The Returned Heiress Who Never Fit In

836 You Call That Family?

Manny went silent. The moment he heard Dan’s words, his face froze on the other end of the line. For a split second, a visible flicker of shock crossed his eyes…

But it passed almost instantly; he quickly regained his composure. “What the heck’s wrong you?”

with

Dan let out a mocking laugh. “Didn’t you always say the matriarch’s daughter was born out of wedlock?”

“If Tessa really is, then you two aren’t all that different, are you?”

“Dan, don’t go too far!” Manny snapped.

Even though he’d never truly acknowledged Dan as his brother, being spoken to like that made his blood boil. Did Dan… know something? No, impossible. That couldn’t be. He—

Dan gave a cold snort. “Too far? What, I took a few things from you, and that makes you run your mouth like this?”

Manny’s silence only deepened his rage; hearing Dan’s drunken tone made him want to explode.

“You call that ‘a few things‘? You son of a wench, was it you who told that whore Marie to rob me?”

Dan’s indifferent voice made Manny’s suspicion flare. Was he in on it with Marie’s group all along?

When Dan heard him insult Marie, his tone sharpened. “Sounds like your face has healed. Want me to open up the other side too, just to make it symmetrical?”

Manny froze, his anger spiking.

The doctor had said the wound was deep–hard to repair. His face, once flawless, had been ruined, and Dan still had the nerve to joke about it.

Grinding his teeth, Manny growled, “Tell me the truth–are you working with Marie?”

“Don’t tell me you’re not. If she came after me today, then those times she went after you before–they were just a distraction, weren’t they? You two planned it all!”

The so–called raids by the entire Ashen Pact were just smoke and mirrors; the real target had always been them. Dan was just the decoy.

No wonder Dan hadn’t seemed anxious lately. Of course–none of the Ashen Pact’s chaos really

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touched him.

No wonder he’d said he would hand over leadership to Manny.

He hadn’t meant to give up power; he’d been plotting with outsiders to gut the Ashen Pact from the inside.

In the end, the whole organization would end up back in his hands–and Manny and their father would be left with nothing. They wouldn’t even have the right to fight back.

The more Manny thought about it, the angrier he became.

“Dan, you’re despicable!”

At this point, he was convinced–Dan and Marie were working together.

Dan chuckled coldly. “You’re acting like a rabid dog.”

And wasn’t that what he was? Snarling without evidence, lashing out blindly.

“I’m warning you,” Manny said through gritted teeth, “if you think you can take the Ashen Pact all for yourself, don’t even dream about it.”

Dan couldn’t be bothered to reply; he hung up on him.

Manny roared, “Ah!”

He slammed his hand down, sending the ashtray and glass flying off the table.

The shout tugged at his wound, and pain shot through his face until his expression twisted in agony.

When Artemis walked in, she found him caught between fury and pain.

“What the heck are you doing?” she asked.

“That scumbag Dan,” Manny spat, “I think he’s behind all these outside forces coming after us!”

“What?” Artemis‘ eyes narrowed.

“Marie’s connected to him somehow; I’m sure of it. He’s planning to take over the whole Ashen Pact, to drag everything back under his control!”

“This has to be his plan–his doing!”

The more Manny spoke, the more certain he became–and the more his anger consumed him.

213

Artemis fell silent.

past

words, her expression grew darker. “I’ve thought the same thing. These few days, it’s been mostly our assets

it’s minimal compared to what we’ve

if Dan’s losses were just for show–while theirs were

something,” Manny growled. “This is

Artemis said flatly. “That’s not

“What?”

made

the most important? Then

835 Another Round

end, her little thoughts had drifted

Andy. “Why’d you come alone?” he

plenty of projects; they came and went together whenever big deals were on the table, and if there was a major project, the two of them always

Andy had come to Redwood; there was no doubt he was here

a little

worst last time; he just

it, a flash of guilt crossed Dan’s

last time it happened, Marie had barged in with so many people that they had no way to

with him, but

the wounds on Dan’s face.

fell silent; when he heard it, his face

clicked his tongue twice. “Marie’s temper

to piss off–why bother messing

everyone’s mind in Falvaria,

went

speak, Andy asked, “So it really wasn’t you

“You-”

sense to this at

with you guys that night; we played cards all night—through

you didn’t sleep with

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Dan was silent.

only made him

her and the baby’s not yours, why’d Marie single you out

wrong with her

anyone was wronged here, he was more wronged than Dou

so sure it wasn’t Derrick? Derrick already

up, Dan’s chest burned with

seem entirely fair to blame Derrick either. Still… how the heck did that scumbag admit to it? How did he make Marie stop believing

“It really wasn’t

being

mess couldn’t be cleared up, and he sure as hell didn’t want

he went on, he’d

Dan so furious, Andy finally believed him; it really was unfair. He also thought Marie was being unreasonable–he couldn’t

to say more, his phone buzzed;

grabbed the phone with

off that woman Marie again?” Manny snapped; from his tone, it

the Ashen Pact

his skin was the way

bottled–up anger finally burst. “You’ve got some nerve talking about other people like that when you

your

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You Call That

The moment he heard Dan’s words, his face froze on the other end of the line. For a split second, a visible flicker of shock crossed his

it passed almost instantly; he quickly regained his

with

mocking laugh. “Didn’t you always say the

you two aren’t all

go too far!”

brother, being spoken to like that made his blood boil. Did Dan… know something? No, impossible.

What, I took a few things from you, and that makes you run

his rage; hearing Dan’s drunken tone made him want to

few things‘? You son of a wench, was it you who told that whore

he in on it with Marie’s

tone sharpened. “Sounds like your face has healed. Want me to open up the other side

froze, his anger

said the wound was deep–hard to repair. His face, once flawless, had been

his teeth, Manny growled, “Tell me the truth–are you

after me today, then those times she went after you before–they were

mirrors; the real target had always been them. Dan was

Of course–none

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