Chapter 293

Charlie’s parents’ call left him shaken. Tears welled in his eyes; even Debra wanted him to quit. But he wouldn't. He remained camped outside Jones Group headquarters.

Two weeks blurred into a relentless vigil. Jones Group employees, initially curious, soon understood his devotion to Kelly. The Jones family’s direct descendants investigated. They were stunned to discover Charlie was Hayden’s brother-in-law and Kelly’s former boyfriend. A Kelly-Charlie reunion meant an alliance with Hoggard Technologies, a union that thrilled them. Hoggard’s advanced robots, exclusively supplied to Jones Group, would obliterate their competition. They summoned Kelly immediately.

The collateral branches of the Jones family also learned of Charlie’s pursuit. Kelly, the sole heir, was their focus. Their research revealed his Zentiscape celebrity status and past relationship with Kelly. His persistence troubled them. A Jones-Hoggard marriage would solidify the direct line’s power, making their position untouchable. The collateral branches acted swiftly, sending emissaries to dissuade Charlie. They couldn't afford to alienate Hoggard Technologies.

But every attempt was thwarted. The collateral branches' agents were intercepted, their movements mysteriously disrupted. They discovered the Hoggard family was protecting Charlie. This only intensified their apprehension; a reunited Kelly and Charlie meant Hoggard's protection extended to Kelly.

Chapter 294

News of Charlie’s pursuit reached rival conglomerates in Yowhayton. Their investigations revealed the potential for a Jones-Hoggard alliance, a prospect deeply unsettling. They wouldn’t allow Kelly and Charlie to be together. The city's atmosphere crackled with tension.

Meanwhile, Kelly, furious at Charlie’s persistence, received messages from her father and grandfather. Ignoring them, she found Charlie, whisked him to the airport, and forced him onto a plane. Tears streamed down her face.

“Chuck, leave,” she choked out, “We’re not right for each other.”

He held her close, kissed her fiercely. “I’ll find a way, Claire. We will be together.”

Her heart ached, but she pushed him onto the plane, ordering its immediate departure.

Her grandfather and father arrived moments later, enraged that she'd sent Charlie away. Ronan Jones slapped her. She was dragged home, ordered to secure the alliance with the Carter family, or face the consequences. Kelly refused. The beating began – brutal and merciless. The Jones family showed no mercy; Kelly was a tool, nothing more. But this time, she wouldn't break.

The beating continued until she was bloody and near death. Top doctors were summoned. Kelly knew she wouldn’t die; she was the heir. Later, her mother appeared, ostensibly offering comfort, but really issuing a veiled threat.

“Kelly, just listen to your father,” her mother pleaded, her voice laced with desperation, "Isn't Charlie the man you love?"