Chapter 197 A World Beyond Westbrook

Finished

Eliza turned to Nn. “There’s nothing left for me in Westbrook. No good memories, no attachments. I’ve always wanted to see the world beyond this ce. They say it’s beautiful out there–dazzling, intoxicating… like a dream.”

She’d never left Westbrook, never even stepped beyond its city limits. But now that her ties to the Rivers family had been severed, the possibility of leaving felt like freedom. A clean te. A new beginning.

Nn heard the quiet yearning in her voice and smiled’faintly. “Alright.”

Back at the Rivers family residence, Naomi, Evelyn, and Nathan stood frozen in the wreckage that had once been their home. The ce looked as if it had been looted, everything valuable stripped clean.

Naomi’s mind shed back to the downfall of the Holt family–it had looked exactly like this.

Their front door sealed shut, all valuables taken, even the furniture raided.

“No… no way,” Naomi whispered, shaking her head. “This isn’t real, right? It’s not happening! We’re not going bankrupt! We ican’t /igo bankrupt!”

She refused to believe Christian’s threats could be reality. The Sue family might be powerful overseas, but their reach couldn’t possibly extend this far. Could it?

Nathan stayed silent, unable to tell her the truth. But the truth was in: theirpany had been under assault since morning. All Sue family investments had been withdrawn. Their financial structure copsed like a house of cards.

Now employees were demanding their sries. If they couldn’t pay, thepany would be reported and frozen–officially bankrupt.

Nathan’s heart sank.

His phone buzzed. He pulled it out to find a flood of missed calls–business partners,pany executives, investors–all asking the same question: “Are you bankrupt?”

He didn’t answer. He simply pocketed the phone again.

“Call the investors!” Evelyn cried. “Maybe they can help us-”

“You idiot!” Nathan snapped, shaking her off. “Right now, we’re bleeding out and all they’ll do is circle like sharks! You think anyone’s going to throw us a life raft? Dream on.”

Evelyn’s bface /bturned pale. “Then what do we do? There has to be something—we can’t just give up!”

She clutched his arm desperately. “You’re the head of the family. iDo /iisomething/ii!/ii” /i

Nathan stared nkly ahead. “There’s nothing left to do… The Rivers family is finished.”

Just then, Naomi blurted out, “Dad! What about Mr. Tyson? He helped usst time, didn’t he? He’ll help us

b1/2 /b

Chapter 197 A World Beyond Westbrook

again–he bhas /bto!”

Nathan froze.

Evelyn’s eyes lit up. “bYes/b! Tyson! He iwill /ihelp us!”

Finished

She immediately pulled out her phone and dialed the number Tyson had given her at ire University.

iNumber /iidisconnected/ii. /i

“…Disconnected?” Evelyn stared at her screen in disbelief. She tried again. iStill /ibidisconnected/i/b.

“It’s fake… He gave me a fake number…”

“Try yours!” she urged Nathan.

Nathan did. The same result: invalid number.

“That bastard Tyson!” Evelyn’s voice trembled. “What is the meaning of this?!”

“Maybe… maybe we can still find him at Hayes Corp!” Naomi said quickly. “Let’s go there! We ihave /ito!”

In a frenzy, the three of them searched the address and rushed over to Hayes Corporation without wasting a second.

Outside Hayes Corp, the building’s guards stopped them at the door.

“What’s your business here?”

“We’re here to see Mr. Tyson!” Nathan replied.

The guard recognized him. “Mr. Tyson said he won’t be taking visitors today.”

“I’m not just a visitor,” Nathan said urgently. “We have something iimportant /ito discuss–something he promised us! Please, just pass along the message.”

He slipped the man a luxury watch, hoping to buy a bit of favor.

The guard hesitated, then nodded. The watch was real.

Inside the building, Tyson was in a meeting when his secretary leaned in and whispered the news of Nathan’s arrival in his ear. Tyson’s face remained unreadable as he slowly turned toward the conference room window… the beginning of a storm brewing behind his eyes.

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