Chapter 3
My uncles stood still, their faces grim.
“Lydia, I’m warning you, we have real power in the company now, and you’re just a poor student who hasn’t even entered the company. If anyone’s leaving, it’s you!”
“Hey?—”
A sudden middle-aged woman’s voice interrupted.
“What are you all doing here? The shareholder meeting is about to start, hurry up and get inside!”
The newcomer had an elegant aura, exuding a mature woman’s charm.
It was my mother, Adeline.
But she didn’t even glance at me, walking straight to Nora’s side.
While wiping Nora’s tears with concern, she anxiously asked.
“What happened, Nora? Who bullied you…?”
“Let me deal with that blind fool!”
Upon hearing this, Second Uncle immediately pointed at me, accusingly.
“Sister-in-law, you arrived just in time! This poor student dares to impersonate the Johnson Family Heiress and spread lies here!”
“As the main lady of the Johnson Family, you must teach her a lesson!”
My mom was instantly furious, raising her hand to slap me.
“Lydia, just because I haven’t been strict with you for a while, you think you can act so recklessly?”
“Kneel and apologize to Nora now, or leave the Johnson Family and never come back!”
Listening to my own mother’s malicious scolding, ignoring the facts, disappointment flooded my heart.
Just like in my previous life, she stood with my uncles on Nora’s side.
Pain throbbed in my chest.
I never understood, I’m her daughter, while Nora is just a mistress of my uncles.
But after knowing about Nora’s existence, my mother was overjoyed and went out of her way to be good to her.
Later, when she found out my uncles were both keeping Nora, she was furious and threw a huge fit.
That day, seeing my mom scold my uncles, I even spoke up for them.
But my mom took her anger out on me, whipping me several times, leaving ugly scars on my back.
Yet in the end, my mom allowed my uncles to continue keeping Nora and even arranged for Nora to be packaged as a wealthy, foreign-educated girl.
She also told my uncles they must treat Nora well.
They had to compete fairly, letting Nora decide who to be with.
And whoever she chose would inherit all of my mom’s estate.
Comparatively, Nora seemed more like her biological daughter.
I only realized the truth after I died in my past life.
Nora was actually the child my mom had with a lover before marrying my dad.
Back then, to marry into a wealthy family, she hid the fact that she was pregnant and abandoned Nora, who was just a baby.
Now, years later, finding Nora again, she naturally tried every way to make up for it.
Poor Dad, who died young, never knew the woman he loved for years had a child behind his back.
Thinking of this, a wave of nausea washed over me.
“I’m not wrong! Why should I apologize?”
“It’s my uncles who falsely claimed Nora is the Johnson Family Heiress and the heir to the conglomerate, Mom, don’t you have anything to say?”
Upon hearing my words, Nora, with a pale face, shrank into my mother’s arms, tears streaming down her face.
As expected, my mother couldn’t bear to see Nora suffer and became angry, slapping me twice again.
“Lydia, stop being unreasonable! Nora is my daughter, the Johnson Family Heiress!”
At that moment, all my grievances erupted, and I shouted at her.
“Adeline, she’s your daughter, but what about me? How can you do this and face my dad?!”
Adeline ignored my cries, coldly turning to instruct my uncles.
“What are you waiting for, get this girl who bullied Nora out of here!”
I felt a deep sadness.
Is this the mother I’ve respected for eighteen years?
The wife my dad loved for over twenty years?
Dad probably never imagined that the two brothers he cared for would hurt his own daughter for a mistress.
And his wife would nurture an illegitimate child while letting me be humiliated.
At this moment, I truly felt it was all in vain, for me and my dad all these years.
As the guards were about to grab me, I straightened my back, defiant.
“Stop! This is the Johnson Family’s territory, who are you outsiders to give orders here!”
I emphasized “Johnson Family” heavily.
My words seemed to provoke Adeline, who lunged and grabbed my hair.
She instructed my uncles to hold me down firmly, keeping me immobile.
Swearing all the while.
“The Johnson Family?! Over the years, I’ve managed everything inside and out, which matter in the conglomerate wasn’t handled by me, why should you inherit it?”
Mom crazily slammed my head onto the floor, leaving my face bloodied.
“Let me tell you! The conglomerate is mine, and I’ll decide who gets it!”
My scalp felt like it was being torn apart, sweat pouring from my pain, yet my voice was firm.
“The conglomerate is Dad’s. I’m his only daughter, I’m the heir!”
Adeline’s anger intensified, kicking me repeatedly.
“Lydia, stop dreaming about things that aren’t yours! I’ve decided to give the conglomerate to Nora as a dowry, you won’t get a single cent!”
Mom, in a fit of rage, slammed my head against the floor, leaving my face covered in blood.
“Listen here! The Conglomerate is mine, and I’ll decide who gets it!”
The skin on my head felt like it was tearing apart, and cold sweat poured down from the pain, but my voice remained firm.
“The Conglomerate belongs to Dad. I’m his only daughter, so I’m the rightful heir!”
Adeline’s anger flared even more as she kicked me repeatedly.
“Lydia Johnson, stop coveting what isn’t yours! I’ve already decided to give the Conglomerate to Nora as her dowry. You won’t get a single cent!”
With these words, the crowd erupted in shock, their gazes toward Nora Johnson becoming more intense.
At the same time, a deep, commanding male voice sounded from behind.
“Adeline, who gave you the audacity to offer my Conglomerate to your illegitimate daughter as a dowry?”