Chapter 347 You Wanna Die?
The assistant was about to report to Korbin when Korbin asked about it.
“Mr. Swann, the government has acquired the chips we developed together with Mr. David. The stock prices of the Swann Corporation are climbing fast. They are probably waiting for a good opportunity to pump up the stock prices.”
“Pump up the stock prices?” Korbin smirked. There was keen shrewdness in his old eyes. Catherine was clever and had the Duncan Corporation behind her, but so what? She was still the young girl under his thumb.
Korbin had succeeded in cooperating with the Winfreds. After he had transferred the assets of the Swann Corporation to Oceanvile, he would see what Catherine would do with the empty shell of the company.
It was all Vicente’s fault to leave the Swann Corporation to that jinx, Catherine. Vicente must have been out of his mind. How was Catherine qualified to have the Swann Corporation?
Instead of letting others talk behind his back that he was fighting for the family property with his daughter, Korbin might as well build his business empire based on the Swanns’ huge assets. He wanted the world to know what he was capable of.
“Tell the others to sell all the stocks when the price rises by two more percent.”
The assistant understood what Korbin meant and promised, “As you say, Mr. Swann. I’m on it.”
Half an hour later.
Catherine was still sleeping during class when she got a mysterious call.
“Boss, the Swanns plan to sell the stocks.”
“Great.” Catherine sneered. The matter was more interesting than she had thought. “Buy the stocks. No matter how many.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Catherine ended the call and continued sleeping. The Swanns in Casier would never change. She had promised Vicente that she would not let the Swanns suffer any loss at her hands and would keep her word.
At the Winfreds’ place.
The Swanns visited in the morning and sent the Winfreds a big surprise. Jeremy was lashing Erick hard with a whip in the basement of the Winfreds’ house.
Erick was tied to a pillar. Iron chains cuffed his hands and legs tight, and he could not move. Jeremy waved the whip in his hand like crazy and hit Erick repeatedly.
Every lash caused a deep purple, bloody mark on Erick’s body. Erick did not even knit his brows slightly. He just let Jeremy vent his rage. It was only when Jeremy was tired that he slammed the whip to the ground.
He squinted at Erick, who was tied to the pillar and was in an awful state, and said sarcastically, “What a mean bastard. You are not afraid of being hit, huh? You are just a lowlife.”
Erick raised his eyes coldly. On his gloomy face, his eyes that were locked on Jeremy’s face looked like he wanted to eat Jeremy alive. The lashes were nothing to Erick. After all, he had suffered so much beating in the black market.
He got beaten after losing a match. He got beaten if he was disobedient. He also got beaten when his boss was in a bad mood. He grew up under fists, whips, and bats. In his eyes, what Jeremy did to him was nothing.
Jeremy instantly flared up under Erick’s gaze. He raised his leg and kicked Erick. Meanwhile, he said nastily, “What? Still defiant? Well, aren’t you capable and great at escaping? Come on. Hit me!
Erick did not feel much pain from Jeremy’s attack. He undertook Jeremy’s beating up with a cold smile and talked back.
“Jeremy, who do you think you are without Xavier?”
Everyone knew that the eldest son of the Winfreds was a loser, and Xavier was the one supporting the family.
Only Jeremy did not realize that. He always thought that his father had done too much and gotten in his way so that people did not know what he could do.
Erick’s words were like sharp scissors that cut the fig leaf Jeremy had. How could the proud Jeremy bear that his father’s illegitimate son looked down on him?
Jeremy could no longer control his madness and roared, “Erick, you filthy lowlife. Do you wanna die?”
“Screw you.” Erick spat bitterly at Jeremy’s face. “Boy. If you have the guts, kill me, or you will die in my hands one day.”
Erick was emotionless when he spoke. His voice was extremely chill and was like a dagger that could kill one instantly.
Jeremy could stand it no more. He picked a crowbar and thrashed Erick madly. The butler at the side felt sick to watch it. He walked forward to stop Jeremy.
“Sir, let him be. Don’t kill him and ruin your father’s plan.”
Jeremy regained his composure. He panted and glared at Erick. “Brat, you are still useful, and I will spare your life for now. After you have no use for us, I will feed you to the dogs.”
The Winfreds had intended to take only one of Erick’s kidneys. If Erick refused to obey, Jeremy would take his life. The butler persuaded Jeremy to leave, leaving only Erick in the basement dungeon.
Erick said nothing. He raised his eyes at the dark ceiling, and the song Catherine sang echoed in his head repeatedly. Soft footsteps sounded in his ears. Erick lowered his head slowly and looked ahead.
Xavier walked toward Erick. His stern face was somewhat ashen because of his sickness. Only his eyes were still ruthless. Their eyes met, but neither of them spoke.
Xavier stared at his face, which bore a distinct likeness to his. He showed no emotions. Only by then did he admit that Erick’s character resembled him most among all his children.
Erick was cruel and merciless, sharp- eyed, and very clever. If Xavier’s wife had given birth to Erick, Xavier would have chosen Erick as his successor.
It was a pity that Erick had been out there all those years. Besides, Erick was as stubborn as his mother and was ungrateful.
Xavier could not take his family as a wager on such an ingrate. His eldest son was a good-for-nothing, but Xavier still had his second son. If Xavier kept a healthy body and held on for another ten years, his second son could be the successor after he grew up.
He opened his mouth and spoke slowly, his voice vicious.
“Erick, remember. You are only a tool for our family.
“Since your mother and I had a past, I will let you live if you are obedient enough.”
Afterward, Xavier disappeared from the dungeon. The basement returned to its original quietness again. Erick gazed bleakly at the front, and his mouth curved into an evil smile.
There was still a hint of childishness on his face. The former handsome look turned ferocious. The evil smile on his face gradually widened and became more terrifying.
He laughed out loud coldly.
If one listened to his laughter carefully, they would tremble and feel scared.
