The Real Heiress Is Coming Back (Hannah Carter) novel Chapter 186

Chapter 186

Chapter 186

Meanwhile, in the living room of Edmund’s house.

F 55 voushers

Barnaby and Edmund stood face to face, Barnaby’s gaze was cold as ice, Edmund’s was calm but unyielding. The tension was so thick one could cut it with a knife; it felt like the whole room was caught between two clashing auras.

“Don’t ever set me up with someone like this again,” Barnaby said coldly.

“What’s wrong with Daisy? Right now, she’s the only suitable one for our family. She’s smart, polite, and she’s got medical skills too.

“Once you marry her, she’ll be a huge help to you and the Thole family. What exactly are you unhappy about?” Edmund said, his face stern and his tone sharp.

“If she’s so perfect, why don’t you marry her yourself?” Barnaby scoffed.

Barnaby towered over Edmund, his phoenix-shaped eyes half-lidded in a lazy, arrogant way, looking both mocking and superior.

“What a disgrace!” Edmund roared, hurling the blue-and-white porcelain cup to the floor.

That cup was one of his favorite antiques, he’d always treasured it, but now he’d smashed it himself. He must be absolutely livid.

The Thole family’s butler jumped in fright and rushed over to steady Edmund, trying to calm him down. “Master Edmund, please don’t get so worked up.”

Then he turned to Barnaby. “Master Barnaby, Master Edmund’s got all three: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar. Please don’t deliberately wind him up.”

‘Of course he’s doing it on purpose,’ the butler thought to himself.

Edmund was old enough to be Daisy’s grandfather, and besides, his wife, the matriarch of the Thole family, was still alive.

Every time Barnaby came back, he always managed to get under Edmund’s skin, and the two of them would end up leaving on bad terms. ‘Sigh, these two… the butler thought.

“Letting you loose out there these past two years has turned you into a wild animal! You’ve forgotten all the Thole family discipline. I should’ve just kept you in the military forever!” Edmund slammed his hand down on the coffee table.

“You should’ve finished me off when you had the chance. Regretting it now? Isn’t it a bit too late for that?” Barnaby sneered, looking down at Edmund with icy contempt.

Back then, it was Edmund who drove Barnaby’s mother to her death. Only then did Barnaby’s father bring him back into the Thole family.

After Barnaby’s father died, his sixth brother landed in prison, and his sixth sister-in-law was killed in a car crash. That’s when Edmund became Barnaby’s legal guardian.

When he was a kid, Barnaby had no choice but to obey him.

‘But now? Does he really think he can still pull my strings?

‘In your dreams, Barnaby thought.

“You! You…” Edmund spluttered, too furious to get the words out, and started coughing hard.

13:16 Mon, Dec 22 MJ

Chapter 186

His anger got the best of him, and he began hacking uncontrollably.

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“Master Edmund, please take your medicine!” the butler rushed over, grabbed his meds, and handed him some water.

After taking his medicine, Edmund spent a long moment steadying himself. When he looked up, Barnaby was staring back with a cold, emotionless gaze.

That icy look, filled with open hatred, Barnaby was looking at him like he was nothing but a corpse.

“You really think just because you’re grown up, I can’t control you anymore?” Edmund’s face darkened, his voice cold and commanding. “If you want those two investment contracts with the Scott family to go through, you’d better do exactly as I say!”

Barnaby’s icy stare sharpened, a glint flickering in his eyes. “So, what’s your move?”

Edmund thought he’d finally rattled Barnaby and snapped, “I don’t give a damn how you mess around outside, but when it comes to marriage, the only person you’re allowed to marry is Daisy. She’s the only one who’s good enough for our family!”

“I told you, if you want to marry her so badly, go ahead and do it yourself. My life is none of your business! Try to set me up with this crap again, and don’t blame me if I don’t play nice,” Barnaby snapped.

Leaving those words hanging in the air, Barnaby turned and strode out.

Bang!

“How dare you! You really think I can’t control you anymore?” Edmund roared, snatching up a blue-and-white porcelain cup and flinging it at Barnaby as he walked away.

The cup smashed against the threshold, shattering into pieces. Shards shot toward the back of Barnaby’s head, but he just cocked his head to the side, dodging them like it was nothing.

“Master Edmund, please calm down. Don’t let your anger get the best of you. Barnaby’s always been a wild one, the more you try to rein him in, the more he’ll push back. It’ll only backfire,” the butler said quickly, trying to soothe him.

“So what, I’m just supposed to let him do whatever he wants?” Edmund’s eyes flashed coldly. “No way I’m giving in! If I do, he’ll really start thinking nobody in this world can control him!”

The butler opened his mouth, but in the end, he just sighed, defeated.

Outside the courtyard, Barnaby had a sly, knowing smile tugging at his lips.

Just as he’d figured, the Thole family was watching his every move.

And this whole show played right into his hands.

He pulled out his phone and dialed. “Tiger has the prey in sight. Switch to Plan B.”

“Got it,” Finneus replied on the other end.

‘Man, Barnaby’s really pulling out all the stops for Ms. Carter,’ Finneus thought to himself.

Barnaby knew the Thole family would set their sights on the Scott family sooner or later, so he’d already mapped out his plan.

The two investment contracts he’d handed to the Scott family before were just bait.

Next, Finneus would put on a whole act of “snatching the investment”, he’d go to Dorian and his son, offer them an even bigger deal, and bring the Scott family under Xenith Systems Group’s wing. That’s what Barnaby was really after.

If Xenith Systems Group suddenly tried to invest in the bankrupt Scott family, Hannah and the Scotts would totally start asking questions.

But Barnaby hadn’t expected the Thole family to catch on to the Scott family so fast. Worked out perfectly for him, two birds with one stone.

Now, Finneus didn’t even have to put on a show anymore. He could just throw money in, openly, just to piss off the Thole family.

*****

Before she knew it, New Year’s day had rolled around.

Hannah was jolted awake early by a call from Candy.

“Hannah, happy New Year! Did you put me on Do Not Disturb on WhatsApp or what?

“I’ve been trying to video call you all morning and you keep ignoring me. Flip to video, I’m doing a spot check, let’s see whose bed you woke up in!” Candy teased.

Hannah was in a foul mood, still half-asleep. She yanked the phone away from her ear, switched to speaker, and grumbled, “I’m about to block you, seriously.”

“Aww, don’t be like that! I’m bad at math, okay? I totally messed up the time difference. Don’t be so grumpy just because you just woke up,” Candy whined.

“Spit it out. What do you want?” Hannah snapped.

“From the way you’re talking, I’m guessing Barnaby isn’t with you right now…” Candy teased, her voice full of mischief.

“Keep it up and I’m hanging up, Hannah grumbled.

“Aww, I just wanted to tell you, I got you a grown-up present! It’ll be delivered to Scott Villa later, so don’t forget to sign for it. And make sure you and Barnaby have some fun with it,” Candy giggled.

Hannah snapped awake, all traces of sleep gone. “What did you send me?”

“It’s a secret, heehee,” Candy giggled.

From that wicked giggle, Hannah just knew it had to be something totally outrageous.

After a bit more banter, they hung up. Hannah opened up her WhatsApp chat with Barnaby, the last thing he sent was a “Goodnight” after their video call last night.

‘He keeps going on about how he can’t wait for me to be an adult, but he hasn’t even mentioned that my birthday’s tomorrow. Maybe he doesn’t even remember when my birthday is?’ Hannah thought, feeling a little let down.

She put her phone down, rolled over, and hugged Hedy close. Then she went right back to sleep, not bothering to get up until half past ten.

She opened WhatsApp again and saw a bunch of New Year’s Day/group messages, but Barnaby still hadn’t reached out to

her.

Hannah tossed her phone aside with a sigh, feeling moody, then got up to wash up and headed downstairs for breakfast.

Cici had gone home for the holidays, so in the living room, Lucian was helping Felicity and Aurelia do chores. The other guys of the house were nowhere to be found.

Hannah grabbed a quick bite and went over to help out. “Where’s Arthur and dad?”

“Something came up at the company. Finneus from Xenith Systems Group suddenly called them out. Looks like Xenith Systems Group wants to invest in our company,” Felicity explained.

“Xenith Systems Group?” Hannah raised an eyebrow.

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