Julian watched Albert flare up in frustration, yet still fail to get to the point. That made him anxious, too.

“Dad, then what should we do now?”

Carol was just as tense and couldn’t help but glance toward Albert.

Faced with both their stares, Albert snapped. “Why are you both staring at me? Is there something on my face?”

“You never try thinking of a solution yourselves. The moment something happens, you just look at me. Completely useless.”

To be honest, Albert’s words were harsh—he dragged Carol into it, too.

Her temper flared up immediately. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“He’s not just my son. And this company isn’t mine alone. Why are you acting like everything was done for my sake?”

Hearing that, Albert’s temper exploded, too. The two of them started arguing on the spot.

Watching them go at it, Julian felt a pounding behind his temples. Neither of his parents was reliable, not even now when everything was already falling apart. All they did was fight, not a single useful idea between them. Julian could only roll his eyes.

At that moment, he even thought of Tessa’s parents. At least her mother knew not to let her daughter marry into something like this. But him? He’d been pushed into it from the start, not even given a real choice. The thought made Julian feel a bit sorry for himself.

But it was too late now. He knew he couldn’t rely on anyone else. He still had to keep coaxing Tessa. This company wasn’t just for him, and marrying her had never been only about Albert’s plans. After all, this company would eventually be handed down to him. If he didn’t put in some effort now, who else was he expecting to rely on?

The thought made Julian feel ridiculous. He suddenly missed Lily. His gaze darkened as he turned and drove away from the Hayes residence, heading straight for his private villa.

The sound of the car startled Carol and Albert, cutting their argument short.

Chapter 451

She glanced at him and said, “That’s enough. Quit the act.”

“So you knew what I was doing all along.”

Carol rolled her eyes. “Of course, I did. You think I don’t know what you’re up to? We’ve been married for how many years? I know exactly what you’re thinking the second you open your mouth.”

Albert rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Then tell me, what now? He’s probably off to see that woman again. I don’t even have to guess.”

Carol rolled her eyes again. “Obviously.”

“We got him out of the way so we could talk. The real question is whether we should push him.”

Albert’s interest was piqued. “How?”

“Like this…” Carol leaned in and whispered the plan in his ear. By the time she finished, Albert was nodding repeatedly. He genuinely thought it was a solid idea.

“Alright, let’s give it a try then.”

Carol’s tone hardened. “We have to. This is our only chance. Otherwise, there’s nothing we can do to save Hayes Enterprises. We’ll have no choice but to dump the burden.”

Albert understood that perfectly well. He knew it was true. But pushing this onto Walton Corporation was never going to be easy. Forget that old fox Grace, Aurora was a handful on her own.

“Whatever. One step at a time.”