"I am afraid that my dream will come true, Mommy. I am scared that you and Daddy will really… I would rather treat it as a precognitive dream to make sure everyone is safe than think of it as a mere dream."
Hearing that, Charlotte asked, "But have you ever considered that Kelly would do as she did in your dream exactly because you let your dream break you two apart?"
It wasn't as though Kendall could just tell Charlotte that it was something that had happened in her past life, so the former could only use the words Dylan had said before. "Mommy, Kelly and I will eventually fall out as long as I am you and Daddy's biological daughter. She will still come for my neck even if I don't go for hers."
Charlotte fell silent at that.
She and Adam had trained Kelly to become the Parker Corporation's successor. Kelly might look gentle and polite on the surface but she was, in fact, an ambitious woman.
Thinking that everything Parker-related would eventually fall in her hands, Kelly had been working hard at bettering herself. She had always been driven by the motivation to grow the Parker Corporation, and having it listed as one of the richest companies there was.
However, her plans had been thrown off course when it was revealed that she was the child of a couple from a rural village. She wasn't at all related to the Parkers by blood.
It only made sense that this wasn't a reality Kelly could accept.
Knowing that Kendall was the one who was going to take everything from her only made things worse.
And on top of that, Kelly and Jackson actually…
Kendall said that the two of them were together behind her back in her dream. They even had a lovechild together. Not only that, they eventually ended up causing the deaths of Adam, Charlotte, and Kendall's child…
Charlotte's face had turned pale after she listened to her daughter.
No one could possibly have dreams where every detail was connected. Instead of a dream, it was more like a memoir being played, where every scene was causing fear to arise within Charlotte.
It was no wonder Kendall would make such a decision after she had the dream.
"Don't worry, Mommy," Kendall consoled Charlotte. "I will work hard at getting stronger so that I can protect you and Daddy. I will not let the dream become a reality."
Charlotte then replied in a firm tone, "You're right, Kendall. It is better to think of it as a precognitive dream than just brushing it off. You don't have to worry. I will always be on your side no matter what may happen."
"Thank you, Mommy."
Unbeknownst to them, a small accident had occurred at Whittle Holdings while they were having their heart-to-heart talk.
The company's president, Tom Whittle, who happened to be Jackson's father, was on the way out of his office with Jackson beside him when he reminded his own secretary, "Bring all the documents. Let's not make President Dunhill wait for too long."
He had gone through lengths to secure a lunch with President Dunhill in order to discuss a new project they were supposed to collaborate on. It was a lunch appointment that was extremely important to Tom.
The secretary had checked it again and again before, and she was confident that nothing was left behind. "The documents are all ready, President Whittle," she said.
Hearing that, he let out a hum as he nodded before he walked toward the elevator with his son and secretary in tow.
Ring! Ring!
The secretary's phone began to ring.
She took a look at the phone screen, and informed Tom, "I have gotten a call from President Dunhill's secretary."
"Pick it up, quickly!" he urged, in which the secretary dutifully did.
Her face soon fell as she listened to what the other end of the call had to say. After the call ended, she turned to Tom and said, "President Whittle, President Dunhill's secretary has just informed me that we don't have to head to the appointment anymore. President Dunhill has already discussed and signed a contract for a collaboration with Master Dylan."
"What?!" Tom roared with his eyes widened. He even started doubting his own ears.
Jackson's face had turned sour as well. "Did President Dunhill's secretary really say that?" he urgently questioned. "But he looked like he was looking forward to our appointment! He was even showing positive reactions to our collaboration. Why did he suddenly turn to Master Dylan and even sign a contract with him?"
They were surprisingly fast in finalizing the contract.
"Vice President Whittle, that was all President Dunhill's secretary told me. She didn't tell me the reason. She only told me that we no longer have to go to the appointment. After that, she hung up."
The one who took the business opportunity Whittle Holdings was looking forward to was Dylan Coleman, the god of Orapolis' business world himself. Hence, there was nothing the Whittles could do even if they were angry about it.
The Whittle Holdings didn't stand a chance against the Coleman Empire Holdings in terms of ability alone.
What Tom and Jackson couldn't make sense of was how despite not having history of a close partnership with the Coleman Empire Holdings before, they were, in one way or another, acquaintances. The Whittles had always acted carefully around the Colemans. Even if they weren't friends, the Whittles took caution to not offend the Colemans in any way.
For Dylan to rob the Whittles of what was supposed to be theirs… Could this be a sign the Coleman Empire Holdings was making an enemy out of the Whittle Holdings?
"Jackson, follow me into my office." Tom grunted with a sour face as he turned around to re-enter his office.
"Ms. Zetta, hurry up and try to find out if Master Dylan did this on purpose."
Hearing that, the secretary, Dina Zetta, nodded. It was only then that Jackson turned around and hurried after his father.
As soon as they were alone in the office, Tom looked at Jackson and questioned, "Be honest with me, Jackson—did you do something to offend Master Dylan?"
Jackson immediately protested, "I wouldn't dare do that, Father! I always show my respect to him like he was the King when I see him. I can't even wait to kiss his *ss. Why would I ever offend him? Even if I was bored and sick of my life, I wouldn't do something that would harm our family name."
"Remember that you recently went to the Coleman Mansion because of Kendall Parker? Who else but you would make trouble for our company?!"
Hearing that, he let out a hum as he nodded before he walked toward the elevator with his son and secretary in tow.
Jackson started recalling the time he had met Dylan, and he said with confidence, "I can assure you that it wasn't me, Father. I really didn't get on his nerves or anything. Master Dylan even told me that he will come to Kendall and my engagement banquet when the time comes."
Ring! Ring!
The intercom began to make noise.
Hence, Tom had to momentarily stop scolding his son as he picked up the phone.
Jackson only looked on as his father wordlessly listened to the unknown caller speak. Thereafter, Tom slammed the phone on the table, and even went as far as to tear out the cable connecting to the phone.
Jackson knew in that instant that something had gone terribly wrong.
"Father, what is it?!" he worriedly asked.
Tom suddenly turned toward Jackson and glared at him. "Jackson Whittle, you'd better fess up! What the hell did you do when you were at the Coleman Mansion?! Manager Sho who manages business relations for our company has just told me that a Secretary Miller from the Coleman Empire Holdings has informed him about wanting to cut all business ties with Whittle Holdings!"
Toddy Heller was Dylan's general secretary, which also made him Dylan's right-hand man. There were tons of people who wanted to secure a collaboration with Coleman Holdings by going through a man of his position. However, Toddy was no unloyal pushover. No one had ever succeeded at bribing or getting on his good side.
He was someone who was as unmoving as a mountain in terms of loyalty for Dylan.
Jackson hadn't even mustered a reply when Dina knocked on the door again.
"President Whittle, I have gotten wind that—"
Thinking that things must have taken a turn for the better, Jackson urged her to say what she found out. "What is it? Tell us!"
She gingerly peeked at Tom and muttered, "President Whittle, there are rumors going around about how we have offended the Colemans."
His face immediately fell, and he snapped, "What groundless allegations! Tell the Public Relations Department to clear up the air. And find out who started the d*mn rumor! I will sue them until they have nothing left!"
The rumors started going around when the Coleman Empire Holdings had cut ties with the Whittle Holdings right after the Colemans had signed a contract with Dylan. There were only two possibilities to this—it was either the Colemans who were trying to ruin them, or that there was a third party who was interfering in the Coleman Empire Holdings' name.
The Whittle Holdings had a lot of partners they worked together with which were not close to the Colemans. Still, having a rumor like this out in the public could only be damaging for the Whittles.
Those business partners of his were timid people who were afraid of being burned by the fire. In order to save themselves, they would cease collaboration with the Whittle Holdings, and that would in turn cause the Whittles damage.
The Coleman Empire Holdings were so influential in Orapolis that no one other than the Mendelson Group and Zorn Holdings could ever bear the consequences rumors like this brought about.
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