LOGINMy family stared at me like I had grown a second head. They looked at me with awe and fear, walking on eggshells around me.I let out a huge yawn and flopped onto the leather sofa William had just been sitting on.I grabbed Joanne’s hand before she could pull away and whined, soft and lazy, “Talking is so exhausting. Being a big shot is exhausting. At home, I don’t want to be any of that. Is that okay?”I looked at my parents and brothers, then at Joanne. “You guys are my favorite. You’re not going to ditch me just because I can talk now, are you?”My whiny, spoiled tone instantly broke all the tension in the room.Joanne froze for a second. Then, tears started streaming down her face, and she burst out laughing through them.She hugged me tight. “I’m here, Sylvia. I’ll always be here. You have no idea how happy it makes me to know you can talk!”My seven brothers’ eyes welled up, and they all rushed over at once.Bennett snatched up the trifle and bolted for the kitchen. My
I looked down at him and watched him grovel on the floor. I spoke softly, the way he had when he first barged in. “Isn’t watching your prey despair your favorite thing? “Don’t you love crushing people’s dignity? “Treating women like pets is just your style, isn’t it?“So, how does it feel now?”William’s whole body went rigid. He raised his bloodied face and looked at me in terror.I said coldly, “I’m not forgiving you. A jerk like you doesn’t deserve mercy or forgiveness.“Without the Dupont name backing you, you’re nothing. You don’t even deserve to be my pet.”I watched as he completely lost his mind. He clutched his head and let out a bloodcurdling scream as he broke down. I frowned in disgust and waved casually at the bodyguards beside me.“He’s being too loud. Throw him out.“Don’t let him dirty my floor.”Two bodyguards stepped forward at once. They grabbed the former tycoon’s legs and dragged him out of the villa.With the crisis over and the dust settled,
William sat slumped on the floor, feeling utterly defeated.He thought he had been the one in control, toying with the Clack family like cornered animals in a cage.But he had finally realized he was nothing more than an insignificant ant beneath my feet.On the screen, Sebastian was determined to cut loose that ticking time bomb for good. He delivered his final verdict on William, who had fallen into the mud.“From this moment on, you’re no longer part of the Dupont family. “In the name of the head of the family, I declare publicly that you, William Dupont, as of right now, are stripped of your status as first in line for succession. “You are expelled from the family and struck from the family registry! Whether you live or die no longer has anything to do with us!He gasped for breath and commanded harshly, “Now, slap yourself and apologize to every member of the Clack family. Beg for their forgiveness. “If the Doctor doesn’t approve, just die where you stand in Esterlyn!”
I walked up to him and looked down at him.“Go on, hit Enter.” I nudged the black-screened tablet with the tip of my shoe. “Try and crush me. I dare you.”William completely panicked. That sickly elegance he had been carrying the whole time finally cracked, twisting his face into something ugly.“Impossible... This can’t be happening!” He refused to believe it and struggled desperately.With a blood-covered hand, he pulled out his phone and started frantically calling his overseas allies, hoping to call in a favor and turn things around.“Hello? Uncle Smith! It’s William! I need a five-billion-dollar loan.”The line went silent for a second. Then, a voice screamed back at him, “You lunatic! You upset someone you shouldn’t have, so go die on your own! Don’t drag our family down with you!The call was hung up at lightning speed.William refused to give up and dialed another number.“Richard, you promised you’d help me crush the Clack family!”“William, you’ve been kicked out of
Clara pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses and reported in a crisp, businesslike tone, “Sylvia, per your instructions, I’ve contacted every clinic director under our sect.“The power broker of Northbeau’s financial world has already ordered the severing of three of the Dupont family’s main funding chains in that state.“The oil tycoon in Dahran has just announced a halt to all crude oil supplies for every Dupont heavy industry enterprise.“Every bank in Marlovia has frozen all of the Dupont family’s deposits.”Clara paused and glanced at William, whose face had drained of all color, then continued with a hint of amusement in her voice.“The other seven families William mentioned have just ceased all hostile actions against the Clack family. They’ve also sent letters of apology.“With just one word from you, the Dupont family’s century-old empire won’t survive the night.”Clara’s words landed like a devastating blow on William.Sebastian nearly passed out from terror.To calm my a
Joanne walked over, pulled me into a hug, and said softly, “You’re our princess. You’ll never have to suffer again.”On the other end of the line, Sebastian let out a fawning laugh. “Dr. Clack, my grandson didn’t know any better. He offended you. I’ll ask him to properly apologize to you.“Now, about this year’s medication...”I looked at Sebastian coldly. “Apologize? That’s it?“Mr. Dupont, my father and brothers are hurt. My mother and my sister are both traumatized. You think that’s enough to make it all go away?”William’s entire worldview shattered.Just minutes ago, he had held everyone’s lives in the palm of his hand.In an instant, he was the prisoner, completely at everyone else’s mercy, waiting for them to decide his fate.“Let go of me!” He screamed hysterically, “Grandpa, what are you so afraid of? A minute ago, her whole family was in my hands!“Besides my family, we’ve still got seven other allied families! Any one of them could crush the Clack family completely!







