Chapter 74
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The old associates of Perry Group had once tried to visit Bailee, but Jackson dismissed them with a few quick words, never allowing them to see her.
Because she had long turned away from business matters, Bailee remained unaware that the company she had once been so proud of had already slipped entirely into Jackson’s hands. To outsiders, it no longer had any connection to her.
She was no longer the Perry family’s cherished daughter, but a gilded bird, living only in the comfort Jackson permitted.
As long as he cared to honor old ties, she could remain the mistress of the Sexton family. But if he ever cast that pretense aside, she would be nothing.
Kayla could not bear to let her mother go on blind and unguarded. She spoke not to drive a wedge between her parents but to give Bailee a warning, hoping she might be less vulnerable when the time came.
Deep down, Kayla suspected that in her previous life, Bailee’s sudden death had been no accident and that Jackson had not
been blameless.
Now, seeing her mother’s face drained of color, her eyes clouded with fear and confusion, Kayla knew her words had struck hard, overturning long–held beliefs. She might not be able to bear the weight of it all at once.
Fearing Bailee might betray her unease before Jackson, Kayla gently guided her back to her seat at the desk, poured a glass of warm water, and set it before her.
Kayla’s voice softened. “Mom, you don’t need to be afraid. If I work hard and build something for myself, Dad and Tristian won’t be able to do as they please with me.”
At once, Bailee’s eyes brightened, as though she had found a lifeline. “Yes, Kay, you’re right. If you prove yourself, your father and Tris will see your worth. They wouldn’t truly sacrifice your happiness.”
Kayla sighed inwardly. Her mother still clung to faith in Jackson. To open her eyes to the truth would take time.
Kayla schooled her expression, allowing just a trace of melancholy to surface.
Bailee noticed it instantly. “What is it? Something wrong?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Kayla shook her head lightly. “It’s nothing. I only heard that Dad gave Tristian a large sum to start his own venture, to prepare him for inheriting the business.”
Bailee nodded. She knew of it and saw nothing amiss.
Kayla hesitated, then added, “I’ve had some ideas of my own, ways to make money. If I could show Dad real results, he’d be proud of me, too. But I’m just a daughter and still young. He wouldn’t give me the chance or the money to try.”
She let her voice falter slightly, her eyes lowered, the picture of quiet disappointment.
Bailee’s heart ached. She reached across the desk to pat Kayla’s hand, then drew a card from her purse and pressed it into her palm. Her gaze was warm, filled with encouragement.
She said, “This was always meant for you. With money of your own, you’ll have the strength to say no, no matter what your father or Tris might demand of you. If your father won’t support you, I will. Whatever you need, just come to me. I’ll stand behind you
Kayla blinked, taken aback. She had not expected that Bailee had come tonight to give her money.
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Clearly, Bailee, too, had been unsettled by Jackson and Tristian’s behavior earlier and was trying to ease her fear.
Yet Bailee’s heart still held hope in Jackson and Tristian. Her worries were real, but not deep enough. And so, instead of truly facing them, she sought only to comfort Kayla with money.
Kayla felt a mix of gratitude and helplessness. It was, however, a moment when she could not afford to decline, so she accepted the bank card with quiet composure.
“Thank you, Mom,” she said softly. “I promise I won’t let you down. But I’m still young, and I don’t have the people I need around me. I remember Grandpa had some very capable men under him.
“Do you think they might still remember us? Could you introduce me to a few, so they can give me a hand?”
At her age, there were many things she could not manage directly, and she needed trustworthy allies.
Bailee was of little help in business matters, but Kayla recalled that many of her grandfather’s loyal subordinates had been driven out by Jackson. If she could find them, they would be her greatest support.
Bailee’s smile warmed, her voice gentle and steady. “Of course, Kay. I’ll always be your strongest support. Whatever you need, I’ll help you.”
She thought for a moment, then scrolled through her contacts, sending several numbers to Kayla. “These are the men your grandfather trusted most. They’re capable and dependable. If you need help, don’t hesitate to call them.”
Kayla’s face brightened, though almost immediately a flicker of hesitation crossed her expression.
“What is it?” Bailee asked, puzzled.
Kayla gave a small, embarrassed laugh. “Mom, could we keep this between us? About the money and the people? I’d like to prove myself first. If I tell Dad and Tristian before I’ve accomplished anything, there’ll be no surprise, only mockery.”
Bailee agreed at once, without the slightest pause. “All right, I understand. I won’t say a word.”
They lingered in quiet conversation. Through careful, indirect questions, Kayla learned something she had not expected. Bailee had not yet transferred all of the company’s shares to Jackson.
Bailee’s father, before his death, had warned her time and again that she could grant Jackson shares, but she must always keep some in her own hands. That was her safeguard.
Bailee, though no businesswoman, believed him implicitly, and so she still retained a small portion of the company’s stock.
This, she thought, was why Jackson would never truly turn against her.
But the knowledge chilled Kayla. Bailee believed her shares were protection, yet if anything happened to her, those very shares would pass neatly to Jackson and Tristian.
A cold thought struck Kayla. ‘Was Mother’s death in the last life truly bound to Jackson and to those very shares?
The idea sent a shiver through her, her scalp tingling with dread.
Cautiously, she asked, “Mom, has Dad ever pressed you to hand over the rest of your shares?”
Bailee’s lips tightened. For a long moment she said nothing, then admitted quietly, “He has mentioned it, yes. A few times. But only in the name of the company’s development…”
Kayla listened in silence as her mother went on Jackson had often complained that without shares of his own, the old shareholders would never take him seriously.
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Over the years, he had persuaded Bailee to part with many of them. Yet she still remembered her father’s warning and refused to give them all away. Even so, what remained in her hands was little indeed.
