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Chapter_42
Jasper’s footsteps grew heavier as he made his way up the stairs. The scene downstairs had already set his nerves on edge, but now the tension was palpable. The argument between his grandfather and father was only going to escalate, and the longer it dragged on, the worse things would become for the Beckett family. As he entered the study, he could feel the heat of the confrontation—an intense, heated atmosphere thick with unspoken words and old resentments.
Newton, his grandfather, was trembling with rage in his wheelchair, having just thrown the ashtray and cup across the room in fury. His face was flushed, and his eyes burned with fury. Jasper had seen the old man angry before, but this level of rage was rare—perhaps the kind only family could provoke.
“Dad, please, calm down,” Javier pleaded, his tone strained but still trying to maintain some composure. He was standing by his father’s side, but the respect between them seemed like it was being tested more and more with every passing day.
“Calm down?!” Newton’s voice was like a whip. “Do you think I’m an idiot, Javier? You’ve been acting like one for years! Do you have any idea what you’ve done this time? Helping the Gardners clear their stock? Giving them projects that belong to us? Are you trying to ruin this family?”
Sophia, still seated beside Javier, had tears streaming down her face, but it was clear to anyone who looked that her grief was carefully staged. The dramatic sobs, the way she clung to Javier—everything about it screamed manipulation. Newton saw through it all, his eyes sharp despite his age.
“You’ve been acting like a fool since the day you married her!” Newton’s words were harsh, filled with the bitterness of a man who had seen too many betrayals and too much deceit.
Javier’s face hardened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He couldn’t argue with his father; not when Newton’s anger had reached this peak.
Sophia, desperate to regain control, continued tearfully, “Dad, do you really think I would ever do anything to harm the Beckett family? I’ve worked so hard, so long, to support this family. Everything I’ve done is for Javier, for our children, and for you.”
Her words were an attempt to twist the situation in her favor, to make Newton believe she was still the dutiful wife, the good daughter-in-law. But Jasper knew better. He’d seen this game before. His grandmother had played it too—tears, feigned submission, and then a sudden stab to the heart when no one was looking.
Jasper’s jaw clenched, his anger rising as he watched the scene unfold. It was clear that no one was going to back down. Newton, despite his frailty, was still as sharp as ever, and Sophia knew how to push the right buttons to provoke him. The cycle of manipulation and control had continued for years, and now it seemed to have reached a breaking point.
He couldn’t let this continue. His father’s loyalty to Sophia had always been a source of friction in the family, but now it was threatening everything they had built. If Newton, as the patriarch, was losing his grip on the family’s direction, it could tear the Beckett Group apart.
“Enough,” Jasper’s voice broke through the tension, cold and commanding. He stepped into the study, his presence immediately shifting the dynamic. All eyes turned to him—Javier, Sophia, and even Newton, who was still shaking with fury.
“I’ve heard enough of this. We’re not getting anywhere like this,” Jasper said, his gaze sharp as he took in the scene. His mind was already working, calculating the best way to diffuse the situation, but it wasn’t just about stopping the argument. He needed to address the bigger issue at hand.
He turned to his father first. “Javier, you need to listen to Grandpa. This isn’t just about your pride. This is about the future of the family.” His eyes flickered to Newton. “And you, Grandpa—if we’re going to get through this, we need to stop this constant fighting. We’re already under enough pressure with everything going on outside.”
Javier looked like he wanted to argue, but he kept quiet, realizing that Jasper was the one person who could control the situation. Newton, though furious, seemed to calm down just a little at his grandson’s words.
Sophia, on the other hand, remained silent, her tears still streaming down her face, though it was clear she wasn’t going to let this defeat her.
Jasper stepped forward and placed his hand on Newton’s shoulder, his voice softer now. “Grandpa, I know you care about this family. We all do. But fighting like this won’t solve anything. We need to come together, not tear each other apart.”
Newton glared at him but didn’t retaliate. The words had struck a chord.
Sighing, Jasper turned to face everyone in the room. “We have bigger problems to deal with than petty arguments. Let’s focus on protecting the Beckett family, not destroying it from within.”
The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in. It was clear that, despite the tension, Jasper was the only one who could hold the family together in this moment.
But as he left the study, his mind couldn’t shake the feeling that the cracks in the Beckett family’s foundation were growing deeper by the day—and no matter how much he tried to hold it all together, some things were simply beyond repair.