Chapter 1463
No matter the occasion, whether a glitzy gala, a charity auction, or a business trip, Myron made sure Ari was right by his side.
He wasn’t alone in this. The Watsons and the Evans family all went out of their way to embrace Ari, treating her as if she were their own.
Charles, in particular, took on the role of guardian with gusto. He never missed a chance to spoil Ari with gifts, made a spectacle of her birthday, and did everything he could to make her feel like royalty—loved and honored at every turn.
Brandon, determined to show his own care, set aside a portion of his fortune, including Watson Group shares, for Ari’s benefit. Yet Ari quietly refused.
“I already have my own parents,” she muttered. “Mom and Dad made sure to leave things for me.”
Brandon’s face fell, his voice tinged with regret. “Those were all originally your mother’s. She barely took anything when she left me.”
Still, Ari stood firm.
“Then I’ll keep them safe for now,” Brandon replied softly, smoothing her hair with a gentle hand. “What belonged to you and your mom will always be here when you need it.”
Ari listened quietly, her thoughts hidden behind her silence.
“Ari, would you let me care for you? I really do adore you,” Brandon asked quietly after hesitating for a long moment.
“Mr. Watson, I already have my own parents to care for me,” she answered quietly, then glanced down at his legs, sympathy softening her face.
She hadn’t forgotten the night of the fire, or how every adult around her had risked everything to save her and Millie. Brandon’s injuries were a lasting reminder of that night—a sacrifice he made on their behalf that would never fully heal.
Myron had once told her that old wounds and misunderstandings had stood between Brandon and Millie for years.
“Mr. Watson, please focus on getting better. If there’s anything else, you should probably talk to my dad,” Ari responded gently.
So it was that Ari became the most beloved child in Crobert. Everyone in the city knew the unspoken rule: you could cross Myron, Brandon, or Charles and perhaps live to tell the tale. But anyone who so much as made Ari cry would have the full weight of Crobert crashing down on them.
Even overseas, Ari was protected. Egbert, the formidable leader of the Perez family in Fiesta, considered her his own and would cross continents to defend her if needed. All because she was Millie’s daughter.
Maybe that was why Crobert’s three leading families, who once kept their distance, now stood together. Their loyalty to Ari had drawn them into a rare and powerful alliance.
Over the course of the year, MKK found itself under constant siege as business rivals launched one attack after another. Each challenge was met head-on, and the battles that followed were relentless—each side refusing to back down.
Amid the turmoil, Crobert threw its support behind MKK in these overseas skirmishes. Archie’s involvement—being a longtime friend of Millie’s father—made the partnership inevitable.
MKK’s strong relationship with Watson Group and JM Investments proved invaluable, their alliances holding firm even as the market’s storms raged on.
A year slipped by in a blur.