She's Too Busy Winning to Watch Him Cry novel Chapter 77

The darkness was suffocating, thick as ink and heavy as wet cotton, pressing against his lungs until he couldn't breathe. He couldn't see his own hands. The only thing visible in the oppressive gloom was a weathered canvas hanging on the wall, its edges mottled with decades of rot. He couldn't make out the full image, but in the bottom right corner, a single, faded word was legible: 'Ma.'

Rowan only knew that he was sitting in the center of the room, completely paralyzed in the dream, his eyes locked onto that word. Then, his eyes snapped open.

He woke with a sharp gasp, his sleepwear entirely soaked in a cold sweat. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was nearly seven in the morning. After showering and dressing, he descended the sweeping staircase of Jameson Manor. Victoria Jameson was already seated in the parlor, casually flipping through the morning paper while the staff prepared breakfast.

"Slept in a bit today?" Victoria asked, looking up as he entered.

Rowan offered a noncommittal hum. He turned directly to the head butler. "Alfred, how long has it been since my mother had a physical? Book her a full checkup today."

Alfred blinked, startled. "Right away, Mr. Jameson."

Victoria shot her son a withering glare and slapped her newspaper onto the table. "I feel perfectly fine. Why on earth do I need a checkup? It's a waste of my time."

Rowan ignored her protests, giving Alfred a sharp look. "You will accompany her for the entire process. The moment the results are in, you notify me."

With that, he sat down, forced down a few bites of breakfast, and left for the office.

As soon as Victoria finished her tea and made to stand, Alfred bowed respectfully. "Mrs. Jameson, he's only concerned for your well-being. The car is already waiting. If you would, please."

Victoria let out a long sigh. It seemed there was no getting out of it today. Resigned, she grabbed her designer handbag and slid into the back of the town car.

At the elite private hospital, top specialists were already waiting. Given her VIP status, she bypassed every line. Once the comprehensive battery of tests was complete, the results came back flawless. As Alfred pulled out his phone to report to Rowan, Victoria snatched it from his hands.

At the dinner table, Arthur couldn't hide his elation. "This time, the engineer Lyra brought on board delivered a miracle. Quentin Pierce utilized advanced spatial structural frameworks and wireless energy transfers to secure a massive profit for Fairchild Holdings. The city officials were so impressed with our performance that they formally awarded us the Eastside project. Even the mayor was singing our praises."

Lyra just smiled, completely unsurprised. Caleb, who had heard whispers of the breakthrough, realized his sister hadn't been crazy when she offered the man an exorbitant starting salary. Quentin was undeniably a genius.

Seeing her parents so happy, Lyra offered a few more reassuring words about the company's bright future, lifting their spirits even higher.

As the steam rose from their bowls of rich soup, Arthur looked fondly at his children. "I want to announce two major decisions tonight. First, I plan to formally hand over the reins of the company to Caleb. I've worked my entire life to build this empire, and it's finally stable. From now on, Caleb will run Fairchild Holdings, and I can finally enjoy my retirement."

Lyra froze. In her past life, Arthur hadn't relinquished control until long after Caleb was married. This was happening years ahead of schedule.