Chapter 1996
Nonetheless, love was one thing.
What if that love was misplaced? What if all these years of nurturing and investment had been wasted on the wrong person?
Scarlett wondered if Maurice could handle that kind of heart-wrenching pain. Fortunately, everything was still hidden beneath the surface, and no matter how one looked at it, Joe appeared to be a true Driscoll. Otherwise, he could not have inherited such excellent family genes.
This was how Scarlett comforted and reassured herself. After saying goodbye to Maurice, she got in the car and headed to Driscoll Corporation, where she had always held absolute power over the family’s business operations.
Franklin was already waiting in the car, having finally changed out of his robes into casual clothing.
When Scarlett got in, he immediately bowed respectfully and said, “Praise the Eternal Eclipse, Ms. Driscoll!”
Scarlett remained expressionless. “Mr. Gurney, since you’ve left the monastery, there’s no need for that act anymore. That casual outfit you’re wearing looks pretty expensive.”
Franklin chuckled. “It does look quite nice, doesn’t it?”
As he laughed, he smoothed down his clothes with satisfaction.
Scarlett’s mouth twitched as she felt disgusted by what she saw. One look at the clothes, and she could tell they had been bought by Mia.
Why was she buying fine clothes for her former lover in front of the entire Driscoll family?
She felt stifled but did not dare say it aloud. After all, Mia was not just any woman. For now, she was still Maurice’s wife. Speaking against her would be insubordination, and the consequences would not be worth it.
Still, the fact that Mia was so close to Franklin, completely ignoring the family’s pride, made Scarlett think she really was a shameless bitch.
“Mr. Gurney, you’re recognized as the number one martial master in Gabo Creek,” Scarlett said, steering the conversation back to business. “With your skill, what are the odds of you taking Andrew down?”
Franklin’s expression grew serious. “Over 80%. Originally, it would have been 100%. But this kid’s martial talent is exceptional. He’s not a martial saint, yet he can unleash the same level of power and has high-level techniques to back it up. In that way, he’s a lot like Victoria. So, I’d say I’m 80% sure.”
Scarlett smiled. “That’s as good as a sure kill. That’s good enough.”
Franklin narrowed his eyes. “As a monk, I shouldn’t take life lightly. But this man has committed too many crimes, and heaven itself would not tolerate him. I have no choice but to rid the world of him for the greater good.”
Scarlett did not respond, though inwardly she was full of contempt. He was the worst kind of hypocrite, pretending to be a righteous monk while living like a shameless fraud. She knew the real reason Franklin had agreed to act was fear.
He feared that Andrew was growing too strong, too quickly, and might come for him later.
For all his strength, Franklin was still alone. If it came to a real fight, there was a chance Andrew could surprise him. That was why Franklin wanted to eliminate him early, cutting him down while he was still within reach.
Scarlett said, “Alright, then we’ll wait for him at Driscoll Corporation. This time, I’m going to wipe away my past humiliation.”
She gave the order, and the convoy set off in a flashy show, ensuring Andrew would hear about it.
In the backseat, Franklin closed his eyes to test himself, bringing himself to peak condition for the fight ahead. He was not quite at his former glory, but he was close.
Back then, his opponent had been Victoria, not Andrew. Yet, even that freakishly resilient woman could not kill him. Without her at Andrew’s side, Franklin, once the number one martial artist in the region, was certain that killing a junior like Andrew would be more than doable.
Chapter 1997