Katelyn’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Had she misheard?
Did Carol really just say she was gifting her the prime oil-rich land?
Shouldn’t it have gone to Neil, Carol’s own grandson? Even Vincent couldn’t suppress a flicker of surprise, though he quickly regained his composure.
Carol truly treated Katelyn like her own granddaughter, lavishing her with affection.
Yet, this decision was likely to incite Neil.
The room lapsed into a brief silence before murmurs filled the air.
“Has Carol lost her mind? How can she give such valuable property to an outsider?”
“Isn’t Katelyn already divorced from Neil? How can she accept such a lavish gift from the Wheeler family?”
“Maybe they haven’t finalized their divorce yet. If that’s the case, giving her the land is basically giving it to Neil. There’s no real difference.”
The whispers around the room grew louder, each comment stirring more speculation. Lise stood dumbfounded, her fists clenched.
Had Carol lost her senses? ? ?s? ?s Find~Novel.net
Why would she choose to give such a fortune to Katelyn, someone no longer part of the family?
Why not Neil?
It should have gone to Neil!
Neil’s face was an icy mask, and the atmosphere around him felt oppressively heavy.
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He confronted his grandmother, his voice low and edged.
“Grandma, surely you’ve misspoken. Katelyn and I are already divorced.”
His eyes briefly met Katelyn’s, dark and stormy.
What influence did Katelyn have over Carol?
It was one thing for his grandmother to favor Katelyn in family squabbles, but to hand over such a significant asset? It simply defied logic.
Carol shook her head with serene certainty, as if she could read Neil’s troubled thoughts.
“No, I haven’t misspoken. This land is meant for Katelyn.” Her tone was resolute, yet her eyes softened as she looked at Katelyn. “I know she’s endured much. This land is her safety net.”
Katelyn’s heart fluttered slightly.
Was Carol concerned that, now stripped of her status as both a Bailey and a Wheeler, Katelyn would be vulnerable? Yet, having shed these burdens, Katelyn had never felt freer.
Overwhelmed by the gesture, Katelyn struggled to process the full weight of Carol’s decision.
“No, this gift… it’s far too generous. I really can’t accept it. Besides, I’m managing well on my own now. I’ve learned to be independent.”
“Take it,” Carol insisted with a playfully stern tone, her eyes twinkling with affection. “Don’t make this day difficult by refusing my gift.”
She signaled to the butler, who promptly handed Katelyn a folder.
Katelyn’s eyes widened as she glanced over the document on top.
It wasn’t a transfer agreement, as she had anticipated, but a gift agreement.
No signatures of hers were required; the agreement had been in effect for three years already.
Carol had decided to give her this land three years ago!
Katelyn’s voice trembled as she held the document. “I…”
Carol’s expression softened further, her eyes conveying deep affection.
“My dear, I don’t have many years left. This land will be yours long after I’m gone. It’s meant to ensure you’re never marginalized or harmed again.”
This gift wasn’t merely a piece of property; it represented significant power—the power to negotiate and collaborate internationally.
At that moment, Katelyn’s worth and influence were immensely amplified.
Neil scoffed bitterly, his aura colder than ever.
His frosty demeanor seemed to lower the temperature of the room, but before anyone could respond, Sharon abruptly stood.
“I disagree!”
Jeff, seated next to Sharon, simmered silently, his irritation mounting.
Why did Sharon always have to interfere?
The gift agreement was already in place; her dissent was pointless and out of place.
Yet Sharon was resolute, her eyes burning with indignation as she advanced.
“I don’t accept this. Why should this land go to Katelyn, an outsider? Neil is your grandson, yet you choose to give it to someone who isn’t even part of the family anymore?”
To Sharon, Neil’s fortunes were inextricably linked with Lise’s. If the land went to Katelyn, what would Lise stand to gain?
With a scornful laugh, Sharon added, “Have you lost your wits with age? Or has Katelyn been whispering sweet nothings to you again? How else could you possibly choose an outsider over your own grandson for such a valuable asset?”
When the news first spread that Carol owned this land, everyone naturally assumed it would eventually pass to Neil. No one anticipated such a dramatic turn of events.
Even Mabel sighed deeply before speaking.
“Mom, this is really too much. Neil is your grandson. Such a valuable piece of land shouldn’t go to someone outside the family.”
Neil, struggling to contain his growing frustration, interjected, “Grandma.”
Carol surveyed the room with a cold, piercing gaze before addressing the gathering.
“What’s this? Am I no longer free to manage my own property as I see fit?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “And since when is Katelyn an outsider?”
Her final remark stirred a wave of murmurs and confusion among the guests.
Was it possible that Katelyn and Neil’s divorce hadn’t been finalized?
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