"Spit it out."

Cedric didn't dare turn around. Keeping his back to the room, he reported.

"There's movement over in Tranquil Meadows. News just broke that Nelson is critically ill. The Madden Group's stocks are already freefalling, and that old jackal from the Porter family couldn't hold back anymore."

Lizetta slipped off Remington's lap, sat on the sofa beside him, and pulled out her phone.

Sure enough, headlines about her grandfather's critical condition dominated the news. There was even a video of a financial reporter cornering Chairman Porter outside the Madden Group headquarters.

Looking devastatingly grief-stricken, Chairman Porter leaned heavily on his two sons as he faced the cameras, forcing a solemn tone.

"Nelson collapsed because his granddaughter had an accident, and the shock was simply too much for him. I am deeply heartbroken..."

"Chairman Porter, as far as the public knows, there is only one Ms. Madden. Are you referring to the mysterious Ms. Madden who only returned to the family half a year ago?"

"Yes. It's truly tragic. That poor girl suffered so much on her own, and just when she finally returned to her family, this happens... Ah, life is so unpredictable."

"Did something happen to Ms. Madden as well? With no heir to take over, what is the future of the Madden Group?"

"There's no need to panic. The Madden Group has grown to a scale where the loss of one individual will not derail the entire enterprise. Anyone familiar with the company knows that while Nelson is the founder, his health has been declining for years. He hasn't been directly involved in daily operations for quite some time. Of course, his collapse will have an impact, I won't deny that, but it is not enough to shake our foundations. As Chairman Porter, I promise the public and our shareholders that with me at the helm, the company will continue to operate flawlessly. I will stabilize the situation and ensure absolutely no one's investments are compromised!"

Lizetta watched the interview, her blood boiling. She let out a sharp, cold laugh.

"The nerve of that man!"

She and her grandfather were perfectly fine, yet Chairman Porter was practically hosting their funerals on live television.

He was even downplaying her grandfather's legacy. Every major move the Madden Group made over the years had been finalized by Nelson.

Yet, according to this old snake, her grandfather was just a figurehead, and it was supposedly his brilliant leadership driving the company Success

It was completely shameless.

"He needs the situation to descend into chaos so he can exploit the panic and seize power. Don't waste your anger on a rat from the gutters. The more openly arrogant and shameless he acts now, the more pathetic and humiliating his downfall will be when he loses everything. Let him enjoy his fantasy for a couple of days This gives your grandfather and Jerome the perfect opportunity to see who in the company is actually loyal and who isn't. It's the perfect chance to exterminate the parasites."

Remington reached out, plucked the phone from Lizetta's hand, and locked the

screen. He refused to let these scumbags ruin her mood.

Lizetta stared at him, her eyes practically shining.

The man raised an eyebrow in silent question. Lizetta reached up, framing his face with her hands, and smiled.

"Wow, look at you. When did you get so good at comforting people?"

She was leaning in close. In her clear, bright eyes, his handsome face was perfectly reflected, as was the only thing left in her entire world.

Remington stared right back into the eyes of the woman entirely captivated by him.

It had been so, so long since she had looked at him like that.

It felt like a completely different lifetime.

Had the girl he lost the one who used to follow him everywhere finally returned to him?

Remington's Adam's apple bobbed. Acting purely on instinct, he pulled her back into his arms, holding her tightly as he whispered against her ear.

"I'm not good at comforting people. I'm only good at comforting you."