The Unveiling of Secret Queen

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Is the Zachmann Family This Powerful? _1

Jason Tucker’s expression was no better than hers as he rubbed his temples and said, ”I made some inquiries, and it seems to be Mr. Ingram’s intention.”

Adelia Tucker clutched the beads in her hand tightly, murmuring anxiously, ”Wasn’t Mr. Ingram transferred here from Beijing? Why would he bother with this affair?”

The new Mayor of McKinney transferred in from a distinguished family in Beijing, merely to add a touch of gold to his career.

He’d probably stay for a couple of years before returning.

People like him generally don’t get involved in local trifles.

Below their notice!

Jason Tucker pressed his lips together; after having mixed in with the McKinney crowd for so many years and establishing some connections, he turned to ask his mother, ”Could Mr. Zachmann know Mr. Ingram?”

Adelia played with the beads in her hand nervously, her eyelids twitching uncontrollably. She had a strong feeling that the truth wasn’t as simple. For the moment, she couldn’t think of any other possibility.

”I’ve met Mr. Ingram a few times. I’ll try to reach out to him. Perhaps he might give this old lady some ’face.’”

No sooner had she finished speaking than Hendra Wafford’s phone call came through.

Adelia, being hard of hearing in her old age, tended to turn on the speakerphone when she answered calls.

She barely managed to say hello.

But Hendra Wafford sounded frantic on the other end, as if his mouth was burnt with blisters.

”Ms. Tucker, what’s the background of that Nathalie Quinlan? Didn’t you tell me this was just a common student dispute and she had only the Zachmann Family backing her?”

”Yes, I did. Why would I lie to you?”

”Then why is the Provincial Office also investigating me? I’ve received three or four calls since this morning alone, all concerning the No. 1 Middle School incident. Ms. Tucker, please think carefully about who Nathalie Quinlan really is. We haven’t offended someone we shouldn’t have, have we? If it’s really that bad, I’ll buy some gifts and go apologize to them personally.”

Just a second ago, Adelia had declared that unless Nathalie came to apologize, she would consider the matter closed.

But in less than half an hour, the situation had completely turned around.

She reassured Hendra a few times, then hung up, still deeply unsettled.

Unconsciously, she furrowed her brows and looked at her son, ”When did the Zachmann Family’s connections become so wide?”

Mr. Yapiter of the Provincial Office was notoriously difficult to deal with: in all her years, she’d never seen that person grant anyone a favor.

Had the Zachmann Family’s reach become that formidable?

Jason Tucker shook his head, his face ashen, as he tried to persuade her, ”Mom, maybe we should let it go. We owe the Bailey Family a favor; let’s just pay them the money. Why put ourselves in trouble?”

Adelia had spent decades thriving in the upper echelons, guiding the Tucker Family into Beijing’s elite circles. She was always a shrewd judge of the times.

She had an exceptional knack for assessing the situation, even in her youth.

But now, Nathalie Quinlan became a thorn in her side, a constant irritation. Whenever she thought about being humiliated at her age, it stung like a needle in her heart.

”...We’ll see. Let’s wait and see,” Adelia replied offhandedly, frustrated and anxious, and had Enrico help her back to her room.

Right now, she felt a draft of cold air rush to the top of her head, dizzied and enraged.

She feared she might pass out from anger if she didn’t rest in her room.

At seventy, to be slapped in the face like this!

*

Phaeton drove smoothly back home.

At home, Alfred Garland scratched his head, not sure how to console the furious little one on the sofa.

”Young master, if you talk to Mr. Yancey like that, he’ll be upset.”

Edric Yancey didn’t even lift his eyelids, equally agitated, ”If he won’t help my sister, I won’t love him anymore!”

”But it’s just a student quarrel, a minor matter. Mr. Yancey’s position really isn’t suitable for intervening in such petty student disputes.”