Chapter 2
The teapot shattered, the loud crash and my furious yell echoing through the hall. The crowd burst into scornful laughter at my words.
“Reckless! First, she claims to be the granddaughter of the richest man, now the conglomerate’s heir. Fool!”
“Even if she is the Johnson Family heiress, the richest man has two sons! How could it ever be her turn?”
Looking at my two uncles’ smug faces, I asked coldly.
“Second Uncle, are you sure you and Third Uncle have the right to inherit the conglomerate?”
Third Uncle pursed his lips, briefly unnerved, then turned to Second Uncle, acting nonchalant.
“Brother, today’s a big day. All the important figures are coming soon. Don’t let outsiders see a joke.”
Hearing Third Uncle, I guessed he remembered his status and got scared. After all, Grandpa is the richest man in Country A, the actual power behind the conglomerate.
My dad is his only son, and naturally, I am his only granddaughter. As for my two uncles, they are just sons of Grandpa’s elder brother.
After Grandpa’s brother died, Grandpa took pity on them and took them in at the Johnson Family.
So they have no direct blood relation to Grandpa, and naturally, it won’t be their turn to inherit the conglomerate.
They were just given a chance to work in the conglomerate.
But Second Uncle was too foolish to understand the implication in my words, frowning and looking displeased at Third Uncle.
“She’s so unruly today, even hitting Nora. She can’t be let off easily.”
“Lydia, I think your delusions have worsened. Don’t force me to send you back to the mental institution!”
The mention of the mental institution reignited my fury. It reminded me of the inhumane torture I suffered before dying in my past life.
Last time, they manipulated me with so-called familial affection and morality, forcing me to retreat step by step, leaving me in a sorry state.
In the end, to satisfy Nora’s curiosity about how much blood a living person could lose before dying, they tricked me into the mental institution and watched coldly as I was tortured to death.
Even though we were family, and after they came to the Johnson Family, I treated them sincerely for decades.
But they indulged her in impersonating me to please a mistress, disregarding even a shred of familial bond.
Now I understand.
In my two uncles’ eyes, I, a living person, was less than their noble love. I could be discarded at will. But I’m curious, if given a choice between Nora and power, which would they choose?
Returning to the present, I curled my lips into a cold smile.
“Do you dare say again in public who really is the Johnson Family heiress and the conglomerate’s successor?”
Before my uncles could answer, a woman came running out of the crowd, claws bared. She raised her hand and slapped me, her sharp nails scratching my cheek.
“Wretch, this is the territory of Country A’s Leading Conglomerate. What right do you have to shout here?!”
Caught off guard, I was furious and saw clearly the woman in front of me.
She’s not a big deal, just an illegitimate daughter of a small manager under the group.
Since meeting my two uncles, she’s been fantasizing about marrying one of them.
Later, she heard that Nora was the Johnson Family heiress. To appear more in front of my uncles, she followed Nora around like a shadow.
It’s a pity… She’s a fool, completely wrong. Nora isn’t the real heiress but the mistress kept by her lover!
I narrowed my eyes and then returned the slap to the illegitimate daughter.
Taking advantage of her unpreparedness, I kicked her hard, sending her tumbling to the ground.
“Who are you, a stray cat or dog, to act up in front of me?! Believe it or not, a word from me could have your whole family begging on their knees!”
She rolled on the ground, clutching her stomach, screaming in disbelief.
“Lydia dared to hit me?! No one has ever dared to hit me before!
“Just you wait, I won’t let you off!”
Nora stepped up to help her, “Yara, don’t be angry. Lydia has some mental issues. I’ll apologize on her behalf, okay?”
I rolled my eyes in disdain, coldly mocking, “Nora, you’re really shameless! Why not just enjoy being a well-kept mistress? Do you have no self-awareness pretending to be the Johnson Family heiress in such a setting?”
Saying this, I sighed and turned to the two uncles beside me.
“You have one minute to take your mistresses and leave, or don’t blame me for being rude!”
The teapot shattered, the loud crash and my furious yell echoed through the hall. The crowd burst into cruel laughter at my words.
“Reckless! First, she claims to be the granddaughter of the richest man, now the conglomerate’s heir. Fool!”
“Even if she is the Johnson Family heiress, the richest man has two sons! How could it ever be her turn?”
Looking at my two uncles’ smug faces, I asked coldly.
“Second Uncle, are you sure you and Third Uncle have the right to inherit the conglomerate?”
Third Uncle pursed his lips, briefly unnerved, then turned to Second Uncle, acting nonchalant.
“Brother, today’s a big day. All the important figures are coming soon. Don’t let outsiders see a joke.”
Hearing Third Uncle, I guessed he remembered his status and got scared. After all, Grandpa is the richest man in Country A, the actual power behind the conglomerate.
Seeing the smug faces of my two uncles, I retorted sharply.
“Second Uncle, do you really think you and Third Uncle have the right to inherit the conglomerate?”
Third Uncle pursed his lips, guilt flashing briefly across his face before he quickly looked away towards Second Uncle.
“Brother, today is a big day. Important people will be here. Let’s not make a scene.”
His words suggested that he was reminded of his own status and felt intimidated.
After all, my Grandpa is the richest man in Country A and the true power behind the conglomerate.
My father is his only son, which makes me his only direct granddaughter.
As for my two uncles, they’re merely the sons of Grandpa’s late older brother.
After their father passed away, Grandpa took them in out of pity, allowing them into the Johnson Family.
They aren’t directly related by blood to Grandpa, so they have no claim to the conglomerate’s inheritance. They were only given jobs there.
Yet, Second Uncle, oblivious to the undertones of my words, frowned at Third Uncle with displeasure.
“She’s been too unruly today and even hit Nora. We can’t let this slide.”
“Lydia, it seems your delusions are worsening. Don’t force me to have you sent back to the institution!”
The mention of the “institution” triggered my anger again, recalling the torment I endured before my death in my previous life.
They had used fake family love and morals to manipulate me into conceding, all for Nora Johnson.
They pushed me to retreat, step by step, leaving me in a miserable state.
In the end, they even conspired to trick me into an institution to satisfy Nora’s morbid curiosity about how much blood a person could lose before dying.
I was their real family, having genuinely cared for them since they joined the Johnson Family, sharing decades together.
Yet, they preferred to indulge Nora, letting her assume my identity, disregarding familial bonds, just to please their mistress.
Now, I understood.
In my uncles’ eyes, a living person like me was insignificant compared to their so-called noble love.
I could be discarded at will.
But I’m curious, if they had to choose between Nora and power, which would they choose?
Returning to the moment, I smirked coldly.
“Do you dare to publicly declare again who the true Johnson Family Heiress and the conglomerate’s heir is?”
Before my uncles could respond, a woman stormed out of the crowd, looking aggressive.
She slapped me, her sharp nails scratching my cheek.
“You have no right to make a scene here in Country A’s Leading Conglomerate’s territory!”
Caught off guard, I took the hit, but even in my anger, I recognized the woman.
She wasn’t anyone significant, just the illegitimate daughter of a small manager under the conglomerate.
After meeting my uncles, she fantasized about marrying one of them.
Later, she heard Nora was the Johnson Family Heiress, and to increase her chances of meeting my uncles, she followed Nora around like a loyal puppy.
Too bad for her… she doesn’t realize how wrong she is.
Nora isn’t any legitimate heiress; she’s just the cherished mistress!
I narrowed my eyes, then slapped the illegitimate daughter back.
While she was unprepared, I kicked her to the ground.
“Who do you think you are, to act so insolently in front of me? Believe it or not, with just one word, I can have your whole family begging on their knees!”
She rolled on the ground, clutching her stomach in disbelief, and screamed.
“Lydia dared to hit me?! No one has ever dared to hit me since I was a child!
“Just wait, I won’t let you off!”
At this moment, Nora came forward to support her.
“Yara, don’t be mad. Lydia has some mental issues. Let me apologize on her behalf, okay?”
I rolled my eyes and mocked coldly:
“Nora, you really have no shame! Why can’t you be content as a well-kept mistress? Do you have no self-awareness to impersonate the Johnson Family Heiress in such settings?”
Sighing, I turned to the two uncles standing nearby.
“You have one minute. Take your little lovers and leave, or don’t blame me for being rude!”