Chapter 5 Sinister Schemes

• “Cindy, don’t talk about your siblings and your stepmother that way!” Dominic berated Cynthia sternly.
• Cynthia snorted. “My siblings? Dad, maybe you’ve forgotten about this, but I’m the only kid my mom ever had. I have no other siblings, and as far as I’m concerned, these two just happen to be the spawn of the shameless hussy you married. They’re not even considered part of the White Family, are they? But you still treat them like they’re precious and cast me—your own daughter—aside. Don’t you feel guilty for treating me like this in front of my mom’s memorial tablet? Aren’t you just the least bit worried that my mom would haunt you in your dreams and seek revenge? Aren’t you scared of being dragged into the depths of hell?”
• Her voice was growing sharper with each sentence, and she held up her mother’s memorial tablet before the four of them. At that moment, the four of them became unsettled.
• Daisy was so terrified that she burrowed into her mother’s arms; Faye looked deadly pale as she gaped at Cynthia, and Keith’s eyes were filled with scorn and hatred.
• Perhaps Dominic did feel a twinge of guilt, for fear flashed across his features briefly before he changed the subject and said, “Cindy, we won’t stop you from bringing your mother’s memorial tablet back here, but I have a condition.”
• Immediately unhappy, Faye objected, “Dominic…”
• “Dad!” Keith protested.
• Daisy was still trembling like a scared kitten as she whined, “Mom, I don’t want to stay under the same roof as a dead person. It’ll give me nightmares!”
• However, Dominic put a hand up to silence them, and he kept a steady gaze on Cynthia.
• She eyed him coldly. She had every right to object to his condition, but he was still the head of the family. If he were to be harsh, then she would not be able to bring her mother’s plaque back home.
• Wanting nothing more than for her deceased mother to rest in peace, Cynthia paused for a long moment before asking, “What is it?”
• “Sign the agreement on the distribution of the family fortune,” Dominic replied, then shot Faye a meaningful look.
• Following this, Faye brightened up considerably as she went into the study and returned with a set of paperwork.
• The paperwork alone was at least a dozen pages, and Cynthia could tell that the agreement had been drawn up in advance and was only pending her signature. As this realization dawned upon her, she felt her heart grow even colder.
• A man who stops at nothing to get what he wants, even if it means manipulating his only daughter… And he has the audacity to call himself my biological father.
• Brusquely, she took the agreement Faye had given her and flipped through it, scanning the contents.
• True to its title, the agreement was indeed for the distribution of assets, and Cynthia’s share in the family fortune was clearly spelled out in black and white.
• If she were to sign the agreement, she would stand to inherit a villa, the rights over a subsidiary company, and three percent of the company shares. Naturally, the villa refers to the one we’re standing in right now, but as for the subsidiary company and the three percent worth of company shares…
• Having glanced through the assets to be left to her, Cynthia tore up the agreement without another word. She turned to address her father mockingly, “My, my, your generosity astounds me, Director White! Do you think I’d be satisfied with just a villa, a subsidiary company that has seen nothing but crippling losses, and a three-percent share in the company? Correct me if I’m wrong, but my mom’s will clearly states that all her moveable and immoveable assets are to be inherited by me and no one else. On that note alone, I stand to inherit thirty percent of White Group, not the measly three percent that you’ve accommodated in that lousy agreement. Do you take me for an idiot? Or are you just a man who wants his mistress and her mongrel spawns to live off my inheritance?”
• She did not mince her words, and her snide tone left Dominic flustered. However, he was insistent as he pressed, “You can still inherit everything your mom has left for you, but you’ll have to sign the other agreement.” As he said this, he handed her another set of paperwork.
• Cynthia had no intention of looking through it, but the words leaped out at her from the page, clearly stating that she would have to sign over the estates in the east side of Lincoln Bay to Dominic, though the moveable and immovable properties under the company would still be part of her inheritance.
• Having read all this, she chuckled in disbelief. She had inherited those undeveloped estates on the east side of Lincoln Bay from her grandfather when he passed. They were meant to be a form of security for her in the event that White Group were to suffer losses in the future.
• The estates were privately owned and had nothing to do with White Group, and her grandfather’s attorney had already registered them under Cynthia’s name the year she turned eighteen.
• As they stood, the estates were top-quality pieces of land worth millions, and plenty of developers were lusting after them.
• Cynthia might be a designer-in-the-making, but that didn’t mean she was entirely clueless about business. If she were to sign those estates over to Dominic, that would give White Group an edge in its growth. If that came to pass, he might very well go back on his word and take over the shares meant for her.
• She didn’t want to attach such dark conspiracies to her own father, but she knew Faye was capable enough to come up with something like this. Over the course of the last few years, she had already been acquainted with that woman’s scheming nature.
• Moreover, it would only be a matter of time before Dominic turned his back on his actual blood relative in favor of his new family, given how Keith and Daisy were well-versed with being goody-two-shoes.
• No, he has already turned his back on me, his only biological daughter, in favor of Faye and her children.
• At the thought of this, she was even more determined not to compromise and tore up the agreement once more. “These are all part of the inheritance my mom and my grandfather left to me, be it the shares or the estates. Why should I sign them over just because you ask me to?”
• Dominic was enraged, but he kept his composure. Refusing to be the guilty party, he challenged Cynthia, “W-Would you rather leave your mother out of this home?”
• In the public eye, White Group remained a titan thriving in its glory days, but no one knew that the company's development had been on a steady decline in the last few years. As things were, the estates under Cynthia’s name were the only assets that could propel the company back on track.
• However, Dominic knew that Cynthia would never sign over the estates without putting up a fight, which was why he resorted to blackmail instead. Alas, she didn’t fall for any of his ploys.
• She chuckled drily and drawled, “Well, you know what, I don’t think I want her here. I don’t actually care anymore. This place is crawling with your mistress’ cooties, and her cheap scent is all over the place. My mom will not have her path to the afterlife paved by your mistress hussy schemes.” Not wanting to waste another moment with them, she added, “Looks like we can’t come to a consensus on the distribution of the assets. I guess there’s no point for me to stick around. Goodbye.”
• After that, she took her suitcase and made to leave. Dominic began to grow anxious, but before he could do anything, Keith stepped forward and grabbed Cynthia by the arm, a menacing grimace twisting his features as he hissed, “You are not getting out of here until you sign the agreement.”
• “What, are you going to coerce me into giving up the assets?” Cynthia was impassive as she struggled to break free from his vise-like grip, but he was much stronger than her, and she couldn’t shake him off no matter how hard she tried. “Let go of me!” she roared angrily.
• Seeing this, Dominic hurried to break them up, but Faye stopped him. “Dominic, think about this carefully. If you let her leave right now, then that will be the end for White Group.”
• Upon hearing this, Dominic halted in his tracks. “But Cindy won’t sign the deal. What am I supposed to do about it?”
• “Force her to sign it. If she still refuses to, then we’ll have to carry out Plan C,” Keith bit out cruelly, digging his nails into Cynthia’s arm as he held her in place.
• Cynthia had a bad feeling about this, and she shot Dominic a mutinous look as she demanded, “What the hell is Plan C?”
• “Why, the plan where we let you marry the oldest son of the Connors, of course! I’m downright jealous of you, Cynthia. You know how prominent the Connors are in Lincoln Bay, and they’re as rich as they are powerful. Our family is nearly on par with theirs, and if we could form an alliance with them through marriage, then we’d be part of the most elite circle in the city!” Daisy mused enviously, though her eyes glimmered sadistically.
• Cynthia’s eyes widened in bewilderment. The oldest son of the Connors was mentally challenged since birth, and he couldn’t take care of himself in his day-to-day life. I can’t believe they’re asking me to marry someone like that!