Chapter 1105

"There's no secret! I was trying to trick her, but you believed me!" he bellowed, turning and slamming his door shut.

Celine, upset by his outburst, pursed her lips. "Why are you so angry?" She glanced at her phone, still warm from his grasp, and quietly noted Heather's number. Perhaps she could learn something.

Turning, she saw her mother standing at the end of the corridor, observing them silently. Startled, Celine approached Margaret.

"Mom," she called.

"What were you two arguing about?" Margaret asked, having overheard the quarrel but not the specifics.

"Nothing. He took my phone and made a call. Mom, are Ralph and...Heather all right?" Celine asked tentatively. Ralph's demeanor suggested their relationship was strained. While not ideal before, due to Heather's volatile temper, it had at least appeared harmonious. Now, it seemed to be crumbling.

This surprised Margaret. "What's the matter?"

"It's nothing. I just think they're breaking up. Heather seems to have blocked his number, so he tried using mine to call her." Celine’s guess was based on overheard snippets from outside the door; the argument was indistinct.

"That's impossible!" Margaret exclaimed, stunned. "Ralph told me two days ago they had reached a cooperative agreement."

"A cooperative agreement?" Celine questioned, instantly alert.

Margaret realized her slip. She alone knew about the secret handbook exchange between Ralph and Heather.

Knowing she couldn't afford to be careless, she continued the charade. "As I said, Ralph will gain a share in the Riggs family upon marrying Heather, becoming officially part of the Riggs Group."

"And Heather agreed?" Celine raised an eyebrow skeptically. She found it inconceivable unless Heather was irrational. While Celine didn't understand Heather's motivation for marrying Ralph, she knew one existed. For business reasons, Alexander would have been a far better choice; Ralph's Russell family holdings paled in comparison to Alexander's, even to those of some major shareholders. Celine couldn't fathom Heather's attraction to her younger brother, certain it wasn't love. Margaret's mention of a cooperative agreement only deepened the mystery. What cooperative agreement was she referring to?

"Of course she did. Why wouldn't she? They both benefit. You shouldn't underestimate your brother. He may be a bit of a slacker, but he's not unconcerned about the company," Margaret sighed. "It's just…"

"It's just that he's not—"

"All right!" Margaret quickly interrupted. "Don't worry about it. Whatever happens, it's not the outcome I want."

Margaret was perplexed. She’d been agonizing over this for days, to no avail, the uncertainty keeping her awake at night. The thought of the upcoming Saturday sent a sharp pang through her head.

Seeing Margaret's reluctance to continue, Celine ceased questioning, her lips pressing into a thin line. She remained unconvinced. "Mom, are you saying...are you saying you've seen the DNA report?"

"Stop worrying. I know what to do," Margaret replied lightly.