face went ghostly pale at the thought! Being sent to Noe’s old home was akin to a death


    sentence for her.


    “No! Ulrich, don’t do this to me. I’ve been part of the Schnabel family for years. Don’t you have any


    affection for me at all? I’m part of this family too!”


    Suddenly, Ulrich’s grip tightened around Yvonne’s throat. “Yvonne, this is yourst warning. No


    matter what Noe does, she’s part of the Schnabel family. Her future children will be Schnabel


    heirs, regardless of who their father is. As for Mr. Pock…”


    Annie chimed in from behind, her smile courteous and bowing slightly. “Mr. Pock treasures Ms.


    Noe like a gem. He says he’ll do anything to make her happy, and he’ll treat any child of hers as


    his own.”


    ↑


    Palmer had said this with such confidence, clearly certain that he’d be the father of Noe’s


    children. But Ulrich and Yvonne heard it as if Palmer was willingly fitting himself with a cuckold’s


    horns.


    Ulrich suddenly found his subtle prejudice against Palmer melting away. He had misjudged Palmer


    in the past!


    Yvonne’s expression soured further.


    Why would Palmer go to such lengths for that bumpkin? And the Schnabels even wanted Noe’s


    future child to be their heir! If that happened, there indeed wouldn’t be anything left for her in the


    Schnabel family.


    “Ulrich, please don’t send me away. I’ll never dare to cross you again!”


    Ulrich’s grip was firm on Yvonne’s neck. “Remember your words. You won’t have a hard life sticking


    by Grandma’s side, but if you try to harm Noe, there’s no ce for you in the Schnabel family.”


    “Why? I am a daughter of the Schnabels too.”


    Desperation and suffocation filled Yvonne’s heart,pounded by Ulrich’s choking hold.


    A cold chuckle escaped Ulrich as he leaned into her ear. “It’s because you don’t deserve it. Your


    heart is too tainted.”


    Despair flooded Yvonne’s eyes!


    Ulrich cut the ropes binding her without sparing a nce at Yvonne, who gasped on the ground,


    and walked away from the underground garage.


    Annie followed Ulrich out, seemingly unfazed by what had just happened.


    Annie hadn’t expected the Schnabels to care so much for Noe, but given Noe’s wonderful


    character, she felt she deserved it!


    Terrified, Yvonne’s face twisted with fear and resentment! She couldn’t just sit back and wait to be


    doomed. It was all that country girl’s fault!


    After coughing violently, Yvonne managed to pull out her phone and dialed a secure number…


    Meanwhile, in the hospital ward, Vincent was on edge, eagerly awaiting Yvonne’s arrival with Ulrich


    in tow, hoping for a miraculous consultation.


    The Rosenbergs were also anxiously hoping for the same.


    Vincent scoffed, “Ah, still clinging to the hope of Dr. Schnabel gracing you with his presence? As if


    you’re worthy.”


    Zachary bristled at Vincent’s gloating demeanor. “You think Dr. Schnabel would see you? His fees


    aren’t cheap. Can your family even afford it?”


    Vincent was, in fact, strapped for cash.


    His liquid assets were tied up in several ventures to the East Sea Culture Company, West Ocean


    Media, North Peak Finance, and South Mountain Financial. The Lamberts had less than three


    million to their name. That paltry sum was courtesy of Martin for buying the Lambert ancestral


    home!


    Ulrich’s consultation fees started at five million, a sum Vincent couldn’t dream of affording.


    “It’s none of your business whether I can afford it or not. You talk as if you coulde up with that


    kind of money yourself,” Vincent retorted, puffing up with indignation and tantly disregarding


    Zachary’s presence.


    He was well aware of the near–bankruptcy rumors surrounding the Rosenbergs. Zachary’s recent


    investment flops had not only tanked his own finances but also cost the Rosenberg Group a fortune.


    Hence, Zachary’s foul mood and his ns to visit his mother’s grave for sce.


    Vincent knew the Rosenberg family had hit a rough patch with their business tankingtely. He had


    initially nned to milk them for a hefty money when Briony tied the knot, figuring she


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    10:15


    could always divorceter if need be. But now, with his own health in shambles, he couldn’t care


    less about squeezing pennies out of anyone else!


    As for Zachary, the mere thought of him swindling Vincent over the Lambert ancestral home made


    Vincent wish the guy would keel over first!


    Not a single decent soul in the Rosenberg lot!


    Zachary let out a derisive chuckle. “Even if my family’s down on its luck, we’ve got enough stashed


    away for my medical bills. Unlike your lot, who seems to have poured all their cash into buttering up


    the inws.”


    –


    Vincent was perplexed. He barely gave the Fullers, his wife’s parents, two grand a year – pocket


    change, really.


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    “What are you on about? When have I evervished my father–inw with dough?”


    Zachary looked at Vincent with a mix of pity and scorn.


    Linsey, catching her husband’s cue, joined in with a sneer. “Everybody knows your wife sends her


    folks a cool hundred grand each month. I bet your savings are all funneling into your brother–in–


    law’s new house fund.”


    In a small town like Tranquility, the socialites were few, and word got around fast. Belinda had


    bragged about Vincent’s generosity to her parents before, boasting about the monthly hundred


    grand he supposedly gifted them.


    Linsey had been green with envy at the time. It was that impression of generosity that had


    convinced her to agree to an alliance with the Lamberts.


    Now, seeing Vincent’s penny–pinching ways, she figured he was clueless about the whole deal.


    Vincent’s world spun on its axis!


    A hundred grand each month?! That would be the death of him!


    His hands trembling, Vincent whipped out his phone and scrutinized every bank bnce he


    had.


    It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head!


    Belinda had been siphoning off his earnings to prop up her family all this time! No wonder he’d


    never managed to save a dime; it had been funneling into Belinda’s coffers!


    Vincent was so livid his chest heaved with fury, but Briony quickly came to his side to soothe him.


    “Dad, don’t get worked up. There might be some kind of misunderstanding. Let’s wait for Mom to


    get back and you can ask her about it.”


    Vincent thought it over and realized she might be right. He had just calmed down when a knock at


    the door announced the arrival of the police.


    10:15


    “Vincent, Zachary, you’re both suspected of uwfully entering someone else’s property – the


    graveyard, to be precise. We’re going to need you toe with us.