From Ashes of Scandals to His Embrace novel Chapter 472

“We’ve talked to him, your father and I, over and over again. We’ve told him he should step up and take control of the Lane family. He might have the family’s official seal in his pocket, but honestly, he barely cares about Lane matters. His heart just isn’t in it at all.”

“But the day he brought Laurinda home, everything changed. I could tell right away—Laurinda’s the one he’s chosen. As long as she’s willing to take the reins, Adolphus would never just stand by and watch. He’d make sure she was taken care of, no question.”

“People can call me selfish, or say I’m using Laurinda for the family. Maybe they’re right. Still, I’m determined to see her become the Lane family’s matriarch. Only when Laurinda is truly settled in that position will Adolphus accept his role without holding back.”

“Locke is all about his squad these days. Kenneth is just too gentle for this sort of responsibility. And Len… well, your dad and I have written him off already. Out of all the younger ones, can any of them really measure up to Adolphus?”

“If Adolphus is here, the Lane family will be too. And with the Lane family secure, we can actually move forward and do well.”

“There’s another reason, too. The first time I saw Laurinda, I just knew she was special. She’s got this pure heart, and she’s going to do big things… I could feel it. If that wasn’t true, if I didn’t feel that way, then no matter how much Adolphus likes her, or how much I want him to inherit our legacy, I wouldn’t be pushing for this.”

Tanya finished her piece, glancing at her daughter, who still looked deep in thought. Her tone softened. “That’s everything I’m thinking. Now it’s your turn. What brought you running home like this?”

Seraphina felt even more tangled up inside after hearing all that. She hugged Tanya’s arm, laying her head on her shoulder. “I just feel so shallow, Mom. Like, did I ever really know Laurinda at all? I thought she was just another high schooler, not great in class and only caught Adolphus’s eye because she’s pretty.”

“It’s not like I ever looked down on her—I really like her, I treat her like family. I always thought if she didn’t do well in school, it wasn’t really her fault. I figured she just wasn’t wired for academics.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify