My fiancé, Julian Hayes, also stepped forward. “Audrey, the Thorne family has been kind to you. You can’t be so selfish. Just give the company back to Eva. After we get married, you can stay home, raise our family, and I’ll support you.”
Hearing his words, I curled my lips. “Julian, your engagement is with the Thorne Now that Eva is back, she is your fiancée. You and I have no connection whatsoever. And who exactly are you, to point fingers at me? Do you even have the right?”
Julian’s face instantly flushed crimson with anger.
Eva suddenly knelt before me. “Pathy, dear, I truly didn’t mean to take Julian from you. I just want to reclaim what belongs to me.”
Julian’s heart ached. He immediately pulled Eva into his embrace, then threatened me. “Audrey, you have such a wicked heart! So utterly ruthless just to seize the company! How can a person like you be fit to marry me? If you don’t return the company to Eva, we‘ Il cancel the engagement!”
I was tired of their theatrics. “So, you just want the company, right? I can give it back to you, but I have two conditions.”
Julian thought I had been frightened into submission, and he smiled with satisfaction. “As long as you give the company back to Eva, we’ll get married right away. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
I suppressed the urge to strike him and looked at the Thorne parents. “First, sign the disownment agreement. From this day forwa- rd, I will have no connection to the Thorne family.” I continued, “The company shares I hold were acquired by me. So, if you want them, you’ll have to buy them at market price.”
The Thorne parents‘ faces fell. “This is our Thorne family company! And you want us to pay for shares?”
I replied indifferent!, “When the Thorne family company went bankrupt, you sold all your shares. The shares I hold now are mine, and they have nothing to do with you. You don’t have to buy them if you don’t want to. The company is about to go public. When that happens, the stock price will multiply several times. There will be plenty of people who want to acquire them.”
The Thorne parents gritted their teeth, then huddled with Julian for a long time. Finally, they agreed to pay a billion dollars for my shares.
After signing the disownment and share transfer agreements, Julian embraced Eva, looking at me with a mocking smirk. “Audrey, since you want to be so ruthless, then get out of this company right now. From now on, this is Eva’s company.”
Eva looked at me provocatively, nestling into Julian’s embrace. “Sister Pathy, I heard the company is going to partner with the Rem- ington Group, the richest family in the country! The stock price will increase tenfold, easily! Thank you, Sister Pathy, for giving me such a wonderful opportunity!”
My adoptive parents alsc looked smug. “Audrey, this is all your own doing. Even if you regret it now, it’s useless. But, out of conside- ration for our past relationship, if you’re willing to be Eva’s secretary and help her manage the company, we can give you a salary of fifteen hundred a month. At least you won’t starve to death. How does that sound?”
I scoffed. Fifteen hundred a month for me to work like a dog for them? They truly thought I was an idiot. “No, thank you. I will have no connection to this company or to any of you from now on.” With that, I turned to leave. Julian angrily called out, “Audrey, don’t come crying to us when you’re starving on the streets!”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Who gave them the confidence to think that with a billion dollars, I would ever starve and beg them. for anything?
12
