Chapter 108

Elliot listened to the busy tone blaring from his phone, and for a moment, he couldn’t quite put his feelings into words. This was the first time someone had dared to hang up on him before he’d finished speaking. And it was his own daughter.

Unlike Jamar and Leon, who would keep calling back after Phoebe had hung up on them, Elliot wasn’t about to reach out again. He felt a bit humiliated, and he couldn’t quite accept her outright dismissal. It wasn’t just that she’d ended the call, but her resolute attitude; Phoebe wasn’t being impulsive. She genuinely wanted nothing more to do with them.

In his mind, Phoebe had always cared about her family since she’d come home. She never pandered to anyone, but she did look out for everyone. And it wasn’t just empty talk; she showed her care through her actions. Elliot was a busy man and didn’t get to spend much time with her. But every now and then, he’d receive the herbal supplements she’d made for him. She gave him pills to ease his hangovers and boost his health. They worked well, which showed she’d put real effort into them. Therefore, he didn’t know how things ended up like this.

Elliot sat in thought for a while before calling in his assistant. He ordered, “I need you to look into the past issues between Phoebe and my unresolved tensions.” “And take a close look into my adopted daughter. Check if she’s had any contact with the horoscope consultant at the Jenkins Group,” Elliot added, “Do this discreetly. I don’t want anyone else knowing about it.”

His wife and sons had been telling him for a while now that Phoebe had been picking on Sienna ever since she’d come home. They claimed she was just trying to take what belonged to Sienna and kept stirring up trouble. If that were true, it would show that Phoebe cared a lot about the Jenkins family and its assets. But looking at things now, that didn’t seem to be the case. Phoebe must have felt truly wronged to cut herself off so decisively from the Jenkins family. Her current stance made it clear she didn’t consider them family anymore and had no interest in their belongings.

Elliot began to think that things might not be as his wife and sons had claimed. When Phoebe returned, he planned to settle the official papers and publicly acknowledge her as his daughter. But then Sienna fell ill, and Lydia and his sons asked him to delay it. Shortly after, Elliot happened to meet with the Jenkins Group’s horoscope consultant.

The consultant first congratulated him on finding his biological daughter. During their conversation, the consultant hinted that the choice to adopt a girl with the same birthdate and year as his daughter had been a wise ODC. Not only had the Jenkins family prospered, but they’d eventually found Phoebe as well.

After listening to the consultant, Elliot had to admit it all seemed to make sense. The consultant then did a reading for him, suggesting that it wasn’t the right time to publicly announce Phoebe as his daughter. It would be better to wait a year. Otherwise, Phoebe and Sienna would face misfortune, and it might also impact the Jenkins family’s overall luck.

After discussing this with Lydia, she suggested they wait a year to officially announce Phoebe as the Jenkins family’s daughter. They could handle the household registration at that time. Since they had already acknowledged her as family, there was no rush to formalize things. Elliot agreed.

However, Elliot couldn’t help but feel a sense of doubt creeping in now. The assistant hadn’t expected Elliot to ask him to investigate personal matters, but he recognized it as a sign of trust. Nodding, he assured, “Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

Later, Brenda pulled Phoebe aside, suggesting they hit a bar. Ed dressed up looking glamorously seductive. Phoebe recounted her conversation with Frank. "He kept calling me a bad influence and being irresponsible, all that nonsense. I didn’t bother listening and just hung up," she said before asking, “Are you sure you want to cut ties with him? He called again today, but I didn’t pick up. I even blocked him. I just need a drink.” Phoebe was a little agitated.

Brenda had told her that Frank had brought Edith around and even introduced her to their friends. As a fool, Frank was deceitful. He was stringing her along while dating Edith. He’d manipulated her management and agreed to let her work abroad at his company. He also constantly told her that she was like someone who could one day warm his heart and they'd end up together. It burned that he always had someone else by his side. Once she saw things clearly, she realized he’d just been playing her along. The mug of (unspecified drink) made her want to give him a solid punch.

Brenda wanted to move on from Frank. She just needed to let off some steam. She said, “Let’s go to that bar you…” She had been considering going to a quiet spot nearby, but now she just went along with Phoebe’s suggestion. It was owned by an old friend from their social circle, and Phoebe knew him too. They got along well.

It was a high-end bar; the first floor was open to everyone, but the second floor was reserved for those with special access cards, usually celebrities and the daughters of prominent families. Phoebe was careful not to be easily recognized, so she wore a baseball cap and a mask. The atmosphere was moody and empty. They found a dark, empty corner just right for them and settled in, listening to the live singer on the floor below. Gradually, others started arriving, including a few familiar faces, but Phoebe was surprised when she saw who it was—Jamar and Leon. Phoebe exclaimed, "You would finally get rid of that thorn in your side!" she added, somewhat surprised herself. "They're both many miles short on company,”

Chi (name incomplete), timed off the flash, and snapped a couple of photos of Leon and (name incomplete). (The rest of the text is unintelligible.)