Chapter 720

John returned to his study and settled into his chair, idly twirling the gold-plated pen on his desk. Earlier, Mina had deliberately steered the conversation away from Harold, diverting it to snake breeding a clear attempt to keep others from worrying about her. Most eight-year-old girls, even precocious ones, might develop fleeting crushes liking one boy today for his looks, another tomorrow for his charm. But Mina was different. Having grown up starved of familial affection, she carried an innate longing for love. When she decided Huan was good and worthy of her affection, she meant it with all her heart. John’s brow furrowed slightly. That was precisely why he had been so stern with Harold earlier. If only Harold hadn’t been so aloof, if he had been more talkative, more expressive Mina might have at least felt the presence of an older brother watching over her. Perhaps then, she wouldn’t have been so easily swayed by Huan’s sweet words. At the thought of Huan, a flicker of cold anger crossed John’s face. No matter the reason, Huan’s actions had hurt Mina and that was unforgivable. He turned to Adam and ordered, "Go find Huan and bring him to me." Adam could sense the icy intensity radiating from his employer. Whatever the reason for summoning Huan at this late hour, it certainly wasn’t for pleasantries. Considering that John had just returned from tucking little Jane into bed, and recalling Mina’s slightly swollen eyes earlier, Adam guessed that this summons had something to do with both children. With a respectful nod, he left the study to carry out his task. Half an hour later, Adam escorted Huan into John’s study before discreetly withdrawing. John’s gaze was cool and detached as it settled on Huan. Huan had known, the moment he spoke those words to Harold earlier, that the truth could no longer be hidden from Mina. And when Adam came for him, he understood John’s summons could only mean one thing: Mina was heartbroken. The image of her usually carefree, smiling face streaked with tears sent a sharp pang through his chest. But... Huan met John's gaze steadily. "Brother John, I was wrong about Mina." "Maia Philip is Fletcher Philip's daughter. Fletcher owns the world's largest esports club and has deep connections with overseas mafia groups." John spoke slowly, his voice measured. "Your uncles claimed they were returning shares to you and Uncle Shawn due to poor management, but their real intention was to eliminate both of you permanently. Fletcher took a liking to you and proposed you date his daughter giving him legitimate grounds to intervene in your family affairs." "Though you knew Fletcher had ulterior motives, you couldn't fight your uncles alone. So you decided to use his influence against them. When Maia Philip approached you saying she'd play along despite having no real interest in you, you accepted Fletcher's offer." Huan's eyes flickered with momentary surprise before settling into calm resignation. "You've figured everything out, Brother John?" "Your uncles' ambitions extend beyond eliminating your family." John's rhetorical question carried certainty. "They're targeting our Wallace Corporation, banking on our close ties with your family." "I'll handle this," Huan replied respectfully. "They won't trouble you." A cold smile curled John's lips as his aristocratic features darkened with anger. "And for this petty power struggle, you broke Mina's heart?" "Huan, I don't care how you clean up this mess." His voice dropped to a dangerous timbre. "But if you ever hurt Mina again, there will be consequences." Huan's fists clenched subtly, the only sign of his restrained emotions. John gave him a dismissive glance. "Even if you succeed against your uncles, the fact you'd hurt Mina over trivial matters proves you're unworthy of her." Though Huan's expression remained controlled, his posture deflated. "Understood, Brother John. If Mina finds happiness with me gone, I'll disappear from her life completely." —— The next day, as Jane and Mina walked home from school hand in hand, they noticed a section of land near the manor’s lake had been cordoned off. Workers were already busy breaking ground for construction. Mina’s eyes lit up with excitement, and she tugged Jane toward the site. "Look, Jane! Big Brother really is building me a snake house! Let’s go check it out—I want to see how many snakes we can keep!" Then, as if remembering something, she whirled around and dashed up to Harold. "Harold, you meant what you said last night, right? You’re paying for my snakes!" A faint trace of resignation flickered across Harold’s otherwise calm expression. "Yes, I’ll buy them for you." Mina’s eyes gleamed mischievously as she pulled Jane forward. "Harold, since you’re buying snakes for me, shouldn’t you get something for Jane too? You can’t play favorites!" Harold turned his gentle gaze toward Jane. "What would you like, Jane?" The little girl thought seriously for a moment. She couldn’t think of anything she really needed, but just as she was about to decline, she caught her sister winking at her. Understanding the hint, Jane piped up in her sweet, childish voice, "Brother Harold, I haven’t thought of anything yet. I’ll tell you when I do!" "Alright," Harold agreed before heading toward the construction site. He had noticed Mina’s exaggerated wink just as Jane had and knew the two girls needed space to conspire. So, he tactfully made himself scarce.