When the topic of the family fortune arises, Paxton\u2019s interest sharpens immediately. Kiernan, aware of his advancing age, declares that the Judson family fortune will be inherited by those deemed capable, warning others to know their place. Paxton smugly mocks this, while Larissa responds with disdain, brandishing her disownment papers as a symbol of defiance. Kiernan orders Larissa\u2019s new family to leave, wishing to speak with her alone.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Outside, Paxton confronts Neville with a mocking tone, asserting that Neville\u2019s current successes in the family business justify his claim to the fortune, while threatening to oust him and Sapphira if they continue opposing the family. Neville remains calm, reminding Paxton that their father is still alive. Paxton laughs off the warning and departs, leaving Sapphira and Neville reflecting on the cold, ruthless nature of the family dynamics. Neville admits he was naive before but now feels compelled to stand firm for Larissa\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Inside the ancestral hall, Kiernan sternly addresses Larissa, insisting that she accept her role as a member of the Judson family and warning her not to expect special treatment like a cherished child. Despite the tension and the weight of family expectations, Larissa meets Kiernan\u2019s gaze with determination, refusing to be shaken by his harsh words. The chapter ends with a strong sense of unresolved conflict and Larissa\u2019s quiet resolve.<\/p>\n
The moment the topic of the family fortune was brought up, Paxton\u2019s attention instantly sharpened, his eyes narrowing with interest.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m getting older,\u201d Kiernan began, his voice steady but tinged with a certain weight. \u201cI don\u2019t know how much time I have left on this earth, so it\u2019s time to be clear and direct. The Judson family fortune will be passed on to those who prove themselves capable. Those who aren\u2019t should know their place and stay out of the way. At the very least, you\u2019ll always live comfortably within this family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paxton couldn\u2019t help but shoot a sly glance at his older brother, a smirk playing on his lips. \u201cDid you catch that, Bro? The incapable need to know their place\u2014and at least they\u2019ll have comfort.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neville said nothing, his face unreadable.<\/p>\n
Larissa, however, was quick to respond. She threw a disdainful look at Paxton and muttered under her breath, \u201cA buffoon on a stage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paxton\u2019s brow creased in irritation. \u201cLarissa!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t yell at me, Uncle Paxton,\u201d she shot back, waving the freshly signed disownment papers like a weapon. \u201cYou don\u2019t have that right anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough,\u201d Kiernan interrupted firmly, turning toward Larissa\u2019s new family. \u201cYou two may leave now. I need to speak with Larissa alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once outside the ancestral hall, Paxton turned to Neville, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. \u201cBro, you heard what Dad said. You get what he means, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m currently running Judson Pharmaceuticals\u2014the crown jewel of our family\u2019s business. Finley oversees Starlight Media, our rapidly growing entertainment empire. And Leopold\u2019s debut album has made him a national sensation. So tell me, what exactly do you have to stake a claim on the family fortune? Everything here will belong to us. Don\u2019t even think about challenging that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paxton\u2019s tone grew colder, more threatening. \u201cI was originally going to be considerate, out of brotherly love. I planned to let you and Sapphira keep the east wing villa after Dad passes, so you could live out your days there. But since you\u2019ve decided to make enemies of us over that so-called daughter of yours\u2026 well, once the family fortune is in our hands, I won\u2019t hesitate to kick you out of the Judson family entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neville remained calm despite the harsh words. \u201cDad\u2019s not dead yet,\u201d he reminded him quietly. \u201cDon\u2019t count your chickens before they hatch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paxton laughed, slapping Neville on the shoulder with a mix of amusement and condescension. \u201cYou\u2019ve always been the optimist. That\u2019s fine. Just pray Dad sticks around a few more years so you can enjoy your time in the Judson family a little longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
With that, Paxton and his entourage turned and left.<\/p>\n
Sapphira let out a heavy sigh as she watched them go. \u201cIf Larissa hadn\u2019t come back, I never would have realized just how cold and ruthless they really are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neville\u2019s gaze lingered on Paxton\u2019s retreating figure, his face clouded with seriousness. \u201cI was too naive before,\u201d he admitted softly. \u201cI thought brothers shouldn\u2019t fight over money. Since Paxton cared so much about wealth and status, I let him have it. But things have changed now, Sapphira. For Larissa, I have to stand my ground.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sapphira looked back toward the ancestral hall, where Larissa remained inside. Her eyes were soft yet resolute.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d she said quietly. \u201cWe might not care for ourselves, but we can\u2019t let Larissa suffer alongside us. All I want now is to give her the very best life possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inside the ancestral hall, Kiernan faced Larissa with a stern expression. \u201cLarissa, since you have returned to the Judson family and accepted Neville and his wife as your parents, it\u2019s time you settle in and take your place as the young lady of this house. I am not as foolish as Paxton\u2019s family, who would raise another\u2019s child as a treasure.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room was heavy with unspoken tension, the air thick with the weight of family expectations and unyielding traditions. Larissa met Kiernan\u2019s gaze steadily, determined not to let the coldness of his words shake her resolve.<\/p>\n
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
Wings of Broken Time by Alina Das 50 Wings of Broken Time by Alina Das 50 Summary When the topic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[89],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-throne-of-thorns-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30569"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30569\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}