Loving The Better Brother novel Chapter 54

Chapter 54 Battle Of Sons

WILLOW

“What happened?” I asked before I could stop myself.

Every single head turned toward me at that moment.

I cleared my throat, suddenly aware that perhaps I should have stayed quiet.

“You’re really asking that?” Cara asked with a raised brow and a teasing smile.

Folned

“Oh, I will be happy to tell the story,” Edmund Hale said with a small smile, causing Cara’s smile to fall.

“Dad,” Theodore Hale tried to interrupt, his voice strained.

But Edmund lifted a hand without even looking at him.

“No, no. Let her hear it. It is important to know the history of the table you are sitting at.”

#

I folded my hands neatly on my lap, ignoring the way Marcus stiffened in his seat.

“He disrespected old William’s lover when we had an incoming deal with them,” Edmund began casually. “And just like that, boom.”

He snapped his fingers.

“It was even before the Dahlia bag was released and their global expansion. It was such a huge waste because I was the one who saw potential in that company.”

I frowned.

Lover?

That word echoed louder than the rest.

For a brief second, my thoughts spiraled somewhere I did not expect them to. I never met my mother. I never even knew her name. My father died before I could ask any questions.

I forced myself back to the present.

Edmund continued speaking.

“He blew the whole deal, and Fiorane never wanted to work with us again,” he said, shaking his head. “William was furious back then, and my foolish son couldn’t even apologize.”

Theodore’s face had gone pale.

“I apologized.” he muttered.

“You apologized after you questioned her presence in the room,” Edmund corrected sharply, “After you implied she had no business sitting beside William during negotiations.

1:02 pm PMM

Chapter 54 Battle Of Sons

Finished

“He said something about how business should not be influenced by personal attachments,” Edmund went on. “He implied that emotions clouded judgment.”

“And then?” Sara prompted, wide–eyed.

“And then,” Edmund said, leaning back, “William stood up, ended the meeting, and told us that if we could not respect the woman beside him, then we could not respect his company.”

Silence swallowed the room.

I stared at my plate, though I could no longer taste the steak.

The image formed in my mind without permission.

“He valued loyalty above profit,” Edmund added quietly. “That is why Fiorane grew the way it did.”

Theodore’s voice was low. “It was a mistake.”

“It was arrogance,” Edmund corrected.

I felt something strange settle in my chest.

“Still.” Edmund continued, “I gave my son the company because he is my only child, and I did not want to carry the burden any longer. I should not have, perhaps.”

Theodore flinched.

“However, it didn’t go all wrong. At least, Theodore married a good wife, although she died too soon.”

“I was glad to have my competent grandson step in,” Edmund added, nodding toward Tristan.

I glanced at Marcus. His expression darkened instantly. So this was what he had been dealing with.

I would have felt sympathy–if he had not spent the last few months weaponizing his incapabilities.

run it,” Edmund went on bluntly. “I want Theodore to give the company to Tristan if he cannot

Theodore looked genuinely ashamed now.

“However, I understand he has two children who want to succeed to the shares,” Edmund continued. “It is not simple.”

“It is bad to divide shares equally,” Edmund continued. “It makes a company unstable. I told him to give it to one son and have the other serve as support. Clear hierarchy. Clear direction.”

Tristan remained composed, but his fingers stilled completely.

“But they do not want that to be easy,” Edmund added.

“What’s going to happen then?” I asked quietly.

“That is why I gave them a mission.”

1:02 pm PMM.

Chapter 54 Battle Of Sons

Fwished

A cold ripple ran down my spine.

“A mission?” I echoed.

“Yes,” he said simply. “Whoever signs with Fiorane again will have controlling shares of Hale Enterprises.”

For a second, I was certain I had misheard.

Their fates were hinged on Fiorane, and in the end, on me.

My fingers tightened around my napkin beneath the table.

Fuck

Was that what this was?

Marcus suddenly leaned forward, cutting off my thoughts.

“I have a meeting with them this week,” he announced, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Theodore’s entire face lit up with relief.

“That is excellent,” he said immediately. “See? We’re getting some progress, Dad, and it’s because of Marcus.”

Edmund did not smile. Instead, he turned slowly toward Tristan.

“And you?”

I frowned slightly.

Did Tristan not already have shares?

I knew he already did. But the way Edmund was looking at him suggested he also didn’t know.

A look of amusement passed through his eyes, and then his gaze landed on me.

It was only for a second before he looked back at Edmund.

“I do not have any progress just yet,” he said evenly.

I frowned. He was really keeping up with this narrative? I looked at him and found that he was looking at me again.

“Getting to Fioranc and gaining their trust is harder than it looks,” he continued. He took a sip from his wine glass, then looked Marcus in the eyes this time.

“Just because one has a meeting with them does not mean that you’ll sign with the right away

Then he turned to me again.

“Right, Willow?”

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