Eliza tucked the document into her purse, glancing at her mother, who was barely coherent in her haze. Other than Wendy, only she knew the true value of that document among the Boyds.
With this, the Ashford and even the mighty Ellington family would be within reach. If only she could decipher the inscription on the family signet ring, a never-ending stream of wealth would follow.
Nancy and Teresa, those dimwits, believed they had struck gold. Little did they know the Ashfords had stooped to collaborate with the Boyds solely for this document.
Eliza crept back to her room, ensuring the document was well hidden.
Meanwhile, agents from the IRS and other financial institutions burst into the Boyd Mansion. “Who's in charge of Boyd Group?” They demanded.
Theodore and Hayden stood up in unison. “We both are. What's the issue?”
“You’re under investigation for tax evasion and embezzlement of state assets. You’re coming with us!”
The sudden turn of events left the Boyds dumbfounded.
Before they had a chance to divvy up their new-found control over the family fortune, they were accused of stealing from the state?
Theodore and Hayden were still clueless about their alleged crimes even after they were handcuffed.
Teresa blocked the agents, pleading, “There must be some mistake. We've just taken over Boyd Group.”
“We're arresting the legal representatives. There’s no mistake. Step aside, or we'll take you in for Obstruction of Justice,” an agent said, pushing Teresa away.
Quick to react, Nancy swiftly dragged Eliza out of her room. “You’ve got the wrong person. She’s the legal representative of Boyd Group!”
Having overheard everything from upstairs, Eliza knew Boyd Group must have been set up. Shoving Nancy away, she retorted, “I don't have a single share to my name. Didn’t you all take them? What’s this got to do with me?”
Just then, Patrick sauntered in from outside, smirking at the chaos in the Boyd Mansion.
Even the naive Nancy and Teresa realized they had fallen into Patrick's snare.
Racked with regret, they thought that if only they had not been so greedy, Eliza and Wendy would be the ones facing charges, not them.
“Patrick, this is all a misunderstanding. It was Eliza who conned Gillian into signing those contracts. It has nothing to do with us. Please, let them take Eliza instead,” Teresa and Nancy begged.
Patrick ignored them and brushed past them. “One of you tried to blackmail me using my daughter, and the other sent her daughter to infiltrate my family. You think I don’t know your schemes? Instead of begging me, better think about how to save your husbands from prison.”
As Theodore and Hayden were taken away, the Boyd Mansion plummeted from paradise to purgatory overnight.
The grandchildren were too preoccupied to care, scrambling for news or securing their own fortunes against their fathers' downfall.
The Boyd Mansion that was clamorous moments ago was now eerily silent.
Patrick seated on the patriarch's seat, observing Eliza with her battered face. Her beauty remained, the bruises almost adding a pitiable charm.
“Patrick, I’m relieved you’re okay. I wanted to bring Gillian home, but as you see, I’m powerless,” Eliza said, her voice breaking as she edged closer to Patrick.
Patrick did not resist; Eliza had once been the belle of Sea City, only missing her chance to marry into wealth because of Nathan. Now a widow, her allure was that of a mature rose.
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