Jack, his face grim, walked directly to Alice. She was startled by his sudden entrance. Seeing hist expression, she took his hand. “I''m okay.” Don''t start a fight. Ethan would use it against them. But she wouldn''t let Jack take the fall.


    Jack, seeing Alice''s calm expression, rxed slightly. He looked at Ethan. Had he been too lenient. with the Alice? Letting them walk all over Alice!


    Ethan''s gaze lingered on Jack, his expressionplex. He looked like someone from the Wilson family!"Who are you?"


    "Who he is isn''t important right now," Andrew Yates said, entering the office, his usual affable demeanor reced with an air of arrogance.


    Ethan''s face changed when he saw Andrew Yates."Mr. Yates." He''d met Andrew Yates at a social


    event.


    Luke was surprised. "Brother, you mean he''s "the" Andrew Yates?”


    "Yes," Ethan said. Luke''s expression changed. He''d met Andrew Yates several times in New York, always because of Alice. Back then, he didn''t know his identity. That exined why it had been so difficult to find Alice when she ran away. He''d assumed the nurse was important. It was Andrew Yates all


    Yates all along! Was Jack not her boyfriend, but Andrew Yates?


    Ethan asked Luke, "You know him?"


    Andrew Yates said smoothly, "Yes, I''ve met Mr. Luke several times. Unpleasant encounters.”


    Ethan frowned. He''d known nothing about this.


    Luke exined hastily, “I didn''t know Mr. Yates''s identity. I apologize for any offense. I was only trying to protect my sister."


    "Your protection? Little Lemon would''ve been dead if it weren''t for others," Andrew Yates sneered.


    Ethan was ufortable. "Mr. Yates, your words are harsh."


    "I''m not wrong. Your ''protection'' and ''concern'' were always conditional on Alice''s concessions, sacrifices, and apologies. Without them, you wouldn''t protect her, would you?" Andrew Yates was always blunt.


    Ethan''s face changed, but he couldn''t retort. Offending Andrew Yates would be disastrous for the Alice Group.


    Luke looked at Andrew Yates. "We were wrong. Alice is our only sister. She''s nevercked for money. She''s not someone to be tossed aside."


    Jack said coldly, “Isn''t your only sister Chloe?"


    Andrew Yates added, "You always favored the fake sister, didn''t you? You''ve always belittled Little Lemon. What gives you the right to say that?"


    Luke almost stumbled. The words were like needles, piercing his mind. He''d tried to calm down, to focus on making amends. The past couldn''t be changed.


    Ethan supported Luke."I told you not toe!"


    Thad to! Mr. Yates, if you spare Alice, name your price!” Luke was determined to protect his sister. Alice couldn''t be anyone''s mistress!


    Jack, his face grim, walked directly to Alice. She was startled by his sudden entrance. Seeing his expression, she took his hand. I''m okay.” Don''t start a fight. Ethan would use it against them. But she wouldn''t let Jack take the fall.


    Jack, seeing Alice''s calm expression, rxed slightly. He looked at Ethan. Had he been too lenient with the Alice? Letting them walk all over Alice!


    Ethan''s gaze lingered on Jack, his expressionplex. He looked like someone from the Wilson family!"Who are you?"


    "Who he is isn''t important right now," Andrew Yates said, entering the office, his usual affable demeanor reced with an air of arrogance.


    Ethan''s face changed when he saw Andrew Yates. "Mr. Yates." He''d met Andrew Yates at a social


    event.


    Luke was surprised. "Brother, you mean he''s "the" Andrew Yates?"


    "Yes," Ethan said. Luke''s expression changed. He''d met Andrew Yates several times in New York, always because of Alice. Back then, he didn''t know his identity. That exined why it had been so difficult to find Alice when she ran away. He''d assumed the nurse was important. It was Andrew Yates all along! Was Jack not. her boyfriend, but Andrew Yates?


    Ethan asked Luke, "You know him?"


    Andrew Yates said smoothly, "Yes, I''ve met Mr. Luke several times. Unpleasant encounters.


    Ethan frowned. He''d known nothing about this.


    Luke exined hastily, "I didn''t know Mr. Yates''s identity. I apologize for any offense. I was only trying to protect my sister."


    "Your protection? Little Lemon would''ve been dead if it weren''t for others, Andrew Yates


    sneered.


    Ethan was ufortable."Mr. Yates, your words are harsh.”


    "I''m not wrong. Your ''protection'' and ''concern'' were always conditional on Alice''s concessions, sacrifices, and apologies. Without them, you wouldn''t protect her, would you?" Andrew Yates was always blunt.


    Ethan''s face changed, but he couldn''t retort. Offending Andrew Yates would be disastrous for the Alice Group.


    Luke looked at Andrew Yates.“We were wrong. Alice is our only sister. She''s nevercked for money. She''s not someone to be tossed aside."


    Jack said coldly, "Isn''t your only sister Chloe?"


    Andrew Yates added, "You always favored the fake sister, didn''t you? You''ve always belittled Little Lemon. What gives you the right to say that?"


    Luke almost stumbled. The words were like needles, piercing his mind. He''d tried to calm down, to focus on making amends. The past couldn''t be changed.


    Ethan supported Luke."I told you not toe!"


    I had to! Mr. Yates, if you spare Alice, name your price!" Luke was determined to protect his sister. Alice couldn''t be anyone''s mistress!


    58.15.


    Andrew Yatesughed. “Okay. The entire Alice family fortune for Little Lemon."


    Luke nodded. "Deal."


    Ethan said harshly, “I didn''t agree. Alice''s choices are her own. It''s not the Alice family''s responsibility."


    Luke stepped forward. "I''ll give my entire fortune!"


    "Not enough!" Andrew Yates sneered. “Your sincerity iscking." He turned to Alice.“I was testing them. Their so-called sincerity."


    Alice smiled."No need. I knew."


    Ethan yelled at Alice, “Alice, are you proud? Since you''re ungrateful, fine. I''m making it clear in front of Mr. Yates: You''re cut off from the Alice family. Any future trouble is none


    concern!"


    Alice replied calmly, "Wasn''t it already severed?"


    of Our


    Ethan continued, “Even if you...sell yourself, it''s not...”


    water on


    Ethan.


    Before he could finish, Jack


    Jack threw teacup, sshing


    Jack''s voice was icy."Say


    was icy. "Say that again. See if Alice Group goes bankrupt tomorrow. Ethan stared at Jack, unsure of his identity. With Andrew Yates present, he could only leave angrily.


    Luke looked at Alice.“Alice, no matter what Brother says, you''re always my sister. Come to me if you need


    anything."


    Andrew Yates mocked, "Right, haven''t you beening to Little Lemon for help all this time? When did she ever ask you for anything? Have some shame.”


    Luke coughed, clutching his stomach. Alice remained impassive.


    Her secretary said anxiously, "Ms. Alice, do you still have the medicinal porridge recipe you made. for the


    boss?"


    Alice sneered, "The medicinal porridge?"


    “Yes, the boss only feels better after drinking it.”


    "No, he prefers Chloe''s in congee, doesn''t he?" Alice remembered Luke saying Chloe''s congee was thoughtful, while her carefully made medicinal porridge was ignored. Regret now? Toote! Luke said, remorseful, Alice, I just found out. Your porridge was better. I was blind." The secretary agreed, "Ms. Alice, the boss realized it long ago."


    Andrew Yates chimed in, ''Realized it long ago, and only saying it now? Procrastination is a disease! Tell him


    next life!"


    Luke exined hastily, "Alice, I didn''t know how to say it. I was afraid you wouldn''t forgive me." The more he thought about his mistakes, the more he suffered, the more he avoided facing her.


    Alice''s voice was cold. I won''t forgive you!"


    Luke, numb with pain, choked out, "Will you forgive me only after I die?” He picked up a shard of the broken teacup and shed his wrist....