Chapter 178
“Grandpa, are you rushing to prepare for me to inherit the company because there’s something wrong with your health? Are you and Sebastian working together to fool me?” Abigail grabbed Wyatt’s hand and asked worriedly.
“Abby, we’re not fooling you. It’s just that I’m getting old. If I don’t start making plans for you early, I’m afraid something like what happened three years ago will happen again.”
“I’m afraid my body won’t hold up, and you’ll have to suffer another three years,” Wyatt said, clutching her hand tightly, his voice full of reassurance.
With tears in her eyes, Abigail said, “I’ve never blamed you.”
“Your weakness is that you’re too kind. You need to be more ruthless in the future. That way, when you face despicable demands, you’ll be able to say no,” he said.
Wyatt truly couldn’t stop worrying about Abigail, but he was already old. His days of protecting her were numbered. She had grown up in an orphanage. What Beth had taught her was always humility and thinking of others. That was the foundation of Abigail’s personality. But in a selfish family like the Gibson family, someone like her was destined to suffer losses.
Wyatt didn’t expect Sebastian to treat her well for the rest of her life either. People change. With time, love fades. Abigail nodded. Looking at the old man in front of her, his back hunched, she suddenly felt an indescribable sadness.
Wyatt would be eighty next year, but at an age when he should have retired, he was still cleaning up the Gibson family’s mess. Wyatt said, “Abby, I’ve made a deal with Warren. If I don’t make it, he’ll push you into the CEO position of Gibson Group. If you’re willing, I can start teaching you how to run the company.”
“If you’re not, I’ll have him hire someone trustworthy – you just collect dividends,” Wyatt said, lowering his voice deliberately.
When it really came to inheritance, Stephen might not fulfill the promise he made today. With wealthy families, when the time came to fight over inheritance, even murdering one’s siblings wasn’t out of the question.
“I’ll think about it seriously.” Abigail preferred to work on her own projects, but Gibson Group was Wyatt’s lifelong effort. If the company was handed over to other members of the Gibson family, it would eventually be ruined. However, Abigail felt that taking over the company would be like supporting the entire Gibson family. Deep down, she didn’t want to do that.
After saying goodbye to Wyatt, Abigail returned to Sebastian’s place. She sat on the lawn in the yard, petting the cats around her. Of course she had to inherit Gibson Group – but she didn’t want the Gibson family to have a good life.
If she were just working for others, she could live her own life and cut ties with them completely. But if she inherited Gibson Group, the Gibson family would definitely become dependent on her. However, she didn’t know how to make them suffer while still preserving Wyatt’s legacy.
Abigail thought about it deep into the night but couldn’t come up with a good solution. She didn’t understand corporate operations, so she planned to ask Sebastian or James.
Since Warren had invested in Wyatt’s company, he was obviously still aiming for profit. So Abigail knew she couldn’t let him find out about her thoughts. But she still felt a little guilty about it. Wyatt certainly wouldn’t want her to live in hatred. He must’ve hoped she’d take the shares, inherit the company, and move toward a bright future.
But whenever Abigail thought about the Gibson family continuing to live in luxury because of her and Warren’s involvement, she felt nothing but anger and resentment. The next day, after getting off work from Halden Group, Abigail planned to go to Sebastian’s place to see the cats. Just as she stepped out of the company, Stephen’s car pulled up in front of her.
He said, “Wyatt and Warren have finalized the cooperation. You’re one of the shareholders now – you need to come sign the papers and collect your official seal.” Abigail didn’t refuse and got into his car. Stephen immediately smiled. He had been worried she wouldn’t ride in his car and that he’d end up having to take a cab home alone.
On the way back, Stephen said to her, “We’ll sign the agreement at home. The other shareholders have already signed – it’s just our family left. But don’t worry, Daniella doesn’t have a share.”
Abigail didn’t respond to him, instead looking out the window in worry. She wanted to use her status as a shareholder to dilute the Gibson shares, but she was also afraid Wyatt would blame her in the end.
If she led the company to go bankrupt, Wyatt would definitely be heartbroken. Seeing her silence, Stephen felt a bit disappointed. He pressed his lips together and gave up speaking, choosing not to disturb her.