Isaac rubbed his aching temples. “Calm down.”
He looked at his sister, as spoiled as ever, and sighed deeply.
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He said, “The Westwood family is no longer what it used to be, and Alexei is not the same as before. Do you think I would have let Chloe approach him if there were no other options?”
Teri pressed her lips tightly, her chest heaving.
A deep weariness showed on Isaac’s face. “After the old man retired, the Westwood family’s connections had already weakened. Recently, I’ve been besieged on all sides in official circles, and Kinsley’s business has repeatedly suffered setbacks. Whose doing do you think this is?”
He strongly objected back then when Teri insisted on marrying Dereck, who was already married with children.
Teri, the elders‘ favorite, was stubborn, especially about love. After Byron died suddenly and Avery disappeared with a woman, Dereck, also born to the original wife, became the most likely next head of the Turner family.
They eventually gave in.
Teri married into the Turner family, but it came at a great cost.
Later, she made another foolish mistake and was locked in an endless struggle with her stepson.
When Isaac found out his daughter Chloe had fallen for Alexei, he knew it was impossible. Alexei would only hate the Westwood family. He would never treat Chloe well.
Moreover, with Teri present, the Westwood family naturally stood in opposition to Alexei.
Even if it broke his daughter’s heart, he firmly opposed it.
However, the recent developments made Isaac feel a great sense of crisis.
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Moreover, he sadly realized that against the current Alexei, they stood no chance.
He had long noticed that Alexei was ruthless and merciless, with strong determination and no weaknesses. Only in love did he show devotion and deep affection, like histe mother.
This offered Isaac a glimmer of hope.
If Chloe’s wish could trulye true, and the two young people came together, past grievances might truly be resolved through a marital alliance.
While Isaac knew this was ast resort, he had to try it nheless.
The reason he hadn’t told Teri before was because he knew that given her temperament, she would certainly object.
Teri suffered a great setback because of Unity and her son. Given her pride, she would rather die than yield.
Teri craned her neck, her eyes heavy with suppressed emotion. “My family is thriving and deeply rooted. Can we not outmaneuver a mere illegitimate child? Didn’t he back down once four years ago?”
Isaac shook his head. “That was four years ago.”
He only recently caught on.
Four years ago, the ambitious young Alexei returned from abroad with growing influence. At a remarkably young age, he fully seized control from Edgar and tookmand of the entire Turner family.
When he broke Dereck’s leg, the Westwood family, alerted by Teri’s tearfulints, was indeed cautious for a while.
Both sides had a minor skirmish, and Alexei seemed to have no intention of directly shing with the Westwood family. He took a small gain, but not enough to cause them significant harm, so the matter was considered resolved.
Thinking about it now, Alexei did it on purpose.
By only targeting Dereck and not involving Teri, the Westwood family wouldn’t
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retaliate too fiercely.
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At that time, he could certainly have engaged in a prolonged struggle with the Westwood family, but even a victory in a direct confrontation would have resulted in significant losses. Moreover, he was already facing multiple crises.
Alexei was like a highly patient hunter.
He employed subtle tactics to lower their guard, giving himself room to consolidate power, while alsoying secret groundwork early on. <fn6a88> Readplete version only at f?ndnovel</fn6a88>
Isaac’s current rivals were already pawns ced by Alexei back then.
Alexei was deeply calcting and young. He possessed the vigorous ruthlessness of youth butcked the impulsiveness and impetuosity of his peers.
This was an adversary even a cunning old man like Isaac found terrifying.
Isaac looked at Teri, who still had a stubborn expression. “You were pampered since childhood, and the Westwood family has given you much support. Now, you must also consider the family. There are many children and nephews who depend on us. Do you want the Westwood family to decline in our generation?”
If only they had known, they wouldn’t have been so greedy back then.
That gamble they made was truly costing them dearly now.
Teri’s heart bled with hatred.
But she knew her opposition was meaningless.
No matter how pampered she was in the past, at a critical moment for the family’s survival, they would truly abandon her.
With wet eyes, she said, “I won’t help you.”
Isaac looked at her with aplicated gaze. “We don’t need your help. Just don’t stop Chloe’s actions<b>.</b>”
With a loud bang, Teri mmed the door and left.
Isaac shook his head, feeling that the elders‘ excessive indulgence towards the few
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girls in their family was terribly wrong.
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As a child, Teri was also very cute and kind. If she hadn’t been so resentful and couldn’t ept the fact that her childhood sweetheart was taken by someone new, she could have lived a very good life with anyone.
*****
The departing Teri met Chloe, who was returning from outside, at the door.
Facing this niece, Teri felt heartache, disappointment, resentment, and anger… all kinds of emotions.
Because Teri quarreled with Unity in the car, she lost her unborn child, had her uterus removed, and would never be able to be a mother in this life.
Before Teri, the Westwood family had no girls for several generations. She had always gotten everything she wanted since childhood, so this was a devastating blow to her.
Chloe was her elder brother’s daughter and the only girl in the next generation. Just as she was pampered herself, she showered Chloe with immense love, treating her truly like her own daughter.
Yet, Chloe was the one who betrayed her for a man.
Teri felt the absurdity of fate.
Chloe did not know that what she said in Alexei’s office had already reached Teri’s ears. Teri’s cold gaze made her ufortable. “Aunt Teri, what’s wrong? You’re scaring me<i>.</i><i>” </i>
Seeing her with red eyes, as if she had juste down from upstairs, Chloe asked suspiciously and worriedly, “Did you argue with Dad? I’ll go help you talk to him.”
“Chloe,” Teri suddenly called out to her. “When did you fall for that bastard?”
Chloe froze in her tracks.
Under Teri’s piercing gaze, she averted her eyes and said, “When I was 17.”
Most boys her age were inexperienced and impulsive but that cold. lonely voung
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man stood out with a dangerous, bloody aura that was strangely appealing.
Teri smiled helplessly. “That early.”
Guilt and embarrassment appeared on Chloe’s face. She whispered, “Aunt Teri, I can’t control my heart.”
She had tried to distance herself, but her father and uncle personally pushed the opportunity back to her, and she couldn’t refuse.
“Do you think Alexei is a good match?” Teri sneered. “Coldness and ruthlessness are inherent to the Turner family. They are even more obsessive in love, and Alexei will never fall in love with you.”
Teri continued, “Just Natasha by his side sent Lucia and her child to the hospital, and Edgar still had to pressure the elders to apologize to her. Do you think you can shake her position?”
“Aunt Teri, you could snatch Uncle from Unity’s hands, why can’t I?” Chloe
retorted.
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