Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 173: Chapter 173

Janice closed her eyes. "No, I don't. Anyway, just stay out of the marriage business between the Hartley family and the Heaton family. You and Adrian have to end things."
"Mom—" Elara couldn't figure out why Janice always stood in her way. She felt guilty about messing things up with Alex before, and now Janice opposed her being with Adrian. 'Will days like this ever end?' Elara thought, drained.
Thinking about Janice's health, Elara set aside her frustration. "Mom, are you worried Josie will feel upset if they cancel her engagement to the Hartley family? She's with Noah now, so Adrian can explain it to her, and ending it shouldn't be too difficult."
"Elara, you're oversimplifying things. They started dating in college, and you think I wouldn't know?" Janice said.
"Since college?" Elara was surprised.
"Back then, Noah came from a pretty well-off family; their financial standing was only second to the Quinn family. But Josie still agreed to get engaged to Adrian. Just think about how many interests are tangled up in all this," Janice explained.
Elara asked, "Aren't they already one of the top four families in Veritasiton? With their status, why are they so caught up in all these interests? Can't they just choose who to marry and live freely?"
Janice explained, "Elara, you're mistaken. The higher you climb, the less freedom you have. The Heaton family may wield significant political influence, but Matthew's ambitions extend far beyond politics.
"He wants to connect politics and business, and by arranging marriages, he plans to strengthen his business influence and benefit the Heaton family. So, there's no way he'll let Adrian cancel this engagement."
"The Heaton family is trying to get a piece of the business world too?" Elara asked.
Janice said, "You're a finance major, so you should know this. Politically powerful families rely on shady deals like skimming government funds because their open earnings are limited.
"Although the Heaton family appears powerful, they have to maintain their image, leaving them little room to earn much. Their annual income is less than a tenth of what the Montgomery, Hartley, or Quinn families make."
"But don't rich businessmen have to keep officials happy? Don't they slip their money every year?" Elara asked.
Janice shook her head. "They do, but it's never enough to satisfy the Heaton family. And honestly, businessmen all have a tacit agreement; there's a set price for the officials.
"Three million dollars for a land deal and 1.5 million for project approval; yet businessmen earn far more than that. They generate massive profits from each project, while the Heaton family only receives a small share. That's why Matthew began considering entering the business themselves.
"The Heaton family, being government officials, cannot openly engage in such activities. The most legitimate way for them to access business funds is through strategic alliances like political-business marriages."
"And what about businessmen? Are they open to the idea of marrying the Heaton family?" Elara asked.
Janice responded, "There's no such thing as an honest businessman, so it's no surprise they're unwilling. They have an unspoken agreement to maintain the status quo. While they're open to marrying within business circles, they avoid connections with official families, especially the Heaton family.
"Everyone's afraid the Heaton family will overreach. After all, if they're just business partners, a little money gets things done. But if they become family, the Heaton family's appetite will only grow. That's why Matthew's plan never worked out."
Elara thought for a moment. She said, "No wonder Julian said the Heaton family's influence has been shrinking over the years. So what happened after that? Did Matthew just give up on the idea?"
"After that, Matthew turned his attention to the Kalmien family," Janice said.
Elara frowned. "The Kalmien family? Which one is that?"
"Right now, the Hartley family is at the top of the four major families, followed by the Montgomery family, the Quinn family, and the Heaton family. But before that, there was another family, the Kalmien family," Janice explained.
Janice continued, "The Kalmien family had served in government for generations, with a reputation for integrity and uprightness. The old patriarch, Jackson, was known for being honest and uninterested in fame or fortune; completely different from Matthew, who was greedy and selfish.
"Years ago, Matthew was a young, inexperienced soldier from the countryside. By chance, he served under Jackson and gained a strong reputation. Once, Matthew risked his life to save Jackson, who then regarded him as a lifelong brother.
"After retiring from the military, Jackson's strong family connections and military achievements earned him the prestigious role of Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. With Jackson's backing, Matthew secured a high-ranking government position.
"When Jackson was thirty, he saved a girl named Mandy from Marisiton during a mission. The two fell for each other, and Jackson brought her back to Veritasiton, where they got married.
"A year later, Mandy gave birth to a son, Nathan, and two years after that, a daughter, Cecilia. When Jackson turned forty, Mandy's family came all the way from Marisiton to Veritasiton, saying her father was gravely ill.
"Jackson and Mandy rushed to Marisiton to visit, and only then did Jackson discover that Mandy was actually the only daughter of Marisiton's richest man.
"Just like that, nine-year-old Nathan became the direct grandson of the wealthiest man in Marisiton, making him the most eligible heir to a union between Veritasiton's top officials and Marisiton's business elite.
"The political-business alliance Matthew had dreamed of his whole life ended up being realized by Jackson—completely by accident.
"Matthew soon caught wind of the opportunity and, drawing on his long-standing connection with Jackson, arranged for a childhood betrothal between his daughter, Cindy, and Nathan."
Elara listened carefully. "So, Yann is the son of Nathan and Cindy?"
"Yes. Wait, you know Yann?" Janice asked, a little surprised.
"Well, Adrian handles his company's legal stuff, so I've run into him once or twice," Elara explained.
Janice nodded, clearly uneasy. "Just keep your distance from them, alright?"
"I don't know them. By the way, if the Kalmien family is so powerful, why aren't they one of the four major families in Veritasiton?" Elara asked.
Janice went on. "Jackson and Mandy were always super low-key. They clicked because neither of them cared about fame or fortune. After Jackson retired as Commander-in-Chief a few years back, they just kind of vanished from the public eye.
"I heard they moved to a secluded villa out on the outskirts of Veritasiton. And Nathan moved to Marisiton to build his own business, so now there are only four major families left in Veritasiton."
"But hasn't the Heaton family already tried to get their hands on Marisiton's richest family? Isn't that enough for them? Why do they still want the Hartley family's money?" Elara asked, puzzled.
"It's because of Nathan." Janice let out a long sigh. "Nathan and Cindy never had any feelings for each other. There was even some resentment between them. Nathan never gave Cindy or the Heaton family any chance to get involved in the Kalmien family business.
"He kept all the company operations and shares tightly in his own hands. So now, Adrian is Matthew's last lifeline. Especially now that Matthew has stepped down, and without Jackson backing him up, Nelson can't climb any higher in the ranks.
"It's only a matter of time before the Heaton family disappears from the four major families. Marrying into the Hartley family is the only hope they have left."
Elara felt a heavy weight settle in her chest. "But marriage is supposed to be a choice for both sides. If Adrian wants out, the Heaton family can't force him to stay, can they?"
Janice took Elara's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Elara, I know you two truly love each other. It's not that I don't believe in your feelings, but if you try to break off this engagement, you and Adrian will be dragged into danger.
"The Heaton family won't let you off the hook, and Sadie will do whatever it takes to go after Adrian. Elara, there's just no way out of this engagement."