Chapter 193 I Don’t Want Anything Else Either
“The Hunter Family’s business?” As if she had expected what Lucian would say, Alicia wasn’t shocked. Instead, her expression went colder. “I’m not interested in your Hunter Family’s affairs. What I want to know is that since you don’t have many days left before you die, how do you plan to distribute your inheritance? How much do you plan to give Courtney? This girl is very sensitive. She wouldn’t dare to ask for anything; she’s just like her mother. As an elder, I can only come and ask on her behalf.”
Ever since Cecilia passed away twenty-five years ago, Alicia was utterly disappointed in Lucian. He was a man with no sense of responsibility for abandoning his wife and daughter. However, Courtney was his daughter. She deserved nothing less than what belonged to her. After all, Lucian’s family business started from Cecilia’s company.
The room fell silent. The inheritance was something that everyone present was concerned about. It related to their benefits, especially Susan and her daughter.
“I’ve already given Courtney her share,” said Lucian; his tone was gruff.
“What did you give her, Dad?” Anna blasted out anxiously.
Looking up, Lucian glanced at her and his gaze was oddly cold. “Citron Apparel Company Limited. I gave it to Courtney.”
“Citron Apparel?” Anna did not know that there was such a company under the Hunter Group. Just when she was about to inquire more, Susan quickly grabbed her, signaling her to stop talking.
Susan was the only one who knew that Citron Apparel was Lucian’s memorial to Cecilia. All these years, the company was in a financial deficit, and it could only stay afloat because of the support given by the head office. To transfer this company to Courtney was like tossing away a hot potato that no one wanted.
“Aunt Alicia.” Courtney caught Alicia’s hand. “Besides Citron Apparel, I don’t need anything else. It’s my mom’s company. We should leave.”
Upon hearing that, Alicia knitted her brows and finally said, “Fine.”
Before they left, Courtney gazed at Lucian. “Dad, I wish you a happy and healthy life after you go home.”
Lucian did not look up. Lowering his head, no one knew what he was thinking about. If one were to take a closer look, one would be able to see how red his eyes were. He was actually very upset.
Courtney and Alicia left the hospital together. The both of them kept silent about what had just happened.
“Aunt Alicia, what are you doing in the hospital?”
“Getting my prescription. But, the doctor wasn’t here and I heard that Lucian was admitted. I initially wanted to mock him. Who knew he would be discharged today. Indeed, bad things never die.”
“What a coincidence.” Courtney smiled and asked, “Is there anyone daring enough to mention my dad in front of you?”
If Aunt Alicia didn’t take the initiative and checked for herself, who would dare to mention the Hunter Family in front of her?
There was no such thing as a coincidence, but only encounters carefully arranged by people for someone and something.
Alicia glared at her. “Look who’s the one talking now! You can ask for anything you want. Why did you only ask for a small company?”
“It’s my mom’s company. Besides, everything else means nothing to me.”
“How much is sentimentality worth? You didn’t inherit anything good from your parents, but an empty head from your mom.” Alicia looked disgusted. “When the company goes bankrupt, you can just sit there and cry.”
“How did my mom start the company? Did it go well from the start?”
“Go well?” Alicia pouted. “Do you think someone like her could start a business? Back then, your grandfather got a lot of people to help her out. She sided with outsiders instead of her own people, as she couldn’t forget that your grandfather was against her marriage. It was only until later when you were born…”
At first, the conversation was very relaxing. Yet, Alicia couldn’t avoid mentioning the death.
To see one’s child die before oneself was a pain no one would understand if they didn’t experience it themselves.
After Courtney’s mother gave birth to her prematurely, she had a hemorrhage again not long after leaving the ward. The doctor couldn’t rescue her in time. She fell asleep in the arms of her best friend, Alicia—who was already her brother’s wife at the time—forever. She couldn’t even make it to see her father for the last time.
This incident had become the greatest pain in her father’s heart. He had three children, and he loved his youngest daughter the most. When she left, she was only in her twenties. It was the very flower of her youth. How could he not feel sad?
It was also the same incident that deteriorated her father’s originally healthy body. Alas, he left the world, no longer able to take care of his young granddaughter.
It was a tragedy of three families resulting from the betrayal of one man.
Back then, Alicia was already pregnant for more than two months. She took a lot of traditional Chinese medicine to become pregnant. Before she could even inform her family about the good news, she lost her only child while she rushed to the hospital with the ambulance. Her child was stillborn, and she could no longer bear a child.
It took so many years for Courtney to finally understand the friendship between her mother and Alicia.
At noon, the dining room in the Hunter Mansion was overflowing with the savory scent of dishes. A whole table of dishes was prepared to welcome Lucian’s return.
“Luke, come and take a seat. These are all your favorite dishes.” Holding Lucian, Susan helped him sit on the chair. After taking one bite, Lucian put down his spoon.
“What’s wrong, Dad? It doesn’t suit your taste?” Anna was slightly nervous. “I can ask the kitchen to remake it.”
“No.” Lucian coughed and got up. He said, “I’m a little tired and I want to rest for a while. When Mr. Morrison gets here, send him to my study.”
Seeing that her father’s condition was not as good as before, Anna was a little startled. “Oh, okay.”
The sound of the study’s door closing was clearly heard from the second floor. The living room in the mansion was very quiet. As if nothing had happened, Susan instructed the housemaid to trim the plants in the corners. She then brought out a tray from the kitchen. There was a small bowl, a spoon, and a bowl of soup stewed in a clay pot. “Your dad didn’t eat anything just now. Bring this to him.”
Staring at the dish in front of her, Anna asked her mother, “Mom, is this… soup?”
“Of course, this is soup. What else would it be?” Susan threw her daughter a single glance. Lowering her voice, she continued, “What do you think this place is? You can’t say anything
Courtney’s apparel company was still in the middle of a renovation. Although she had not started recruiting staff officially, she had to be prepared in advance.
Recently, Cameron had introduced her to a senior whom she knew when she studied design at St. York University. After working for a few years, he found the business world incompatible with design, so he quit his job and went back to his hometown to live like a native. He lived in Lisboa and Courtney heard that he didn’t even have a phone. She had to call the city and wait for someone to inform him before he could walk five kilometers into the city.
“Don’t worry. I’ve contacted him. You only need to get to the city and ask the owner of the telephone booth to take you to him.” Before she left, Cameron reminded her again, “Remember, he has a weird temperament and he’s a drama queen. Don’t get angry with him.”
“Which one of you in this industry isn’t weird? Some of you even have depression!” Pulling open the car door, Courtney said, “Okay. Just go back. It’s still early. Go back to sleep with Tina; I’m leaving.”
“Take care.”
From the rear-view mirror, Courtney could see that Cameron was waving at her like a tube man. Laughing helplessly, she silently cursed, “Crazy woman.” Then, she sped up her car to drive toward Lisboa.
