Chapter 132

Adrian Valentine stood at the hospital room door, his fingers lightly tracing the handle.

"Grandmother, I should go now." His voice was low.

Beatrice Valentine leaned against the hospital bed, watching him with complex emotions in her eyes.

Outside the window, dark clouds gathered like an omen of the coming storm.

Vincent Langley had turned the entire jewelry world upside down for that mineral atlas. The Tang family had been wiped out, and this bloodbath was only the beginning.

"Old Tang," Beatrice murmured to herself, "your descendants died unjustly. You must be raging in your grave."

A bitter smile touched her lips as tears glistened in the corners of her eyes.

Hadn't her own son also died with grievances unresolved? All these years, the murderer still walked free.

Watching her grandson's retreating figure, Beatrice felt as if a knife twisted in her heart.

This past year had been harder on him than anyone.

Only after the divorce did he learn to cherish what he'd lost—but it was too late.

That Evelyn Roland was no ordinary woman. Missing her meant losing her forever.

Remembering the carefully orchestrated scheme from a year ago, Beatrice's lips curved slightly. The shares had been smoothly transferred to Adrian, and the boy hadn't disappointed her. In just one year, he'd taken the Valentine Group to new heights.

"That Langley bastard..." A cold glint flashed in Beatrice's eyes. "Once I uncover the truth, you'll pay in blood."

Her gaze fixed on the distant green mountain where her son rested.

Her breathing grew ragged as years of suppressed grief finally overflowed.

......

Top floor of Sterling Manor.

Evelyn pushed open the glass office door, sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Nathan had everything prepared for her.

"Boss, should we proceed with the product launch as scheduled?" Nathan handed her a cup of hot tea.

Evelyn flipped open the proposal, her fingers tapping lightly on the pages.

"Move it up by three days," she said abruptly.

Nathan and Zachary froze.

"Why?" Zachary couldn't help asking.

Evelyn's lips curved. "Too many eyes are watching us in the shadows. Let's give them a surprise."

She looked out the window at the city spread below.

"Sales must break records before the year-end chamber meeting."

Nathan smiled in understanding. After a year of witnessing deceit and treachery, he was no longer the naive assistant he'd once been.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

"Mr. Aldridge, Chairman Langley and Mr. Valentine are here. They specifically asked to see Assistant Roland."

Evelyn nodded her acknowledgment.

Zachary rose to prepare tea.

Footsteps approached.

The moment Adrian stepped into the office, his gaze locked onto the figure by the window.

Evelyn turned slowly.

Their eyes met.

The air seemed to solidify.