Chapter 197 A World Beyond Westbrook
Finished
Eliza turned to Nolan. “There’s nothing left for me in Westbrook. No good memories, no attachments. I’ve always wanted to see the world beyond this place. They say it’s beautiful out there–dazzling, intoxicating… like a dream.”
She’d never left Westbrook, never even stepped beyond its city limits. But now that her ties to the Rivers family had been severed, the possibility of leaving felt like freedom. A clean slate. A new beginning.
Nolan heard the quiet yearning in her voice and smiled’faintly. “Alright.”
Back at the Rivers family residence, Naomi, Evelyn, and Nathan stood frozen in the wreckage that had once been their home. The place looked as if it had been looted, everything valuable stripped clean.
Naomi’s mind flashed back to the downfall of the Holt family–it had looked exactly like this.
Their front door sealed shut, all valuables taken, even the furniture raided.
“No… no way,” Naomi whispered, shaking her head. “This isn’t real, right? It’s not happening! We’re not going bankrupt! We can’t go bankrupt!”
She refused to believe Christian’s threats could become reality. The Sue family might be powerful overseas, but their reach couldn’t possibly extend this far. Could it?
Nathan stayed silent, unable to tell her the truth. But the truth was plain: their company had been under assault since morning. All Sue family investments had been withdrawn. Their financial structure collapsed like a house of cards.
Now employees were demanding their salaries. If they couldn’t pay, the company would be reported and frozen–officially bankrupt.
Nathan’s heart sank.
His phone buzzed. He pulled it out to find a flood of missed calls–business partners, company executives, investors–all asking the same question: “Are you bankrupt?”
He didn’t answer. He simply pocketed the phone again.
“Call the investors!” Evelyn cried. “Maybe they can help us-”
“You idiot!” Nathan snapped, shaking her off. “Right now, we’re bleeding out and all they’ll do is circle like sharks! You think anyone’s going to throw us a life raft? Dream on.”
Evelyn’s face turned pale. “Then what do we do? There has to be something—we can’t just give up!”
She clutched his arm desperately. “You’re the head of the family. Do something!”
Nathan stared blankly ahead. “There’s nothing left to do… The Rivers family is finished.”
Just then, Naomi blurted out, “Dad! What about Mr. Tyson? He helped us last time, didn’t he? He’ll help us
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Chapter 197 A World Beyond Westbrook
again–he has to!”
Nathan froze.
Evelyn’s eyes lit up. “Yes! Tyson! He will help us!”
Finished
She immediately pulled out her phone and dialed the number Tyson had given her at Claire University.
Number disconnected.
“…Disconnected?” Evelyn stared at her screen in disbelief. She tried again. Still disconnected.
“It’s fake… He gave me a fake number…”
“Try yours!” she urged Nathan.
Nathan did. The same result: invalid number.
“That bastard Tyson!” Evelyn’s voice trembled. “What is the meaning of this?!”
“Maybe… maybe we can still find him at Hayes Corp!” Naomi said quickly. “Let’s go there! We have to!”
In a frenzy, the three of them searched the address and rushed over to Hayes Corporation without wasting a second.
Outside Hayes Corp, the building’s guards stopped them at the door.
“What’s your business here?”
“We’re here to see Mr. Tyson!” Nathan replied.
The guard recognized him. “Mr. Tyson said he won’t be taking visitors today.”
“I’m not just a visitor,” Nathan said urgently. “We have something important to discuss–something he promised us! Please, just pass along the message.”
He slipped the man a luxury watch, hoping to buy a bit of favor.
The guard hesitated, then nodded. The watch was real.
Inside the building, Tyson was in a meeting when his secretary leaned in and whispered the news of Nathan’s arrival in his ear. Tyson’s face remained unreadable as he slowly turned toward the conference room window… the beginning of a storm brewing behind his eyes.
88
