Chapter 261

Ignoring the pain, Declan immediately stood up and went home. Once home, he rushed in and shouted, “Dad, Mom, has the company’s money been embezzled?”

That night, just as Wendy decided to pop by, she was greeted by Declan’s loud yells.

Nick’s face had been looking worse lately, almost like he was wasting away. A flicker of panic flashed in his eyes at Declan’s words.

He snapped, “Declan, what are you talking about? You’ve been away from home for over half a year, and now you’re back saying nonsense.”

Wendy furrowed her brow at Nick, wondering what he had found out. She thought, ‘Could Nick know Jennifer moved 70 million dollars from her company?’

Sunny had already been detained and taken in by the police for questioning today; she was an accomplice in the embezzlement, but she refused to reveal where the money went. However, Wendy was confident that she could make Sunny talk.

Declan said, “Dad, Natalie’s so cruel. I lost a race with my friends today and needed a 300-thousand-dollar ransom. Instead of rescuing me, Natalie spent 15 million dollars on a piece of land nobody else wanted. Dad, where did she get the money from? If she didn’t take it from our company, then where else could she have gotten it?”

Nick was surprised to know that Natalie really had 15 million dollars.

Wendy’s gaze was icy as she looked at Declan. She asked, “Do you have any evidence?”

Declan said, “Mom, what more proof do we need? The money she has in her hands is proof enough.”

Wendy said, “Declan, making accusations like these can get you in legal trouble. I’ve stopped your allowance, and since you can’t find anyone else to bail you out, you’re left relying on Natalie, the one you’ve always bullied. You’ve really got some nerve. After almost a year of cutting ties with us, how dare you call and ask her to help you?”

Hearing this, Declan was fuming. He said, “Mom, why are you cutting my allowance just like that? I don’t have any savings whatsoever. How am I supposed to live now? I still have competitions coming up.”

Wendy took a deep breath. She pretended to be heartbroken and said, “The company’s situation is getting worse. We’re already deep in debt, and today I found out that Sunny embezzled 70 million dollars. From now on, I can’t afford to cover your living expenses anymore. You’re all in your twenties and are adults now, so you’ll have to earn your own money for living. The company owes 70 million dollars in debt. If we can’t recover this amount, I will have to sell all the assets.”

Then, she looked at Nick and said, “Nick, your current company is valued at around 30 million. I’ll sell it to cover my company’s shortfall.”

Hearing this, Nick put on a nasty look. He said, “What? Wendy, how can you sell my company? Didn’t you say you were good at managing things? Now, your company is about to go bankrupt, owing 70 million in debt, and you want to use my company to fill the gap? No way.”

Nick thought, ‘No! Wendy found out about the money being embezzled.’

Wendy sneered inside. Is this all he can handle? The real dramas are yet to come!

Wendy looked sorrowful and said, “Honey, we’re husband and wife. Are you going to leave me like other men when things get tough? If you sell your company, we can get back 30 million. If we can attract some investment, the company’s problems will be solved.”

Nick said, “Honey, you know that even though you gave me the company, it also stands for my self-respect. Without it, how could I live? I’ve been happy all these years because of the company, and I’m not afraid anymore of people saying I live off you.”

Wendy laughed and said, “Honey, you’ve been living off my support for so many years. Are you still worried about what people say?”

Hearing this, Nick shouted angrily, “You, you, Wendy, did you finally say what’s really on your mind? Even though I’m a live-in husband, I’ve been making my own money these years. Don’t make it sound so bad.”

Wendy said, “But Nick, your health hasn’t been good lately, and you just wet your pants. Your memory’s getting worse. I’m afraid you might mess up the company. I checked your account the other day; what’s up with your money?”

Nick replied, “No, there’s nothing wrong. I check my company’s accounts every day; everything’s correct.”

He looked a bit panicked. He didn’t know why he wet his pants either. It was too humiliating. He couldn’t tolerate being like that.

Declan said, “Mom, this is easy to deal with. Natalie still has millions. I’ll go to her tomorrow and ask her to help you out for a bit.”

Wendy smiled and said, “No need, Declan. I don’t want a bad child like you. You and your brothers are all trouble; I can’t afford sons like you. Your family, neither you nor your father, stepped up to help when my company was in trouble. I don’t need either of you anymore.”

Wendy stood up and left, her heart aching. She thought, ‘If I had discovered Nick and Jennifer’s plot earlier, could I have helped my four sons get back on the right track?’

Declan was stunned, thinking, ‘Is Mom abandoning me?’

“Wendy, stop right there,” Brenda shouted angrily from the top of the stairs.

Wendy turned around to look at Brenda. She thought, “Thanks for having her around to harass Nick and worsen his health. Let them continue for a few more months; I’ll send them all to hell.”

Brenda said, “Wendy, you haven’t given me 30 thousand dollars this month. Don’t even think about leaving today if you don’t pay up.” She was as fierce as a bandit.

Wendy wasn’t angry; she smiled and said, “Mom, my company is 70 million in debt right now. I remember giving you and Dad millions over the years. How about you help me get through this tough time? We’re family, after all. Maybe we could all share a bit of this debt. Once it’s paid off, how about I give you and Dad 50 thousand every month?”

Brenda said, “70 million in debt? Wendy, how could you be so wasteful? I told you before, a woman should stay home, take care of her husband and children, and not go out to show herself. If you had let Nick run the company, you wouldn’t have ended up with this debt. Look how well Nick’s company is doing. It earns millions every month…”

“Mom…” Nick quickly interrupted Brenda.

Wendy was surprised. She asked, “Nick, does your company make millions every month? How come I didn’t know?”

Nick replied, “Wendy, Mom’s just joking. She only wants you to let me run the company, so that’s why she’s saying that.”

Brenda looked uneasy, her eyes evasive, avoiding Wendy’s gaze.

She thought, “That’s close, I nearly let slip that all Nick’s money is going to his other son abroad. He is running his business really well. Unlike these four freeloaders of Wendy, who don’t earn a dime yet burn through millions, they are total spendthrifts.”

Wendy had discovered some things, and through probing over time, she found that both Brenda and Mark knew Nick had another son abroad. Most of Nick’s money went to that son outside.

Wendy remarked inside, “This family of leeches is terrifying.”

She wore a pained expression and said, “Nick, if you don’t want our family to go bankrupt, help me think of something.”

Chapter 262