Love’s Cruel Stroke Chapter 38
Unsurprisingly, the atmosphere in the dining room shifted as soon as Shirley was done speaking. The guests all turned grim at the reminder of the fire that had burned down the entire Yates Residence four or five years ago, destroying close to billions worth of properties.
It took the Yates two years to get back on track, and everyone in the family was badly affected by the incident.
Sure, everyone had treated Rachel as dead and gone after the fire, but on the days when her name was mentioned, it was almost always through gritted teeth.
Presently, Rachel took in the dark looks on everyone’s faces and smirked as she said, “I’ve been wanting to ask what was in that drink you gave me on the day of my eighteenth birthday, Mother. I remembered drinking it during the coming-of-age party and blacking out right after. When I came to, I was lying in a hotel bed with no recollection of what had transpired…”
Miranda faltered when she heard this, and she narrowed her eyes as she asked, “What are you talking about, Rae?”
“Grandma, you know I would never fool around regardless of how opinionated and stubborn I am,” Rachel continued, biting her lip as she addressed Vivian with a misty eyed look. “Dad locked me up in the storehouse for eight months, and in all that time, I tried to figure out what went wrong, and it always came back to that glass of wine Mother had given me. Because of that glass of wine, I became victim to things I had no control over. Grandma, I didn’t mean to bring shame on our family.”
Miranda clenched her jaw. She thought she had covered her tracks well after plotting Rachel’s downfall all those years ago. But if this wretched girl brings this up a few more times, then the old lady will definitely grow suspicious of me! As things were, she was in a precarious position, what with her being the mistress of the Yates Family and the future mother-in-law to Jordan. She could not afford to have a speck of dirt on her reputation.
At the thought of that, she drew in a deep breath and cajoled pleasantly, “Rae, you know I love you the most, so how could I ever do such things to hurt you? The incident was from five years ago, and it’s high time we let bygones be bygones, yes? The future is what we should be looking forward to now that you’re back; let us move forward together as a family.”
“Yes, we should be moving forward,” Rachel agreed with an odd smile on her lips. “Shirley, what was that you said about being the heir to the Yates family fortune?”
For some reason, Shirley’s heart dropped to her stomach. She forced out a weak smile as she explained, “Well, you see, Rachel, everyone thought you were dead five
years ago, and that made me the only child in the Yates Family, Naturally, I would become the successor, so…”
“So now that I’m back, it would only be right if I resume my role as the successor, don’t you think?” Rachel asked. She had a gentle smile on her face, but her eyes were devoid of warmth.
No one at the table expected Rachel to bring up the matter of the family’s successor on the first day of her return. Most of the Yates Family had been in the business industry for long enough to remain largely indifferent toward sudden twists and crises, but not even Francis had anticipated Rachel to be quite so forthright in demanding her birthright, which was the succession of the family name and fortune.
Sounding even more wounded than earlier, Rachel glanced at Miranda and asked, “Mother, didn’t you say you’d love me all the same despite all that happened? I would like to reclaim my right as the successor to the family. You’ll help me, won’t you?”
Miranda was at a loss for words, but she maintained her smile, though not without effort, as she placated, “Now, Rae, it’s your grandmother’s birthday today. Why don’t we talk about the successor thing tomorrow?” I‘ll get rid of her by tomorrow, and this whole thing would never be mentioned ever again.
However, Portia suddenly interjected, “Rae has a point, Miranda. Shirley only stepped up to become the successor-in-line when we all thought Rachel was dead, but now that she’s back, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Shirley to hold on to the mantle any longer.”
Greta chimed, “I think you’re just unwilling to return the shares, Miranda. I mean, in any case, a one-half share in the company is no small sum. I don’t think I’d want to give that up either if I were in your shoes, to be honest.”
Miranda blanched at this. These two hags just want to bring me down!
“The matter of succeeding the family fortune isn’t something to be discussed over dinner. We can’t just change successors on a whim!” Francis finally snapped. “Don’t try to start a disagreement right after you get home, Rae. Stop talking nonsense and eat your food!”
Ap ominous look came into Rachel’s eyes. Where Miranda would at the very least pretend to be nice, Francis was never one to keep up the act, and it hadn’t taken long for him to show his true nature,
Rachel was no idiot; she knew that she couldn’t get back the shares in Yates Corporation by the end of the banquet, and judging by how shameless the rest of her family was, she thought it would be a difficult feat indeed to even get her hands on the company shares,
But that did not dissuade her from bringing the topic up during the meal. It gave her
satisfaction to see how uncomfortable her family was after she put them on the spot.
She bit down on her lip and mumbled piteously, “Father, I don’t mind giving up on succeeding the family fortune, but could I at least have the shares in Yates Corporation back? I’m talking about the shares my mom left for me before she died; I think it’s time I reclaim what is rightfully mine.”
Francis’ face was stormy. He couldn’t believe that he had been so reluctant to give up on Rachel, but now he wished for nothing more than to be rid of her. She should have perished in the fire after bringing shame to the family four or five years ago. Now that she had returned, she was only unsettling the peace within the household. She‘s a troublemaker, and we certainly have no need for the likes of her!
“Rae has a point.” Suddenly, Vivian, who had been silent throughout the meal, said, “Those shares belong to Rae, and as long as she is alive, they will continue to belong to her, and she has a right over them.”
“Mom!” Miranda panicked, and she could no longer keep up her act as she argued, “Shirley has contributed tirelessly to the company, and is she chopped liver now that Rae is back? I’m not trying to take sides here, but I think there has to be fairness in all things. Rae and Shirley are both daughters of the Yates Family, and one should not be favored over the other.”
Rachel never expected Vivian to come to her defense. In fact, she wasn’t hoping to get back any of the company shares at all, not even the ones her mother had left for her. She knew better than to give her family the benefit of the doubt; the chances of them handing back what they took from her were slim to none.
But now that Vivian had spoken up for her, she decided that she would try to get Miranda to cough up some of the shares, so she went on to say, “Mother is right;
fairness ought to prevail. How about if I give up a quarter of the shares my mom left for me to Shirley, Father? Would that seem fair then?”
Shirley wanted to sputter. She made it sound like she was giving away the shares out of a good will, but in actual fact, I‘d be the one to carve out a quarter of the family fortune for her! What a little b*tch! She would rather die than agree to the proposition.
Vivian, on the other hand, stared at Rachel seriously. “Are you really going to give away a quarter of the shares to your sister?”
“I am more than willing, Grandma,” Rachel said quietly. “Shirley has dutifully taken over the role of successor to the Yates Family for the last four years, and I’m sure she has contributed more than I would ever know. She deserves these shares.”
Nodding in warm approval, Vivian turned to look at Shirley stonily. “Go on and thank your sister, Shirl.”
Shirley could have collapsed on the spot. Why should I be the one to thank her when she‘s asking me to hand over my shares?! Miranda was fuming as well. Ever since she married into the family, Vivian had been getting in her way and standing on Rachel’s side. The old hag is still thinking about Rachel even though the wretched thing has been gone for five years! Why couldn‘t this old lady have died in her sleep back in the hospital?
