?Chapter 493:


    When Leah turned and caught sight of Meg, a flicker of panic shed across her eyes before she quickly masked it with an awkward smile.


    “Mrs. Archer…”


    Ignoring her, Meg strode past and knelt beside the child, gently brushing her fingers over his cheek. The warmth in her touch was a stark contrast to the authority she had shown earlier.


    “Farley, what happened?”


    Farley did not cower or appear wronged. Instead, his small face hardened with resentment as he shot a re at Leah.


    “Thisdy lost her hairpin. She saw me walking by the door and immediately used me of stealing it.”


    His tone was steady, but there was an edge of maturity unusual for his age. Children from orphanages often learned to navigate the world with caution, understanding far too soon the weight of certain usations. And Farley knew all too well what it meant to be called a thief.


    The director regarded Leah with a thin smile.


    “Miss Burgess, these children may note from wealthy backgrounds, but their character is beyond reproach.”


    Meg’s gaze sharpened.


    “You cannot choose where youe from, can you, Miss Burgess?” Her voice remained calm, but a chill crept into her tone.


    Leah stiffened, her lips parting as she searched for a defense.


    M??? ?ρ?α??? ?? ?α??σν???.?σ?


    “I didn’t mean to discriminate against them…”


    Meg, her patience evidently thinning, did not bother with pleasantries.


    “Have you found your missing item?”


    “N-no, not yet…” Leah stammered.


    “If it turns up, that would be best. If not, I’llpensate you in full. You will suffer no loss.”


    “No, Mrs. Archer, that is not what I meant—”


    Leah started, flustered, but Meg had already dismissed her, taking Farley’s hand and leading him away.


    Leah remained frozen, her teeth sinking into her lip, her confusion clear. Meanwhile, Chelsea seized the moment to tug Corrine aside, steering her out of earshot.


    As soon as they stepped outside, Chelsea could no longer hold back her words.


    “Bruce must be blind to have chosen that woman over you! And to rely on someone as clueless as Leah to secure investments? What is he even thinking?”


    Back in the day, Farris had propelled the Ashton family to the height of its prosperity, standing toe-to-toe with the Brooks family. But fate had been unkind. At a pivotal moment, his health began to fail, and with it, the family’s stronghold crumbled.


    Chelsea exhaled sharply, her toneced with disdain.


    “What a waste. Farris built an empire from nothing, and now his descendants are letting it slip through their fingers like sand.”


    Corrine exhaled a quietugh, the sound edged with irony.


    “Some people are always blind to what is right in front of them. I thought winning over Cn’s investment would require some effort, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy.”


    .


    .


    .