Those were truly glorious days.
Unfortunately, starting from Lily's grandfather, the Jian family began its decline.
Each generation, from Lily's grandfather to her father, had only one son. Spoiled and arrogant, Brooks's father made poor business decisions, investing recklessly and sinking the family's wealth into financial pits.
Despite their vast fortune, they couldn't withstand such mismanagement.
Later, through a family alliance, Brooks married a gem of a woman.
Brooks admired his mother, Lily's grandmother, who was a formidable businesswoman.
Within a few years, she had patched up the financial holes created by her husband.
Unfortunately, her fate was unkind.
While she worked to mend the walls, her husband continued tearing them down.
He also had numerous affairs, making their marriage unhappy.
After giving birth to Brooks, she was left physically weak and gradually lost the energy to manage the L&S Group, eventually passing the company to Brooks.
Brooks inherited his father's recklessness, making frequent poor investments with disastrous returns. In society, the fittest survive.
While the Jian family lived off their legacy, a new wave of young entrepreneurs and rising businesses flourished in Jiangyu City.
The gap between the Jian family and the Zhou family widened significantly.
The Zhou family remained the city's pinnacle, while the Jian family, though still notable, had fallen far behind.
Brooks always believed the family's luck had turned sour.
How else could the Zhou and Qin families continue to prosper with numerous offspring, while the Jian family line dwindled with each generation? Brooks's grandfather was an only child, his father was an only child, and so was he.
He was slightly better off, having a son and a daughter, but still only one son, Leopold.
For years, Brooks kept mistresses, partly to satisfy his needs and partly to father more sons.
But those women were unproductive; none bore him any children. Not one.
Annoyed by these frustrations, Brooks found solace in one comforting fact.
The entire Changhuai Road was owned by the Jian family, generating substantial rental income yearly, ensuring a comfortable life without needing to lift a finger.
However, none of that money went into his pocket.
When his father was alive, he had coveted that property.
But his grandfather had given it to his mother, who fiercely protected it.
When his mother was still alive, Brooks had already considered using that street, but his mother wouldn't allow it.
He thought it would be his once she passed away.
However, in her final moments, the old lady exclusively bequeathed that gold mine to her precious Lily.
This angered him, so he gave Zoya 10% of the shares and only 2% to Lily.
Brooks's thoughts slowly returned to Lily's wager.
The value of that gold mine far exceeded the worth of 9% of L&S shares.
He never expected Lily to use that gold mine as a stake; such a large wager didn't seem like a joke.
But she couldn't even win over Royce, so how could she possibly get Edmond to marry her? As he was lost in these thoughts, he suddenly heard Lily's urging.
"Just say whether you want to bet or not.If you don't, I'll leave."
Brooks tried to bargain, "Your sister only has 10%.If you have 11%, it wouldn't be fair to her."
Lily got up, walked around the study, and took an antique clock from the cabinet, stuffing it into her pocket.
"So, you don't want to bet, huh? Fine.When I marry Edmond, I'll whisper in his ear to cut off all cooperation with the Jian family and take your projects."
Brooks's eyelid twitched, "You wouldn't dare!"
Lily took a painting off the wall and also put it in her pocket.
"Why wouldn't I dare? I just want to have more than Zoya."
Seeing her act like a bandit, Brooks gritted his teeth.
"Fine!"
Although he didn't know what gave her such confidence, with such a huge stake, he had no reason not to bet.
Like Lily said, if she could marry Edmond, the benefits she'd bring to the Jian family would far exceed the value of 11% shares.
If she was deceiving him or failed, the gold mine on Changhuai Road would become his.
Either way, he wouldn't lose.
More importantly, this girl had caused so much trouble recently that he had lost all his dignity.
If she could really marry Edmond, it would be a great relief for him.
Since things had already come to this, he might as well trust her once.
Besides, it was just a 1% difference.
If Zoya found out, he could always give Zoya...
As this thought occurred to him, he heard Lily say, "Old Jian, don't think about secretly giving Zoya more.I consider you my real dad and didn't ask for too much.If you add to her shares, you'll have to add to mine too.I definitely want to surpass Zoya."
Brooks was speechless.
"Why do you always compete with your sister? She has sacrificed so much for the company.
She should have more than you."
Lily's pale fingers caressed the inkstone on his desk.
"If the adopted daughter has more shares than the biological daughter, how would that look? If I can't have it, I'll destroy it.Agree, and we can get along.If not, no one will be happy."
She looked at him with a smile, "If I can't be happy, then no one will."