Chapter 307
Margaret exhaled sharply, her chest tightening with regret.
Evelyn withdrew her hand from Margaret’s grasp, stepping back with an unreadable expression before turning and striding out of the private room without another word.
Tears welled in Margaret’s eyes, her throat burning as she suddenly crumpled forward, burying her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs against the polished table.
What have I done? The thought clawed at her. Evelyn won’t even spare me a single word of comfort now.
When Richard and Oliver returned from the restroom, they froze at the sight of Margaret weeping uncontrollably.
Richard arched a brow, his tone dry. "It’s a holiday, and you’re drowning in tears? What’s this melodrama about?"
Margaret lifted her head, her gaze sharp with betrayal.
How can he be so cold? Her mind seethed. If it were Vanessa crying, he’d be on his knees begging to soothe her.
The injustice of it only stoked her fury hotter.
She slammed her palms on the table, her voice cracking with accusation. "Why did you secretly give Vanessa money behind my back? Why is thirty million dollars suddenly missing from my account?"
Richard Hayes' face contorted with guilt.
Nathan Reeves' expression turned glacial.
His voice was sharp as ice. "Richard, you gave Vanessa Hart thirty million dollars? Evelyn only received ten million! Have you completely lost your mind?"
Richard hadn't expected Margaret to expose this in front of Nathan.
He stammered, "Vanessa needs the funds—she's with the Caldwell family now. What's wrong with giving her a little extra?"
"Vanessa needs it, but so does Evelyn! She's an elder in the Whitmore family—she needs more to distribute among the juniors! Why didn’t you give her anything?"
Nathan didn’t hesitate. He reached over and began rifling through Richard’s pockets, pulling out a sleek black unlimited card.
"What the hell are you doing?" Richard lunged for it, but Nathan, taller and stronger, held it just out of reach.
Richard jumped, but his fingers barely grazed the edge.
"Either transfer fifty million to Evelyn right now, or I’m keeping this. Your choice."
Richard’s face darkened with fury. "Fifty million? What has Evelyn ever done for me?"
"Because Evelyn is family! And you owe her! Not a single cent stays with you!"
Within minutes, Evelyn, idly scrolling through her phone, noticed an unexpected deposit—$50 million—appearing in her account. Her brows furrowed in confusion.
Why would Richard suddenly transfer this much? Does he really think money can fix everything?
The transaction note read: [My dearest daughter, a small Christmas gift. Don’t refuse it—just accept it with love.]
Evelyn scoffed. Since when did Richard become this sentimental?
Still, she accepted the money, though suspicion lingered. With a smirk, she typed back: [If you know it’s small, why not make it bigger?]
On the other end, Oliver, holding Richard’s phone, didn’t hesitate.
Another $50 million was transferred instantly, followed by a message: [You’re absolutely right, sweetheart.]
Richard’s face twisted in horror.
That reckless brat!
His carefully hidden savings—years of secret stashes—were disappearing before his eyes.
And there was nothing he could do about it.