Chapter 330: Let the Heavens Judge the Loyal and the Treacherous

Kingsland.

Yvonne Lowell drove a low-profile black car through the bustling city center, arriving alone at a certain government compound.

Upon reaching the compound gate, Yvonne Lowell stepped out of her car and presented her identification to the guards.

After verifying that her ID and appointment information were correct, the guard suppressed his shock. He returned the ID with both hands, then snapped to attention and saluted her respectfully.

“Commander Lowell!”

Yvonne Lowell returned the salute, then stood aside while they inspected her car and its contents for anything unusual.

Once the inspection was complete, the guard saluted her again.

“Commander Lowell, everything is in order. You may proceed.”

“Thank you.”

Yvonne Lowell gave them a slight nod before getting back into her car and starting the engine.

The two guards remained at their posts, their eyes darting around in excitement. Discipline, however, kept them from moving or whispering to each other.

‘Holy cow, that was intimidating!’

‘She’s so young! And so pretty and delicate, with such fair skin. How can her rank be so much higher than ours?!’

‘And she looks kind of familiar… a bit like that one chairwoman who went viral online. Even their names are the same!’

‘A chairwoman suddenly became our commander? Holy cow! It feels like I just learned some earth-shattering gossip and can’t tell a soul!’

Yvonne Lowell drove deep into the compound, stopping in front of a small, two-story building.

Hearing the engine, Uncle Sutton hurried out to see who it was.

“Well, look who it is! Yvonne’s here.”

He walked over and took the bags she was carrying.

Yvonne closed the passenger-side door and walked inside with him.

“Uncle Sutton, is he here too?”

“Yep. Got here about an hour before you did. The two of them are in the back room playing chess.”

“That explains it.”

Yvonne expertly slipped off her shoes in the entryway and walked into the back room.

She looked at the two men playing chess and said teasingly,

“I was wondering why security was so tight today. It seems we have a distinguished guest.”

The Boss placed a piece on the board before glancing up at her.

“Hmph. And whose fault is that? You only ever come to see Old Man Chandler, never me. So, since it’s the weekend, I had no choice but to invite myself over.”

Yvonne rolled her eyes and found a seat nearby.

“Getting in and out of your place is too much of a hassle, and I’m lazy. Besides, when has he ever gotten something that you didn’t?”

Elder Clark pursed his lips in agreement.

“Exactly! When have I ever gotten something you didn’t? An old man like you, getting jealous over such petty things. You should go sit at the kids’ table.”

“Alright, alright! You two are the real pair here. I can’t win against you two!”

The Boss shot him an annoyed glare before looking at Yvonne. “So, what goodies did you bring for us two old-timers today?”

“The usual. Pills formulated based on those medical reports you sent me, plus two tins of tea for each of you. One is Imperial Eighteen, and the other is Taiping Houkui.”

Yvonne tilted her chin toward a paper bag on the table.

A flicker of surprise crossed The Boss’s eyes.

“Well, well. Two tins of tea this time? Has this stuff gotten easier to find?”

Yvonne rubbed her nose, a bit awkwardly.

“Don’t be sarcastic. I know it’s less this time. It couldn’t be helped; my dear father took my entire previous stash for himself. I’ll send you more once I track some down.”

“Who’s being sarcastic? Didn’t you usually only bring one tin? I’m complimenting you, and you’re getting upset?”

“Heaven be my witness, I’m being slandered! I used to bring at least three—”

COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!

Before she could finish, Elder Clark burst into a coughing fit, shooting frantic looks in her direction.

“Did you catch a cold, or is your eye spasming?”

Yvonne got up, poured him a glass of water, and patted his back to help him catch his breath, continuing,

“I know for a fact I always brought at least three tins, okay?! No, wait, it was rarely just three. It was usually five!”

Yvonne pulled her hand away. She and The Boss exchanged a look, then both turned their gaze to Elder Clark. In unison, they said,

“Well? What’s the story?”

“What story? I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m hungry! Old Man Sawyer, time to eat!”

Though he was clearly in the wrong, Elder Clark acted with bravado, standing up and heading for the dining table.

Yvonne’s lip twitched in amusement.

“Maybe you should… apply for a search warrant? This is embezzlement! He’s probably got quite a stash hidden away.”

“Oh, get out of here! This is all your fault for not delivering it to me personally!” The Boss shot her a look, then also stood up and walked over.

Yvonne gave an innocent shrug. ‘All she could say was, let the heavens judge the innocent!’

…

「At the dining table.」

The Boss spoke first.

“The news about that boy from the Grant Family proposing to you is all over the place. Have you set a date?”

“Mhm. We’re registering the marriage at the end of the year, and the wedding will be in March.”

Elder Clark pursed his lips. “It’s all happening so fast. You should have observed him a while longer.”

“What can I say? The offer was too good to refuse.”

Yvonne shrugged.

“Hmph. How much could it be? It’s not like you’re hurting for pocket change.”

“All of his personal assets, plus what the Grant Family is giving, comes out to sixty percent of the shares in The Grants. All told… it’s pretty much half the Grant family’s entire fortune.”

Elder Clark was momentarily stunned into silence by her words.

‘Alright, that is a lot.’

‘Well, she can just stick with him for now. If she gets tired of him, she can just kick him to the curb, take the money, and run. She’s still young, after all.’

The Boss shook his head with a laugh. “The wedding’s in Kingsland, right? Will I have a seat?”

Yvonne froze for a second.

“Yes, it’s in Kingsland. It’s not convenient for the Forrests and Crawfords to travel abroad, after all. But… you can come?”

“Whether I can attend is one thing. Whether you invite me is another. This is a matter of attitude! Even if I can’t go myself, can’t I send someone with a gift?!”

Yvonne’s mouth twitched, and she quickly changed her tune.

“Of course you can come, why wouldn’t you? You two must sit at the head table! Besides, I was planning on sending you the invitations closer to the date. There’s still plenty of time!”

“That’s more like it. Just remember to send us invitations. And one more thing, remember to file an application report before you register the marriage.”

“I knooow~”

…

After the meal, The Boss was the first to leave.

Even though it was the weekend, he still had a backlog of work to deal with. Coming over for a meal was a rare moment of leisure he’d managed to steal from his busy schedule.

If he hadn’t wanted to discuss Yvonne’s marriage, he likely wouldn’t have come at all.

When he left, his aide was carrying not only the gifts Yvonne had brought, but also an additional six tins of tea.

That wasn’t all that had been pilfered, but it was all he could find. If he’d taken any more, he was afraid it would lead to a dramatic scene:

An Old Geezer in His Sixties Bawling His Eyes Out: A Perversion of Human Nature or a Collapse of Morals?

Yvonne stayed behind to play a few more games of chess with Elder Clark. When she noticed he was looking tired, she shooed him off for an afternoon nap before finally leaving the compound.