Chapter 640

"I don't care if you're in my way, but whoever ordered you should come out and tell me themselves!" she said calmly. Turning, she entered the car.

"Miss... Miss—"

The man stepped forward, attempting to stop them, but Lily's snarl halted him. "Move! You should know better than to stop me!"

Stunned, he retreated. Perhaps her formidable presence, or perhaps simple fear, compelled him. Edward started the car and sped off as soon as Lily and Alexander were inside. Alexander turned to the huffy Lily and offered her candy. "It's not worth being angry over a walk."

"They're just bullying us!" she grumbled.

"Fine!" he coaxed. "Bully them back!"

Lily was speechless. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw the man who had tried to stop them trotting back into the house, presumably to report the incident.

She understood Henry's ambitions, but what did Jonathan want? Was he in league with Henry, or was their alliance merely a selfish arrangement?

A knock sounded on the Lodge family's upstairs room door. "Sir, I couldn't stop Ms. Lily."

"I got it. You can leave!" Jonathan's impatience was evident, but the disciple was fortunate that Jonathan hadn't yet lost his temper. The man quickly retreated. However, the others in the room were less tolerant.

"Uncle Jonathan, what do you mean? Is she fighting for my place?" Henry leaned against the table, his face dark.

The older man, seated in a rattan chair, squinted slightly at the rising sun. "Young man, don't be impatient. You're safe for now. Justin has made me head of the house. He's clearly trying to incite infighting."

Henry extended a hand. "It was agreed that once I gained power, I would distribute one-third of the Lodge family's property to you. Now what? Are you changing your mind now that you're in charge? Are you trying to oust me?"

"You don't have to be so blunt. You know Justin is doing this on purpose. Why can't you relax? He gave it to me, not you, to appease the public. If he'd made you patriarch, could you handle it? Aren't you afraid of objections?"

"Ha! Are you saying you can convince him? Did you forget the old man disinherited you? And I only call you 'uncle' out of respect. Otherwise, how else do you think you became patriarch?" Henry's disdain was palpable. "Also, you promised that girl an explanation in three days. What will you tell her? Are you planning to betray me?" With each sentence, Henry stepped from the shadows toward Jonathan.