Chapter 32
Vidonia slammed her fork down and quipped, “What, you again? Is being a home wrecker these days something to be proud of?”
“Please, I’m the future Mrs. Ramirez. Just show me some respect!”
While saying this, Shela lifted her chin towards Letitia, “Did you like my gift for you last night?”
“You are shameless.”
Shela laughed triumphantly, “Just a little warning. Be nicer to me from now on, got it, Letitia?”
Letitia didn’t want to engage with her, “Vidonia, let’s go.”
“Sure. There’s a yapping dog here killing my appetite.” Vidonia chimed in.
Shela casually flipped her hair to flash her emerald bracelet at Letitia and quickly covered it again with her sleeve, “Don’t even dream of outshining me in this lifetime, Letitia.”
Sure enough, Letitia faltered at the sight, The bracelet…”
“Mr. Ramirez gave it to me, Shela boasted. “He bought it and gave it straight to me. You think you’d ever get your hands
on it?”
Letitia felt a pang but swallowed it, “Now that you’re its owner, treat it well.”
“It’s my emerald bracelet; I’ll do whatever I please with it, and even if I broke it… Mr. Ramirez wouldn’t blame me!”
Vidonia gave her a dismissive look, Are you leaving or not? I’m calling security. We have rules about outsiders lingering!”
“You…”
“Three, two, one, security…
“I’m going!” Shela stomped her foot and huffed off. As she passed Letitia, she made sure to give her bracelet another showy shake before strutting away.
Truth was the emerald bracelet wasn’t even in Shela’s possession. It was locked up tight in the Ivory Towers’ safe by Elgin. But Shela couldn’t stand it, so she bought a fake one just to get a rise out of Letitia!
Seeing Letitia upset made her day.
“Vidonia, I’m sorry,” Letitia apologized in the hallway. “You had to put up with this because of me.”
Vidonia, rich and fiery, wasn’t one to take any nonsense.
‘Aren’t you pissed? Vidonia shot back. “You, Letitia, were once the Sanders family’s princess, the most popular girl at
school. And now?”
“Now… just being alive isn’t too bad, Letitia said, eyes downcast
“What exactly happened to you? Will you tell me?”
After a few seconds of silence, Letitia nodded and recounted her ordeal, leaving Vidonia red-eyed.
“It’s okay, it’s all in the past, Letitia said, cleaning her tears. “Look, I’m still here in one piece.”
Just then, Samson emerged from the elevator and was baffled by the scene.
“What’s going on? Who made the tough cookie cry?”
“It was me,” Letitia said helplessly. “Mr. Stewart, she’s all yours. I’ve got designs to work on.”
“Hey, hey, hey… I’m no good at comforting women!” Samson was at a loss, looking at Vidonia.
Witnessing this woman, usually far stronger than him, suddenly reduced to tears was quite unsettling.
don’t cry, Samson said awkwardly, rubbing his hands together. “You’re acting like a crybaby
on
hapter 32
“Get lost, Samson’
“Okay, okay, got it. How about I tell you a secret?”
Vidonja sniffled, “What?”
“About Gin and Letitia,” Samson said, eager to share, “I’ve got the full scoop, took me a ton of effort!”
“No need.”
That feeling of holding a secret with no chance to spill it… it was too suffocating!
“Why not?” Samson was bursting to tell.
“Letitia just told me,” Vidonia sneered, “All men are no good!”
Samson immediately waved his hands. “Not all men are jerks like Gin.”
“True, there are good men out there. But you, Samson, are definitely not one of them.”
Samson put on a hurt face
Vidonia huffed, “You and Mr. Ramirez are so tight, you are probably same kinds: jerks!”
After one more stomp on his foot for good measure, Vidonia stormed off.
Samson protested, “I’m innocent!
He wasn’t a jerk! Gin had screwed him over!
In the CEO’s office, Elgin looked towards the door, “Grandfather.”
Hawley, leaning on a cane with Phedra supporting him, said, “Just passing by to see you. This morning… I watched ‘Ramirez Romantica’s launch. Elgin, you have a head for business. I believe it will become another pillar for the Ramirez Group.”
“Of course, I’ll manage it well and lead the Ramirez Group to even greater glory.”
“Sure, but it’s quite the load on just you alone. You must be tired.”
Elgin smiled slyly, “Grandfather, there’s more to what you’re saying.”
“Since you caught on, I’ll be blunt,” Hawley said, looking at him, “your brother will soon graduate and return. You can
hand ‘Ramirez Romantica’ over to him.”
“That’s not happening.” Elgin rejected the idea without a second thought. A half-brother from a different mother? Not even a chance!
He was just Phedra’s cash cow, her precious boy!
As expected, Phedra panicked at his firm refusal, “Elgin, you must give your brother a chance to show his abilities.”
“He doesn’t have the skills to manage Ramirez Romantica.”
“If you don’t give him a chance, how will you know whether he’s capable or not?”
“Don’t you know what your own kid is like?” Elgin’s face darkened with a chill. “He’s nothing more than a layabout, only knowing how to enjoy himself.!”
Phedra couldn’t win the argument and had to turn to Hawley for help, “What am I supposed to do now?”
‘Let’s talk this through, Elgin, don’t just shoot it down,” Hawley chimed in, “We’re all family after all, you shouldn’t hurt your family’s feelings.”
The old man wasn’t getting any younger and he longed for family harmony, with kids and grandkids crowding around him. His son had passed, but thankfully he had two grandsons left.
Especially Elgin, with his exceptional abilities and natural leadership, he was a source of great pride.
“No Elgin was adamant, “Whether he’s looking to ride on coattails for some glory or stick his fingers in the company
se it’s not happening!”
Chapter $2
Phedra retorted, “So, everything about the Ramirez family has got to be clutched in your fist?”
“Yes. Unless you’ve got the chops to snatch it away.” Elgin gave her a frosty glance.
it was both his warning and his declaration of battle. He was crystal clear about Phedra’s sneaky little games behind the
scenes!
She was trying to get Raizel hitched to him, slipping poison into the soup she sent over every day…
“Alright, Hawley intervened, “Elgin, there’s another thing I came to talk about today. Your marriage with Letitia, it’s done whether you like it or not, and it’s time to so something.”
“What do you mean?”
“Carrying on the family line, of course! You’re twenty-six, it’s time to have a kid!”
Elgin frowned. Having Letitia to bear his child? Not in a million years!
