Chapter 434 - 437: Wait for Him to Marry, Have a Few More Kids

The next few days passed uneventfully, with everything proceeding as usual.

Following Wren Sutton’s instructions, Adrian Lancaster spent all his time in bed, either lying down or propped up, only getting up to use the restroom.

Worried Adrian might get bored, Wren Sutton spent every moment she wasn’t with the children by his side. She practically never left him.

Occasionally, when Adrian was well-rested, she would bring Owen and Nina to the bedside to play. The family of four spent wonderfully warm and happy times together, their home filled with constant laughter.

After the two little ones tired themselves out and fell asleep, Wren Sutton turned and sat back down in the soft chair by the bed. She started chatting idly with Adrian, and unintentionally brought up their elders.

"Mom and Dad are still in Suthera with Grandma. They’ll be back in a few days, and we definitely won’t be able to hide the fact you had a vasectomy. When that happens... will Mom and Dad be mad at you? You made such a huge decision on your own without discussing it with them."

Adrian Lancaster was toying with Wren Sutton’s fingers, unable to let them go.

Hearing her words, his movements paused, and he looked up at her.

"Be mad at me for what? For cherishing my own wife and not wanting you to suffer the pain of childbirth again?"

Wren Sutton’s eyelashes fluttered, and her voice grew softer. "This is about the Lancaster family’s lineage; it’s not a small matter. I’m afraid Mom and Dad will misunderstand and think I was the one who instigated you to get the surgery..."

Seeing his wife’s unease, Adrian Lancaster pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her.

He lowered his gaze, looking directly into her eyes.

"I was the one who insisted on having the surgery. From start to finish, no one instigated anything. I just didn’t want you to go through the hardship of pregnancy and childbirth ever again."

His tone was serious and resolute as his fingertips gently brushed her cheek.

"I already have you, and I have Owen and Nina. A family of four is just perfect. My life has never been more complete than it is right now."

"As for Mom and Dad," Adrian’s lips curved into a gentle, composed smile. "If they’re going to blame someone, it was all my idea, and I’ll take full responsibility. My parents dote on you more than they do on me. Once they realize I did this out of genuine concern for you, they’ll at most nag me a bit for being impulsive. They would never truly blame you."

"Don’t overthink it. From beginning to end, this was something I wanted to do. No one can force me to do anything."

Wren Sutton looked at the unreserved tenderness and determination in Adrian Lancaster’s eyes, and her nose tingled with emotion.

She leaned forward, resting in his embrace.

"You’re the one making a sacrifice."

"You silly girl." Adrian Lancaster chuckled softly, holding the woman in his arms tightly. "As long as I can protect you and give you peace of mind, it’s no sacrifice at all."

"Besides, I’m not the only son in the Lancaster family. I don’t have to bear the entire responsibility for continuing the family line. There’s still Julian. Once he gets married, he can just have a few more kids."

Wren was amused and lightly slapped Adrian Lancaster’s shoulder.

"Easy for you to say. ’Have a few more kids’... his wife would have to be willing. You can’t just force her to have them."

The moment she finished speaking, Adrian Lancaster’s phone rang.

Speak of the devil. The call was from Julian Lancaster.

Adrian glanced down at the phone but didn’t answer immediately, afraid of waking the recently asleep Owen and Nina.

Wren knew what he was worried about and handed him the phone.

"Julian rarely calls. If he’s calling, it must be something important. Go ahead and answer, just keep your voice down. I’ll go watch the children."

Only then did Adrian Lancaster pick up the phone and swipe to answer.

"Bro," Julian Lancaster’s voice was anxious, but he didn’t forget to be considerate. "You finally answered. I didn’t disturb your rest, did I?"

Adrian leaned against the headboard, his tone gentle. "No. What’s up? Just tell me."

Julian didn’t beat around the bush, blurting out his problem directly.

"It’s about the project. I really can’t make up my mind, so I’m calling to ask for your advice."

"It’s like this: for the cultural and tourism complex plot on the west side of the city, we finished the final round of proposal comparisons this afternoon. Both potential partners have qualifications, price quotes, and implementation capabilities that are above the passing mark. On the surface, there isn’t much difference, but the internal team is split into two factions, each sticking to their own opinion, so we can’t decide."

Adrian Lancaster’s fingertips tapped lightly on the edge of the bed, his expression calm and composed.

Although he wasn’t physically at the company, he knew about this project and was aware of the two potential partners.

"One is a private local enterprise that’s deeply rooted in the local cultural and tourism sector. They have a ready-made operations team, so implementation would be fast and the risk low, but the potential for future added value is limited."

"The other is an outside group that develops high-end commercial complexes nationwide. Their concept is new, their amenities are high-quality, and they can elevate the positioning of the entire district, but the initial investment is large, and the return period is long."

Listening to Adrian Lancaster’s analysis, Julian was clearly stunned on the other end of the line, feeling a heartfelt sense of admiration.

’No wonder Dad always says I should learn more from my brother. He’s incredibly capable, even more so than me at times.’

"Bro, you’re amazing. I didn’t even send you the specific details, but you guessed it exactly."

"This is the biggest point of contention right now. The conservative faction wants to choose the local company to play it safe and avoid pitfalls. The progressive faction wants to bet on the outside group, gambling on the project’s maximum potential."

"Both sides have valid points, and the board of directors is divided. I don’t dare make a decision lightly, so I had to call you."

Adrian Lancaster thought seriously for a moment.

Although his amnesia made him forget people and events from the past, he hadn’t lost his intelligence or business acumen.

Soon, he was laying out the core factors for Julian Lancaster with clear logic.

"First, you need to understand that this project is the group’s benchmark in the west side for the next two years. It’s not a short-term venture for a quick profit."

"Choosing the local private enterprise seems safe, but in reality, we’d lose pricing power in the district. When surrounding projects gain momentum later on, our project will only be able to get the scraps, not the main prize. It won’t become a benchmark."

"Choosing the outside group isn’t a gamble on its concept. It’s a gamble on its ability to elevate the entire land parcel’s status, allowing the group to dominate the west side and giving the Lancaster family a greater say."

Julian listened, nodding repeatedly, not daring to interrupt.

Adrian paused, then added a few key risk control details in a very calm and professional manner.

"You have to lock down the risks. Increase their initial capital contribution to thirty percent, and don’t settle the first payment until the main structure of the project is capped. This will minimize our cash flow risk."

"Assign a financial supervisor and an engineering supervisor from our group to co-manage the project for its entire duration. All expenditures must be co-signed to take effect, preventing any loss of control."

"Set up a performance guarantee on annual operational foot traffic and leasing rates. If they don’t meet the targets, their dividends will be diluted proportionally. This will deeply bind their interests to the project’s success."

"Understand?"

After hearing this, Julian had a moment of sudden enlightenment. All the points he had been stuck on were cleared up. Excited, he shot up from his chair and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window.

"I get it now, Bro. After hearing you explain it, I have a clear direction. I’m not so lost and confused anymore."

"I was only focused on the pros and cons of the two companies, not looking at it from the perspective of the group’s long-term strategy. My outlook was too narrow."

"Bro, I’ll revise the partnership terms according to your standards right away and finalize the decision at the meeting tomorrow."

"Mm," Adrian responded faintly, but couldn’t help adding a warning. "Don’t be in a rush to finalize it. Go over the risk control clauses with the legal team, line by line. Don’t be lenient on a single word. This project can only succeed. It cannot fail."

"I know, Bro. I’ll definitely make this project a success." Julian’s tone was filled with unconcealable admiration and emotion, but more than that, it was dependence on his older brother.

"Bro, honestly, every time I’m stuck at a dead end, you can clear up the core logic in just a few sentences. In the entire group, there’s really no one with a more accurate or steady eye than you."

He sighed softly, his tone earnest. "Even though I can keep an eye on the project, when it comes to the big picture and long-term strategy, I always feel uneasy without you at the helm."

"Bro, are you really not considering coming back to the company? Everyone’s waiting for you to come back and take charge."

Leaning against the headboard, Adrian listened to his brother’s frank praise, a faint, gentle smile playing on his lips.

He turned his head to glance at the nearby crib, where Wren Sutton sat, gently watching over their two children.

’This is my whole world. What I care about most.’

Nothing could ever surpass the place his wife and children held in his heart.

He no longer cared about being the group’s president. He just wanted to be a good husband and a good father, spending all his time with his family.

"I won’t go back. Don’t want to."

Six simple words, delivered without the slightest hesitation.

Julian was stunned for a moment on the other end, apparently not expecting such a blunt refusal. He quickly said, "Bro, it’s not that I can’t handle it, I just feel..."

"I know," Adrian interrupted him softly. His tone held no detachment from company affairs, only contentment with his current life.

"Julian, you’ve long had the ability to stand on your own. You can handle this project, and you can keep the group’s affairs stable. You don’t need me at the helm."

He shifted his position slightly, his affectionate gaze never leaving Wren Sutton’s face.

"The company can still run without me. It has you, and it has the team. But without me, my wife and children don’t have a complete family."

"My mind isn’t on hundred-billion-dollar contracts or ten-billion-dollar projects right now. It’s on my family at home."

Wren Sutton listened quietly as Adrian Lancaster spoke so unreservedly to his brother, a happy smile gracing her lips.

Julian was silent on the other end of the line for a long time. After a good while, he started to grumble with a hint of resignation, though it wasn’t a complaint.

"Fine, fine. I get the picture. In my brother’s heart, the company is just a side gig now. His wife and kids are the main business."

Julian laughed and sighed, his tone full of indulgence.

"You used to be a workaholic who practically lived at the office. Now look at you, completely slacking off, dumping the entire company on me while you go home to enjoy a life of leisure with your wife and kids."

"Bro, if I get married, do I get this kind of treatment too?"

Listening to his brother’s grumbling, Adrian laughed lightly.

"Even if you get married, the company will still be on your shoulders. I’m officially retired."