Of course they did.
The moment news spread that Samuel Fletcher’s “worthless” granddaughter had been seen entering palace meetings and private investor dinners beside Adrian Laurent, panic hit them like fire.
Luke called me nineteen times before noon.
My mother suddenly left emotional voicemails about “family misunderstandings.”
Even Skylar texted:
“Okay seriously what the hell is happening?”
I ignored all of them.
Until the night they appeared at the Grand Azure Hotel unannounced.
I was stepping out of the elevator when I saw them standing in the marble lobby.
Luke looked furious.
My mother looked terrified.
And for the first time in my entire life…
They looked at me like I mattered.
“Jade,” my mother said quickly, rushing toward me. “Honey, why didn’t you tell us any of this?”
I almost laughed.
Tell them what?
That they spent years humiliating the person Grandpa trusted most?
Luke lowered his voice.
“Listen… if Grandpa left you connected to Laurent somehow, we should discuss this as a family.”
As a family.
Interesting phrase from people who treated me like furniture two days earlier.
Before I could answer, another voice entered the lobby.
Cold. Controlled. Dangerous.
“I believe Miss Parker asked for privacy.”
Adrian.
Every head turned instantly.
Even the hotel staff straightened.
Luke’s confidence disappeared the moment Adrian Laurent walked toward us.
My brother tried forcing a smile.
“Mr. Laurent, I’m Jade’s cousin—”
“I know who you are,” Adrian interrupted calmly.
The silence afterward felt lethal.
Then Adrian looked at me instead.
Only me.
“The board meeting is ready whenever you are.”
Board meeting.
My mother blinked.
“What board meeting?”
Adrian’s expression never changed.
“The one where Miss Parker becomes majority controlling partner.”
The color drained from my family’s faces.
Luke actually stumbled backward.
“No,” he said immediately. “That’s impossible.”
Adrian finally turned toward him fully.
“Your grandfather spent eleven years preparing her for this position while you were spending his money.”
The lobby went dead silent.
I could hear the fountain behind the front desk.
Could hear my own heartbeat.
Then my mother whispered the question none of them were ready for.
“How much did he leave her?”
Adrian looked at me once before answering.
“Enough that your entire inheritance combined would not allow you to buy ten percent of her company.”
No one spoke.
Not Luke.
Not Skylar.
Not my mother.
For the first time in my life, they had nothing to say.
And as the hotel doors closed behind me and Adrian led me toward the waiting car, I realized something my grandfather understood long before I did:
The most powerful people in the world are rarely the loudest ones in the room.
