Sarah nodded. “The Smiths still show up now and then, just to make trouble. I wouldn’t be surprised if Camila was left with some scars from it all.”
Melissa and Jerry listened to Dennis and felt a wave of relief. They knew they’d made the right call about this man. He was so much better than Jordan Smith in every way, always putting Camila first and treating her with real respect. They could see how much he cared.
Jerry gave a serious nod. “Marriage is a big decision. It’s worth thinking through carefully.”
Just then, Camila came back, so the talk of marriage faded away, replaced by talk of the funeral.
Dennis turned to Larry Adams. “Things have been hectic, and I haven’t checked in. How are the plans for the funeral going?”
Larry looked calm as he answered. “Everything’s set. I even got a spiritual advisor to choose the date. It’s happening the day after tomorrow. I want to give my mom a proper sendoff.”
Dennis nodded. “She deserves that. I’m glad you’re taking care of it. I’ll be there. Has the Adams family been bothering you at all?”
Larry shook his head. “No, they’ve got too much going on themselves.”
At first, Mr. Adams had tried to reach out, but after their talk went nowhere and Larry blocked his number, he just gave up. With Joseph Adams in jail, the Adams Group was left without anyone in charge. The retired Mr. Adams had to come back to keep things running, but he was getting old and the pressure was wearing him down. He knew he couldn’t stay in control forever, and finding a new heir was just a matter of time.
Besides Joseph, Mr. Adams had another son and a daughter—Larry’s uncle and Aunt Audrey. Both were shareholders in the company, but the uncle never had any talent for business, and Aunt Audrey had married out long ago. Even if Mr. Adams wanted her to take over, the other shareholders would never agree. If she did, the company would end up with a different family name.
Then there was the next generation. Brian Adams was just a baby, too young to even talk, so hoping he’d take over was just wishful thinking. The Adams family was a mess.
Dennis understood all this, so he wasn’t worried about Larry getting overwhelmed. “Just wait until after the funeral to make any decisions,” he advised.


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