Chapter 26: You Don't Have It; Mom Will Help You Snatch It
Cheyenne, having retrieved her dowry from Malaya, thanked her with a smile that hinted at sarcasm. Malaya accepted the thanks with a confident smile. Cheyenne's genuine gratitude masked her suspicion that Malaya and Nora had been lurking at the auction. However, Cheyenne chose not to expose their hypocrisy, satisfied with regaining her belongings. She praised the items' exquisite craftsmanship, emphasizing her mother's disappointment if even one piece were missing. Malaya watched as the treasures were carried away, heartbroken over the thirteen million she'd spent to acquire them. Exhausted, Cheyenne excused herself to rest.
Once Cheyenne left, Nora angrily kicked the table, expressing her resentment towards Cheyenne and wishing her dead. Malaya, though initially upset, reassured Nora that the money would be recouped, promising to help her daughter acquire anything Cheyenne possessed. Malaya's fierce protectiveness of her daughter fueled her vow for revenge.
Early the next morning, Malaya was awakened by the noise of a moving truck and the shuffling of furniture. Irritated by the disruption to her sleep, she sat up in her bed, her face creased with anger and dark circles under her eyes. She'd had a restless night, dreaming of Selah, her husband's deceased daughter, who appeared in the dream smiling mockingly.
Emerging from her room in a nightgown, Malaya was confronted by a rugged-looking, sweaty man carrying a large wooden bookshelf – Cheyenne's prized nanmu wood bookshelf, which Malaya had previously coveted but couldn't access. The sight of a stranger removing the locked bookshelf perplexed Malaya. She knew how much Cheyenne valued it.
Chapter 26: You Don't Have It; Morning Will Help You Snatch It (Continued)
The moving man's gaze lingered on Malaya as she rushed out, revealing her lack of a bra beneath her thin nightgown. George's furious reprimand brought Malaya back to reality, embarrassed by her hasty exit and the man's prolonged stare. Cheyenne, observing the scene from downstairs, remarked on Malaya's figure, a comment that angered George. He felt Malaya's actions were inappropriate for her age and status. Layne, Cheyenne's grandfather, intervened, gently chiding Cheyenne for her involvement in adult matters, though he shared his granddaughter's disapproval of Malaya.
Layne's arrival was prompted by his concern that Malaya had taken possession of items belonging to his deceased daughter, Selah, intended for his granddaughter. George attempted to explain Malaya's actions, claiming that she had locked the items away for safekeeping, but Malaya's sudden appearance in new clothing, looking elegantly composed, contradicted his claim. Layne's discomfort intensified when Malaya addressed him as "Dad," a title he found inappropriate. He asserted that he only had one daughter, Selah, highlighting Malaya’s inappropriate behavior. His expression hardened with memories of his deceased daughter, leaving Malaya speechless. Layne then produced a list of Selah's wedding gifts, emphasizing his intent to ensure Cheyenne received her rightful inheritance.
Chapter 27: I Only Have One Daughter
Layne's accusations of George's poor leadership of the Lawrence Group followed. He highlighted the company's decline and vulnerability, emphasizing its outdated business model. George attributed the company’s troubles to the global economic crisis and the low-end industry, mentioning only the Foley family's support had saved them from bankruptcy. Layne then mentioned the forced marriage between Nora and Kelvin Foley, highlighting the exorbitant dowry demanded by the Lawrence family and the ensuing scandal. He revealed that he had only learned about Cheyenne's marriage after the fact.
Kelvin, disdainful of the Lawrence family's greed and Cheyenne's perceived scheming, agreed to the marriage only due to his grandfather's pressure. George's justification for their actions emphasized the importance of connections and the outdated nature of the Lawrence Group's business model, along with Kelvin's lack of continued support. George also alluded to the social stigma surrounding his quick marriage to Malaya after Selah's death, which led to a withdrawal of investment from the Edwards family.
Layne, having heard about the seizure of Selah's belongings, reaffirmed his intention to ensure Cheyenne’s rightful inheritance. Despite George's attempt at explanation, and Malaya's well-presented counterargument, Layne remained unconvinced. His final statement, revealing the existence of a list detailing Selah's wedding gifts, set the stage for further conflict.