Since Chairman Lancaster had yet to arrive, the Lancasters who had come and Lola idled in the garden.
"Wow, Lola, you... look great!" Caullen laughed, staring at Lola’s face. "I mean, how could Derek not like you, right, Travis?"
Travis, who was enjoying a cup of tea, nodded. "Derek doesn’t deserve her."
"Right! Good thing you broke off his engagement with you!" Caullen cheered. "He doesn’t deserve such beauty!"
Lola laughed, moving her telephone wire-like curly hair with her palm. "Caullen, how can you say that? I didn’t even overdo it today."
Caullen’s face twitched. "You... you didn’t overdo it today?"
That was what you call — "not overdoing it"?
He had seen Lola running after Derek while the latter fled for his life earlier. But now that he was sitting across from her, her makeup bothered him more than he expected. And she wasn’t even aware of what was wrong with it.
"You’re not wearing your head mask today," Travis pointed out as he put down his cup of tea. "Though I think you shouldn’t wear one anymore."
Lola frowned. "Travis, with this beauty of mine, sometimes I have to hide it."
"All the time, right?" Caullen blurted out, only to earn a look from both Lola and Travis. "Hehe... I don’t mean it like that. You’re very pretty, Lola. Very."
"Thanks!" she smiled happily.
"Once you get the land titles, are you going to visit your mother’s properties?" Ignoring Caullen’s usual commentary, Travis kept his attention on Lola. "Do you need help with anything?"
"Well, I do plan to visit her garden," she smiled. "But it’s okay. I don’t want weird rumors that the great Travis Lancaster is pursuing me. You know—the dilemma of a beauty."
Caullen, who had just taken sips of his tea, almost spat it out at her. He scrunched up his nose and gazed at Lola, then at Travis. The latter only chuckled while she smiled so wide it was concerning.
I do care for her a bit, but this level of confidence is concerning now.
Since the Youngs and the Lancasters had kept a close relationship because of the chairman and Lola’s late grandfather, they had known each other since childhood. They used to play together. However, the young Lola was very meek and shy. It was why Travis and Caullen used to defend her from anyone who tried to pick on her.
She was like a little sister to them.
It was just that since Loren’s illness worsened, Lola had been with her more often until she eventually moved out.
"But in case you need help, let me know," Travis remarked kindly. "My line is open anytime."
Lola smiled at Travis and nodded. "Thanks."
"Miss Young, Sir Travis, Sir Caullen," suddenly, one of the household maids approached their table. "Chairman Lancaster has arrived."
The three around the table nodded, and with that, they got up and headed to the residence’s family room. Unlike Melissa and Derek’s engagement, the only people there from the Lancasters were the chairman, his assistant, their family lawyer, Travis, Caullen, and Derek as witnesses.
From the Youngs, it was the whole package—plus Lola.
Silence filled the family room as everyone watched the chairman’s assistant, who had a degree in law, and their family lawyer check each document. No one said a word, waiting for anything that could happen or be seen in those documents.
"These are all legitimate," the chairman’s assistant finally spoke after a while.
Chairman Lancaster nodded in satisfaction. "Good work." He then cast Lola a proud look.
"Today, everyone in this room is witnessing the transfer of properties..." the lawyer spoke ceremoniously for their voice recording, in case of future disputes.
Everyone listened attentively, eyes on Lawrence, who was holding the thin stack of documents.
"...from today onward, Miss Lola Young will be the sole owner of all the said properties. Anything she does with these properties, Lawrence Young or anyone else, has no business in them," the lawyer continued.
Once the lawyer finished, he shot Lawrence a look.
"Heh." Lawrence cleared his throat, watching as everyone looked at him. He nodded, holding the stack of documents. When his eyes fell on Lola, she already had her hands wide open.
Forget about that makeover gone wrong. Once he handed over these documents to her, there was no going back. Still, under the gaze of Chairman Lancaster, he reluctantly moved the documents toward her. But just as Lola clutched the other end of the folder, he blurted out,
"Lola, your mother truly loved all these properties," he laughed awkwardly. "I hope that you will take care of them. They were your mother’s treasure."
Lola’s smile broadened. "Of course." She tugged the folder, but Lawrence didn’t let go.
"If you need help with what to do with them, you can always ask me, your father. You know that, right?" Lawrence clutched the file tighter, making the folder between them tremble. "Better yet, if you want advice, I can give you. After all, these properties can be used to start a business for yourself."
"Hehe. Thank you so much, but since they’re my mom’s treasure, I want to focus on taking care of them," she said, pulling the files from his tight clutch. She leaned forward. "It’s been a while, so I want to make sure they were properly taken care of."
"Lola, why don’t you just let your father look after such important things for now?" Derek suggested, only to flinch when he earned a look from Chairman Lancaster.
"Lawrence Young, what are you hesitating about?" the chairman frowned. "Those documents are your daughter’s. Did you not listen earlier? Whatever she plans with these titles—sell them, let them rot, or take care of them—is her right."
Travis smiled kindly, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Mister Young might just be worried about Lola, sir. I’m sure he didn’t mean it like that."
"That’s right!" Lawrence laughed nervously as he finally let go. "It’s not that I do not respect Lola’s ownership of these lands. I’m simply worried that she would mismanage them. These places were important to Loren, after all."
"Don’t worry," Lola leaned back, checking the contents of the folder. "I will not mismanage them."
Melissa, who had been quiet, glanced at Lola and then smiled at everyone. "Dad, I believe Lola. She has taken responsibility for her choices and even raised her children properly. How could she mismanage these?"