Chapter 292
Aubree had been in high spirits lately as GrabCheap’s development had exceeded expectations. When Ronald called, she was even amused enough to humor his nonsense for a while.
“Mr. Wilson, you’ve got it wrong. Everyone knows I’m an orphan now. Where exactly did the ‘father’ of mine come from?"
“I know you have a habit of taking people under your wing, Mr. Wilson, but you can’t just expect everyone to call you ‘Dad,’ can you?” Aubree quipped.
That was a thinly veiled jab at Ronald.
Ronald felt a pang in his chest. Lately, he and Bryan had been swamped with the East District Project, which had slowed down their investigation into the past. But he’d just uncovered a disturbing truth: Alice had never wanted to marry him; her family had forced her into it against her will.
His relationship with Alice was nowhere near what it once was. Though neither spoke of it, they were merely going through the motions, a couple in name only.
“Aubree, I didn’t call to argue about these things today,” Ronald said, bone-weary. Carmen had been a plague, tearing apart what was once his happy home.
“Whatever,” Aubree replied dismissively.
Ronald fought the urge to scream in frustration and offered some fatherly advice. “Aubree, about that e-commerce platform you’ve been working on: listen to me and quit while you’re ahead.”
Aubree arched an eyebrow. “Done with Playzy already? Now you’ve set your sights on my GrabCheap? Wanna give it a shot?”
Her words made Ronald painfully aware of his past actions, stirring up guilt and unease within him. ‘Maybe I deserve that,’ he admitted to himself, ‘but I truly want what’s best for her this time!’
“Aubree, you’re too young to get it. E-commerce is a sinking ship these days. You haven’t even made back what you put in, have you? There are so many other things you could do, so why insist on this? Bree Technology’s fortune alone could sustain you for a lifetime. Don’t go gambling away everything you have now.”
With fatherly concern, Ronald pressed on. “Aubree, is Bowen the one behind this project of yours?
“He’s no saint! Did he give you free rein to do this? The market in Südlichen Strand isn’t easy to crack. Is it him helping you behind the scenes?”
Ronald still had sharp business instincts. It wasn’t hard for him to figure out who was pulling the strings behind GrabCheap’s rapid rise. But it only fueled his fury at Bowen’s utter lack of decency. ‘To scheme so meticulously against a mere teenager,’ he thought, ‘how utterly ruthless!’
Meanwhile, Aubree was utterly convinced that Ronald must have completely lost his mind.
‘What’s my relationship with Ronald? And what about Bowen?’ Aubree thought. ‘How brain-dead would I have to be to trust my sworn enemy, only to stab Bowen, the very person who’s been paving the way for me all along?’
“Anything else?” Aubree replied coldly.
Ronald was momentarily stunned into silence. He knew Aubree wasn’t foolish. Even with her prejudice against him, she should at least reconsider his words.
A bitter ache surged in his heart. ‘How could I, her father, mean less than some outsider?’ Ronald thought.
Aubree ignored him. “Ronald,” she declared, her voice laced with cold defiance, “just watch. Watch me rise, step by step, and then watch as I drag you down, piece by piece.”
After hanging up, Ronald gasped for breath and collapsed onto the sofa, staring blankly around him. Once, the place had been filled with the thoughtful advice of his gentle, devoted wife, his mischievous daughter bouncing on his knee, and the pride he felt for his son, whom he often praised. Now, looking at the emptiness around him, it seemed he had nothing left.
It wasn’t just Ronald. Many other companies and investors were eagerly waiting to see Aubree overreach and embarrass herself.
On the surface, GrabCheap’s numbers looked impressive right now, but at the end of the day, turning a profit was what mattered. Aubree hadn’t even recouped her initial investment yet, had she?
Knowing the market was already oversaturated, yet she still insisted on forcing her way in. What kind of idiot did that?