<b>Chapter </b><b>219 </b>


    “She can’t?” Jeffrey asked.


    Jack knew the agreement inside out. “No, she can’t.”


    vouche


    Jeffrey remembered that Reba had tucked the Deed of Property Transfer beneath the pillow in the master bedroom. He’d just taken a quick look and put it right back, even reminding Mary Shaw not to mess with anything in there when changing the sheets.


    ‘Now that I think about it… Jeffrey realized, an uneasy feeling creeping up on him.


    The date of Amelia’s ident lined up exactly with the date on that deed.


    “Those people probably made their move because they were worried that after Amelia handed everything. over to Reba, Reba woulde back around and buy out their shares, Jeffrey thought, suspicion ring in his chest.


    “Did they even care if they pushed things too far and Amelia ended up dead?” Jeffrey narrowed his eyes, a dark look passing over his face.


    “Her life or death never mattered to them,” Jack replied, leaning back in his chair, voice t. “As long as Richard Jensen was still breathing, Reba was out of the running for first heir–she didn’t pose any threat to them.”


    Jeffrey didn’t say anything more.


    ‘Looks like May Summers was the only one who knew about Amelia and Richard’s contract marriage,‘ Reba realized.


    “That’s enough to get some cooperation going, wouldn’t you say?” Jack asked, his tone purposely teasing.


    “I’m not the one to decide,” Jeffrey said. He wasn’t someone you could just make use of–he was all about fair exchanges. “Reba and Amelia have no interest in getting involved with the Quinn family, and since I’m about to be divorced by Reba, I don’t get to make decisions for them.”


    Jack couldn’t help but give a small, knowingugh.


    Jeffrey’s eyes stayed steady on him, showing no reaction.


    “Alright, I’ll go tell them,” Jack said, getting to his feet. The hospital gown made him look even thinner and more fragile than usual. “You’ll back me up quietly, right?”


    Jeffrey just stayed silent.


    His silence said it all.


    Not long after they finished talking, Daniel showed up at the door.


    Seeing Jack standing there with his cor open in Jeffrey’s chilly hospital room, Daniel strode in, greeted


    14:08 Sat, <b>Oct </b>4


    65 vouchers


    Jeffrey first, then turned to Jack. “The doctor said you can’t stay in a cold room for the next three days.”


    Jack protested, “Just two minutes.”


    Daniel grabbed him and started pulling him out. “Not even a minute.”


    Jack followed reluctantly, grumbling, “Who’s the boss here, anyway?”


    Daniel kept pulling him along, all business. “You are.”


    Gregory stepped in, nced at Daniel dragging Jack off, and didn’t linger. He quickly reported to Jeffrey, telling him that Andrea was already settled in.


    “Keep an eye on Jack’s two brothers for a while,” Jeffrey told him. “If you spot anything off, let me know right away. And get Riley to dig into what really happened to Amelia in that parking lot.”


    Gregory replied instantly, “On it.”


    He asked a few quick questions for specifics, making sure he’d know exactly where to focus his investigation.


    Jeffrey ryed everything Jack had shared with him.


    “What if Jack doesn’t manage to win over Ms. Jensen and her mom?” Gregory voiced his concern–he’d spent enough time around Reba to know how stubborn she could be.


    “Trust me, he’ll get through to them,” Jeffrey replied, not a shred of doubt in his voice. “Reba worries about her mom, and Amelia worries about Reba. Both of them are scared that those people might go after the other one again.”


    Turns out, Jeffrey was spot on.


    The day before Reba’s birthday, Jack was finally discharged from the hospital after his emergency allergy


    treatment.


    Jack Quinn was officially discharged from the hospital after his emergency allergy treatment.


    He wore a casual ck outfit, the ne swinging outside his shirt making him look young and rebellious. Sliding into the back seat, he said to Daniel, “Take me to Cousin Reba’s.”


    “You haven’t been back to the Hanson residence in days,” Daniel said, his face serious.


    “It’s fine,” Jack replied,pletely unfazed. “Grandpa knows I’m always out and about.”


    Daniel just stared at him in utter silence, speechless.


    Resigned, Daniel started the engine and drove off toward Reba’s ce.


    Meanwhile, Reba was showing Amelia the project proposal she’d just finished. She’d already written most of it beforeing to Honn, and spent the past few days polishing up the rest.


    Amelia read it with real focus.


    <b>14:08 </b><b>Sat</b>, Oct <b>4 </b>


    It took her over half an hour to get through the whole thing


    “So, what do you think?” Reba asked, a little anxious–it was her first time ever writing something like this. “Does it look okay?”


    You really put a lot of effort into this, and every part is carefully nned, Amelia said, feeling truly convinced now that talent must run in their family, “You’re bold and careful–just go for it and see what happens


    Reba’s eyes lit up. “Really?!”


    Amelia nodded with a smile. “Really.”


    Reba had no formal training in this field, yet she managed to pull off a project proposal that was honestly impressive.


    Of course, it wasn’t quite big–corporation level, but for someone just stepping into the startup world, she was daring and creative.


    “Ms. Jensen, Mrs. Jensen,” Mark Mason, the new bodyguard, walked in with his usual poker face. “There’s a guy at the door, says he’s Jack Quinn and wants to talk. Says it’s urgent.”


    Reba shot back without hesitation, “Not seeing him.”


    Mark’s expression didn’t budge. “He said if you refuse to see him, I should tell you–your mom’s ident wasn’t really an ident.”


    Reba’s head snapped up.


    Instantly. <fn3260> This text is hosted at fι?dnοvel</fn3260>


    She changed her mind in a heartbeat. “Let him in.”


    Mark said, “Okay.”


    Reba closed herptop, her eyes glued to the front door.


    Back in Jsburg, when Reba saw that Deed of Property Transfer sitting on her mom’s desk, she’d immediately started suspecting the ident might’ve been something more sinister. Still, with the way Camille Ashbourne acted–and looking back at how everyone responded–Reba kept telling herself she was just being paranoid.


    I mean, if it was really all nned out, nobody would stick around the hospital that long to take care of her mom. That just didn’t add up.


    And to be honest, nothing about the day itself ever screamed “murder.”


    “Don’t worry,” Amelia said, after a short pause, returning to her usual calm. “It’s nothing serious.”


    Reba shot back, not willing to drop it. “It is a big deal.”


    <b>14:08 </b>Sat, <b>Oct </b><b>4 </b>


    A


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    “Three years–Mom was in aa,pletely bedridden. How could anyone say that’s not a big deal<b>? </b>Reba burned with frustration just thinking about it.


    Jack walked in just as Reba was talking to Amelia. Not acting like a stranger at all, he greeted them with his trademark tiger–tooth smile, lookingpletely at case. “Hey, Aunt Amelia, Cousin Reba! Nice <i>to </i>finally meet you both.”


    Reba blinked in confusion.


    She’d never met anyone so forward before. “Don’t go randomly iming we’re rtives.”


    “How is that random?” Jack kept grinning, totally unfazed. “Aunt Amelia is Grandpa’s daughter, and you’re Aunt Amelia’s daughter. That makes us family–in and simple. That’s just how family works, right?”


    Reba shot Jeffrey a frown, ready to say, “We’ve got nothing to do with the Quinn family,” but Amelia reached out and held her back before she could get the words out.


    ‘Titles really don’t mean squat anyway. As long as we don’t buy into the whole “family” thing, who cares? Not worth dragging this argument out for hours,’ Reba thought, letting it go before things could spiral.


    Reba didn’t waste any time. She cut right in, “So, when you said it wasn’t an ident–what are you getting at?” making sure to switch topics like Amelia wanted.


    “So it was Michael Quinn, or maybe one of his sons, wasn’t it?” Amelia said, totally unfazed, her eyesnding on Jack’s fresh–faced, almost innocent look.


    “See? That’s exactly why everyone calls you a legend, Aunt Amelia,” Jack grinned, his two dimples shing, sounding half–joking. “You just throw out a wild guess and nail it every time.”


    Amelia didn’t say a word.


    She wasn’t just winging it when she came back to Honn.


    From the moment she made up her mind to bring Reba back, Amelia had already considered every possible mess they could get into–and got ready for whatever might happen. Her first move? Figuring out exactly how the Quinn family was set up these days.


    Reba was still totally lost. “Who’s Michael Quinn?”


    Amelia replied, “He’s Liam’s eldest son, and the current head of the Quinn family.”


    “You’ve been out of the Quinn family for years and he’s still after you?” Reba said,pletely baffled. “Is there something wrong with all that property, or is he just insane?”


    “He pretty much is,” Amelia replied, utterly calm.


    Reba’s heart was in turmoil.


    At that moment, it finally hit her–so this is what people meant by human nature, by masks and pretending.


    “Reba,” Amelia called out to her.


    14:08 <b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b>4


    ‘Reba was still brooding, plotting how she could make those people pay, she thought. “Yeah?”


    “Looks like your ns to start a business are getting shelved,” Amelia said, her face suddenly all business. “From today <b>on</b>, you’re learning how to run apany with me. We’re taking back the Quinn Group.”


    She’d never wanted to get tangled up with the Quinn family.


    But now, doing nothing just wasn’t an option anymore.


    Just drafting a Deed of Property Transfer made them act like this–if Reba really <i>got </i>the assets, those people might actuallye for her next.