The living room fell into an immediate silence.
The old Mrs. Henley-Teresa-had always been in robust health, so how could she have suddenly passed away!?
“You… are you saying, Mother… Mother is gone?” Jessica stuttered.
Martin nodded, his face ashen. Despite The old Mrs. Henley’s mistreatment of him, she was still his birth mother. It was only natural to feel sorrow at her passing.
Sophia felt the same way. Despite The old Mrs. Henley’s disdain, the sudden news was hard for her to accept.
“How could this happen so suddenly? Everything was fine… how could this happen?” Sophia could hardly believe it.
“I’m not entirely sure. Come, let’s go to the Henley Residence,” Martin said, rising.
The family hastily departed, leaving behind barely touched dishes.
In The old Mrs. Henley’s room, Bruno and Fanny knelt by the bedside, weeping uncontrollably.
“Grandmother, why did you leave so suddenly…”
“Mother, you left without making any arrangements. What are we, the Henley family, supposed to do now?”
“Grandmother, in heaven, please watch over the descendants of the Henley family. We will surely carry on your aspirations and strive to make the Henley family a leading household…”
Throughout the room, sobbing voices intertwined, creating an atmosphere of profound grief.
Among them, Bruno’s sorrow appeared the most profound.
“Grandmother, you haven’t even seen me start a family or establish myself… why did you leave…”
“Grandmother, I know you departed with regrets. Rest assured, I will fulfill your wishes and lead our family into the ranks of the elite,” Bruno lamented, deeply moving many within the Henley family. Many had already sensed the shift in power and began to express their support for Bruno in this untimely situation.
“It’s well known that Mr. Bruno is the most filial son of our Henley family. With the sudden passing of The old Mrs. Henley, he must be the most grief-stricken.”
“Grandmother has gone. The Henley family cannot be without a leader. The responsibility to elevate the Henley family to greatness now falls on Bruno’s shoulders.”
“Yes, we must turn our sorrow into strength, allowing the Henley family to reach greater heights, so that Grandmother can rest in peace.”
Hearing the Henley family’s discussions, Bruno, though wearing a mask of profound grief, felt a deep sense of gratification within. His actions this time had been meticulously planned, executed in such a way that no one suspected, and it was close to perfection.
Bruno already had the hospital’s examination results in hand: the cause of death was a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. The old Mrs. Henley had experienced a similar incident in the past, but timely rescue had saved her life. This time, her failure to recover was entirely normal.
As The old Mrs. Henley went to reunite with her ancestors, Bruno knew his life was about to reach a peak. The position of chairman was beckoning to him, waiting for him to ascend.
Leo and Li Ruo’s arrival did briefly stir a sense of unease in Bruno, but he quickly dismissed it. Regardless of Leo’s exceptional medical skills, Bruno firmly believed that Leo wouldn’t be able to uncover the true cause of The old Mrs. Henley’s death through any form of sorcery.
To successfully ascend to the position of chairman, Bruno knew he needed not only the support of the shareholders but also the support of over half of the legitimate members of the Henley family. This dramatic display of mourning was his earnest and dedicated performance.
“You heartless creatures! The old lady’s body is not yet cold, and you’re not discussing her funeral arrangements, but instead, you’re shamelessly groveling to Bruno. It’s truly despicable and laughable!”
A cold voice, like a depth charge, detonated within the temporary memorial hall.
All eyes turned to Leo, and the members of the Henley family immediately erupted.
“You useless waste! What nonsense are you spouting? This is The old Mrs. Henley’s memorial hall, not a place for your ranting!”
“I think that this upstart, who married into the family, has designs on our Henley family’s wealth now that Grandma has passed. We must keep a close eye on him to prevent any machinations from this leech!”
“Sophia, Grandma has passed. You could have come alone; why bring a mad dog here? Are you intentionally causing trouble for all of us?”
“Look at the two of them. The old Mrs. Henley has passed, yet not a single tear has been shed. This is what we call heartless and callous!”
Grandmother’s passing had already deeply affected Sophia, and now the mockery and ridicule from the Henley family members made her feel suffocated.
Sensing Sophia’semotional turmoil, Leo stepped forward and, with a chilling gaze, scanned the members of the Henley family. In a cold and deliberate tone, he said, “If any of you dare to attack Sophia again, I will personally send you to accompany our grandmother underground!”
A fierce aura emanated from Leo, causing everyone to feel a sense of dread, and for a moment, no one dared to speak.
Finally, Fanny summoned the courage to step forward, pointing at Sophia and scolding, “Sophia, you are nothing but a heartless creature. In your heart, does our grandmother mean less to you than a leech?”
At that moment, Sophia had no energy to argue with Fanny. She sidestepped Leo, approached the casket of The old Mrs. Henley, and knelt down, crying out in sorrow, “Grandmother…”
“Sophia, spare us the melodrama. You have no right to kneel before grandmother!” Fanny, going too far, shoved Sophia.
Sophia nearly fell to the ground, but Leo quickly stepped in, helping her up, and then glared at Fanny, saying, “Fanny, if you dare to touch Sophia again, I swear I will break both your hands!”
Leo’s eyes were filled with a chilling intent, causing Fanny to step back, deeply affected by Leo’s previous reprimand. She knew Leo wasn’t making an empty threat.
As the future chairman of the Henley Group and the head of the Henley family, Bruno found the courage to stand up from his kneeling position and confront Leo. He angrily shouted, “Leo, you outsider, a son-in-law, the Henley family does not welcome you. Get out of here!”
Leo’s lips curved into a cruel smile as he stared directly at Bruno. “Trash, do you really think you’re entitled to tell me to leave? Think carefully, do you believe you are worthy?”
Bruno was taken aback by the expression on Leo’s face, feeling a chilling sensation run down his spine.
This was not the same as before. If this were two years ago, Leo probably wouldn’t have finished speaking before Bruno would have been struck in the face. But now, although Bruno wanted to retaliate in front of everyone, he didn’t dare to. He had been thoroughly intimidated by Leo.
It was simply because he was afraid of Leo.