Xavier gestured for Helena to come inside . She set the trash bag by the door and followed him . He shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch . " What brings you here tonight ? My mother didn't send you , did she ? " Helena shook her head . " It was Mrs. Beltran . She asked me to come over and tidy up since Ms. Sutton moved out . " Xavier's brow furrowed . It didn't take much to figure out Leona had told Lauren that Aveline was gone . " Everything alright over at Parkview Estates ? " Xavier asked . Helena offered a smile . " I've been busy going back and forth , but I can handle it . Mrs. Beltran brought in another maid to help out . " Xavier had intended to ask Helena about how Aveline was doing at Parkview Estates , but she never caught his mean- ing . Not that it mattered . He was only asking out of passing curiosity , not genuine concern . With a nod , he dismissed her . Helena had just reached the door and pulled it open when his voice stopped her . " Don't let mother know that Ms. Josephine lives across the hall . " Both Lauren and Rupert despised Courtney , and by extension , Josephine as well . If they found Josephine lived on the same floor as him , there would be no end to their outrage . No one could change Xavier's decisions , but he had no interest in dealing with avoidable drama . Helena froze for a moment , then gave a quick nod . " And from now on , " Xavier added , " when you come here to clean , stop by Ms. Josephine's place too . " " Of course , " Helena agreed at once . After she left , Xavier picked up his phone and dialed Leona . " The property agreement needs to be fair to Aveline . Cutting her off completely is too much . We need to revise it . " Leona was stunned . " You already know what's in it ? " " I just know it gives everything to me and nothing to her . " His voice was cool , detached . Leona let out a sharp , dismissive snort . Since Gerald had been Xavier's closest friend since boyhood , most of his legal affairs went through Beacon Law Firm . 0.0 % 18:57 Chapter 22 But because Fiona , one of Beacon's partners , was close to Aveline , Leona had deliberately gone elsewhere for the di- vorce agreement . She hadn't wanted Fiona tipping Aveline off . Even so , the lawyer Leona hired knew Xavier . Odds were , the lawyer had leaked the contents . " You can't be serious about giving her half , " Leona snapped . " That villa in Parkview Estates alone is worth tens of thousands . If she gets even a fraction , she should count herself lucky . " But Xavier wasn't swayed . Aveline had been by his side for years , engaged for one , and caring for him at Winslow Heights for another . If divorce was inevitable , he refused to make the split needlessly cruel . " Forget it , " Xavier said flatly . " I'll have Gerald handle the agreement . You stay away from it . " Leona's voice sharpened . " Xavier , if I don't step in , Aveline will skin you alive . " He couldn't be bothered to argue . " Enough . That's final . I'm hanging up . " And with that , he ended the call . Bitterness churned in Leona's chest . She was convinced Aveline had somehow found out about the agreement . That had to be why Xavier suddenly wanted to amend it . Without hesitation , she called Aveline . Aveline had just stepped into her house . The moment she saw Leona's name flashing on the screen , she didn't need to guess . It would be nothing but curses . She tossed the phone onto the bed and headed for the shower . When she came out , Leona had already called several more times . Aveline ignored them , so the calls turned into a barrage of vicious texts . " Aveline Sutton , why won't you answer ? Feeling guilty ? " " I'm warning you . Don't get greedy . You won't get a single dime from the Beltrans . " " You may share the same father , but you'll never measure up to Josie . " " That's why Xavier has always loved her , and why he feels nothing but disgust toward you . " " Consider this a warning . " Being told she wasn't even as good as the illegitimate child made Aveline's chest burn with fury . Her face tightened , her hand clenching hard around the phone . But after a long moment , she set it aside without replying . Cutting ties with Xavier meant cutting ties with the Beltran family as a whole . Soon enough , none of them would have any power over her life . She picked up a book instead , leaning against the headboard , and read for half an hour before turning off the light . 37.3 % 18:57 Chapter 22 The next morning , she was sketching a preliminary floor plan while Jasmine and Julian worked on their tasks . That was when Fiona arrived . She came with fruits and local Kralville pastries , smiling warmly as she praised their efforts . She told them she was confident that they'd win the Crestmark Group project and encouraged them to keep pushing . Jasmine and Julian glowed with renewed motivation . But Aveline knew Fiona's true reason for coming - her mother's inheritance . She led Fiona into the bedroom for a pri- vate conversation . Fiona didn't waste time . " You said Jacob's company was built with Bethany's support . Did she hold any shares ? " Aveline nodded . " Yes , but not many , just ten percent . " Fiona sighed . " Bethany was far too trusting . " Aveline gave a bitter smile . Bethany had been a renowned painter . Every cent she earned from her art had gone into funding Jacob's company . He'd told her not to worry about business , to focus on painting . So she ended up with only ten percent . 81.3 %