Chapter 4

On his deathbed, my father had said to Hugh, “Tasmin is a cold, heartless monster. She’s ruthless and selfish to the core.

“Hugh, if you choose her, you’ll live to regret it.”

After leaving the hospital, I went to the racetrack to drive.

Hugh’s words kept echoing in my mind the entire time.

The wind was bitterly cold, and it stung my skin.

“Ms. Sheargold, all the videos have been taken down. We found out that someone on the Northside is the one who did it.”

I glanced at Bennet’s grim expression.

Bennet added, “Mr. Castillo left the hospital and went to the old estate. The consigliere is calling you in now. It doesn’t look like they’re inviting you for tea.”

I nodded and instructed him to prepare a few items for me.

By the time I arrived at the Sheargold family’s mansion, Hugh was seated imposingly in the main chair.

A signet ring lay beside his hand.

This ring was the token of authority for the head of the Sheargold family.

I had searched for it for years. I did not expect my father to have given it to Hugh.

My second uncle, Arnold Sheargold, walked over furiously, leaning on his cane.

Bennet, seeing the hostile arrival, instinctively moved forward but remained humble.

“Bennet, you’ve been with the Sheargold family for years, yet you enable Tasmin’s actions and let her make a fool of herself and us out there!”

Arnold let out a cold snort and ordered his men to force me to stand before my father’s portrait.

“The head of the Sheargold family has always been the one who proves themselves most capable. Tasmin, you rule like a tyrant. You don’t even have the signet ring. The Sheargold family doesn’t belong in the hands of someone like you!

“From today, everything under you in the Sheargold family will be handed over to Hugh. Until that’s done, you’ll be grounded here, and you’ll properly atone to your father!”

‘Atone? How absurd!’ I thought.

Over the years, I had exhausted myself expanding the Sheargold family’s empire. We had nearly monopolized the entire Northside.

When things had stabilized, they wanted to cast me aside and reap the rewards. What a classic case of using someone up and throwing them away!

I had been training to fight since childhood, so I turned and threw the bodyguard behind me to the floor.

The moment I fought back, chaos erupted in the hall.

Hugh stepped forward and restrained me from behind. I bent down and landed a solid punch on him.

He did not block my attack. Instead, he kicked me hard in the knee.

The pain made me buckle, and both my knees gave way as I fell toward the doorway.

A pair of light-colored high heels came into view.

Lana stood above me in a white dress, looking down at me in contempt.

Hugh pressed the back of my head down and slammed my forehead hard against the floor.

“Taz, stop being so delusional! This apology is long overdue. It’s what you owe Lana.”

The pain in my forehead was sharp, and I could feel the blood trickling down.

Lana lunged forward, grabbed me, and slapped me hard across the face twice.

“Give me back my child, you trash!”

Her fingernails scratched bloody marks across my cheeks.

Hugh released me, then wrapped his arms around Lana. She was hysterical. He held her and comforted her. “Lana, don’t be scared. I’m right here. You’re okay.”

I felt rage burn in me as I reached for my waist, only to find my sidearm missing.

Hugh was holding it in his hand as he scooped up the frantic Lana in his arms.

He glanced back at my disheveled state and pursed his lips.

“I’m taking Lana somewhere else. Until then, you stay right here and think about what you’ve done.”

The heavy doors were locked from the outside.

I stood up and looked at everything in the hall.

I laughed so hard that tears streamed down my face.

I smashed every single thing in the hall to pieces.

In the dead of night, flames began to glow from within the hall.

The fire grew fiercer. By the time Hugh arrived, the entire hall had already been consumed by a blaze.

Arnold and the other consigliere stood nearby. They were so furious that they nearly fainted.

Hugh yelled frantically, “Put out the fire! Taz is still in there! Hurry and save her!”

“Hugh, don’t go in! It’s not safe!”

Lana hugged him from behind.

His panic only grew worse. That was when Bennet appeared, limping toward them.

When everyone saw what Bennet was holding, Hugh stopped struggling, and everyone present stood rooted in speechless shock.