CHAPTER 334: CHAPTER 334: UNFIT TO BE PARENTS

"Felix Linton and Charles Linton... they were originally major shareholders in the Linton Group..."

Serena Jennings walked beside Aaron Linton, listening silently.

With just those opening words, she already understood something.

"Do you think they were too calm facing the will?"

"Mm..."

Aaron Linton nodded.

His gaze fell on Serena Jennings.

Once upon a time, the little girl with rebellious grey curls who smoked to provoke Jasper Linton’s heart attack had grown into an independent elite.

"Your insight is quite impressive."

Praised by Aaron Linton, Serena Jennings smiled slightly, but felt no joy inside.

"Both of them aren’t young anymore, whether in politics or business, they’re at retirement age. Perhaps they anticipated this arrangement in Elder Linton’s will long ago."

Serena Jennings didn’t call Jasper Linton ’Grandfather’; Aaron Linton knew Serena had never forgiven him, even though Jasper was now dead.

"Yes, you make a valid point..."

Aaron Linton hadn’t dismissed the possibility, but after hearing the will, numerous doubts and unease arose in his heart—

It felt more like intuition, an emotional judgment, rather than rational.

Even if Felix Linton and Charles Linton wanted to retire with money, and they knew Jasper would allocate the will this way,

Yet their reactions to the will giving Wendy Linton control over the Linton Group’s core businesses were too calm.

Aaron couldn’t understand why his father wouldn’t leave him any company to manage.

Even if Wendy was his father’s chosen successor, Wendy was still a foster granddaughter.

Besides, before this will, every project Jasper entrusted to Wendy seemed to be led by her, but it was Aaron behind the scenes controlling things.

Wendy wasn’t incompetent, nor did she lack business acumen.

However, whether those skills could manage the vast Linton Group remained unknown.

Up till now, Wendy hadn’t truly completed any project independently, let alone major business decisions.

Aaron couldn’t believe that given these circumstances, Jasper would recklessly leave all his companies to Wendy to manage.

He knew better than anyone that the growth and strength of the Linton empire meant everything to Jasper.

Thus, giving the entire Linton Group to Wendy recklessly did not align with Jasper’s usual way of doing things.

Serena Jennings watched Aaron Linton’s troubled expression.

Jasper’s will indeed surprised her to some extent.

After all, no matter how much Jasper believed in fate, even liking Wendy, she was still a grandchild.

Aaron was his biological son, brought up single-handedly by him, there was no reason not to allocate any of the Linton Group’s companies to him, even with Aaron being Country C’s foreign minister, the Linton Group was also under Jade Shaw’s name before the will.

Jasper could have kept companies under Jade as before, with Aaron as the actual holding owner.

However, Jasper chose to entrust the Linton Group’s core to Wendy alone in his will.

Still, though surprised, Serena wouldn’t question Jasper’s motives, nor dwell on his will.

After all, that belonged to the Linton Family.

As for her, she was no longer one of them long ago.

"Chloe..."

Aaron called Serena by the wrong name again, but this time, she didn’t correct him.

"All this time... we’ve known we wronged you..."

Serena let out a soft, cold laugh.

Aaron’s fists clenched tighter and tighter.

"No... not all this time... maybe as I grow older, I become more nostalgic... both your mom and I have become like this... we’ve missed you more and more... felt more and more undeserving as parents when we were young, owed you too much..."

Serena sighed.

"Cut to the chase! I no longer want to hear those insincere apologies."

Serena’s face showed no anger, no disappointment, but only a gentle smile.

This expression hurt Aaron even more, piercing his heart.

"Your mom and I want to make it up to you... we didn’t think your grandpa’s will would be like this..."

Hearing this, Serena couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

It was a scornful laugh.

"Elder Linton once told others during his daughter-in-law’s C-section that this child shouldn’t have been born."

"He made his not yet 6-year-old granddaughter stand barefoot in the water during a freezing winter to get beaten."

"He blamed his wife’s death on this innocent child, using it as an excuse to send her to juvie."

"Even after she endured tremendous psychological and physical abuse, he wasn’t satisfied, finally casting her out from home, taking away her name, her parents..."

As Serena’s resolute words unfolded, Aaron’s face grew paler and paler.

"I’m sorry... sorry, Chloe, really sorry..."

Serena seemed to see the glint of tears in Aaron’s eyes.

She turned her head to the side, looking out over the vast ocean.

The sea wasn’t as blue as she imagined.

Perhaps it was just due to the overcast skies.

"You shouldn’t have expected anything from Elder Linton’s will from the start... If anything, the fact that he left me the charity foundation was already quite unexpected."

Aaron knew Serena was mocking herself.

Everyone understood that the charity foundation wasn’t really an asset.

Serena only received the charity foundation, making her seemingly out of nowhere a bound employee of the Linton Group, forced to manage its daily operations.

"Chloe, no matter what you think of us... both your mom and I genuinely want to make it up to you. If you have any requests, just say it."

Serena turned to look at Aaron.

She knew he wasn’t deceiving or brushing her off.

Aaron truly regretted what happened back then and earnestly wanted to make amends.

But...

Her childhood was already ruined.

Her traumas already imprinted.

These couldn’t be undone with regret or compensation.

Serena remained silent for a long time.

"I do have one request..."

At Serena’s words, Aaron’s eyes instantly lit up.

"What is it, just say it."

"There is an assassin from Meridia’s Wyrmfang Gang... I don’t know if it’s a real name or alias, he called himself joker..."

Serena observed Aaron’s reaction as she said this.

From his expression, he seemed completely unaware of the Wyrmfang Gang.

"He’s done many things against me... especially days ago, he attempted a long-distance sniping..."

"What?!"

Aaron was taken aback.

"So I hope Minister Linton can use your power... to help me capture him."

The sky gradually darkened, though it was still daytime, it felt as if the sun had set.

Walking alongside the sea, only Serena remained.

Jasper had just passed away, the will only freshly released, and many affairs awaited Aaron back at the Linton household.

As Serena left a solitary trail on the beach, a man walked toward her from ahead.

Uncharacteristically, he wasn’t in a suit but wore a white shirt without a tie, the top three buttons undone, exposing a glimpse of his elegant collarbone.