Chapter 2 Death Certificate

• At that moment, a black Rolls-Royce, license plate "A88", glided to a stop at the airport entrance.
• A middle-aged man in a black suit swiftly stepped forward, respectfully opening the car door.
• Any of Jerton's elite witnessing this scene would have been utterly astonished. This man was none other than Lucas Porter, the wealthiest individual in Jerton, yet here he was, holding a car door for another.
• An elderly man with silver hair emerged from the vehicle. Dressed in a dark blue tuxedo, he held an ornate cane, its handle adorned with a sapphire the size of an egg. Despite his apparent frailty, his posture was ramrod straight, and he exuded an aura of authority and dignity.
• "Mr. Hadden should be arriving shortly, wouldn't you say?" the old man inquired, his keen eyes fixed on the airport exit.
• Just then, two figures came into view, one walking ahead, the other trailing behind, both with an air of confidence.
• The old man's gaze remained locked on the younger figure in the lead.
• To Lucas's surprise, the old man quickly approached, bowing deeply in one smooth motion. In a respectful tone, he announced, "I am Wayne Page, the butler of the Chamberlains in Orkburg, here to escort Mr. Hadden back to assume his rightful place as head of the Chamberlains."
• Upon hearing the old man's introduction, Hadden finally understood who this man was.
• However, the mention of the Chamberlains instantly extinguished any joy he felt at returning to his homeland. A wave of anger surged within him.
• Hadden fixed Wayne with a contemptuous stare and retorted, "How ironic. Ten years ago, my mother and I were cast out from the family, forbidden from ever setting foot in Orkburg again, simply because I was an illegitimate child, deemed unworthy of anything the Chamberlains possessed. And now, you want me to return and take control?
• "Eighteen years ago, when I was just nine, my mother and I knelt outside the gates of the Chamberlain estate in a torrential downpour for an entire night. Did any of you show even a shred of compassion?
• "Five years ago, my mother fell gravely ill, and I begged the Chamberlains for help. How did you respond then?
• "And now, knowing that I've returned from Northville, triumphant and powerful, you think you can simply hand me the reins of the Chamberlains?
• "Go back and tell that person, to me, the Chamberlains are nothing! And if they dare provoke me again, don't blame me for showing up in Orkburg myself!"
• These words had been festering in his heart for years. Five years of military service had molded him into a man of unwavering composure, someone who rarely succumbed to such intense emotional outbursts. But at this moment, repressed memories resurfaced, and the iron-willed, imposing man's eyes reddened with fury.
• Wayne let out a long sigh as if he had anticipated this reaction. He said, "The Wildden Group is preparing to establish operations in Jerton soon. This was a company your mom, Ms. Wilda Holland built on her own, named after both you and her. Now that she has passed, it rightfully belongs to you."
• Hadden scoffed and corrected him, "It's not something the Chamberlains are giving back to me. The Wildden Group always belonged to my mom, but it was heartlessly taken from her by the Chamberlains."
• With that, Hadden turned and walked away.
• "The Chamberlains have indeed wronged you both!"
• Wayne called after him, his face etched with sorrow. Then, he turned to Lucas and instructed, "Lucas, from today onward, do everything in your power to assist Mr. Hadden."
• Lucas, still full of respect, responded immediately, "Mr. Page, without you, I wouldn't be where I am today. Rest assured, I will fully support Mr. Hadden."
• Wayne suddenly added, "Oh, by the way, Mr. Hadden was married five years ago. Now that he's returned, you should represent the Chamberlains and pay a visit to the Smiths."
• "Alright!"
• ...
• A taxi sped down the road, and in the backseat, Hadden's mind wandered back to the past.
• The night he knelt outside the Chamberlain estate in the pouring rain had forever sealed off his heart from his family. Five years ago, when his mother fell critically ill, she ultimately succumbed. At that time, Hadden, a recent graduate with no money to his name, was framed and ended up spending a night with Vanessa.
• To protect their reputation, the Smiths coerced Hadden into marrying into their family. Desperate to afford his mother's medical treatment, he agreed, requesting 500 thousand dollars from the Smiths. But before he could reach the hospital with the money, his mother had passed away, leaving him no chance to say goodbye.
• Following Wilda's death, Hadden kept his promise and married into the Smiths. However, feeling undeserving of Vanessa, the woman he had secretly admired for so long, he left shortly after their wedding to enlist in the army.
• That departure had lasted five years.
• Now, in front of an old courtyard, a brand-new Maybach was parked.
• Hadden glanced at the luxury car and smirked. "It seems Vanessa's family is even more highly regarded by the Smiths now. Her dad's driving a car worth over 200 thousand dollars."
• Returning to the Smiths stirred complex emotions within Hadden. Although he had been a victim of the incident five years ago, he had still taken Vanessa's first time—a woman renowned as Jerton's top beauty.
• Five years ago, he had left without a word right after their wedding. No matter how he looked at it, that was his fault.
• It wasn't hard to imagine how much gossip Vanessa must have endured all these years.
• But back then, he had been plagued by self-doubt. Joining the military was the only path he saw to one day feel worthy of her. Now, having achieved both honor and power, wielding wealth and influence, he could finally stand tall and declare to the world that he deserved Vanessa.
• As he reached the courtyard gate, Hadden raised his hand to knock but froze as the sound of a grating conversation reached his ears.
• Vanessa's mother, Rebecca Hersey's voice rang out, "Bill, I am currently processing that useless man's death certificate. Don't worry, once it's finalized, Vana will be single again."
• Vanessa's dad, Andrew Smith chimed in, "When that time comes, I'll be the first to agree to your marriage with Vana."
• "Thank you, Mr and Mrs. Smith. I'll leave Vana in your capable hands."
• "Bill, don't worry about a thing. Vana will definitely agree."
• "I'll leave it all to you, Mr and Mrs. Smith. By the way, Rebecca, this is some dates I had a friend bring over from abroad. And Andrew, this is a limited edition ruby watch I personally picked out for you in Zorough."
• ...
• The entire Smith household reverberated with the cheerful laughter of Andrew and Rebecca. Hadden's face flushed and paled in rapid succession.
• However, thoughts of Vanessa he could never forget helped him forcefully quell his rising anger. No matter the circumstances, he had wronged her.
• Besides, he had returned for her.
• Knock!
• Hadden's knuckles tapped against the door.
• "Who is it?"
• The sound of knocking seemed to disrupt Rebecca's good mood, and her voice was laced with impatience. Footsteps approached the door, growing louder.
• Rebecca swung the door open, her smile still in place—until she saw the one person she had hoped never to see again. Her expression transformed into one of utter shock as if she were staring at a ghost. "Huh? Hadden?"