Chapter 125 Too Late to Turn Back
Naomi nodded.
+8 Pearls
Grace personally walked the two of them to the door. Only after they left did her cheerful expression fall away completely.
Upstairs, Zayden came out dragging a suitcase. Grace had already changed her clothes and was preparing to move out of the house.
She hadn’t expected to run into Evelyn and Eliza just as she was about to leave.
“Mom, are you really okay with lying like that?” Zayden asked.
The Holt family was buried in debt–debts they couldn’t repay. The company was essentially bankrupt. Holt Group was an empty shell. Employees were filing lawsuits over unpaid wages. Every project had ground to a halt. As soon as the eighty million Evelyn had invested arrived in the account, it had been seized by loan sharks. The family’s homes and cars had already been frozen by the court.
The Holt family’s collapse was a done deal.
“What else can I do? That Rivers woman is a lunatic. If she finds out the money’s gone, she’ll tear me apart,” Grace said.
She tugged Zayden forward. “We lie as long as we can. What, you want me to tell them the truth?”
She had already hired movers to take anything of value. There wasn’t much left, but it would be enough to rent a place downtown. Once Zayden finished the SAT and got into a decent university, they could start rebuilding. With his past experience and connections, there was still a chance to make a comeback.
Meanwhile, Eliza had returned to the outskirts of the city. Of the five houses she’d just purchased, she listed four for rent. By the time she wrapped everything up, it was already dark.
That was when Henry sent her an update. The Holt family’s mansion had been sealed by the court that very afternoon.
Just like her past life.
The Holt family had finally fallen under the weight of the flu outbreak.
Eliza raised an eyebrow and uploaded the news online.
Given the Holt family’s status in Westbrook, their downfall quickly shot to the top of the business trending list. Countless people came forward with accusations–unpaid debts, overdue bank loans, and months of back wages for employees. Holt Group was a hollowed–out shell still trying to pull in investors and lure people in with false promises.
The industry was in an uproar,
Evelyn, as always, paid no attention to any of this. She had no idea that everything Eliza said earlier was
true.
1/2
Chapter 125 Too Late to Turn Back
+8 Pearls
Nathan, however, was sitting in the living room staring at the news on his phone. He immediately called Evelyn and Naomi downstairs.
“Naomi, I told you–I was right all along. Good thing we didn’t give them money. Otherwise, we’d never see it again.”
He was trying to deliver a teachable moment, but failed to notice how pale both Evelyn and Naomi looked.
Naomi grabbed his phone and pulled up the news feed..At the top was the headline about the Holt family’s collapse.
She stared at it, her face white. “How could this be? We just saw Madam Grace this afternoon. She said the company’s finances were stabilizing. How could they have no money?”
“What? Who told you to go to the Holt family’s place?” Nathan shot to his feet. “Didn’t I say we needed to cut ties?”
Evelyn rushed to explain. “Honey, maybe the news is fake? You know how dramatic reporters can be…”
“You think this is some gossip tabloid?” Nathan snapped. “Look for yourself–there’s a court notice posted right on their front gate! It happened today!”
His voice dropped. “You didn’t go behind my back, did you? Tell me the truth.”
Evelyn froze. Naomi jumped in. “No, nothing like that. We just didn’t expect the Holt family to go under, that’s all. Don’t get mad.”
Naomi suddenly remembered what Eliza had said earlier. If Nathan found out they’d secretly used the company’s money to invest in the Holt family… he really might kill them.
Nathan’s expression finally eased. He frowned and said, “From now on, stay away from the Holt family. If they ask for money, tell them we don’t have any. And that engagement? Forget it. I’ll find someone better for Naomi.”
Neither Evelyn nor Naomi dared say a word.
After Nathan went upstairs, Evelyn realized she was trembling all over. “Naomi, what do we do now? What if it’s all true? What if we really lose everything?”
“Mom, calm down. What if it’s not true? Let’s go check on the Holt family. Then we’ll know for sure.”
She took out her phone and tried to call Grace.
The line rang for a long time, but no one picked up.
88
