Chapter 361

Night had fallem over the Kirk estate, and Molly stood in the wide expanse of Sherwood's study,her gaze fixed on the polished floor.

Frustration burmed in her eyes.After she wrestled with her thoughts, she fimally found the courage to say."Dad. Verena's been letting people go left and right.It's turning into chaos, and everyone's worried, Jared and some of the others keep coming to me for answers,but I honestly have no idea what to tell them.She holds a higher position than I do, which means there's nothing I cam do to stop her, I've tried everything,but I just can't figure out how to get those people she let go rehired."

Sherwood was lost in paperwork, but the moment he heard her words, he froze and raised his head, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Really? Verena actually dares to stir up trouble inside the company now?"

A new concem crossed Molly's mind. Fighting back tears,she pressed her lips together before she said,"And...Luis,he turned me down again, I triedreaching out, but he just won't talk to me." As soon as she brought up Luis, the dam broke. Tears slid down her cheeks, soaking into her blouse. "Dad, I just don't understand why Luis refuses to give me a shot. I've done a lot of things for him, but he won't even look my way."

Watching his daughter break down left Sherwood feeling helpless, an ache settling deep in his chest.

Letting out a tired sigh, he rounded his desk and quietly approached her.

He stepped closer and rested his hand softly on Molly's shoulder, offering what little comfort he could.

Meanwhile, Henson's recent report and Howe's unexplained disappearance replayed in his mind,adding another layer of worry to his thoughts.

He was certain that Luis and Verena had already pieced together most of the truth about the past, and every day the odds seemed to tip further against him.

Breaking the silence, Sherwood finally called out,"Molly."

His voice carried a rough edge as he said, "It's time to let go of your feelings for him. The Sampson family is against us now, and that fact isn't going to change."

Determination flickered in his eyes while his fingers curled tightly at his side. "We can't afford to let personal attachments distract us from what needs to be done."

The words left Molly in shock. She stared at Sherwood,unable to hide her disbelief. "Dad, how could the Sampsons suddenly be our enemies? And what about Luis?"

"Luis and Verena are both out to destroy me."

That revelation made Molly freeze, her breath catching as she struggled to process what he'd just confessed.

Sherwood paused for a steadying breath, and then continued, "Molly, there's a lot I tried to protect you from because I didn't want you to get hurt. But I can't keep it from you anymore."

"In the past, I did something underhanded, all in an effort to undercut the Sampson family's business.Verena's disappearance was tangled up in that as well.Now that Luis and Verena know the truth, there's no way they'll forgive or forget."

After listening to Sherwood's confession, Molly simply stood there in stunned silence, unable to move or respond.

Years spent by Luis' side had taught her everything about his character. She realized that if Luis ever learned the truth about Sherwood's actions against his family, any hope of salvaging their relationship would vanish completely.

The thought made Molly's heart sink. "Dad,how could you do this? Do you have any idea what you've put me through? If Luis ever finds out, he'll never forgive mne."

Tears overwhelmed her, and she dropped to the floor,hands covering her face as sobs wracked her body.

Sherwood lowered himself beside her and wrapped her in a gentle embrace. "Molly, please don't cry.What's done is already behind us. All we can do now is figure out a solution. You have to be strong, for the Kirk family's sake. We can't afford to fall apart right now."

He kept patting Molly's back, trying to offer some comfort.

Eventually, Molly's tears slowed, and she glanced up wvith fierce determination shining in her eyes. "Dad,what are we supposed to do next? I can't just walk away from Luis. I need to find him, tell him the truth,and hope he'lI listen to me."

She wiped her face and made to leave the room.

Sherwood reached for her arm, his expression stern."Molly, stop! Rushing over to Luis now will only create more problems. We need to come up with a polan before making any moves toward him or Verena."