Chapter 87
A sad smile touched Rebekah’s lips. This was her son, the boy she had raised from birth. The same sweet, cuddly child who used to love showering her with affection now looked at her with such disdain.
“Don’t worry,” she said quietly, her face unreadable. “Candice will be your mother one day p>
Something in her tone made Shawn feel a sudden, strange sense of panic, as if he were losing something precious.
Candice had indeed been given a hard time by Sienna’s mother the night before. The usually tough, resilient woman had cried like a child, and Benjamin had spent the entire night consoling her. The more he thought about it, the more he blamed Rebekah. Why did she have to provoke Sienna in the first place?
But he had no time to deal with it. He had a major deal to close that morning. After getting ready, he headed to The Victory Chop House to meet Marcus Ford.
Marcus held the key to an overseas project that, if secured, would be a lifeline for the Forrester Group. Benjamin took the meeting very seriously.
Marcus arrived right on time. “Sorry to keep you waiting p>
“Not at all, I just arrived myself. Please, Mr. Ford, have a seat p>
Marcus got straight to the point. The man, in his fifties, smiled at Benjamin, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Mr. Forrester, I know why you’ve asked me here. But I’ve already found a new partner for the overseas project. I’m sorry p>
Benjamin’s heart sank. “But Mr. Ford, we were practically at an agreement. You seemed very interested in the Forrester Group. Why the sudden change p>
“A better offer came along, and I couldn’t pass it up. You understand, Mr. Forrester. In business, it’s all about the bottom line p>
A better offer? In the entire Capital, the Forrester Group was at the top of the food chain. Who could be better?
Benjamin’s eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint appearing in their depths. Was it *him* again? “If you don’t mind me asking, Mr. Ford, did the Hawthorne family make you an offer p>
The Hawthornes were an old,
ver
powerful family, easily one of the most influential in The Capital. They kept a low profile, but their wealth was immense. Despite rarely appearing in elite circles, their obscurity was precisely what made Benjamin wary to make matters worse, the Hawthorne heir had, for some unknown reason, snatched several deals from him over the past few years. He’d tried to investigate the family, but every lead had gone cold.
Was it him again?
Marcus didn’t answer, simply taking a slow sip of water. “Mr. Forrester, I never made you a formal promise so this isn’t a case of me bailing on you. I hope you don’t take..it personally W
We may yet have
ve
chance to work together in the future p>
Benjamin’s mood had soured completely. As he left the restaurant, his face was a
thundercloud. Just then, he ran into Jensen, who was walking in.
Jensen was dressed in a dark, bespoke suit, his silver hair catching the light. He exuded an air of refined elegance that didn’t at all match Rebekah’s description of an ordinary man.
Was he more than he seemed? And his surname was Hawthorne… could he be from a minor branch of the family?
Benjamin’s brow furrowed. Even if he was well-connected, he was probably just some rich kid from a second-rate family. Otherwise, why would he be interested in Rebekah?
Feeling raw and wanting to lash out, he sneered at Jensen. “The Victory Chop House is the finest restaurant in The Capital. It’s no place for a country bumpkin like you p>