The Bigshot Married Himself to the Heiress-Chapter 619 - 660: Persuasion

"You claim to have done Adrian Desmond a great service. Then tell me, what exactly was this service? One so great that it gives you the right to try and manipulate his emotions, to attempt to rob him of his very life!"

Elliot Carpenter nodded forcefully, trembling with anger. He truly hadn’t anticipated this woman being so sharp-tongued and difficult.

"I am his Uncle! If it weren’t for me back then, do you think he would still be alive today?"

Sienna Johnson stared directly at him. "Since Mr. Carpenter claims to have done him a service, then let’s consider it so. Besides forcing Adrian to marry Melanie Carpenter, we will repay everything else, one by one!"

"Fine! You want to settle accounts with me, is that it? Then let’s settle them, one by one!"

"Yes, I want to settle accounts with you!"

"The Carpenter family was destroyed because of the Desmond family! I was left in a vegetative state, lying in bed for nearly twenty years! How will the Desmond family repay me for this debt?"

Sienna had done her homework before arriving; she never liked going into a battle unprepared.

She had inquired about Elliot Carpenter from the old housekeeper, Adolph Desmond. Since Lucas Robertson wasn’t available, Sienna had even asked Aaron Faber to help investigate Elliot Carpenter.

Although the information was incomplete and she didn’t know the man’s true depths, she had a general understanding of his situation.

"Mr. Carpenter, may I ask what kind of business you were in previously?" Sienna inquired.

Elliot Carpenter paused, stunned, not understanding her question. "Why do you ask?"

"Naturally, I want to know why your family was destroyed, and why you ended up in a vegetative state, bedridden for almost twenty years..."

As a pregnant woman, Sienna couldn’t sit for extended periods. She glanced at Brett Jacobs and said, "I’m tired. Could you please bring me a chair?"

Brett Jacobs, who had been holding his gun, lowered it and was about to get a chair for Sienna. However, Adrian Desmond, ignoring everyone’s astonished gazes, deigned to personally bring a chair for Sienna and help her sit down.

What stunned everyone even more was that Adrian then found a cushion, placed it on the chair to make her more comfortable, and that woman accepted Adrian’s service as if it were her due. Judging by the unfazed expressions of Adrian’s men, it was clear they knew Adrian often did such things.

Everyone witnessed this, including Melanie Carpenter, naturally. She sobbed, heartbroken that the man she treasured like a precious gem was treated as insignificant by another woman. How could she not be devastated?

"Miss Carpenter, could you please stop crying?"

Sienna’s head was starting to ache from the woman’s crying, which felt like an incessant, tormenting sound. The baby in her womb kept stirring, clear signs of fetal distress, which Sienna suspected was related to the woman’s wails.

Melanie, her eyes red, shot Sienna a glare. "You’re the victor. You’ve obtained everything I ever wanted without lifting a finger. As the loser, am I not even allowed to cry?"

Sienna looked at Elliot Carpenter. "Your daughter clearly dislikes me; seeing me only makes her cry harder. Perhaps we could speak somewhere else?"

If she insists on crying, let her, Sienna thought dismissively. We can simply find another place.

Elliot glanced at Melanie, who, surprisingly, stopped crying. She merely lay there, eyes still red, while everyone in the room stared at Sienna, seated in the center.

Adrian stood expressionlessly by Sienna’s side, one hand resting on her shoulder in a clearly protective stance.

Seeing that Melanie had finally stopped crying and the conversation could proceed, Sienna continued, "Mr. Carpenter, I am aware of the business you were involved in.

"The profits from the drug trade are so high, they’re enough to make many people abandon their humanity and take desperate risks.

"Mr. Carpenter, from the moment you stepped into that sinful industry, you should have anticipated the consequences. Don’t claim the Desmond family implicated you; it would be more accurate to say you brought about your own ruin.

"The misfortune that befell the Desmond family back then was merely a catalyst. And you... as a sharer in those profits, it’s only natural that you would have to pay the price!

"You say the Carpenter family is ruined, but wasn’t the Desmond family ruined as well?

"The Carpenter family now consists only of you and your daughter, while the Desmond family is reduced to Adrian and Paige Desmond. The consequences of the sins you all committed are now borne by them. I don’t understand, Mr. Carpenter, how you can wear this mantle of a benefactor and feel no shame."

Sienna had only learned today that the Desmond family was initially involved in the drug trade. During a reshuffling of interests within that world, they were eliminated by a coalition of competitors.

No wonder Adrian had always steered clear of the drug trade in all his various enterprises. So, that was the reason.

Elliot Carpenter, his brown eyes fixed on the calm and composed woman, turned to Adrian. "You truly trust her, telling her everything."

Adrian was just as surprised as Elliot; he hadn’t expected her to know about those old affairs.

Yes, the Desmond family’s business had indeed been drugs. When his father was alive, he had intended to leave the industry. However, once you set foot in that world, it’s not so easy to wash your hands of it and walk away. In the end, his father was killed, the Carpenter family was implicated, and the assets and territories were re-divided.

"Mr. Carpenter, why are you not speaking?" Sienna asked.

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to admit that when your family was ruined back then, you shouldn’t blame it all on the Desmond family," Sienna stated. "If you had been clean, just an ordinary person, those people wouldn’t have eliminated you as collateral damage when they targeted the Desmond family."

Elliot Carpenter offered no response.

"You ought to be thankful," Sienna continued, her voice even. "After all, you’re still alive, your daughter is still alive, and you both have a chance to start over."

Still, he remained silent, his expression unreadable.

"If I were you," Sienna pressed on, her gaze steady, "I would take my daughter and leave this place before your old enemies discover you’re still alive. You wouldn’t have to worry about your future either. Your nephew is deeply sentimental; even if you were to beat him severely, he wouldn’t dare retaliate and would willingly support you for the rest of your life.

"As long as you stop interfering in Adrian’s life, I guarantee Adrian will ensure you lead a sufficiently prosperous, peaceful, and comfortable existence."

When Elliot Carpenter still didn’t speak, Sienna concluded, "Mr. Carpenter, I’ve spoken at length and demonstrated my sincerity. Now, it’s your turn."

Elliot Carpenter looked at Sienna and uttered a single sentence, "You divorce Adrian, and Adrian marries my daughter. Otherwise, there’s no discussion!"

The conversation had reached an impasse. Sienna looked at the man with bandages wrapped around his head, her eyes turning cold as she asked Adrian, "Your Uncle has made his demand. Can you agree to it?"

"No!"

Sienna then turned back to Elliot Carpenter. "Then go ahead and beat him to death!"

Sienna rose, turned, and walked away. Adrian watched Sienna’s retreating figure, realizing that the woman who had been so furious moments ago now seemed to have suddenly given up on him.

"Sienna!" Adrian called, starting after her.

"Sixth Brother!"

"Daddy!"

But no one could halt Adrian’s steps. He quickly caught up to Sienna as she left. "I’ll take you back to the island."

"I don’t want to go!" She petulantly jerked her hand from his grasp. "Have someone pick up my family tomorrow. We’re returning to Sileria City in the afternoon."