Chapter 426: 426 Chapter Hit the Road_1
Over a decade ago, Stacy Cook mysteriously disappeared without leaving a single clue behind.
The Cook Family searched for her for several years to no avail, and even on his deathbed, Old Master Cook never closed his eyes.
After so many years, the Cook family’s people had long assumed Stacy Cook was dead, not even holding onto a sliver of hope.
Yet now, Stacy Cook suddenly reappeared, alive and well, and accompanied by an exceedingly capable bodyguard; even her vehicle had been upgraded to a Rolls-Royce.
However, whenever the Cook family’s people asked about her whereabouts over the years, Stacy Cook would remain tight-lipped, either keeping silent or changing the subject.
Once they understood, the Cook family’s people stopped asking.
“It’s good that you’re back,” and the first thing Stacy Cook said upon her return was that she wanted the whole of Gonzalez City to know the Cook Family!
Such bold statements, if made by anyone else, would surely be met with ridicule.
But when Stacy Cook said them, everyone believed her without a doubt.
After a brief rest, Abram Cook, as the family’s eldest brother, decided to hold a banquet for Stacy Cook today to celebrate his sister’s return.
“Bran, I heard you failed the election for chairman?”
He was in charge of running the family’s businesses and held the most economic power.
If this business alliance were to be realized, the Cook Family was bound to benefit from it.
But just now, he had received news from a friend that Bran Cook’s campaign for chairman had failed!
“Indeed, I hadn’t anticipated…”
“I’ve said it before, you’re still young! In the Cook Family, you just need to listen to me, there’s no need for you to do anything else! Forget about some business alliance; is that even achievable?”
Tarquin Cook said, full of arrogance, “In your spare time, you should learn more from your elder brother and think about how you’ll assist him in the future. As for the capital city, is that a place for you to go!”
The “elder brother” he referred to was his own son, Alistair Cook.
As Tarquin Cook held the family’s economic reins, naturally, he thought about his own son as his successor.
However, since Bran Cook returned from the capital, whispers had already started spreading within the family, with suggestions that Bran Cook should take over the position.
Upon learning of this, Tarquin Cook began to harbor resentment against Bran Cook.
The failure of the chairman election was the perfect opportunity for him to strike at Bran Cook.
“Uncle, I have my own path. As for my brother, rest assured, the Cook Family’s wealth is actually not something I value highly!”
Provoked by Tarquin Cook’s words, Bran Cook, too, felt a surge of anger.
He had bottled up his frustrations outside, only to encounter even more irritation at this family gathering!
Although Tarquin Cook was his uncle, he was actually the son of Old Master Cook’s second wife and not Old Master Cook’s own flesh and blood.
However, when the Old Master was alive, he doted on this second wife very much.
Tarquin Cook was no fool. Using his mother’s influence, he secured control of the Cook Family’s main departments, made extensive connections, and eventually took full control of the family’s economic lifeline.
Now this half-brother from a different mother frequently dared to boss around the direct descendants of Old Master Cook.
Although the Cook family’s people were angry, they dared not speak up—after all, the person who held the purse strings had the power.
“Stop blowing smoke! A few years of sipping Western ink and you’ve lost sight of who you are? You look down on the Cook Family’s property; what exactly do you value?” Tarquin Cook scoffed at Bran Cook’s words, clearly expressing sour grapes.
The Cook Family, albeit weak, was still considered a second-tier family in Gonzalez City, with assets worth over a billion.
In recent years, thanks to a bit of cooperation with Aron Jackson, and with Tarquin Cook using his own skills, the family business improved slightly.
But at the same time, his defenses against the Cook family’s people became even more severe.
Fearing these brothers without blood ties would seize the family estate.
“You’re really overthinking it! When I, Bran Cook, say I don’t value it, I truly don’t!”
Thinking of the Cook family’s people being bullied by this uncle, Bran Cook felt his blood boil and almost took physical action.
“Enough! We’re all family here, there’s nothing worth fighting over!” Seeing the tense atmosphere, Abram Cook, as the older brother, quickly stepped in to mediate.
But these words only made Tarquin Cook even more displeased.
Indeed, the Cook family’s people were all protecting Bran Cook, not treating him like family.
He thought it made sense, perhaps these people were just waiting for Bran Cook to lead them to turn the tables!
Is that even possible?
“Abram Cook, this matter has nothing to do with you! Bran Cook doesn’t know how high the sky is or how deep the earth is, I am educating him! Why are you chiming in?”
After Tarquin Cook grumbled, Abram Cook immediately stopped talking.
This scene made Stacy Cook frown; obviously, his brothers had been bullied by Tarquin Cook for more than just a day.
“Tarquin Cook, we’re all brothers, isn’t this way of speaking a bit much?”
Stacy Cook said with a cold laugh.
Since he had come back, he intended to change this situation!
Being spoken to by Stacy Cook in this way, Tarquin Cook’s expression immediately darkened, “What, you’ve grown some feathers after being away for a few years? Forgot about the times when you were little, carrying the piss pot for me?”
He walked over and gently prodded Stacy Cook’s chest with his finger, “Recognize who you are.”
Seeing this, Jordan immediately wanted to take action but was stopped by Stacy Cook.
“What, big guy, you’re not happy? Just a dog after all, your master hasn’t said a word, and you dare to bare your teeth?”
Seeing Jordan wanting to act, Tarquin Cook’s face turned even more ashen.
He cursed under his breath, clearly not taking these people seriously.
After all, the money for today’s meal had come from Tarquin Cook.
The Cook family’s purse was in his grasp!
“Tarquin Cook, I remember you like collecting antiques, right? In my car, I happen to have a Landscape painting from the Leopold Dynasty. Absolutely authentic!”
Stacy Cook said with a smile, “I know you like them, so I brought it back especially for you! But I was in such a hurry when I left that I forgot about it!”
Upon hearing of the Landscape painting, and from the Leopold Dynasty, an authentic one at that!
Tarquin Cook immediately got excited, “Where is it?”
He had always loved these items since he was young. Whenever Old Master Cook received those antiques, he would pass them on to Tarquin Cook for his adopted son’s collection.
“It’s in the car! Jordan, take my brother to get it! Remember, be careful! That painting is very clean, don’t dirty it!”
Stacy Cook tilted his head, instructing Jordan by his side.
“Take me there quickly!”
Upon hearing about the painting, Tarquin Cook couldn’t contain himself. He pointed to the Cook family’s people behind him, “Wait for me, don’t move from here!”
Then he followed Jordan towards the door.
“Didn’t expect you’ve got quite a considerate Family Head, so I won’t make things difficult for you guys for a while,” Tarquin Cook said excitedly, rubbing his hands together as he followed behind Jordan, wondering what kind of painting it might be.
How much it could be worth!
“It’s inside, please come in!”
Jordan opened the car door and gestured for him to enter with a “please” hand motion.
Tarquin Cook didn’t think much and immediately climbed into the car.
He looked around but did not see any sign of the painting.
After Jordan got into the car and closed the door, he reached out and tightly gripped Tarquin Cook’s neck!
Tarquin Cook was startled by this sudden move; before he could react, he found it difficult to breathe, as if his neck were clamped in a vice.
“Let’s hit the road!”
With one punch, Jordan splattered blood all over the Rolls Royce’s glass.