"What's wrong? You don't seem to like me very much. Why don't you guess whether you and Quince are cousins or biological siblings?" Hilary Stone laughed.

It was a strange laugh—an unbridled one.

​​

"You…" Eleanor Larson nearly leaped up to punch Hilary Stone, but her cousin sat her back down.

"Alright, stop it. Let's talk about the eldest family. They're getting more powerful now; they even dare to go against Grandpa now." Quince Larson's gaze was as cold as ice. 'For some strange reason, what should've been mine seems to be getting out of my reach lately. The eldest branch of the Larson family also seems to be gaining momentum. Besides, that family is the only branch that hadn't been tainted by the scandal 18 years ago. Everything added up together really scares me.'

"Brother, didn't you just say that you weren't worried?" Eleanor Larson thought that it was strange that her cousin was contradicting himself.

"Just listen to the question you're asking. Do you know who was the one who spread the rumor that Yvette Larson and Finn Taylor don't get along?"

Eleanor Larson was stumped. 'Isn't that the truth?'

"I was the one who spread that rumor and made a point to let Grandpa hear of it. I even spread it across San Francisco as well. As for Yvette and her husband, their relationship might not be as bad as we think."

Eleanor Larson still didn't understand what that couple's relationship had to do with the Larson family's future successor.

"Fool!" Seeing that she had indeed not understood the situation, Quince Larson lashed out at her. "Have you ever considered this? If Yvette Larson and Finn Taylor are doing fine and decide to have a child, do you think that child will be a Larson or a Taylor?"

Eleanor Larson seemed to be getting onto something, but she didn't know what to say.

"The Old Master will simply skip the third generation and hand the family over to the fourth generation. Anyway, it seems like the third generation isn't all that impressive either." Hilary Stone spoke up, her straightforwardness offending the cousins. However, she paid no heed to that.

It was only then that Eleanor Larson came to a sudden realization. She suddenly thought of something. 'If I were to give birth to a child with Alexander Scott, would that child be a Larson or would he want…'

But after giving it some thought, she dismissed that idea. 'It's only because Finn Taylor is a matrilocal son-in-law that he'd agree to name that child a Larson. In fact, I don't even know if Alexander Scott would be willing to have a child with me. Of course, it would be impossible for that child to be a Larson in any case.'

"Quince Larson, you're really a piece of trash. How could you be the most likely candidate to succeed the Old Master? You're being suppressed by Yvette Larson!" Hilary Stone never minced her words.

Of course, Quince Larson was annoyed. "Can you stop being sarcastic? Just tell us if you have a plan."

Hilary Stone sneered. "Even if I have a plan, I'm not going to do anything. Quinn is the company's CEO now. He's going to be the family head anyway, so why should I help you?"

Quince Larson slammed the table. "Hilary Stone, did you call us here today to make a fool out of us?"

Previously, Hilary Stone had taken the initiative to approach Quince Larson, saying that she could help him get the position of family head.

This was why Quince Larson had agreed to this meeting. He had never expected to land up in such a situation.

"Quince Larson, you're really childish. Tides turn all the time. When I approached you, Quinn Larson wasn't the CEO yet. However, he is now. You were the one who pushed him into that position."

Quince Larson was furious. "Hilary Stone, don't forget what position Quinn Larson has. It's impossible for him to inherit the position of family head."

"Nobody can be absolutely sure about that. If your dad, her dad, and all the other Larson family elders decide to support Quinn Larson, who do you think the Old Master will choose?"

Quince Larson's gaze was filled with cold, murderous intent. 'Hilary Stone is terrifying. This means that she had never broken off contact with my father—Franklin Larson—nor with my third uncle, Frederick Larson, all these years. Perhaps the Larson family elders are still in contact with her. This woman is a social butterfly. How much damage does she want to do to the Larson family?'

"Do you know what I want to do the most?"

Hilary Stone sneered. "I guess you must want to kill me. Alright, if you were capable of doing so, you wouldn't be sitting here talking to me. Stop putting on an act in front of me. I'm not scared of you."

Hilary Stone was much more shameless than Quince Larson.

Quince Larson could only blame himself for being unlucky for meeting such a woman. "Fine, you're really vicious. But just wait and see—the Larson family will definitely not land in your son's hands."

Quince Larson got up and stomped off.

Eleanor Larson's displeasure could be seen all over her face, and she picked up her bag and walked off in a huff as well.

The first round of discussions between the Larson family's second, third, and fourth branches ended in a disaster.

…

Finn Taylor sent his wife to the office.

As the car was parked there, he gripped her hand tightly.

The atmosphere was cold as the couple remained silent.

Badump! Badump! Badump!

Finn Taylor could hear his wife's heartbeat speeding up.

Gulp!

Yvette Larson could also hear her husband swallowing his saliva nervously.

Both of them seemed to want to say something, but in the end, Yvette Larson got out of the car.

He hadn't said anything.

Finn Taylor could finally relax since he had seen his wife step into the office building. But now, he was raging as he headed to look for Merlin and Swallowtail.

"Gather at the peak of Pacific Heights!" With that, he sped off.

Although Pukwudgie was in a meeting with a client, he immediately put down his wine glass and rushed to the peak of Pacific Heights the moment he received the order.

Wampus had been enjoying his refreshing cup of tea when he received the order. His tea was abandoned, and he also flew toward the peak of Pacific Heights.

At that moment, Thunderbird had been waiting for Eleanor Larson's arrival for her to continue with her act. But the moment he received the notification, all of that flirting was thrown to the back of his mind. He threw his coat on and headed toward the peak of Pacific Heights.

Horned Serpent had been singing in a karaoke lounge with many girls around him. Of course, those girls were reluctant to let him go after he read that message. Due to this, he sent them flying with a slap. Then, he rushed toward the peak of Pacific Heights as well.

On the other hand, Merlin and Swallowtail were taking a stroll in the park. The pair hadn't met in a long while, and there were naturally many things they wanted to tell each other.

Their relationship seemed more like that of a couple.

Just then, they received an order from Finn Taylor. Neither of them had a good feeling about this.

Both of them could feel that Master Peregrine was infuriated. 'Perhaps we have something to do with this.'

Although they had no evidence of it, they couldn't help but fear. Nonetheless, they headed for the peak of Pacific Heights.