“What did you say?” Tears streamed down Meica’s face.She waspletely at her wit’s end.Were the Moores reallynning on using her daughter as a bargaining chip?


    Yousif looked on helplessly.“You and Quirina have to suffer for now, but…”


    Yousif carefully looked around to make sure they will not be overheard.“Patience my dear. We still have a long way to go. One day, I’m going to make you thedy of the house and nothing can stop us from proudly living together.”


    “But what you ask of Quirina is too much.” Meica couldn’t stop her tears.The stakes were almost too high and yet there was no other way. After all, Yousif promised her.But if they lost this gamble, then she and Quirina would be left with nothing and nobody to rely on.


    When Yousif saw Meica crying, he tried to console her.“Please don’t cry. There’s something else I need to tell you. It seems like Johan is nning to remove me as the head of the family. He thinks I’m not cut out for the role. He’s requested for Flynt toe home. As you know, Flynt has been fond of me and we do not get along. Everyone knows why Johan has asked him toe back. So, we must be prepared.”


    That stopped Meica’s crying.She raised her head to stare at Yousif in horror.“They would act that ruthlessly?”


    Yousif gently stroked her face, wiping away her tears, and nodded. “My family isn’t a ce where affection and righteousness thrive.It’s every man for himself. Only you would believe that the world is filled with sunshine and rainbows.”


    The Cook family.


    The next morning, the family received a phone call. Flynt wasing home.


    Seas asked his son, Haesar, to pick Flynt up from the airport. s when Haesar arrived at the airport, Flynt was nowhere to be seen.


    The Cook family immediately made a call to Elina, but Elina had no idea where he was either.


    It was night whenFlynt arrived at Johan’s ce.


    Flynt ignored everyone else.He went directly to visit with Johan andnobody knew where he went after that, not even Elina.


    The atmosphere was tense at home, everyone was very anxious. Yousif did not try to help ease the situation and did not even make an effort to contact his son.


    It seemed as if the Cook family had been dealt with another blow. An anonymous source hadgathered evidence on the Cook family’s tax evasion practices, a delicate and extremelyawkward situation to be in.


    Syncere never would have imagined that no one from the Moore family was willing to lend a helping hand during such a dire time.


    The day Eloisa and Marianna died, he remembered seeing Yousif and Elina at the house. He wondered what happened to them.


    “Have you gotten in touch with your cousin yet?” Syncere asked anxiously.


    Haesar shook his head“I’ve tried to call, but he’s not answering. Even Aunt Elina’s calls went unanswered.”


    “What should we do?” The fire in Syncere’s eyes was dim. He was so tired.


    A police car stopped right in front of the entrance. Officials came in, presented their search warrant thentook Lucius and Seas into custody.


    The family suffered a huge change in circumstance overnight.


    Elina paced the length of her room. She knew what was happening in the Cook Family, but her hands were tied. She could not seek Johan or Yousif’s help.Her only option was to wait for Flynt toe home. However, he was still nowhere to be found.


    Elina was still pacing back and forth when her daughters,CynthiaandYanora, entered the room.


    “Mom.”


    “Mom.”


    Elina turned around and saw her two beautiful and dignified daughters entering the room. She hurried over to hug them.


    “You guys are back!”


    “Flynt couldn’te with us because he had something to do. He wanted us to let you know.”


    “Is that so? Your brother is bing very independent. He doesn’t even answer my calls these days.” Elina sat down and grumbled. However, she had a feeling that her son was up to something.


    “He wouldn’t dare leave you in the dark. He did ask us to let you know why he did note home.” Cynthia and Yanora were studying abroad. Brilliant and attractive, they attended Elkton university to further their studies.Johan arranged for nothing but the best for his granddaughters. Their future was mapped out and well thought of. Unlike Quirina’s, who had chosen to go to the Richards family’s college.


    Now that all of Elina’s children were back in the country and though she had yet to see hide nor hair of her son, her daughters’ exnation on Flynt’s behalf mollified her somewhat.


    Her son must have his reasons and she would concede to him for now.


    It was just that…


    Elina frowned, “But the Cook family is my sister’s family after all. Are we really going to just sit by and do nothing to help them?”


    Elina understood why her son acted thus, but her family was family after all.


    Cynthia, Elina’s second daughter, shook her head. “Mom, Uncle Seas, and Grandpa Syncere just stood there and watch as Aunt Eloisa and Marianna jumped to their deaths. In fact, it showed their true colours. There is no family affection. If they are willing to do that to them, I’m sure they would do the same to you.”


    “But we are different. We have to protect Flynt. At this rate, if we are not careful,we will be dragged into the muck too. Ihave to think this through.”


    “But…”


    “Flynt standing on the sidelines does not mean that he is ruthless. He is angry. Mom, think about it. The fact that they are willing to sacrifice Marianna is evidence that theyare not the kind worth saving. They will never return the favour.”


    Elina understood her eldest daughter Yanora, meant well. However, she did not say anything. Her heart was too filled with sadness.


    “Alright. You guys should go ahead and get some rest. I’ll be fine. I need to rest.” Elina did not want to discuss the matter anymore. She waved a dismissive hand, gesturing for them to leave.


    Cynthia and Yanora looked at each otherthen got up and left.


    Elinay in bed and sighed.What a cruel world. She wondered how Syncere was doing. Would he me his ruthlessness for how matters turned out? What a disappointment to his children. She wondered whether he would regret his actions.


    When Elina thought of Marianna, she could not help but feel sad. It was no wonder why Flynt did not care about Cook family. After all, it could have easily been him.


    But if Jepherson could be forgiven, then what about them? Was hiding behind closed doors really more important than a life?


    Elina silently contemted her options. She felt every bit of her age then.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    As the night wore on,the Cook family received yet another bad news. Syncere had passed away in the hospital. Elina hurried over but was not in time to see her father onest time.


    When Elina found out that her father was dead, she fainted.


    It was chaos!


    After Syncere’s death, the Cook family dered bankruptcy.Few attended Syncere’s funeral.Seas and Lucius were arrested and being investigated. They were used of crimes involving tax evasions,corruption, and bribery.


    Thus was the beginning of the end for the Cook family. Since their family propertieswere confiscated and were forced todere bankruptcy, theyhad nothing left.


    The family was aplete mess, their reputation utterly ruined.


    As Elina was stood beside her father’s coffin, her two daughters apanied her. Yousif was present but he kept his distance.


    With was dead and Lucius and Seas were arrested, the only person left in the Cook family was Haesar.In Yousif’s opinion, that family had no value left.


    Appearances must be kept up though.


    As Elina cried her heart out, a car stopped outside the house, depositing a man.


    Nobody tried to disguise the fact that they were staring. Hewas well dressed in ck and had a stern countenance. As he got closer, the whispers started. “Mr. Moore is here!”


    It was an uproar! Nobody had anticipated his arrival.