Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 219

Scarlett had first encountered the name Wesley Seymour several months ago at the auction.

Had it appeared just once, she might not have remembered it. But Tiffany had later used that pocket watch to test her reaction.

Because of this, Scarlett's eyes widened instantly upon hearing the name.

Seeing her reaction, Sebastian knew she recognized it.

Since she was already familiar with the name, he could skip some introductions. Leaning against the edge of the counter, his eyes clear, he said, "He was your grandfather—your mother Diana Seymour's father."

From the moment Sebastian mentioned this name, Scarlett had suspected a connection to herself, but she hadn't imagined such a direct blood relationship.

She was too stunned to speak.

Then Scarlett recalled what Sylvia had once told her.

"His entire estate was held by his friend, supposedly misappropriated."

Connecting this to the mysterious Benjamin, who claimed to know her background—could he be her grandfather's friend?

But remembering the strong, vigorous voice calling from outside the door, the age didn't seem to match up.

Scarlett frowned slightly, uncertain about the identity of the man who had appeared at the door.

"Then why did you prevent me from meeting Benjamin?" she asked Sebastian instinctively. As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake—she had used the man's name, which she shouldn't have known.

This clearly revealed one thing: she had been eavesdropping on Sebastian's conversation.

Sebastian smiled, giving her a meaningful look until her cheeks flushed. Only then did he continue casually, "He's spent his life avoiding pursuers because of the fortune Mr. Seymour left behind."

Scarlett relaxed slightly when he didn't mention her eavesdropping.

"Those people will stop at nothing to kill him, simply because they want the fortune to remain unclaimed. That way, they can divide it among themselves from the shadows."

As he spoke, Sebastian suddenly took Scarlett's hand, his tone deepening as he looked into her eyes.

"Do you think, in such circumstances, you could protect those assets?"

Scarlett already knew something of Wesley's life. Analyzing his cause of death, it seemed likely he had been secretly murdered, with his estate as the motive.

According to inheritance law, without a will, assets would follow the legal line of succession. But in the days before Wesley's case, her mother Diana, then pregnant, had already faced death threats and assassination attempts.

So Wesley had secretly named his friend Oliver Cooper as his heir.

The two had privately signed a written agreement.

The agreement stipulated that if Oliver found Wesley's wife and child in exile, all inherited assets would unconditionally return to Wesley's family.

However, if Oliver failed to find them within seventy years, the estate would permanently belong to the Cooper family. Even if Wesley's family were later found, they would have no claim to the inheritance.

But after receiving the inheritance, Oliver never searched for Wesley's family. Instead, he took the fortune and lived a life of luxury in Portanera.

Such vast wealth naturally attracted envy.

Since the Cooper family acquired the inheritance, they had faced constant malicious attacks and death threats.

The people behind these threats seemed determined to make the family disappear completely from the world, just like Wesley's family.

The logic wasn't hard to guess—these people wanted the fortune to become ownerless. What they planned afterward, no one knew.

After all, they hadn't yet succeeded in their plan.

Benjamin Cooper.

His identity wasn't difficult to deduce from his name.

Scarlett didn't know how to respond to Sebastian's question.

She knew perfectly well that with her current perspective and experience, she couldn't possibly protect such valuable assets.

The inheritance, deposited in banks fifty years ago, had grown to an astronomical figure beyond her control. Even a tenth of it probably exceeded the entire Howard family fortune.

She was speechless, opening her mouth but not knowing what to say.

Seeing her reaction, Sebastian understood she grasped the severity of the situation.

"Countless eyes have been watching him. If you make contact with him, you're putting yourself in plain sight," Sebastian said, sitting on the sofa and pulling her onto his lap. His hand gently squeezed her waist as he continued matter-of-factly, "How can you be sure he doesn't have ulterior motives?"

This reasoning made sense, and Scarlett couldn't think of any counterargument unless everything he'd said was false.

But from what Scarlett knew, the information wasn't false.

The Cooper family had indeed faced constant trouble after taking over Wesley's inheritance. Scarlett knew of at least ten assassination attempts and "accidents."

"Benjamin doesn't even dare use his real name to escape those hunters. His friends now call him William Thorn."

Sebastian smiled, tightening his arms around Scarlett slightly, his face showing rare contentment.

Scarlett knew the information he provided was correct, but still felt frustrated by his attempts to hide things. "Why did you keep this from me before? Did you think I would recklessly try to reclaim my grandfather's inheritance?"

Sebastian certainly knew Scarlett wouldn't act so foolishly, but... he couldn't guarantee Benjamin didn't intend to use her.

The seventy-year limit hadn't expired. If Benjamin revealed Scarlett's identity, she would automatically become the heir to the fortune.

Would a man who had endured decades of assassination attempts really not betray his father's friend's child for peace in his later years?

Sebastian couldn't risk it.

Though he had enough power to protect Scarlett, George's position remained unclear. Under pressure from multiple sides, he couldn't ensure Scarlett's safety.

Moreover, he had previously warned Benjamin, who had promised not to seek out Scarlett during this time.

But Benjamin had immediately broken that promise, boldly walking to the fifteenth floor and finding Scarlett's hospital room with suspicious accuracy.

This seemingly coincidental visit sent chills down Sebastian's spine.

Whether Benjamin had come of his own volition or at someone else's instruction required further investigation.

"One can't be too cautious, Letty," Sebastian said, resting his head on his hand, his amber eyes twinkling with amusement. "Of course you're not that foolish, but what if someone tries to manipulate you?"