CHAPTER 397: TRICK OR TREAT~

[Chairman Lancaster’s Residence]

"Grandpa..." Lola exhaled a long, heavy sigh as she reached the backyard of the residence, only to find the chairman already working inside his little barn.

The head butler beside her mirrored her sigh. "Miss Lola, he wouldn’t listen to us."

The butler had contacted every possible person who might convince the chairman to stay in the hospital last night. Yet no one could change the old man’s mind. Even when the doctor warned that his survival rate would be higher if he remained under hospital care, the chairman was stubborn as ever.

Lola offered the butler an apologetic look, knowing she wouldn’t have much luck either. Still, she said softly,

"I’ll try."

"Thank you, Miss Lola." He bowed his head while she made her way toward the barn.

When she reached him, Lola stopped a few steps away. "Grandpa..."

Her exhausted, worried tone made the old man pause, though only briefly. "The head butler called me and told me what happened last night," she said.

"I told him to stop bothering you," the chairman clicked his tongue gruffly. "They all want me to listen to them, but none of them will listen to me!"

"They’re just worried about you, Grandpa," Lola said gently, stepping closer. "I brought us some snacks. Should we try the tea I got for us?"

At that, the chairman turned to her with a reluctant sigh, but eventually nodded. He didn’t have the heart to keep ignoring her. Lola guided him to the nearby chairs and began unpacking the food containers she’d brought.

He chuckled the moment he saw the contents. All the unhealthy food he loved. When he looked at her, she only smiled innocently.

"If they see you eating all this, I don’t think the head butler will ever call me again," she teased.

"Hah! I’m sure he wouldn’t," the chairman laughed, picking up his cutlery and taking a bite of something the doctor would certainly forbid. "See, my child? Even if you have all the money in the world, when you get old or sick like me, you can’t eat everything you want."

He chewed slowly, his eyes softening. "So, stay healthy, alright?"

"I am, Grandpa. I work out regularly and try to watch what I eat," she said with a smile. "I even cook my own meals sometimes, so I know what goes into them."

"I know you do." His chuckle was weak but warm. After a pause, he looked up with a flicker of guilt in his eyes. "Lola, I’m sorry."

A wry smile crossed his face as he continued. "I promised your mother I’d look after you once she was gone. I told her I’d protect you, but nothing I did had shielded you from what you went through."

Since the engagement party, the chairman hadn’t slept properly, haunted by guilt over Lola’s hardships. He once believed he’d helped her, even a little, by sending financial support during her university years.

But after learning the truth—that she had worked multiple jobs just to survive—he ordered an investigation. It turned out every cheque he’d handed to Lawrence to give to Lola had been diverted: spent on Melissa’s lavish lifestyle or added to LL Construction’s funds. Not a single cent had reached her.

"It was my fault," he sighed bitterly. "I trusted Lawrence too much when I shouldn’t have."

Perhaps it was because Loren had entrusted LL Construction to Lawrence that the chairman still gave him the benefit of the doubt. After all, Loren’s will had left Lola only her personal properties, not the company.

"Grandpa," Lola said softly, reaching out to hold his hand. "It’s okay. It’s not your fault. In fact, they did try to send the money to me at first—I just refused it."

That was a lie, but she didn’t want to burden him further.

"I left the Young family on my own accord," she continued. "And by doing that, I knew the consequences. So please don’t blame yourself."

The chairman could see right through her words. They didn’t make him feel better. If anything, they deepened his regret.

He squeezed her hand and smiled faintly. "Lola, once I’m gone, I’ve already included you in my will. You’ll inherit a percentage of my shares. Will you accept it?"

"..." Lola pressed her lips together, silent for a long moment. "No."

"Child."

"Grandpa," she sighed, "the only thing tying me to the Lancaster family is you. If not for you, I would’ve left everything about both families behind. Not because I hate you all, but because I want to move forward."

Her eyes softened. "And the Lancaster family won’t let me do that."

"I’m sorry, Grandpa."

A quiet moment passed between them. Then, the chairman let out a weary laugh, nodding in resignation.

"I knew you’d say that." His smile was gentle now, his fingers still wrapped around hers. She smiled faintly in return.

*

*

*

Lola had hoped to convince him to return to the hospital for treatment, but as expected, even she couldn’t change his mind. Still, she didn’t push further.

"I’m sorry," she murmured later, as the head butler escorted her out of the residence.

The butler bowed slightly. "It’s alright, Miss Lola. I was hoping you could persuade him, but... I understand."

"Me too," she sighed with a small smile. "I’ll come visit him again tomorrow."

The butler nodded, knowing there was nothing more they could do until the chairman’s health inevitably declined.

"Please take care on your way, Miss Lola."

"Mhm."

Lola walked ahead and insisted that the butler check on the chairman instead of seeing her off. Once she stepped out of the main door and approached her car, she paused just as another car pulled into the driveway.

She turned and froze when she saw Derek step out.

Derek stopped too, his eyes widening as he spotted her. His throat bobbed as he gulped, taking a hesitant step forward. But before he could speak, Lola turned and slipped quickly into her car.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she drove off.

"Wait..." he murmured, watching helplessly as her car disappeared down the drive.

His chest tightened. His hand curled into a fist.

"Damn it," he muttered, turning toward the house and stopping.

Something rustled in the bushes near where Lola’s car had been parked.

He frowned. "Huh?"

Cautiously, he stepped closer, brushing a few leaves aside. But then...

"AH—!"

He stumbled backward, landing hard on his tailbone.

From behind the bush, two tiny figures popped up with wide, mischievous grins.

Chacha and Second, decked out in full Halloween glam, lifted their baskets high.

"Trick or treat~!"