"Hanley, your mother's incompetence led to the death of my older brother. My brother was in a vegetative state, and the doctors said his chances of waking up were slim. Now that your mother has killed him, I've accepted it. I don't plan to hold her responsible. Besides, with Terence backing her, my family can't touch her. But now, she's trying to turn around and blame me."
Hanley looked up at Marie. Was his mother really still trying to hurt his aunt?
"Hanley, your mother is doing everything she can to pin the murder of my brother on me. You absolutely cannot say that I was the one who told you to bring those flowers in. Otherwise, she will definitely use them against me, claiming I tampered with them to kill my brother. Do you understand?"
"Aunt Marie, is my mom really that bad?"
"Hanley, your mother just wants to see me locked up for the rest of my life. It doesn't matter if I'm imprisoned, but you... The Cross Group has already collapsed. Without the protection of the Ward Group, I'm worried your life will be very hard. That's why I can't go to prison. I have to stay here and protect you."
The bankruptcy of the Cross Group, the constant judgment from others, losing their house, and having to live in a hotel—Hanley didn't want to live like that anymore.
"Aunt Marie, don't worry. I will protect you, too. No matter what happens, I'll take responsibility."
"Hanley, you're such a good boy."
***
At the Lockwood estate.
"Marcus Ward is dead," Mrs. Lockwood said. "I heard Richard and his wife were so devastated they both fell ill. Now Marie is in charge of the Ward Group. It's infuriating."
The more Mrs. Lockwood thought about it, the angrier she became, especially seeing Marie suddenly become the head of the Ward Group.
They all knew Marie had plotted against Marcus for the family fortune. Now that Marcus was dead and the fortune was in her hands, it was a classic case of a villain getting their way.

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