Chapter 373
Suzan glanced at her father, testing the waters. “Dad, is that guy really rich?”
“Rich?” Shepard gave a dry chuckle. “He’s in the top ten of the global billionaire rankings. That’s not just rich-that’s unimaginably wealthy.”
He went on, “Lyman can’t even compare to Lionel. Because Bancroft has three sons, the shares are split up. But Lionel? He owns The Harper Group outright— seventy percent of the whole thing is his.”
Suzan blinked in disbelief. “So his net worth must be in the hundreds of billions?”
“Exactly.” Shepard nodded.
His own fortune, stacked up against Lionel’s, was like a drop in the ocean.
Suzan’s eyes sparkled, her mind racing with possibilities. If only she had that kind of money-she’d be set for life!
But Vera was the first to recover. “Honey, are you thinking straight?” she said, nudging Shepard. “You really believe that just because you find Effie, she’ll help you? Did you forget how she and that old woman humiliated you the last time you went looking for them?”
Shepard’s face clouded. He had remembered and that was exactly why he hesitated now.
If Effie’s heart had been with him and Suzan, he would have told her about the family connection long ago.
Vera pressed on, “Effie’s doing just fine now-she doesn’t need us. The ones struggling are us! Look at Suzan, going through so much for the Lloyds, and have they even come to visit her once?”
“Why do you think that is?” Vera pinched herself hard, forcing out a few tears. “It’s because the Lloyd family thinks they’re better than us. They look down on your little business-on all of us.”
The truth was, Adeline didn’t really look down on The Bagnold Group. She just couldn’t stand Vera. But Vera wasn’t about to split hairs now-she’d twist the story however she needed to.
The only thing that mattered was convincing Shepard to give Suzan this shot.
And she could see he was wavering.
Sensing her chance, Vera leaned in, her voice urgent. “Think about it. If Suzan had a billionaire
uncle-someone with real power and status wouldn’t the Lloyds have to bow their heads? We’d have our pick of eligible bachelors for Suzan, not just the Lloyds!”
Suzan had been nodding along, but at this, her face changed. “No,” she said firmly. “I only love Mitchell.”
Vera shook her head, exasperated. “You’re hopeless-head over heels, just like I was…” She caught Shepard watching her closely and quickly changed tack, “Just like me-once I fall for someone, I can’t evendook at anyone else.”
Shepard seemed pleased with that answer.
Vera straightened up. “Whatever happens, as long as we claim that rich relative, nobody will dare look down on us again,” she declared.
“Oh, and while I was packing, I found Adriana’s old photo album. I was going to toss it, but now it might come in handy.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this before?” Shepard asked.
Vera thought to herself, If I’d told you, who knows what you’d do? You’d probably start pining for her all over again, and that would be a disaster.
She knew all too well she wasn’t as beautiful as Adriana. If she hadn’t played her cards right back then, Shepard would never have chosen her.
Adriana was gone now, no threat to her. What worried Vera most was if Shepard suddenly remembered how good Adriana was and started doting on Effie-the girl she’d left behind. If that happened, all the affection and benefits might flow to Effie, and Vera and Suzan would be left with nothing.