Love After Leaving: No Regret (Agnes and Raymond) novel Chapter 247

Chapter 247 Lines Drawn

After a long silence, Agnes said, “Actually…he’s my biological father.”

Neal froze for a moment. “You mean he really is your dad?”

Agnes nodded. “Yes. I’ll figure something out. Don’t worry.”

Neal couldn’t just let it go. “What about the rest of the Hales? Do they really have no solution at all?”

Agnes shook her head, her tone tinged with helplessness.

“The other shareholders saw what was happening and pulled out. The investors all withdrew too.

“Hale Enterprise has always been managed by my father. As for the rest of the family… they’ve never been involved in the business.”

Neal nodded. “I remember the Hales have another daughter named Monica. At those Grandridge business dinners, your dad always brought her along.

“I even saw her interview in Grandridge Finance Weekly.

“From the looks of it, your dad was grooming her and paving the way for her.

“Logically, she should have quite a few resources. How is it that she has no solution at all at a time like this?”

Agnes had wondered the same thing.

But over the past few days, all she had seen from Bianca and Monica was helplessness. They couldn’t find anyone willing to help.

It didn’t take much guessing. Everyone could see the Hales were on the verge of collapse, like a bottomless pit.

Anyone who stepped in now wouldn’t gain anything, and whatever money they put in would be lost for sure.

Before, people helped out of respect for Calvin. Now that Calvin was falling, no one took Bianca or Monica seriously anymore.

Agnes let out a quiet sigh. “All I can do is try my best.”

Seeing that Agnes had made up her mind, Neal didn’t try to persuade her anymore.

–

But deep down, he made a decision. This time, no matter what, he would stand firmly by her side, whether she accepted it or not.

After leaving the café, Neal offered to drive Agnes back, but she refused.

He stood there, watching her figure disappear, his gaze lingering until her car vanished around the corner.

Not far away, a car was parked. Inside, a man watched them while speaking into his phone.

“Yes, Mr. Ruell has returned. He just met with Ms. Sinclair.”

When Neal returned to Ruell Villa, the moment he stepped inside, he saw his father sitting in the living room with a stern expression.

The household staff kept their heads down, moving carefully, barely making a sound.

“Dad, I’m back,” Neal greeted.

Kenneth Ruell said, “You come back now without even informing me? Who gave you permission to return?”

Seeing that he didn’t answer, Kenneth continued, “I sent you to Wenmark to keep you away from that woman!

“And what did you do? You’re still tangled up with her!

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning!

“Let me tell you, the Ruells aren’t yours to control yet!”

Neal’s expression darkened, his fists clenching so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Back then, he hadn’t even wanted to go to Wenmark, but Kenneth and Emily had insisted.

Combined with Agnes rejecting his confession, he had been heartbroken and finally left.

So this had been Kenneth’s intention all along.

At first, Neal hadn’t planned to say anything. But now that his father had laid everything bare, there was nothing left to hide.

After a long moment, Neal stepped forward, his voice steady.

“That’s right. I love Agnes. And I came back because of her.”

Kenneth’s face turned green with rage. He stood up and slapped Neal across the face. Smack!

“You ungrateful son! I’ve introduced you to so many well-born, respectable women over the years, and you rejected every single one of them!

“And now you insist on getting entangled with a divorced woman?”