Chapter 267
Chapter 267 Clement Was Shocked
#nished
Leander sat beside the garden of the Shire Estate, his gaze fixed on the lush grass, eyes deep and contemplative.
“Sawyer p>
He murmured softly. Before arriving in Cranfordale, Frankie had already briefed him extensively on the city’s major families. The so-called Locke family did have some real strength.
The Locke family, once a second-rate family from a small town under Kaldia’s jurisdiction, had risen thanks to one man-Bradley. Born a commoner, he boldly stepped into the business world during the 1980s and 1990s, making his first fortune through sheer grit.
With that initial success, he went on to establish several shipyards and docks, diving into the import-export business. Thanks to his sharp vision and decisive moves, his enterprises expanded rapidly, eventually covering the entire Stormcairn River region. The operations formed an interconnected network that laid the foundation for Locke Trading Co. After relocating to Kaldia, Bradley gradually climbed to the top, becoming the richest man in Cranfordale.
With Bradley at the helm, the Locke family had developed steadily for over a decade. By now, they had become a major force in the import-export sector, wielding both wealth and power. In all of Cranfordale, only the Shire family could barely surpass them.
But that wasn’t what concerned Leander. What truly caught his attention was Clement’s intent to betroth Madeline to Sawyer.
If Sawyer had both talent and character, Leander would have gladly given his blessing.
Yet from what Martha said, Sawyer was narrow-minded and vindictive. If something displeased him, he wouldn’t let it go-he’d dig into it and might even try to destroy him just because Madeline got too close.
A man like that, petty and lacking grace, was definitely not husband material.
If Madeline married him, her future would be all too easy to predict. Clement said he chose a husband for Madeline to prevent her from repeating Hazel’s mistakes. But in Leander’s eyes, marrying her off to Sawyer would be steering her down the very same path.
He had only come to the Shire family to offer birthday wishes to Clement, not to stir up trouble. But now that he knew what was going on, he couldn’t just sit on his hands.
As he pondered, his phone rang-it was Madeline.
“Leander, where are you? Martha invited me to a party for Kaldia’s young elites. It’s my first time visiting the Shire family, and I’d like to spend some time with my cousins-it wouldn’t feel right to turn them down. Can you come with me p>
Madeline’s voice came through clearly on the other end.
“Sure. Wait for me at the gate-I’ll be right there p>
Leander agreed without hesitation. After hanging up, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Sawyer, huh? Let’s see if Cranfordale’s so-called ‘Stock Genius’ is really worthy of Madeline p>
At the entrance of the Shire Estate, Leander stepped out to find Madeline standing beside a BMW 5 Series. Joshua, Martha, Rhea, Sylvia, and several unfamiliar young people stood with her.
“Leander, you’re here p>
As always, Madeline slipped her arm through his with a smile.
Joshua and the others stayed quiet. But the young men and women who didn’t recognize Leander were clearly caught off guard. Their expressions shifted subtly as they silently tried to figure out who he was.
“Yeah, let’s go. Where are we headed p>
Leander nodded, his gaze sweeping over the
group.
“To the Waterfront Court in the development zone p>
Martha stepped forward, her tone a touch colder.
The moment she saw Leander appear, her face visibly darkened.
“Madeline, you ride with Joshua and Rhea in one car. I’ll go with Sylvia and Leander in another. The rest can take the third car-this way, it won’t be too cramped and the seating’s balanced p>
Her words left no room for negotiation. As soon as she finished speaking, the still- groggy Madeline was already pulled into Joshua’s Mercedes by Rhea and taken away first.
Leander, meanwhile, got into a BMW 5 Series with Sylvia and Martha. He assumed Sylvia would take the front passenger seat, but instead, she headed straight to the back and sat beside
him.
The ride was quiet. Martha drove with a stern face, saying nothing. Sylvia’s expression was cold, and she too remained silent. Leander didn’t mind at all-he leaned back, hands behind his
Merunt Wat Shocked
head, and looked out the window with a calm, relaxed air.
The silence filled the car, but when Sylvia noticed Leander gazing peacefully outside, her eyes flickered, and she blushed slightly.
She was undeniably stunning-on par with Claire, and with Daphne of the Twin Stars
of Highcliffe. Ranked third on the Astria beauty list, she was the kind of woman most men would bend over backward to impress.
Even Ethan, who had crossed paths with her before, couldn’t help but sneak glances. But Leander acted like she was invisible-completely unfazed.
After a while, Sylvia finally broke the silence.
“Did you not hear what Martha told you earlier?” she asked coolly, not bothering to address him by name.
Leander turned his head calmly, eyes clear.
“You mean about Sawyer p>
Sylvia’s gaze sharpened. “Who else would I be talking about? Martha already warned you not to come along, yet here you are. Do you seriously think Sawyer’s a good guy p>
At that, Martha gave a cold snort from the driver’s seat, clearly displeased. She thought Leander had gotten the message, but apparently, he’d decided to tag along anyway.
Leander let out a quiet laugh and turned his gaze back to the window.
“She warned me out of kindness, and I thanked her. But let’s be honest-someone like Sawyer doesn’t have what it takes to make me back off. I’m just going to see for myself whether he’s worthy of being Madeline’s husband p>
Before Sylvia could respond, Martha snapped, “Leander, do you even know your place? You’re Aunt
Hazel’s adopted son-at best, Madeline’s brother in game. What gives you the right to meddle in her future? That’s something only my grandpa has the authority to decide p>
She questioned, “Do you think you’re qualified to evaluate Sawyer? Do you think
your opinion actually matters p>
But Leander stayed calm, a faint smile on his lips.
“I promised Ms. Shire that I’d see
Madeline’s future through to the end-and that includes personally verifying the man she’s going to
mar Whethe
I’m qualified or hot
snt for you to decide. Even Old
Mr. Shire were standing in front of
me, I’d say the same thing p>
His tone was steady, unshaken–neither arrogant nor humble. The quiet conviction in
his voice
left both Martha and Sylvia momentarily stunned.
A beat passed before they turned their heads away, no longer bothering to respond.
In their eyes, this arrogant and clueless kid wasn’t even worth arguing with.
“If you’re so desperate to throw yourself into the fire, suit yourself. I won’t waste my breath p>
Martha held her head high, refocused on the road, and returned to her usual cold, untouchable demeanor.
Meanwhile, four hours had already passed since Leander’s meeting with Clement.
In Clement’s study, a stack of documents on Leander was spread across the desk. After a quick scan, his eyes suddenly froze. “What? How is this possible p>