His Last Command Came Back to Kill Him novel Chapter 138

Whitley took a deep breath.

This was a calculated move to back them into a corner and leave them for dead.

She gently pressed her lips together. "Then we reach out to international manufacturers. As long as we can get the product made, we’ll figure out the rest of the path eventually."

Josiah agreed.

Outsourcing production overseas would cause their costs to skyrocket, but at this point, they were completely out of options.

They couldn't stop Clive from throwing his entire empire behind Yelena. The only thing they could do in this desperate situation was focus on their own work.

The third anniversary of Shamar’s passing was fast approaching. Whitley juggled her research projects while painstakingly finalizing the details of the memorial.

During that time, she managed to contact several overseas factories and finally found a production line that met their rigorous standards. At the very least, their project wouldn’t die before it even saw the light of day.

Bonnie called to check in on the memorial preparations, repeatedly double-checking the details, terrified she might have missed something.

Whitley assured her everything was moving smoothly, which finally put the matriarch's mind at ease.

After hanging up, Bonnie sat in her recliner, gazing at an old photograph of Shamar on the table. She gently traced the edge of the frame, her voice turning slightly raspy. "In the blink of an eye, it's been three years."

Memories flashed through her mind, and she let out a soft sigh.

"Please watch over Whitley and Clive. Those two kids have been so at odds with each other lately."

-

The memorial for Shamar's third anniversary was held at the Nash family estate.

In previous years, they had kept it simple with a visit to the cemetery. But because the third anniversary held significant cultural weight, the family planned to hold a formal service at the house before heading to the gravesite.

Uncle Javier had left the hospital specifically for the occasion. Dressed in a stark black suit, he looked pale and gaunt. The vibrant, imposing man he once was had vanished completely.

Whitley's nose stung as she looked at him.

Javier had fallen seriously ill, and his body was rapidly failing him.

The relentless torture of sickness had ravaged him in just a few short years, rendering him completely unrecognizable.

Aunt Goldie held onto his arm, guiding his every step with extreme care.

When Javier saw Whitley arrive alone, his eyes darted behind her, scanning the room. Not seeing Clive, his expression instantly hardened.

"Where is Clive?" Javier’s voice dropped in pitch. "I could let it slide on a normal year, but it's the third anniversary. He still won't show his face?"

"I'm here, I'm here." Bonnie handed the items to Whitley. "These are all the things your grandfather used to love. I had them specially prepared. He’ll be thrilled to see them."

Josiah and Goldie stepped forward to greet her. They exchanged polite pleasantries, but Javier’s eyes kept drifting toward the door, glaringly obvious that he was waiting for Clive.

Bonnie caught his look and quickly tried to soothe the tension. "Don't worry, Clive will be here shortly. I made sure to remind him this morning."

Javier let out a cold snort, his face remaining stormy.

For a grandson-in-law to act so dismissively on such an important day was an absolute insult.

Terrified the atmosphere would turn completely hostile, Goldie quickly intervened. "Let's get the altar arranged. I'm sure he'll be here soon."

Everyone got to work—setting out the fruit platters, arranging the joss paper, and organizing the incense and candles.

Whitley crouched on the floor, meticulously placing each item, while a dull, suffocating ache pulsed through her chest.

The hidden pain from her chemo treatments kept flaring up, forcing her to grit her teeth just to keep moving.

Bonnie walked over to her and whispered, "Whitley, give Clive a call. See where he is."

Whitley's fingers paused. She lowered her eyes. "If he's busy, he really doesn't need to come."