Chapter 220: My Father Loves Me Very Much

The plummeting favorability score barely dropped to 1% before stopping again.

Jane Lancaster looked up at Julian Lanscaster, a little surprised.

"I have work to do. We’re done here." Julian Lanscaster tossed out the words before turning and walking away.

Lucy Finch gave Jane Lancaster a complicated look before hurrying after him.

Julian Lanscaster’s brain trust followed him out, though a few of them nodded at Jane Lancaster on their way.

The gesture wasn’t presumptuous. After all, Jane knew this group well; she had spent plenty of time with them back when she used to accompany her older brother during his late nights at the office.

But at a time like this, it felt ill-timed and would inevitably make people read into things.

After the group had gone, Willow Summers finally, slowly, closed her jaw.

"Mandy, what do you make of all this?" she asked, turning to Beverly Lynch and lowering her voice.

Timothy Lancaster actually had his will notarized ages ago, leaving everything to Jane Lancaster!

The shock of it was immense. It was a possibility she had never even considered!

As a daughter, Willow Summers had been taught by her parents since she was little to be obedient, sensible, and well-behaved. Even when they spent money on her, they would repeatedly stress that she would have to repay them in the future.

As for the family’s assets, she was told not to even think about it. Not a single cent would be left to her.

Her family wasn’t an exception. Nearly all her friends had the same experience. It was common for people to grow up and suddenly realize they had no true home to fall back on.

Things were slightly better in wealthy families, since they had more assets to go around. Giving a little to a daughter was no great loss.

This was the first time she had ever encountered a situation like the one in the Lancaster family!

So Timothy Lancaster didn’t just talk about favoring his daughter—he truly put his money where his heart was.

Beverly Lynch thought for a moment before replying, "What’s so unusual about that? My parents drew up their wills long ago, and they’re leaving everything to me."

Jane Lancaster snapped out of her daze. "Your parents love you very much."

"Your dad loves you a lot, too..." Beverly Lynch trailed off, unconsciously pursing her lips.

’If Timothy Lancaster really doted on his daughter, why was he staying abroad instead of coming back?’

Beverly Lynch couldn’t quite understand it. She was close to her own parents. Even though they were all busy with their own lives, they always faced difficulties as a family.

Jane Lancaster, however, was completely unperturbed. "That’s right. My father loves me very much."

’Who would have guessed? I only found out recently myself.’

’My father told me he’d drawn up a will and gave me the password to his safe, but I had no reason to go looking through his will, did I? That would have been too weird.’

As much as she loved money, she wasn’t so morbid as to be interested in Timothy Lancaster’s will.

’The Lancaster Family was doomed to fall sooner or later, and Timothy Lancaster would probably outlive all his children. It was anyone’s guess who would be inheriting whose estate.’

But one day, bored out of her mind, she had been casually looking through Timothy Lancaster’s room when she stumbled upon the notarized will.

She had been shocked when she saw it, but that shock quickly turned to delight.

’The moment the will is made public, Julian Lanscaster will totally lose it!’

’After all, who could stand it? The company you worked your ass off to manage suddenly belongs to your little sister, and you’re just an employee?’

"My dad always said he’d leave all his assets to me, but I didn’t know he actually went and drew up a will." Jane’s expression grew distant for a moment as she spoke.

She remembered her own father saying the same thing.

But her family had been too poor. It was a pie-in-the-sky promise she could never bring herself to believe, so she’d never taken it to heart.

Who would have thought it would come true like this.

Jane Lancaster gave a casual wave. "Mama Knight made me some soup. I’m going upstairs to drink it!"

With that, she turned and headed upstairs.

Beverly Lynch watched her go, then turned to her assistants. "Don’t let what you heard here get out."

They all nodded. They were all sharp enough to know the meaning of discretion.

——

Standing in a corner, Gordon Dawson overheard their conversation and was utterly stunned.

’So that’s why Jane Lancaster dares to offend anyone and everyone,’ he thought. ’This is the reason.’

Timothy Lancaster’s love for his daughter was simply outrageous.

No wonder Pauline Shaw was so resentful and indignant. She was also the daughter of a wealthy family, but she didn’t enjoy the same treatment.

On the surface, Pauline Shaw seemed to have it all: an only daughter from a harmonious family with loving parents, making her an ideal marriage prospect.

But what was the reality? Her mother was domineering, and her father not only had an affair and an illegitimate child, but was also meticulously plotting to steal his own daughter’s assets.

In contrast, Timothy Lancaster had gone to great lengths to ensure his daughter’s control over the company.

Gordon Dawson glanced toward the main hall, thought for a moment, then turned and left, still holding the flowers and gift.

His car was parked downstairs. He got in quickly and sped off to his office.

Pauline Shaw was swamped with work and looked up in surprise when he walked in.

"What’s going on? Didn’t you go to the hospital?"

Gordon Dawson replied, "I thought about it, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to visit. What Jane Lancaster wants is concern from you, her friend."

Pauline Shaw frowned. "But I don’t have time..."

"That’s no excuse!" Gordon Dawson put his hands on her shoulders. "I’m your boyfriend. I can help you with other things, but I absolutely cannot be meeting with your best friend behind your back."

Pauline Shaw said, "...Fine."

She’d had a rare moment of free time today and had just wanted to have a quiet lunch with Gordon Dawson, but even that was disturbed.

Because Gordon Dawson had told her that Jane Lancaster was injured...

She remembered the phone call from Willow Summers, and her conscience had been bothering her. That’s why she suggested that Gordon Dawson go in her place.

Jane Lancaster could be heartless enough not to visit Pauline’s mother, but Pauline couldn’t be so disloyal in return.

Gordon Dawson said, "You look exhausted. Why don’t you sit down? I’ll give you a massage."

Without waiting for an answer, he guided Pauline Shaw to the sofa and began to massage her shoulders.

Pauline Shaw closed her eyes. "Young, you’re so good to me."

’At least my luck isn’t completely terrible,’ she thought. ’My father betrayed me and my mother is sick, but Gordon Dawson is truly good to me.’

’Adversity reveals a person’s true character, as they say.’

Gordon Dawson had said it himself. He used to hate Yara Yates, but after seeing her fall ill and be betrayed by Mr. Shaw, his hatred had turned to pity.

The mother and daughter had no one to rely on. If he were to kick them while they were down, what kind of person would that make him?

Though Caleb Lowell had helped her stabilize the situation and retain the company’s major clients these past few days, a bigger threat loomed.

But Mr. Shaw had played his trump card. He held shares in the Shaw Group, and if he listed them for sale, even if no one bought them, it would inevitably cause the shareholders to panic sell.

The Shaw Group’s stock would plummet until it was nothing but worthless paper.

He was using this as a threat, demanding an exorbitant price for Pauline Shaw to buy him out. Otherwise, he was prepared to burn everything to the ground.

Pauline Shaw was now caught between a rock and a hard place. If she didn’t buy the shares, what if Mr. Shaw found another buyer?

If he sold them at a steep discount, it was almost certain that other investors would swoop in. Then, the Shaw Group would no longer be under her and Yara Yates’s control.

But if she were to buy them, where would she possibly raise that much money?

Without a moment’s hesitation, Gordon Dawson said he would shut down his own company to raise the money for her.

He had always been fiercely loyal, even back in his student days. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have earned so many loyal friends and followers.

Pauline had, in fact, wondered before. Gordon Dawson mentioned Jane Lancaster so often... did he have feelings for her?

Now, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Her boyfriend’s heart was in the right place. She had just been overly anxious.