Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 713

“They’re all still around. Everyone’s doing well, except…” Abriella made a face. “Except my dad. These days, the Sullivan family barely even invites him to the annual family gatherings.”

Emmy looked even more puzzled. “But Sullivan Inc. isn’t doing badly. I mean, your family’s company is still a big deal, isn’t it?”

Abriella laughed and waved her hand. “Oh, Emmy, you’ve got it all wrong about Sullivan Inc.”

“That’s just a tiny company, one of the smallest offshoots from the Sullivan family’s endless businesses. My dad just registered it as Sullivan Inc. to have something of his own.”

“You know how powerful the real Sullivan group is, right? Back then, they were actually bigger than Nelson Corporation. It’s only because James has been so relentless these past few years that he managed to pull ahead.”

Emmy’s heart skipped a beat. Even though she and Abriella were close, they had always avoided digging too deep into each other’s family situations. She’d always assumed the famous Sullivan Inc. she’d read about in the financial news was Abriella’s family’s main business. Now she realized that wasn’t true at all.

No wonder when Mandy landed a partnership with the Summer family, Abriella’s parents started treating Mandy like royalty. Emmy had thought it was strange for a company as big as Sullivan Inc. to make such a big deal out of one partnership. Now it all made sense.

Abriella leaned in closer, lowering her voice. “As for Mrs. Nelson’s circle of close friends, she’s got plenty. Everyone wants to be around her, hoping some of her luck rubs off.”

“But the one she’s closest to is Cadence.”

“Cadence? Can you tell me more about her?” Emmy asked.

Abriella scratched her head. “Actually… I don’t really know much about Cadence.”

“I only know so much about Mrs. Nelson because I was curious about my James. Back then, I was young and kept pestering Steve for details about him.”

Abriella grinned. “But I’m good at keeping secrets. Everything I’ve told you today, I only shared after James gave me the green light. I promise, nothing’s left out.”

It was obvious she was trying to put in a good word for James.

Emmy went quiet, tracing a crease in the bedsheet with her fingertip. She didn’t say anything to that, instead steering the conversation in a different direction.

“Who’s living at the Nelson family estate now?”

Abriella thought about it. “Probably just the head of the family and Mrs. Nelson.”

“She moved out of the Nelson estate not long after, and just gave up her role as the head of the family.”

Emmy frowned, her brow creasing as she fell silent.

Abriella jumped in, seizing the moment to defend James.

“Emmy, the Nelson family is… honestly, it’s a mess. Complicated and dangerous.”

“My James, he was just trying to protect you. That’s why he kept everything about himself and about you a secret. He made sure no one in the family would ever find out about you.”

“I’ve looked into what happened this time, and it really was just an accident. My James was planning to come clean with you when the time was right. No one expected Mrs. Nelson to be manipulated like that, to come after you and blow everything up.”

Abriella’s voice was so sincere, her eyes were starting to shine with tears.

“He’s hurting too, you know. It hasn’t been easy for him. But the Nelson family is its own thing, and James is James. He didn’t even grow up with them. You can’t blame him for all the stuff the family has done, right?”