Our Love Story: Hard to Guard Against the Sudden Love Strike-Chapter 492 - 470: Pragmatic

Bianca Fordham hesitated, not daring to speak.

Old Master Forrester didn’t press further either.

If Simon Forrester could use this matter to threaten her, it meant that the debt Leo owed was a hole that Bianca Fordham’s entire savings couldn’t possibly fill; otherwise, Bianca wouldn’t have agreed to the proposal for the equity gift.

Although this matter could be investigated, Old Master Forrester couldn’t wait. He turned to Simon Forrester and urged urgently, "Jules, you say something!" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Simon Forrester glanced casually at Bianca Fordham and held up one finger.

Old Master Forrester understood instantly, closed his eyes, shook his head, and sighed long and deeply.

After a while, the elderly man slowly opened his eyes, his tone and gaze reverting to their usual sharpness: "Bianca, I’ll take care of the money Leo owes the bank. But! You must sign an agreement with me. In the future, under any circumstances, whenever Jules wants to transfer or gift his shares to anyone, you must oppose it!"

This was simply the best possible outcome, and Bianca Fordham didn’t hesitate: "I agree! I’ll sign the agreement right away!"

At this point, Zane Forrester disagreed.

He adjusted his glasses, not looking at Old Master Forrester, but instead gazing at the magnolia tree outside the window, and said sarcastically, "Dad, when Bianca got married, you gave away all her property. Cash, real estate, land, shops, antiques, and even five percent of the Forrester Group stocks, you gave it all away. Now, you want to give more? Is the money Leo owes the bank just a hundred bucks? You just give it away, and did you even ask me, your son, what I think?"

Bianca Fordham, already discontent for decades because Old Master Forrester favored his grandson by giving Simon Forrester seventy-five percent of the group stocks and most of the Forrester Family’s assets, was eager for an opportunity to vent her resentment. Hearing Zane Forrester’s words, she immediately jumped up from the chair, pointed at Zane, and shrieked: "When I got married, Dad gave me twenty-eight shops and two billion in cash! But he now carries 58 shops, ten billion in cash bonds, a hotel, and a mall to give to your daughter-in-law! I’m still the eldest daughter of the Forrester Family, my surname is Forrester! Am I inferior to your daughter-in-law, a stranger?"

Zane Forrester didn’t raise his voice, just calmly said: "You saw the Thorne Family’s dowry today, didn’t you? What are you comparing with? Can you compare to them?"

This remark left Bianca Fordham’s eyes bloodshot. Her sense of superiority as the eldest daughter of the Forrester Family was stripped away, leaving her feeling wronged, resentful, and unwilling. Clenching her fists, she shouted even louder, "Fine! I won’t compare with your daughter-in-law! I’ll just compare with your son!"

She swung her hand, pointing her index finger at Simon Forrester sitting across from Old Master Forrester, accusing, "I’ve worked diligently for the Forrester Group for over thirty years, dedicating all my youth to it, and today’s scale is at least half my achievement! But what did I get?"

As she spoke to this point, she was about to cry but held back her tears, trembling and smiling: "Five percent of stocks! But what has your son done for the Forrester Group? Nothing at all! He sat back and took seventy-five percent of the group stocks! Plus, your ten percent! You’ve already gotten so much, and now Leo owes money outside, and you, as his uncle, not only don’t help but come here and make sarcastic remarks? Do you even have a conscience?"

Whether Zane Forrester had a conscience, no one knew. He was always self-centered, no different from Sylvia Langley. But Sylvia, being a woman, had a soft maternal side. Even when she wanted to divorce Zane Forrester, she still worried it would hurt her son’s interests, forcing herself to maintain the marriage.

Zane Forrester was different, maintaining the marriage likely just to avoid splitting assets with Sylvia Langley. His son’s interests meant little to him, let alone a nephew’s?

Hence, Bianca Fordham’s tearful grievances and accusations didn’t stir Zane Forrester’s heart. Instead, Simon Forrester felt sympathetic. He also believed Old Master Forrester’s preferential treatment towards him was too excessive, likely inciting resentment in Leo’s family.

Fortunately, Leo wasn’t that kind of person and hadn’t turned bitter due to Old Master Forrester’s favoritism towards males. His relationship as cousins with Simon Forrester remained good, except for the matter with Sienna Thornton.

Simon Forrester felt a twinge of guilt, glanced at Old Master Forrester who also felt a bit regretful, and said, "I’ll handle Leo’s matter. There’s no need for any agreement or signing. You all saw today; Annie doesn’t want stocks from the Forresters, not now, and she certainly won’t in the future."

Zane Forrester didn’t object to his son wanting to pay off his cousin’s debt.

His son’s money belonged to his son and grandson, unrelated to him. But his father’s money was different; he had a share in that. So he couldn’t agree to Old Master Forrester using money he had a stake in to pay off a nephew’s debt.

Seeing Simon Forrester willing to clean up Leo’s mess, Bianca Fordham stopped targeting him, but the years of injustice in her heart surged forth like floodwaters once the gate was opened, overwhelming with grievances and complaints against Old Master Forrester.

Simon Forrester felt a headache listening to it all and quietly left the old mansion.

He went back to his apartment, changed into more comfortable clothes, picked up some personal items, and headed to Sienna Thornton’s place.

Sienna Thornton had been staying at Melinda Linton’s home since the beginning of the year. Actually, he had also been staying there during this period, only returning to the old mansion yesterday to prepare for today’s bride price matters, so he went back yesterday afternoon.

Today, with so many people at the apartment and so much going on, he and Sienna Thornton hadn’t had the chance for a proper conversation. The scene was controlled by the elders, leaving them only able to exchange looks and occasionally whisper a few words.

On his way, he pondered about asking Sienna Thornton later why she didn’t want the shares. But thinking more, he felt asking would be in vain. Her personality was calm, practical, with no attachment to money, always upholding the notion of financial independence, clearly not wanting these things.

Simon Forrester was a bit troubled, contemplating what gift to give Sienna Thornton to express his gratitude for her willingness to marry him.

He thought about it all the way, yet reached no conclusion even by the time he arrived at The Springs Residences.

Upon entering, Quentin Thorne and Lawyer Caldwell were having tea in the living room. Melinda Linton and Auntie King were organizing the wedding gifts sent over by the Forrester Family today.

Sienna Thornton wasn’t in the living room, probably in her room handling today’s received files.

Simon Forrester greeted Quentin Thorne and others and was planning to go find Sienna Thornton, but Quentin Thorne called out to him, so he had to go over and sit down.

Quentin Thorne didn’t bring up anything about bride price or dowry. Instead, he asked, "Did you get Uncle Forrester and your parents home safely?"

"Yes."

"Only a week to the wedding now. Have you arranged the venue for the ceremony?"

Simon Forrester said, "The ceremony will be held at the Forrester Family’s old mansion. The elders are traditional; they believe having it at home is lively and auspicious."

Though Quentin Thorne nodded, he seemed to not quite agree: "I see nowadays many young people have their weddings on some island or in a foreign castle; that’s quite romantic. But having a traditional Chinese wedding at the mansion means Annie won’t have the chance to wear a wedding gown for the ceremony, right?"