Rising From Betrayal Reborn As The Family Outcast novel Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Kevin was taken aback.

Did Dad forget about Mom? Kevin thought to himself.

He still remembered her-the gentle, patient, and strong woman who had always been there for them.

Suddenly, it hit him just how long it had been since he’d thought about her.

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He didn’t mind his dad getting a new wife, but if that woman ever tried to take his mom’s place, he couldn’t help but feel bothered

Is that why Ally hates Nicole and her mom so much? Kevin wondered.

Over the years, the way they felt about Mavis had gone from pushing her away to finally accepting her.

That was mostly because of his dad’s attitude, and how he handled things between everyone.

His dad had married Mavis because she was gentle and good at running a household-someone who could take care of his younger brother and little sister since they were still so young.

But now, his little sister had cut ties with the Hammond family, all because of Nicole and her mom.

Did Dad really marry the right person? Kevin mused.

But even though the question popped up in his mind, he couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.

He turned to Collin and said, “Every year when it’s my mom’s anniversary, Dad gets really low. No matter how busy he is, he always goes to the cemetery to pay his respects.

You’re overthinking it.”

Back then, every year on his mom’s anniversary, his dad would get really down. He’d sit by himself for two days in the flower room his mom loved.

But for the past couple of years, Mavis had started keeping him company on those days.

She’d even tweak things in the flower room every now and then.

Now that he thought about it, the flower room was slowly turning into something else.

Thinking about all this, Kevin couldn’t help but wonder if Mavis had been quietly erasing his mom’s presence all these years. almost without anyone noticing.

Is Dad changing because he’s under Mavis’s influence, or is he really starting to forget about Mom, just like Collin said:”

Kevin wondered.

Collin smiled. “I hope I’m just overthinking it.

“But as your brother, I gotta give you a heads-up.

“If Leo really lets Mavis and Nicole have their way, you can bet a big chunk of his fortune will end up with them.

“It’s one thing for a wife to get her share, but what if he hands over company shares to those two as well?”

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What really mattered to them was the shares.

Especially now, since that big shareholder in the Hammond Group almost has as many shares as Leo.

Kevin could only inherit the company if Leo transferred all his shares to him.

If Leo gave even a part of those shares to Nicole, that’d be bad news for Kevin.

Just like when Alicia sold her shares-it stirred up a whole mess for the Hammond family.

If Nicole sold her shares too, would Kevin still be the one in charge at the Hammond Group?

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Collin had nearly lost control of the Delaney Group once himself, so he knew exactly how risky things could get and that’s why he was warning Kevin now.

At the end of the day, they’re in this together-especially with that eco-project tying them up. They sink or swim as a team.

Kevin felt a chill run down his spine after Collin’s warning, his anxiety spiking. ‘Damn, I never thought it could get this bad. he thought to himself.

He couldn’t help but remember a time before Alicia cut ties with the family, when his dad was just casually chatting with him and his brothers.

Back then, his dad had said Nicole was family too-like a sister to them-and maybe Alicia should give half her shares to Nicole.

That way, all the siblings would be on equal footing. It wasn’t just fair, it would make the family feel more complete.

At the time, it actually sounded reasonable to them.

But before they even got a chance to talk to Alicia about it, she’d already cut ties with the family.

So Collin’s worries really made sense.

Kevin couldn’t help but think, ‘Are Mavis and Nicole really that high up in Dad’s heart now?’

If Dad actually gave shares to Mavis and Nicole, it would spell real trouble for him and his brothers,

They never minded if Dad gave them some money for daily expenses, or set them up for life with a chunk of the inheritance.

Kevin never minded that Alicia had six percent of the shares.

Those shares came from their mom, and Alicia was family, after all.

Back then, nobody had any issues with how the shares were split.

But if Dad really gave Mavis and Nicole that many shares-or even more than that-plus a ton of assets, there’s no way they could accept it.

After all, everything the Hammond family owns was never theirs to begin with-they never lifted a finger for any of it.

Kevin was quiet for a moment before saying, “I understand.”

Collin said, “As long as you know.”

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Chapter 89

After wrapping up his talk with Collin, Kevin glanced at his watch and made his way to the hospital.

Once he arrived, he broke the news to his dad: Alicia had gone ahead and sold her shares.

Leo was furious. “She really did it? Is she deliberately trying to mess things up for the Hammond Group?”

He’d always thought Alicia just wanted to piss him off, but she’d never actually do it.

But the truth was exactly what he’d been dreading.

Kevin said, “She’s really gone through with it. We’ll just have to figure out how to handle this now.”

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Leo gradually calmed down. “Looks like you and your brothers will have to transfer your shares to me for the time being.”

That major shareholder had quite a following within the company.

Only by holding more shares than him could they stay in control of the company’s decisions.

Kevin said, “Austin and the others are focused on their own businesses, and they really count on those annual dividends from their shares. I don’t know if they’ll be willing to hand them over.”

Leo frowned. “They’ve always had plenty of money from us. Right now, it doesn’t matter if they want to or not-they have

“We’ll try to buy up any remaining shares out there. Once we’ve secured control of the company, we can always give their shares back later,” he added.

He then instructed, “Go talk to them properly.”

Kevin nodded. “Alright.”

He hesitated for a second, then asked carefully, “Dad, are you really thinking about giving any shares to Mavis and Nicole in the future?”

Leo froze for a second, surprised.

After thinking it over, he said, “I’ll give them a bit, just so they’ll have something to fall back on if I’m not around someday.

“Your mom left something for all of you when she passed, didn’t she?” he added.

Kevin couldn’t hold back and argued, “It’s totally different. Mom bought all that with her own money-not a cent from the family’s assets.

“And Nicole isn’t even your own flesh and blood.

“Wasn’t Mavis always saying she married into our family just to get away from her ex and find some peace? It was never about chasing our family’s money.

“You guys signed a prenup before you got married, and we’ve never shortchanged Mavis and Nicole all these years.

“Honestly, just making sure they’re set for life is more than enough.”

Leo fixed Kevin with a piercing stare. “What are you getting at? I’m not dead yet, and you’re already thinking about the

inheritance?

“Mavis and Nicole have been part of this family for years. They’ve looked after me and all of you. Maybe they haven’t made

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any big contributions, but they’ve worked hard and done their part.

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“All these years, I’ve treated Nicole like my own daughter, and you guys have looked out for her like a sister. So what’s the harm in giving them some assets and shares?”

Kevin felt a knot in his stomach as he listened to his dad.

‘Dad’s really all about Mavis and Nicole now… Did he seriously forget about Mom?’ Kevin thought.

He couldn’t hold back and asked, “Dad, is Mom still in your heart?

“Did you really marry Mavis just so she could take care of Ally and Caleb?”

Leo stared at him, shocked. “What are you trying to say? Do you really think there was something going on between me and Mavis before?

“Listen, I never did anything to let your mom down.

“She’ll always be irreplaceable in my heart.”

He loved his wife with all his heart. When she died, it shattered him completely.

“I swear on my heart, when I married Mavis, it was because she was thoughtful and dependable. I knew she would keep the family together and look after all of you.

“Plus, she came from a simple background, and because of her health, she couldn’t have any more children. She’d never pose a threat to you or your inheritance,” he said.

His face darkened as he said coldly, “I did all this for your sake, and you still question me?”

Kevin pressed his lips together. “But did she really ever take care of Ally?

“Ally’s always said Mavis and Nicole were secretly out to get her. Mavis even tried to mess her up for good, like she wanted to ruin her.

“Now she’s been forced to the point where she had to cut ties with us.

“Are you really telling me Mavis and Nicole never did anything shady behind our backs?”

Once the seed of doubt is planted in someone’s mind, it’s impossible to stop it from growing.

Over the years, Kevin honestly saw Nicole as his own little sister.

She was always clinging to them, totally relying on the family, and honestly, letting her have her way now and then never really rocked the boat.

But now that Alicia had really cut ties with them, she was never going to care about them the way she used to.

That was when Kevin realized just how much it hurt. No matter what, Alicia would always be the one who mattered most.

But she’d already turned her back on them.

Kevin pressed on, “You married Mavis to take care of the family, but do you actually care about her now? How much does she really mean to you?

“You told me not to look into what they’ve been up to. Are you really taking their side now?

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“So, Dad, who really matters more to you now-Mom, or Mavis?

“And between Ally, your own daughter, and Nicole, your stepdaughter-who’s more important to you?”

In Kevin’s heart, no one could ever take his mom’s place.

They’d always treated Nicole well, but that didn’t mean she was truly family.

And no one could ever replace Alicia.

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7:22 pm

Chapter 90

PWM