Chapter 192

When Nick saw Brenda on the verge of losing control, he felt more depressed. He rubbed his forehead in agony, his voice trembling as he begged, “Please stop torturing me. I can’t take it anymore. I’m under too much pressure, and I’m frustrated too.”

Brenda was taken aback by the pain in Nick’s voice. Her tears stopped instantly as concern flashed across her face. “What’s going on? You became haggard in just a few days. Is something wrong with you?”

It finally dawned on Brenda that something was off with Nick. She remembered how charming he used to be, even as he reached middle age. However, now, he seemed so worn out.

Nick sighed, feeling the weight of his exhaustion and sickness. “Mom, I’m really struggling. The doctor says I might have Alzheimer’s disease. I’m too young for this, right?”

His mind was clouded with confusion. He thought, ‘Why me? Why isn’t it Wendy? She once complained that she couldn't swallow, yet in the end, she is as healthy as ever, while I have to face this illness. Is this karma?’

Brenda’s shock hit her like a punch to the gut. “What? Alzheimer’s disease? I’m older than you and I’m still clear-headed. How can you have that disease?” In a panic, she grabbed her phone to call Wendy.

However, when Brenda looked up, she was surprised to see Wendy standing not far away.

Furious, Brenda stormed over to her, pointing an accusing finger. “As his wife, you’re out running around every day while he is sick. You’re supposed to stay at home, support your husband, and take care of the family. Are you trying to kill him?”

Wendy responded calmly to the accusation. “Let me explain. Before I came back, I went to pick up Nick’s test results. His blood pressure and cholesterol are a bit high, but with some attention to his diet and exercise, there shouldn’t be any major issues.

“As for Alzheimer’s disease, the doctor just said there’s a potential risk, but it’s not confirmed.

“Don’t worry, Nick has been facing some challenges at work recently, and you know he always tends to avoid problems. As his wife, it’s my responsibility to handle some of these practical matters so the family’s well-being isn’t affected.

“He keeps running from the company issues. If I don’t step in, are we really just supposed to sit back and watch our family fall apart?” Wendy’s words left Brenda stunned. She hadn’t expected her to respond this way.

Brenda was taken aback by Wendy’s response, forgetting her earlier anger. She knew better than anyone what kind of person Nick was. Over the years, he had become somewhat dependent, but Wendy’s resilience and independence had also given Brenda hope for the family’s future.

She nodded silently, acknowledging Wendy’s point. “But as his wife, you can’t just disappear for days. Since I came here, you’ve hardly been around. Are you not happy to see me?”

Wendy feigned a look of sadness. “I’m dealing with the company issues every day. Nick is sick, Jason is in trouble, and Vance insists on marrying some woman with a bad reputation. I’m stretched thin already!

“If I’m here taking care of you, who’s going to make money? The company is drowning in debt, and we’ve lost several partnerships. Our whole family won’t even be able to make ends meet.”

Lately, Wendy’s plan was moving forward little by little. She wanted Nick and Jennifer to voluntarily leave the house. She had already managed to get Vance kicked out, so dealing with Jennifer wasn’t necessary anymore.

However, Vance was just so stupid. He had even gone as far as to edit photos to slander Jennifer.

Wendy had been manipulated by this family before, and she didn’t think much of these dirty tactics. However, now, after waking up to the truth, she realized just how malicious Vance’s actions had been.

The more Wendy thought about it, the angrier she became. She walked over to Nick, who was looking miserable. “It was bad enough that you cheated at my house, and now you’re using your illness as an excuse and refusing to go to the office.

“Your company is about to collapse. Just look at your test results. The doctor said aside from some minor health issues, there’s nothing wrong with you. Is it that you don’t want to give your parents that 30 thousand dollars?”

Nick froze, his eyes shifting uncomfortably as he avoided Wendy’s gaze. “That’s not true.”

“Really?” Wendy shot back. “I was just outside and heard everything. Didn’t I transfer 30 thousand dollars to your account? I’ve been busy, and I asked you to give that money to your parents, but you never did.

“They gave birth to you, Nick. I’ve treated them like my own over the years and no matter how tough the company gets, I send 30 thousand dollars to them every month. Do the math–how much has that been over the years?

“I give it to you, and you should be giving it to Brenda. How can you let her misunderstand my intentions? You’re her son, how can you do something that would hurt her?”

Nick froze for a moment. He remembered that Wendy had given him 30 thousand dollars a few days ago, asking him to give it to his parents. However, he had completely forgotten and ended up giving the money to Jennifer’s mother instead.

“Uh… I forgot. I’ll give the money to Mom tomorrow,” he stammered.

Brenda looked at Nick, frowning. She didn’t believe that he could forget about such a thing. She suddenly felt that he wasn’t as considerate toward her as he used to be.

She said, “I’m used to getting the money every month, Nick. Without it, I can’t do anything. Tomorrow, you must give it to me.”

Nick sighed, frustrated. “Alright, Mom, I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

With that, Brenda was satisfied and went to rest.

As Wendy turned to leave, Nick asked, “Where are you going?”

Wendy turned around and looked at him with a sneer. “You don’t really think I want to stay in this house, do you? Do you already forget what happened at Mr. Wayne’s banquet?

“Don’t be greedy. Think about your current situation and don’t make things worse for everyone. You don’t want to end up with no way out.”

Wendy couldn’t hold back any longer. “You’re no longer the man you used to be!”

Nick’s gaze turned sharp and furious as he glared at Wendy. “I was set up by Natalie!”

Wendy said, “You explained everything clearly that day. Why are you constantly blaming Natalie? Is it because you think she’s an easy target?”

“No, Wendy, she’s our daughter too, but she schemed against me,” he said.

“Stop making excuses, Nick! Lucky for you, I don’t even acknowledge that woman, but if I did, I’d seriously wonder if you two were having an affair!” Wendy scoffed.

She thought, ‘Nick loves stirring up trouble, doesn’t he? Well, I will turn the tables on him. Brenda cares more about money than her own life, and this could be a perfect way to deal with her and Nick.’

Wendy said, “I’ll be staying at the office for the time being, so you’ll have to take care of things with your parents.

“By the way, a few projects have been stolen from your company recently. You’ve got to leave others with some room to breathe. Otherwise, you’ll be the one getting played next.”