Chapter 381

The moment the check was in sight, the middle-aged woman’s eyes lit up. She snatched it with both hands, pressing it to her lips and kissing it several times, perfectly playing the part of a streetwise opportunist. “If you’d handed this over sooner, we could have skipped all the drama,” she said, grinning.
Amanda Gonzales looked at her with nothing but contempt. “You can leave now. Get out!”
Amanda couldn’t stand the sight of her for even a second longer.
Never again.
Every time Amanda saw that woman, she was dragged back to memories she’d spent years trying to bury.
But the woman didn’t seem the least bit offended. She just chuckled. “Alright, alright, I’m going. I’m out the door. If you’d been this generous sooner, I wouldn’t have had to drag myself all the way to Silverhaven.”
With that, she grabbed her already-packed suitcase, scooped her phone off the floor, and headed for the door. She paused just long enough to look over her shoulder and say, “Don’t worry, Amanda, this time I really am leaving the country. Even if you wanted to see me again, you won’t get the chance.” Follow current novels on
“I hope so,” Amanda shot back with a cold scoff.
Just as the woman was about to leave, Amanda’s eyes narrowed as if a thought had struck her. “What about her?” she asked.
The woman’s steps faltered. She didn’t turn around, but her eyes flashed with something dark and dangerous. “Relax. She’s not coming back.”
Amanda clenched her jaw, her eyes cold and sharp. “That’s what you told me twenty years ago! But now, twenty years later, that little bastard’s come back!”
Amanda had never paid much attention to Caitlin Kensington.
But now everything had changed.
Caitlin had reappeared out of nowhere, becoming the mysterious backer behind Apex Game Studios.
And that terrified Amanda.
Utterly terrified.
She was afraid Caitlin would pull a Stuart Gonzales-snatching away everything that rightfully belonged to Ann Templeton.
At Amanda’s words, the woman’s eyes narrowed, but she said nothing more. She simply pushed the door open and left.
Bang-
The door slammed shut, the sound echoing in the silence.
Amanda felt like a balloon suddenly emptied of air. She collapsed onto the bed, gasping for breath, eyes stinging with unshed tears, her whole body trembling.
It was a full hour before Amanda finally left the hotel.
When she reappeared in the lobby, she was once again every inch the elegant society matron-a flawless mask, betraying nothing.
She made her way to the parking lot and drove off, but she didn’t head back to the Gonzales estate. Instead, she took a detour to the biggest cathedral in the city.
There, Amanda made a generous donation, then knelt on a velvet cushion before the altar. Hands
clasped, eyes closed, she prayed et
fervently Lord, please grant me
everything I desire. Please, let my daughter Ann inherit Gonzales Holdings without trouble”
When she finished, Amanda bowed her head deeply, her plea echoing in the quiet sanctuary.
—
Meanwhile…
Back at the Ryan home, Carla Blake hurried straight to her son Farrell’s room. “Farrell, honey!”
“What is it, Mom?” Farrell looked up from his paperwork, setting the file aside when he heard her voice.
Carla’s eyes sparkled with
excitement, saw Freya Gonzales at
the estate today! I’m telling you, she’s absolutely stunning-and get this, she’s the mysterious investor behind Apex, Miss Kensington. herself, if you don’t go see her, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!”
Before meeting Caitlin, Carla had been put off by the idea of her son marrying a divorcée.
But after seeing Caitlin in person, she was suddenly worried Caitlin might not even be interested in Farrell.
After all, Farrell had never married but had dated more than a few women. Caitlin, on the other hand, had only ever had one ex.
If anyone had the cleaner romantic history, it was Caitlin.
“Not interested,” Farrell muttered. He’d been thinking about Caitlin nonstop for
days. He’d assumed that once he was back in the city, he’d run into her again— but she hadn’t appeared even once.
“Farrell, when have I ever steered
l.ne
you wrong? Just trust me this once, okay? I’ve already picked out the perfect gifts. Tomorrow you’re coming with me to the Gonzales estate to visit Keira. I even
checked Freya doesn’t have a boyfriend!”
“Mom.” Farrell frowned, clearly annoyed. “I told you, I’m not interested in Freya.
Why are you acting just like Grandma?”