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Novel Catalog
Chapter_147
As night fell, thick clouds blanketed the sky, swallowing the stars and the moon until it was completely dark. Inside the Chambers family’s villa, Zachary stood motionless by the window, his dark eyes fixed on something in the distance. His face appeared slightly pale, and there was an undeniable sense of loneliness about him.
Lucas, the butler, entered the room, carrying a tray filled with food. Seeing Zachary standing there, his back turned, a wave of sadness washed over him. Over the past two weeks, Matthew had been sleeping only three to four hours each night. It seemed that Claude and Dennis were bent on destroying the Chambers family this time.
The family’s bank account was dwindling fast, and there were only three days left before the funds ran out. After that, they would have nothing left. Three generations of hard-earned wealth were about to vanish. How could Matthew not be heartbroken at the prospect?
But the Chambers family was on the brink of collapse, with no way of turning things around—unless a miracle happened.
Lucas carefully placed the tray on the table, his voice filled with concern. “Sir, I’ve brought you some food. The servants just prepared it—your favorites. Please, you have to eat something. You’ve hardly touched any food lately. You can’t go on like this. If you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll fall ill.”
Zachary shifted his gaze away from the window and turned toward Lucas. He sighed deeply, his expression weary. He reached for a cigar from the table, but before he could light it, he noticed the look of worry in Lucas’s eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, he set the cigar back down.
“I know, Lucas. You should go get some rest,” Zachary said, his voice softening. “You’ve been running around with me these past days. I know you must be exhausted.”
Lucas, touched by Zachary’s words, blinked back tears. “Sir, I’m strong, and I’m used to it. Don’t worry about me. But I know you won’t eat if I leave. The food will just get cold. At least have a few bites, please.”
Zachary’s gaze softened. For a moment, he said nothing, then finally spoke with an air of finality. “Sit down. You’ve worked for me for more than thirty years. We’re both getting older, aren’t we? Through all the ups and downs, you’ve never left my side. I’ll never forget that. After Lilian left, you’ve been the only one I can talk to.”
Lucas stood, his eyes full of gratitude, but Zachary motioned for him to sit. Slowly, Lucas complied, sitting in the chair opposite Zachary, awaiting his next words.
“I know the Chambers family is at the end of its rope. In three days, I’ll have to declare bankruptcy,” Zachary continued, his voice a quiet murmur as he retrieved a bank card from the drawer. He slid it across the table toward Lucas. “This card has $1.5 million in it. It’s for you. Consider it a token of my gratitude. Take it, please. After the family’s collapse, you’ll need to retire somewhere far from all this. I’ve already arranged for an apartment in Wes Rad—it’s under your name. It’s small, but it should be perfect for you.”
Lucas’s eyes widened in shock. He opened his mouth to refuse, his voice thick with emotion. “Sir, I’ve saved enough money over the years. This is too much. I can’t accept it.”
Zachary shook his head firmly. “Take it. You’ve worked for me all these years. You’ve earned it.”
Lucas wiped his tears, his hands trembling as he looked at the card. “Sir… I… I can’t take this. It’s too much…”
But Zachary’s voice was resolute. “Take it, Lucas. You deserve it.”
Lucas hesitated for a moment longer, but finally, with great care, he reached out and took the card. His hands shook as he held it, knowing the weight of Zachary’s words.
At that moment, however, a thought crossed Lucas’s mind, and he spoke cautiously. “Sir, what about the young lady, Cyanbird? She might be acquainted with many influential people in the business world. If she could lend us a hand, perhaps the Chambers family still has a chance…”
Zachary’s face immediately darkened, and he cut Lucas off with a cold, biting tone. “Stop. Even if the Chambers family collapses tomorrow, I will never ask for her help. Never bring up her name again.”
Lucas was taken aback by Zachary’s sudden outburst, but he said nothing more, sensing the tension in the room.
On the second floor of the villa, at the study door, Yvette stood in a sleek black outfit, her presence commanding attention. She had been waiting there for nearly ten minutes. The villa, once filled with life, now seemed desolate. The servants were nowhere to be found, and half of the security guards at the entrance had vanished. Only a few men sat idly, playing cards and chatting at the door. The once-proud mansion now looked worn and neglected.
Only a single light glowed in the study, a dim beacon in the vast emptiness of the house. The Chambers family was clearly in decline.
Yvette took a deep breath and, in her soft yet confident voice, called out, “Excuse me, are you free? Can I talk to you?”
Her voice startled the two people in the study. Zachary looked up in shock, surprised to see her standing in the doorway. Lucas, however, was filled with relief and hope. He had always believed in Yvette. She seemed capable of solving any problem that came their way.
Zachary quickly stood up, walking toward her, while Yvette calmly walked to the sofa and took a seat. Lucas, ever observant, closed the door quietly and stood nearby, ensuring that no one would overhear their conversation. Recently, he had caught a few servants secretly sending messages to Nellie, and in a fit of rage, Matthew had fired them. But Lucas still feared there might be moles among the staff, so he stayed vigilant.
Yvette lounged on the couch, half-closing her eyes. Her gaze was cool, confident, and a little wild, her sharp eyes reflecting a hint of defiance. Zachary felt an unease as she stared at him, and he cleared his throat before speaking.
“Why did you suddenly return?” Zachary asked, his voice thick with curiosity and a trace of suspicion.
Yvette leaned back and picked up a document from the table, flipping through it casually. Zachary, used to her unbothered demeanor, didn’t think much of it. The document was about the renovation of a commercial area—nothing important, nothing secret.
Yvette flipped through the thick stack of pages at the same steady pace as before. Within ten minutes, she was done. Zachary watched as she tossed the document back on the table, her fingers lightly tapping its surface.
She pointed to a few pages with glowing fingertips and spoke softly. “Here, and here. These numbers are wrong. The third line on the first page should be thirty percent, and on the fourth page, the costs are two percent higher.”
Zachary immediately picked up the document and reviewed the numbers. To his surprise, Yvette was right. She had found the discrepancies faster than any expert would have. His eyes narrowed, a realization creeping in. There was a mole inside the Chambers Group.
And Yvette had spotted it in a matter of minutes.
Her cold, detached gaze met his. “Tomorrow, someone will come to see you at the Chambers Group office. He’s planning to invest. The amount, you’ll decide.”
Without waiting for a reply, Yvette stood up and turned to leave, not offering Zachary a chance to speak.
Zachary forced a smile, still unconvinced. A few billion dollars couldn’t solve the Chambers family’s crisis, but out of respect for her, he instructed Lucas to welcome the guest the next day. After all, Yvette was a friend of the family. He wouldn’t embarrass her.
