The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 318

But the old man didn’t even spare her a glance. Without so much as a backward look, he strode away.

Crystal watched his retreating figure, a cold, bitter laugh escaping her lips. In her heart, she thought viciously, Why won’t this old man just die? If only he’d come down with some terminal illness, it would solve everything.

She had a strong hunch: as long as the old man was around, her secrets would come to light sooner or later, and she’d never know a day’s peace.

What Crystal didn’t realize was that the old man actually was terminally ill.

Just then, Rebecca stepped up to her, fixing her with a frosty stare. “Crystal, for Grandpa’s sake, you really shouldn’t come back so often.”

Crystal’s face twisted in open disdain. She didn’t take Rebecca’s warning to heart at all. Instead, she turned on her heel and hurried over to George, instantly switching to a pitiable expression, tears brimming in her eyes. “Dad, I’m sorry. This is all my fault... I’m so useless...”

George frowned, assuming she was still upset about her failed business venture. He understood how tough starting a company could be—failure was just part of the process.

Right now, though, his mind was entirely preoccupied with worries about his father’s health. He really didn’t have the energy for anything else, so he offered a few perfunctory words of comfort. “It’s alright. Everybody fails a few times in business. No one’s blaming you...”

But Crystal’s next words left everyone in the room stunned.

She lowered her head, voice trembling. “But Dad, I owe a lot of money. I can’t pay it back... Could you lend me some?”

George’s brow creased. “How much do you need? I’ll transfer it to you.”

“Dad, I think it’s best if I go over the accounts with Crystal,” Rebecca said firmly, her gaze steady and direct. “That way, I can help her analyze what went wrong—so this doesn’t happen again.”

George paused, considering her words. She had a point.

He put his phone down and looked at Crystal. “Rebecca’s right. That’s a huge amount of money. We can’t just let it slip away without understanding what happened. Go through the numbers with your sister first. Then we’ll decide what to do.”

At the mention of a review, panic flashed in Crystal’s eyes. She fidgeted, her voice faltering. “That’s not necessary, Dad. It was just a failed investment—there’s nothing to check...”

Rebecca met her gaze coolly. “This isn’t some minor issue, Crystal. Ten million dollars isn’t pocket change. We need to understand exactly where it went. If you can’t handle it, let me help.”