Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Some People Have to Jump

"Don’t you dare mention Sophia Shaw to me!"

Joanna Sherman was extremely sensitive to the name "Sophia Shaw." She exploded like a lit fuse.

Chad Jennings was frantic. In no mood to deal with her temper, he urged, "Go find Vincent Grant right now! You have to figure something out, quickly."

"Otherwise, we’re in big trouble."

"What’s the point of finding him? He doesn’t control the stock price!"

Joanna Sherman couldn’t bear the humiliation of going to Vincent Grant over something like this.

Chad Jennings was on the verge of tears. "How about this? Find a way to get back the two hundred million you gave Sophia Shaw. At least then I can cover some of my losses."

"Two hundred million to cover your losses?" Joanna Sherman was stunned. "Just how much money did you put into the stock market?"

"Not much, just... just two hundred million."

Joanna Sherman gasped.

She had thought that when Chad Jennings mentioned playing the stock market, he was just messing around, maybe investing a hundred thousand or so.

But it turned out to be two hundred million?

"Where did you get two hundred million?!"

Chad Jennings stammered, finally admitting after a long pause, "I... I borrowed it..."

"You borrowed two hundred million to play the stock market?" Joanna Sherman could barely breathe. "Are you insane?"

"I... I just thought your rocket launch would be a success, and that the Grant Group’s stock would see another surge. I was just trying to bring in some extra money for the family," Chad Jennings said, feeling deeply wronged.

Joanna Sherman was so furious she squeezed her eyes shut. "Have you forgotten how terrible you are at this? Two hundred million... you really had the nerve!"

"Anyway, you need to figure something out!"

Chad Jennings hung up abruptly.

Seething with hatred, Joanna Sherman hurled her phone with all her might. It smashed against the hard concrete wall and shattered into pieces.

Just as Chad Jennings was calling Joanna Sherman, Sophia Shaw received a call from Mrs. Sawyer and learned that he had lost so much in the stock market that he’d practically lost his shirt.

"That idiot, Chad Jennings. I marked up the Grant Group’s stock by ten percent, and he still dared to buy it. He must be desperate for money."

"I don’t know who he listened to, but he actually got financing. That two hundred million became his margin deposit. If he doesn’t cover his losses quickly, that money will be completely gone, just down the drain."

In this matter, Mrs. Sawyer was almost impressed by Chad Jennings’s sheer stupidity.

So clueless, yet so greedy.

In this downturn, most people lost thirty or forty percent at most. He, on the other hand, was completely wiped out.

Sophia Shaw pressed her lips together slightly before saying, "It’s what he deserves."

Mrs. Sawyer was incredibly sharp. Her heart skipped a beat. "You mean, this whole thing..."

"From the day he conspired with Yvonne Sherman to leech off my mother and embezzle her assets, he should have known this day would come."

A cold sweat trickled down Aaron Sawyer’s back.

’This girl,’ Mrs. Sawyer thought, ’is just as ruthless as I am when she gets going.’

’I love it!’

"Godmother, are you well-acquainted with Governor Morgan from Seagate Bank?" Sophia Shaw asked.

Mrs. Sawyer replied, "Of course. To him, I’m the God of Wealth."

Mrs. Sawyer had a feeling Sophia Shaw’s punishment for Chad Jennings wasn’t over yet.

And just as she suspected, Sophia Shaw said, "In that case, could I trouble you to give Governor Morgan a little reminder to call in the debt sooner rather than later?"

Mrs. Sawyer smiled. "Gladly."

Governor Morgan would certainly be grateful to her, and as for a certain someone else... he would probably feel like jumping off a building.

—

After the celebration banquet, Sophia Shaw gave most of her team time off and cleared her own schedule a bit.

She made a point to spend time with Bun, and on Friday, she went to tutor Lillian Forrest.

"I can’t believe Faye is still able to come and tutor me."

Lillian Forrest was overjoyed to see Sophia Shaw.

Sophia Shaw had been incredibly busy lately, but she hadn’t neglected Lillian’s studies, though their sessions had been online.

"I came in second in the class on our last placement test! My teacher said I’m improving very quickly and that if I keep this up, I’ll definitely get into a good school."

The smile on Lillian Forrest’s face was especially sweet, and she was much more animated than she had been a few months ago.

"Faye, did you know? Our homeroom teacher even chose me to be the arts and entertainment committee member. Everyone says I have a nice singing voice, and some classmates who are forming a band even asked me to be their lead singer."

Lillian Forrest was now one of the most popular students in her school.

With Sophia Shaw making a rare in-person visit, Lillian couldn’t stop talking; there were so many things she wanted to share.

Lillian Forrest fumbled for a moment before taking Sophia Shaw’s hand. "We’ve already decided—we’re going to go busking on the street after the college entrance exams."

With less than a month until the exams, Lillian Forrest was already looking forward to the days that would follow.

Ma Lane walked in with a plate of fruit, placing it on the table with a bit more force than necessary. "A girl should stay quietly at home. The ones who run around all over the place are never proper people."

"We’re not stealing or robbing anyone, so how are we not proper people?" Lillian Forrest interrupted, clearly displeased.

"Ma Lane, can you please not disturb me during my lesson?"

Lillian Forrest had been constantly talking back to her lately, which already made Ma Lane uncomfortable. Now, being told to leave, her lips trembled with anger as she stormed out with a dark expression.

Watching Ma Lane leave, Lillian Forrest let out a soft sigh.

"Ma Lane is always saying girls can’t do this, girls can’t do that. She tries to control me with all these old-fashioned rules. It’s so annoying."

Before, Lillian Forrest had always thought Ma Lane was right. When she told her not to talk to boys at school, not to join any activities, and not to visit her classmates’ homes, Lillian listened to it all.

Every day was just a straight line between home and school. Her world was so narrow it was like living in a well, leaving her depressed, withdrawn, and aloof.

"I know she means well, but all that stuff is outdated. It just doesn’t fit in today’s world. I’ve told her so many times, but she just won’t listen."

Deep down, Lillian Forrest really cared about Ma Lane, which was why their disagreements troubled her so much.

Sophia Shaw squeezed her palm and said very seriously, "Lil, we can’t control other people. The only thing we can control is our own heart. As long as you know you’re on the right path and have a clear conscience, don’t stop, no matter how many people try to get in your way."

"Time will prove us right. One day, Ma Lane will understand."

The troubled look on Lillian Forrest’s face vanished at her words. "Faye, it’s like magic! Whenever something’s bothering me, it all goes away as soon as I talk to you!"

"You’re my personal worry-eraser."

Inside the room, Lillian Forrest laughed happily. Outside, the eavesdropping Ma Lane was so angry her face turned pale, her cheeks puffed out indignantly.

Turning to see Jenson Forrest returning, she huffed angrily, "Mr. Jenson, you can’t keep using this Ms. Shaw! It’s bad enough she’s always teaching Lil all sorts of bad things, but just now she was even trying to drive a wedge between us, telling Lil not to listen and to become a bad kid!"

Although Jenson Forrest hadn’t heard what Sophia Shaw said, he knew her character. He said softly, "Ma Lane, you must have misunderstood. Sophia wouldn’t do something like that."

"Why not? Mr. Jenson, to be honest with you, I heard a while ago that she’s been married before. And that she schemed against her husband to get him! A woman like that is the most manipulative..."

"Ma Lane!" Jenson Forrest rarely lost his temper, but his expression was ice-cold. "Who told you these things?!"

Sophia Shaw had become quite famous recently, and Ma Lane loved to gossip with the other nannies in the neighborhood. A few of the younger ones had seen snippets online and mentioned them casually, and Ma Lane had committed it all to memory.

Ma Lane wanted to press her case, but then she heard Jenson Forrest say, "If I ever hear you spouting such nonsense again, you can pack your bags and leave this house!"

Having just been told off by Lillian Forrest and now by Jenson Forrest, Ma Lane felt so wronged that tears welled up in her eyes.

But she was genuinely afraid Jenson Forrest would fire her and she’d lose this high-paying job, so she could only press her lips together and leave.

After finishing Lillian Forrest’s tutoring session, Sophia Shaw walked out. As she passed through the living room, she glanced over and saw a warm, yellow light on in the kitchen.

A man’s figure moved among the black-and-white furniture. He was dressed in a simple knit shirt and casual pants, his face gentle and refined. His movements were smooth, and he exuded the warmth of a man comfortable at home.