Chapter 1454
At first, when Ernest called, his children and grandchildren were reluctant to listen or return home.
Recently, he had taken to lecturing, and no one wanted to hear it. They thought he was becoming too bothersome in his old age.
Furthermore, Ernest now seemed paranoid, and just seeing him was enough to bring down anyone's mood. However, when he spoke about the negative items scattered around, everyone felt a chill run down their spine.
They all knew exactly who had brought these items in and how they had gotten there. No one expected Ernest to summon Skylar, nor did they think he would reveal the hidden negative items while they were away. In a rush, they all hurried back home.
During this time, Skylar also communicated with Joe, who was on his way back. After all, these negative items concerned everyone in the Martin family.
As she waited, Skylar pondered that some individuals would undoubtedly want to avoid dealing with the negative items. If they chose not to address the situation, she would need to find a way to ensure these negative items wouldn't affect Joe.
Ernest was still reeling from the shock, coughing violently as if he might choke. His coughing was alarming, sounding as if he might choke at any moment, as if his breath could fail him and take his life.
Skylar chose to ignore his coughing as she had no fondness for him. If it weren't for his prominent role in opposing Joe, the rest of the Martins wouldn't be so brazen.
The first to return was Claudio. He had never been a good person, and in recent years, his demeanor had shifted dramatically.
He now carried an unsettling presence, his mind consumed by twisted thoughts. The presence of negative items had amplified his innate greed. When he spotted Skylar, his eyes lit up.
"Skylar?"
He had initially thought Ernest was speaking nonsense. After all, with Joe returning, it was logical that Skylar would be with him. There was no way Joe would let her come to Avalon Residence alone.
But to his surprise, she was really here. Skylar gave Claudio a fleeting glance before quickly looking away.
She knew that Claudio was beyond help. Most of the negative items and talismans had been found in his room, revealing the extent of his greed.novelbin
He lacked the ability and the desire to put in any real effort, instead choosing to take shortcuts through underhanded means, which ultimately resulted in a double backlash against him.
Claudio felt a surge of anger as he noticed Skylar looking at him with a cold, dismissive gaze. "What's with that look? What, do you think I'm too handsome and want to jumpinto bed with me?"
"Shut up! Just shut your mouth!" Ernest, having regained some strength, turned red with anger upon hearing Claudio's words.
Claudio rubbed his nose in
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annoyance and glanced back at Ernest. "Grandpa, these negative items aren't as terrifying as you think. They have their advantages, and there's no need for Skylar to come and dig them out."
He had invested a lot of money into acquiring these negative items, and he wasn't going to let Skylar remove them.
His hopes of turning his life around, of Joe paving the way for him, and of stepping over the other family members all hinged on these negative items. He had to protect them at all costs.
On his way back, he couldn't contain his seething anger, muttering curses at Ernest for being an old fool. At his age, he should have passed of instead of continuing to meddle in his affairs.
Skylar watched Claudio with a sardonic smile. "If I'm not mistaken, most of these negative items belong to you, right?"
"So what if they are? It's none of your business. Even if you marry me, you won't have any say over them," Claudio replied defiantly, dropping any pretense of hiding the truth.
After all, Ernest wouldn't be around much longer.
If he didn't fight for what he wanted, a few of his uncles and younger relatives would soon snatch away the family fortune.