Captive Hearts: The Tycoon's Ugly Bride

Chapter 66 Picking Oranges

Chapter 66 Picking Oranges

In the airport terminal, a group of bodyguards approached Wilburn.

He was reluctant to leave, lingering from the previous night until dawn. He knew all too well that despite the pretext of going abroad to study, it was little more than a form of exile, banishing him far from the center of power.

"Mr. Herbart, it's time for you to board the plane," a bodyguard coldly reminded him. They were sent by Viola to escort Wilburn onto the plane.

"Do you think you have the right to talk to me? Fools! When I was in my prime, you weren't even born yet," Wilburn said with a harsh tone.

The bodyguards simply surrounded him, their attitudes firm.

"You!" Wilburn was so angry that his face tightened.

"Son, take a good look at your father's situation. Even the dogs we raised can now sit on my head," he lamented, looking at Henry.

The more he looked, the more uncomfortable he felt. His son was such an ingrate.

"Do you even consider me as your father anymore? Without me, there wouldn't have been you. For all these years, I have provided you with the best of everything. Is this how you repay me?"

Henry had been there last night while he was kneeling on the floor, but the kid hadn't uttered a word to plead for him. It was as if he had been hit with a mallet.

How could he give birth to such a cold-blooded son?

"I have to go to a meeting," Henry said indifferently, raising his eyes.

"You unfilial son, no matter what you think, as your father, I order you not to let Louis go. Avenge me! Reclaim what's rightfully ours."

After shouting, Wilburn weakly slumped onto the sofa, clutching at the armrests and panting heavily.

He closed his tired eyes. In his view, if he hadn't fooled around or lost his son, he would have been the proudest person in the Herbart family.

He knew that Henry was a good seed. The ruthlessness in his eyes signaled that his son was capable of achieving great things. And to top it off, Viola held him in high esteem.

But unfortunately, his son always did unpleasant things.

In the past, Henry had insisted on studying seemingly useless medical skills, leaving the control of the Herbart family mostly in Louis's hands. Over the last two years, he couldn't quite pinpoint what had made Henry change his mind and instead pursue a business career. Yet, in the end, he was still a step behind Louis.

Louis was favored by Viola and had already controlled most of the Herbart family's assets.

Henry stopped in his tracks, looking at his father with disdain.

"If only you weren't so arrogant, perhaps you could have waited for the right moment to enjoy your fortune. Even though Louis is your nephew, he's a hundred times sharper than you are. With your limited intellect, you'll only be able to keep a few more mistresses and make my mother suffer," he chided.

Stunned, Wilburn watched Henry stride away.

In the end, his son harbored a deep hatred for him, brooding over the incident from long ago.

"Mr. Herbart," the bodyguard interjected.

Facing the music, Wilburn took out his phone. "Don't follow me. Let me make one last call, then I'll board the plane."

He couldn't contain his anger towards Louis. How could a junior treat a senior with such disrespect? He was determined to teach his nephew a lesson and show him that the old-timer still had some fight left in him.

Walking out of the control range of the bodyguards, Wilburn dialed a number.

"I need you to help me take care of someone discreetly. Name your price, as long as you can get it done. I'll send you the person's information via email."

After putting away the phone, Wilburn sighed and stepped onto the plane to go abroad.

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At the Regal Villa where Blanche and Louis lived, Clara approached Blanche and asked, "Mrs. Herbart, you want to know who sent this perfume?"

"Yes."

"It was a woman who brought it over. She's thin and young."

A young, thin woman. Blanche immediately thought of Erin. She had predicted that it was Erin who sent the perfume.

Louis packed his clothes and left without mentioning the perfume. Blanche had already ruled out the possibility that Louis bought it.

That girl was so silly to buy such an expensive perfume for her. While she rejected the dinner invitation, Erin tried to compensate her in another way.

Blanche was about to make a phone call to thank Erin. She knew how hard Erin worked to be able to afford this bottle of perfume, which was worth at least two months of her salary. She didn't have that kind of money.

But just as she unlocked the screen, she received a message from Nicole.

Blanche's hand shook as she opened the picture. In the picture, a pair of hands were reaching for her grandmother's neck while she was sleeping and unaware.

Immediately afterward, Nicole's phone call came in.

"Blanche, you've gone to great lengths to marry into a wealthy family and become a lady of leisure. Life must be very comfortable for you. But your grandmother won't live for much longer if no one does surgery on her."

"What did you do to my grandmother? If you harm her, I won't let you go."

"Why are you so fierce? Don't worry, that picture is just to scare you. I just saw that your grandmother looked so painful even when she was asleep. I wanted to help her and get rid of her pain sooner. But I'm not that stupid to risk myself for an old fool." Nicole sounded excited.

This excitement was like a thorn, piercing into Blanche's skin. These people were evil, and they had no bottom line.

"I've already thought about it. From now on, I'll come to your grandmother's bedside every day and tell her stories. Do you think your grandmother will get worse? She'll die all at once."

Blanche narrowed her eyes. "Nicole, leave my grandmother's ward immediately or I'll send this picture to my lawyer and sue you."

"Fine! I'll leave today. But you stole my glory and wealth. I'll never let you go in this life."

After threatening Blanche, Nicole hung up the phone angrily.

Blanche immediately called Gloria, who was taking care of her grandmother in the hospital. The nurse reassured her, telling her that Nicole had been driven away by the security guards.

Still ill at ease, Blanche sent several bodyguards from home to the hospital to guard her grandmother. She wanted to go to the hospital herself, but Clara persuaded her not to. Indeed, if she went there in this state, it would only make her grandmother more worried.

Two days passed, and Blanche had been nursing her wounds. Louis still hadn't returned.

Blanche had been very depressed all along. She had someone investigate Henry's whereabouts but had not received any news yet. And her grandmother's condition was getting more and more serious. If she didn't have surgery soon, it would be too late.

When Eric walked in, he saw Blanche lying listlessly on the sofa like a wilted flower.

"Anything bothering you, Blanche?"

Blanche looked up, surprised by Eric's refreshed look.

Then she got up and poured Eric a cup of coffee.

After taking the tea, Eric noticed that Blanche was injured. "Blanche, what happened to your face and neck?"

Blanche touched her neck and casually made up an excuse. "I missed a step and fell when I went downstairs."

Eric didn't doubt it. After the initial surprise, he laughed out loud.

"Ha-ha, Blanche, you're such a big person, yet you fell off the stairs. Did you fall because you didn't wake up?"

Blanche was stunned. That was not funny at all.

A moment later, Eric's eyes lit up as he suggested, "Look at how listless you are. You're going to get moldy if you stay here any longer. I'll take you to a good place."

Blanche sat back on the sofa, held a pillow in her arms, and shook her head. "You can see it's inconvenient for me to go out with gauze wrapped around my face. I have to stay at home and recuperate."

"How so? You used to run around in masks every day. My brother was disgusted, but you didn't restrain yourself at all. So, why are you worried about gauze now?" Eric picked up his cup and took a sip of water as if the talking had sapped his energy.

Blanche was struck by lightning, and her face contorted with frustration. When did she run around like a monkey? She was outside doing business, okay?

"Where are we going?"

"To pick oranges in the orchard! The weather is so nice today! It's perfect for going outside and moving around! Don't refuse! Let's go!"

Pick oranges? Orange was her grandmother's favorite fruit. It would be nice if she could pick some fresh oranges for her grandmother.

"Give me a minute. I'll go upstairs and change my clothes."

In the car, Blanche stretched her hand out of the window, and the sunlight leaked through her fingers. She felt warm and more energetic.

It seemed that she had really been rotting at home for the past two days. As soon as she came out, she felt that she was glowing.

"Are we there yet?"

The car had been driving out of the suburbs for a while, and Blanche didn't know where Eric was taking her to pick oranges.

"Almost."

Eric showed a mysterious smile. He didn't know what Louis' reaction would be when he saw that he had brought Blanche to the company's vacation spot.

Louis spent the whole day playing with the employees while his wife was at home with a bruised nose and swollen face. He didn't even care about her.