Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
In the hall of the Douglas family’s main residence, the phone beside Hugo Douglas, who had been anxiously waiting for news, suddenly rang.
“How is it?” Hugo asked impatiently as soon as the call connected.
“Good news! Apart from the Luxe, Heaven Media, and three entertainment joints and bathhouses ordered to cease operations permanently, the other companies are allowed to resume operations. However, we have to pay a large fine…” said a Douglas on the other end of the line.
“That’s good. The fine doesn’t matter. The Douglases can still afford to pay it!” Hugo said in a much more relaxed tone. The tension of his face also eased up.
Although he had lost several lucrative companies, which were pillar businesses of the corporation, it was much better than having the entire Douglas family be wiped out!
As long as they were given some time to operate their businesses, they would slowly recoup their losses sooner or later. At most, they would just change the names of their companies.
Hugo hung up the phone in high spirits. The family members gathered around him immediately looked at him expectantly.
“Has the matter been resolved?”
“There’s hope for our family, right?”
“Has Chris settled everything? Is that person no longer going to pursue the matter?”
Facing their anxious and expectant gazes, Hugo nodded slowly and said with a smile, “Yes, we’ve safely overcome our crisis this time!”
In an instant, the ten-odd Douglases immediately looked relieved, and they praised Chris incessantly.
“Chris is really reliable and capable. He’s only been out for an hour or so, and the matter has already been settled!”
“He’s really worthy of being the next successor. He’s really not bad!”
“Of course. That goes without saying. After all, he has Hugo’s genes. Like father, like son!”
Hugo smiled while listening to them praising Chris, but his heart was gloomy.
In particular, he wanted to sneer when he heard them saying things like Chris was definitely competent because he was his son.
It was because the eldest son, Chris Douglas, whom they were singing praises about, was not actually Hugo Douglas’s biological son but the bastard child from an illicit affair between his wife and another man!
If it weren’t for the fact that Hugo was vying for the position of the patriarch of the family back then and needed a successor to increase his chances, he would never have allowed this bastard child, Chris Douglas, to survive!
Previously, Hugo showered Chris with praises on several occasions in public and even said that he was going to be the successor of the Douglas family, all because he wanted Chris to think that he valued him so as to ensure that he would be devoted to working for the family.
He thought that Chris would finally have a taste of how it felt to pave the way to success for others when he finally handed the family over to his biological son, Gordon Douglas!
Hugo felt that all of that was what Chris and his shameless mother owed him!
At this moment, Chris happened to have just arrived home. As soon as he entered the mansion, he was surrounded by many enthusiastic Douglases, who kept praising him endlessly.
“Chris, the fact that we can overcome the crisis this time is all thanks to you!”
“Yes, if it weren’t for you, how could our family’s crisis be resolved so quickly?”
Chris was stunned. But he soon smiled and said humbly, “Not at all. It’s only right for me to do this for the family. Besides, I also took advantage of our family’s name and prestige to get the matter resolved by fluke. Actually, Dad and all of you are the ones who deserve the credit!”
Hugo patted Chris’s shoulder warm-heartedly. “It’s no wonder you’re my son. Well done!”
Chris hurriedly lowered his head.”It’s all because you taught me well, Dad. It’s all thanks to your glory!”
The two of them looked at each other and smiled, looking like an affectionate pair of father and son.
“Hey, where’s Gordon? Didn’t he come back with you?” Hugo asked when he suddenly noticed that Gordon wasn’t around.
With a glint in his eyes, Chris answered warmly, “I saw that Gordon’s legs were severely injured, and I was scared that his condition might worsen, so I sent him to the hospital. Although his injuries didn’t really hurt his muscles and bones since we were just putting on a show for Lucas Gray, he’s still quite badly injured. So I thought that it’d be better to let Gordon recuperate well in the hospital for a while.”
“Okay, good to hear.” Hugo nodded and left.
However, he had no idea that Chris was staring at him with an icy-cold gaze from behind. Hmph, old fogy, are you thinking of making use of me to bring success to your son? I’ll see how you’re going to play mind games with me when your only biological son and grandson are dead!
After walking to a corner where no one was around, Chris dialed a certain number and made a call. “Okay, those two wastrels can be killed now. But remember to make sure they die in the hospital and don’t leave any evidence behind.”
Gordon and Brad Douglas were both hospitalized because they were seriously injured. The Douglases had just gone through a crisis, so their power had been greatly reduced. They were also all overwrought with overwhelming matters to handle. And they trusted him even more than before as well.
It was the perfect opportunity!
Besides, he could blame the deaths of Brad and Gordon on Lucas.
Not anyone could tolerate having to stoop low and bow to someone else like Chris had done at the Carter Corporation today!
…
The following day, the news of the sudden deaths of both Gordon Douglas and Brad Douglas in the hospital spread like wildfire throughout the county!
The Douglas family was considered a prestigious family in Orange County. And the deaths of the two direct descendants of the family naturally sparked numerous discussions and speculations in the county.
Cheyenne also heard the news, and her expression changed immediately.
When she saw Lucas again, she asked him hesitantly, “Brad Douglas and Gordon Douglas both died in the hospital yesterday. Have you heard about it?”
“What? Both of them died?” Lucas was rather surprised. He went out with Jordan early in the morning and indeed did not know about it.
Cheyenne looked at Lucas for a long time, unsure of what to say.
Lucas suddenly laughed. “Why are you looking at me like that? Do you suspect that I killed them?”
Cheyenne shook her head, well aware that Lucas shouldn’t have done such a thing even though she knew that he was capable of it.
Looking at Lucas worriedly, she said, “In that case… you have to be more careful. Brad Douglas’s death is reportedly due to complications caused by an infected wound, and Jordan… was the one who inflicted it. I’m worried that the Douglases might blame it on you.”
