The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 221

Chapter 221: Chapter 221 The Patriarch’s Only Wish
“Enough!” The Everett Patriarch’s voice reverberated through the hall as he slammed his cane on the floor. His gaze was stern and indifferent, mirroring the same expression Zhane often wore—a clear indication of where Zhane got it from. Even in his advanced age, his authority and power were as strong as when he was in his prime.

“I did not call you all here to listen to your opinions. I called you to tell you my decision and to warn you all not to get involved in Zhane’s private matters.” His voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable weight that none could overlook. The pressure he exerted made everyone feel like wolves submitting to their alpha, knowing that defiance would be met with swift retribution.

“This matter ends here. You are all dismissed!” The Patriarch gave a final, warning gaze before snorting, “Hmph!” and resumed sipping his tea.

He knew what his branch family was thinking. Though he turned a blind eye to their under-the-table dealings with the Lennons, it didn’t mean he wasn’t closely monitoring his territory. He was giving them some leeway, but if they dared to interfere with his beloved grandson, he would certainly not hold back in exacting his retribution.

“Father, you are spoiling your grandson too much. We really need to think this through,” Mr. Everett finally spoke after everyone else had been dismissed. His wife stood behind him, her head lowered, clearly conflicted.

“Ha!” The Patriarch sneered. “If not my grandson, who do you expect me to spoil? You? You’re old enough to be a grandfather yourself and still expect your father to coddle you?” His voice carried a hint of playful disdain. “If only you’d married earlier, then I’d have more grandchildren, and we wouldn’t have to worry so much about Zhane’s marriage.”

His tone softened. “Zhane is old enough to make his own choices. Has he ever made a poor decision since he was a child? Our role as his family is to support and protect him. Besides, I can see that he’s the one interested in the girl. We don’t even know if she feels the same way. For all we know, he might get rejected and come home heartbroken.” The Patriarch chuckled at the thought of his grandson returning dejectedly.

He then looked resentfully at his son again. “If only you’d given me more grandsons and granddaughters, perhaps some of them would be married by now, and I’d be able to hold their children. I’d die content knowing that our lineage was prospering and I will be able to face our ancestors with confidence.” The previously stern and indifferent Patriarch now resembled a moody child, pouting in resentment. “I just want to hold my great-grandchildren before I pass away. I’m the oldest Patriarch of one of the oldest families with a deep history in this country. In a few years, I’ll be 80, and despite all the vitamins and care, I know my health is deteriorating. My only wish is to see my grandson and his wife come home and give me great-grandchildren.”

His voice was laced with deep affection and regret. He wanted to watch the children grow up into adults, just as he had watched his grandson transform into a magnificent man.

Mr. Everett sighed deeply as he gently held his wife’s hand, which rested on his shoulder. They both regretted not meeting sooner and having more children. However, Zhane’s mother was frail, and another childbirth would have been too dangerous for her. They married in their 30s, and she needed a long time to nurse her body after giving birth to Zhane. Both Mr. Everett and his father were workaholics, often holed up in the lab or hospital performing surgeries, much like Zhane. This was why they married late. However, Mr. Everett was older when he settled down compared to his father, who had married and fathered Mr. Everett at a younger age.

Now, Mrs. Everett felt a twinge of heartbreak because this issue had always been her deep regret. Her frail body couldn’t handle another late pregnancy as it might cost her life. Everyone was against her getting pregnant again, so Mr. Everett had a vasectomy to ensure it wouldn’t happen.

So, no one dared to question the Patriarch anymore. Little did they know that their beloved Zhane was destined to share a woman with his close buddies and would bring his wife home to meet his family. However, what they didn’t expect was that Zhane’s other “co-husbands” would follow behind, carrying gifts for the visit. To make matters more complicated, Zhane’s supposed wife was pregnant, and it was uncertain who the father of the child was. The Patriarch nearly had a heart attack at the revelation and started to regret his decision of allowing Zhane to determine his own life.

But that tale was reserved for the future. For now, the Everett family resumed their lives as if nothing had disrupted their tranquility. However, outside the core family circle, within the confines of one of the branch family’s villas, other relatives gathered for their own clandestine meeting, deep in discussion about the unfolding situation.

“What’s our next move? We’ve already assured Ms. Lennon that Zhane would undoubtedly be her future husband, and the entire Everett clan has backed this union. Isn’t it evident that the Lennon family is flaunting this alliance, making it look like there was courtship in this marriage talk, to enhance their daughter’s desirability in high society? They want to showcase that the Everett heir is smitten with their daughter, that the Everetts have pursued them for years,” remarked one relative, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Isn’t that precisely why we’ve been dancing to the Lennon’s tune all along? But if this alliance falls apart now, we might be asked to cough up everything we’ve been enjoying,” someone said nervously, driving home his point and reminding everyone of the bribes they’d received for this endeavor.

The man with the square face grinned evilly. “Don’t worry. Let the Everett main family and the Lennons fight it out amongst themselves. We’ll simply watch from the sidelines and pick off the remains once they’ve torn each other apart,” his smile carried a chilling depth, harboring ulterior motives. This individual had long harbored envy towards the Everett main family and coveted their power, yet lacked the means or capability to seize it himself, biding his time for an opportunity to present itself on a silver platter.

The Everett family, a lineage of divine healers spanning generations, was revered for their ability to even revive the dead, a feat that earned them titles and vast lands, solidifying their place as one of the oldest and most esteemed families in history. However, unlike the prosperous Hendrix and Avery clans, the Everetts’ wealth lay primarily in their medical knowledge, inherited and refined over the ages. While their ancestors traveled to aid the poor and combat epidemics, their family’s prominence was relatively recent, bestowed by the new reformed government after the monarchy, so their family was not as old as the Avery and the Hendrix.

Due to their long history, the Everett family adopted many orphaned children into their fold. However, despite being part of the branch families under the main Everett line, these adopted children did not have the right to inherit the family’s position or teachings. This privilege was reserved exclusively for those directly descended from the Everett lineage, in accordance with the wishes of the family’s first ancestor, renowned as the first divine doctor in their line.