A Replacement Bride

Chapter 58

The Tillman Residence at Kyoland.

Jason was looking at his phone absentmindedly with a frown as he felt a tinge of unrest.

Logically, shouldn't some kind of news come from Covington now? Like whether that b*stard, Keith, is dead or alive? Why is it that nothing has come up even after these few days?

Suppressing the uneasiness inside, he looked up and smiled at the elderly in front of him.

Abraham, who became unamused to see him like this, was about to lecture him when someone suddenly came running in and shouted, "I-I-It's a disaster!"

"Why are you panicking like this? Have some manners! What happened?"

Since Abraham was a soldier in his younger days, he still maintained the imposing aura despite his old age. Seeing how anxious the person was upsetted him, so he chided him with a solemn face.

As the person took his time to catch his breath, he finally explained, "Mr. Tillman, the company is on the verge of bankruptcy!"

"What?"

No matter how calm Abraham usually was, he immediately shot up upon hearing the news and stared wide-eyed at the person in front of him. Are my ears playing with me?

Tillman Corporation is going bankrupt?

Even if the Tillman Family was not the most prominent family in Cechirus, it was still a renowned family in Kyoland. Plus, they had all sorts of political marriages and collaborations at play. The only reason why their family would suddenly go bankrupt in this way would be if the top family of Kyoland made their move. Even if that's the case, they can't just do that so suddenly, can they?

The old servant wiped his sweat and continued, "I-It happened earlier. All the suppliers of our company suddenly called and wanted to cancel our business dealings. Also, they all wanted us to clear our debts at once. Besides that, our collaborators wanted to cancel the contract. The factory in Ewing was shut down, apparently due to failure of passing the emissions tests and violation of safety. Our karaoke centers were also raided and found to have people selling drugs, so they have been shut down too. Also, the project we were collaborating with the city officials has been reported by someone stating that we have been pocketing the money and using lower grade materials. They have uncovered large amounts of low grade materials at the construction site, so the city government is now suing us for contract breach. Mr. Tillman, the family… the family is really finished!"

After the old servant explained everything, Abraham slumped onto the couch, looking a lot older all of a sudden. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"H-How can this be?"

With all this happening at the same time, he would not believe it for a million years if anyone dared to call this a coincidence.

Being a person that had seen his fair share of the world for so many years, Abraham knew that someone was behind all this and they were blatantly targeting the Tillmans.

He felt himself tremble all over and it was his first time feeling so powerless.

"What about the Klein Family…" Since the Kleins and Tillmans were related by marriage, the only thing Abraham thought of was to seek their help so as to get over this hurdle.

"Mr Tillman, the Kleins have s-said right from the start t-that we offended a bigshot, so they won't be helping us."

"A bigshot?" As if he found a silver lining, Abraham quickly shouted, "Look into this! Right now! I want to see who is targeting the family! Find this out at all costs!"

If they knew the mastermind, then there might be a chance to salvage this.

The Tillmans could not go down like this. At least not in his hands.

Jason's expression changed subtly upon hearing this. For some reason, he knew that he might be involved in why the family's empire was suddenly crumbling down all of a sudden.

Originally a member of the branch family, Jason Tillman, managed to enter University of Bora thanks to his sheer luck. He got into the research field and was taken under the wings by Professor Samuel Hess at the research facility. This was why Abraham let him stay in the main family's residence.

Ever since the lack of news from Hovington, Jason already felt that something was off. Now that he saw the Tillmans in such deep water, he started to panic.

…

Back in Hovington.

After sending Keith off, Katherine went back straight to the Cornell Residence.

As soon as she opened the door, she could hear Lisa screaming like a banshee.

Katherine raised her eyebrows in interest while smiling before walking in.

Lisa, who lost her left arm, was making a fuss while sitting there, causing Jorge frustration and a migraine.

"It's you! You! Katherine, you wench! What did you do to me? What did you do to me?"

Upon Katherine's arrival, Lisa instantly pounced at her with reddened eyes.

Yet, Katherine managed to dodge by slightly swaying to the side. Meanwhile, Lisa, who overexerted her force, could not stop in time and lost her balance before crashing into the floor.

At that moment, she was looking pathetic and absolutely crazy as the rich lady image was nowhere to be found.

"What are you doing, Madam Sutton?" With an innocent look, Katherine stood there and asked.

Yet, her face irritated Lisa to the point where she grinded her teeth. "How dare you imply that it wasn't you who hurt me that day! Now that I've lost my arm, are you happy? Are you happy now!?"

"What? You've lost your arm? Why? What happened?" Katherine walked to her with shock on her face while wanting to help Lisa up.

However, she despised yet feared Katherine and remembered the scene where she easily broke her arm that day upon seeing her reach out. Frightened to the point where she became pale, Lisa crawled backward quickly. "D-D-Don't come near me! Don't come here!"

"What's wrong, Madam Sutton? Here, let me help you up." Katherine slowly moved forward and reached out again.

"Ah!! You, get away from me! Go away! Don't touch me! Don't you dare touch me!"

As if she was hysterical, Lisa began to cry loudly while flinging her single arm around, not wanting Katherine to come near.

Stopping in her tracks, Katherine turned around and looked at her father with an innocent expression. "Dad, what's wrong with Madam Sutton? Is she okay?"

Jorge, who found his wife's actions distasteful and tiring, heard her daughter's question and called for the servants to confine Lisa in her room.

"Dad, with Madam Sutton's emotions still in disarray, what if she causes trouble at your birthday banquet tomorrow?"

Katherine knew that Jorge cared about his reputation the most. With how crazy Lisa was acting, there was no way he would let her attend tomorrow; he might even send her somewhere else temporarily.

As expected, her words changed his expression. Seeing how madly Lisa was shouting, he grew more and more tired of her. "It seems like Lisa has gotten quite the shock and can't stay at home for now. I'll arrange for my people to take her to a nursery home for now."

"The nursery home in North Peak is quite nice," Katherine kindly suggested.

Nodding, Jorge already set his plans in mind.

It was the same afternoon when Lisa was forcefully escorted from the Cornell Residence and sent to the North Peak Nursery Home.

Although it was called a nursery home, it was in actuality more of an asylum. It was very hard for people that were admitted to come out again.

Katherine stood on the spot and looked with a hateful gaze as Lisa made a scene and cried. In the end, she was forced into the car and exiled into the asylum. Smirking, Katherine went back to her room.

This was but the start.

Whatever the Cornells owed Elsie, Katherine, and her grandparents, she was bound to get it back someday, bit by bit…