Ryan''s voice rose a few notches, veins bulging at his temples. "Moreover, Carrie was not even born when Shannonmitted her crimes. Carrie ispletely innocent. You can''t judge her based on that!" "The actions of the older generation may not directly influence the younger generation, but how they behave will have a profound impact on the future of the next generation."


    Logan said it sternly, leaving no room for argument. "What good coulde from a daughter raised by Shannon? Let''s not even mention her eldest daughter, Bethany, who often bullied my granddaughter by leveraging her parents'' power. Your mother hid this from me for a long time. They are siblings, so how much better can the younger one be?"


    ire quickly chimed in, "Dad, you''re right! Everything you''re saying is exactly what I''ve been thinking!"


    "Grandpa! You only met Carrie briefly and did not even speak to her. You never got to know her. How can you make such a hasty judgment?" Ryan gritted his teeth, his blood boiling in his veins. He could not bear to hear another word.


    Carrie lived in the happy and warm little world he painstakingly built for her, but what she did not know was that stepping outside of it meant dealing with nothing but criticism, rumors, and gossip.


    He wanted to shield her from all harm, to have the entire Hoffman family acknowledge her identity, rather than hide her away like a prized possession.


    But clearly, taking this step was much more difficult than he had imagined.


    "Ryan, your current status is different from before. You''re about to be the CEO of the Hoffman Group, representing our entire family. In the past, it didn''t matter how you behaved outside of work, but now your actions can directly affect the group''s standing."


    Liam took the chance and said, "There are no outsiders here today, so I''m going to speak honestly from the bottom of my heart. It wasn''t easy for your grandfather to establish our family business. He still carries two big scars on his back from his wilder, younger days. You should be aware of how the Hoffman group began. Ryan, you know better than anyone the hard work that your grandfather and my older brother have put in to restore the reputation of the Hoffman family over the years.


    "The Hoffman Group is currently unstable, and Wyatt''s daughter has caused a lot of harm to our reputation. If you marry the daughter of a murderer like Shannon, how will outsiders view the Hoffman family? Those who know of your affection for each other might understand, but those who don''t might think we''re being controlled by the Salvador family. What leverage would we have in their hands? Your grandfather and father''s hard work would all be in vain."


    ire was overwhelmed by memories of herte husband, who had died in a helicopter ident. She found it difficult to keep her emotions in check as tears filled her eyes.


    Liam''s words struck a chord with Logan, who strongly resonated with his son. "Liam, you''re right! Ryan, marriage is not a trivial matter.


    can''t just go through with it with thinking it through! Break up with Ms Carrie as soon as possible. She''s nowhere near worthy of joining our Hoffman family!"


    Ryan retorted, "I can uphold the family reputation on my own. There''s no need for you to worry about that, Uncle Liam."


    He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then opened them again with a determination that seemed capable of moving mountains. "I''ve already made up my mind. I want to marry Carrie, and I don''t want anyone else but her!"


    "You...!" Logan red at his grandson''s determined face, mming his hand on the table.


    Ryan looked exactly like his father whenever he got stubborn.


    "Grandpa, I didn''te here to hear you talk like this.”


    Ryan lowered his gaze and took a seat, but he couldn''t hide the tension in his clenched fist under the table. "These days, I have authority over most of the Hoffman Group projects and industries. If I were to liquidate my shares or transfer them to someone else, it would be a huge


    loss for our family."


    Logan and Liam were both stunned. Was this child really willing to give up a bright future just for the sake of a girl, and even sacrificing the Hoffman family?!


    "If you understand my intentions, the Hoffman family''s future is secure. If not, then I''ll have to handle the problem in my own way."


    A wicked grin tugged at the corner


    I


    of Ryan''s lips. "Handing over these projects to Mr. Salvador or Ms. Thompson isn''t a big deal since they''re my friends. If I lend them a hand today, they''ll have my back in the future. It sounds fair, doesn''t it?"N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.