Ch45 - Let’s hope so

After Julian left, Marcus immediately told his assistant to dig into the request.

As expected, the “friend” Julian wanted to enroll in the gene therapy trial wasn’t just some random patient — she was Violet’s cousin.

Marcus’s lips curved slightly. “Interesting,” he murmured, flipping through the report. Then, without hesitation, he said, “Approve it. Get her into the program.”

If Julian wanted a favor, Marcus would, of course, grant it. But favors always came with a price — and this one might serve him well later.

He tapped his fingers on the desk, thoughtful, then reached for his phone and called Serena, Julian’s stepmother.

She picked up quickly, her tone breezy and amused. “Well, well. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

The noise in the background suggested she was mid-conversation — someone pitching her something, probably another boutique. A moment later, the background chatter faded.

“Just checking in,” Marcus said, voice calm.

“Checking in?” She laughed softly. 

“That’s new. I haven’t seen much of you lately. Word is, you’ve been going straight home after work. No dinners, no events — not very you. Makes me wonder what’s kept you so busy. You even stopped keeping tabs on Julian. I thought maybe you’d stopped caring — about him, about the shares…”

Marcus didn’t respond right away. A few weeks ago, he had stopped caring — too caught up in the thrill of impending fatherhood, the wedding planning, the idea of a future he thought he finally had under control.

But now? The wedding was off. The baby wasn’t his.

And the five percent stake tied to the family trust would never be his without that child. The only path left was waiting for his father, Richard, to finally step down — but Richard kept saying he “wasn’t ready.”

Not ready? After everything he’d done for the company?

And yet somehow, Julian — careless, impulsive, childish Julian — was apparently worthy of consideration?

No. Marcus wouldn’t let that idiot coast into what he had worked for. Julian’s marriage hadn’t even hit its first anniversary yet, which meant there was still time to... intervene.

“Wasn’t feeling great for a bit,” Marcus said casually. “Headed home early. I’m fine now.”

“Oh? Nothing serious, I hope?” Serena’s voice was polite but detached. “You young people need to take better care of yourselves. Work’ll still be there tomorrow.”

“Appreciate it,” Marcus said with a practiced smile she couldn’t see. Then he cut straight to the point. “So—do you still see much of your daughter-in-law?”

“Violet?” Serena let out a short, derisive laugh. 

“God knows what that girl’s up to. Haven’t seen her since that dinner at your place. Never drops by, never calls — no manners at all. Not that I want to see her. What would we even talk about? She just sits there quietly like a lost child. Drives me crazy.”

Marcus gave a small chuckle. “Yeah. Marrying outside your circle always ends like this. Different worlds shouldn’t mix. My dear cousin really lost his head over her looks.”

Serena’s tone shifted — sharp resentment beneath the silk. “Exactly! I raised that boy, and this is how he repays me? Marrying some tacky nobody? It breaks my heart.”

Her voice trembled, just enough to sound believable. She could’ve won an award for it.

Marcus almost smiled. Always a performance, he thought.

“Don’t be upset,” he said smoothly. “Julian’s still young and foolish. That’s why we have to steer him back in the right direction.”

Serena sighed dramatically. “We’ve tried before. Nothing worked. He’s completely bewitched by that woman.”

Marcus pretended to ponder. “You know how it is — Violet comes from a broken home, sheltered life, no real experience with pressure or temptation…”

He paused deliberately, letting the word temptation hang in the air, its meaning shifting subtly.

She’s the kind of girl who doesn’t hold up well when things get... complicated.

The moment Marcus finished speaking, Serena’s teary tone vanished—like a curtain dropping after the act.

“Oh, getting that woman away from Julian? That might not be so hard,” she said, voice cool and measured again. “But I suppose it means I have to make time to deal with her. You know how I am since my husband passed—I prefer to stay out of other people’s messes…”

Marcus smirked quietly to himself, though his voice remained smooth—warm, even.

“I remember you have a thing for limited-edition handbags, don’t you? The brand rep just called me. They’ve got a diamond-studded one—only three in the world. How about I send it over as an early birthday present?”

Serena’s composure cracked instantly. “Oh, that’s… that’s far too generous—”

The delight in her voice was impossible to miss.

“It’s settled,” Marcus said. “I’ll have it delivered straight to your house.”

“Well then, thank you, Marcus.”

“No need to thank me. We help each other, don’t we? I’m sure I’ll be hearing good news soon.”

“Let’s hope so,” she replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

When the call ended, Serena sat back against the plush sofa, a grin spreading slowly across her face. She’d spent the whole day browsing stores without finding a single bag that caught her eye—yet one simple phone call, a global limited edition handed to her on a silver platter.

Her dealings with Marcus were always shadowed, veiled. Both of them played carefully, knowing the other was just as calculating—one wrong move, and they’d sell each other out without hesitation. 

She wasn’t related to Julian by blood, and she certainly wasn’t close to her so-called “nephew” Marcus. What tied them together wasn’t family—it was mutual benefit.

Marcus despised Julian, so he’d long allowed Serena to temporarily hold some of the family shares meant for his cousin. He liked it that way; the longer Julian stayed powerless, the easier it was to keep him dependent—and small.

And Serena? She was happy to oblige. Having those shares in her hands meant people had to show her respect again—a luxury she’d been denied since her husband’s death. The “board member” title opened every door she needed.

Their conversations never spelled things out. They didn’t have to. Smart people didn’t need direct orders.

A gift could always be just a gift. 

What she did with it—well, that would depend entirely on her mood.

Now, the only thing bothering her was figuring out how to approach Violet.

Inside the boutique’s VIP room, shelves gleamed with luxury—silks, bags, jewelry, all curated to perfection. Serena lifted a scarf from the rack, eyeing the tag. It was the cheapest item in the room. Even so, she thought, even this felt wasted on Violet…

Outside, muffled commotion began to rise—a woman’s voice, sharp and indignant.

“What’s going on out there?” Serena asked, annoyance flickering.

One of the sales associates rushed back into the room, looking nervous. “There’s a customer who just came in, ma’am.”

Serena raised a perfectly arched brow. “Oh?”

That tone, that tension in the girl’s voice—it could only mean one thing: another VIP.

Probably upset about not being escorted straight into the private suite. And since Serena was currently occupying it, the staff were stuck in a bind—they couldn’t offend either woman.

The poor salesgirl looked like she might faint. The manager wasn’t around, and stuff like this was tricky. One wrong move and someone could lose their job—especially with all those rival families and tangled social ties involved.

Serena noticed the girl’s panic and smiled faintly. “Relax. Tell me—who is it?”

The salesgirl leaned in, whispering a name in her ear.

Serena’s expression brightened instantly. “Oh, that’s fine,” she said, her tone airy and pleased. “Invite her in. We know each other very well.”