Chapter 3

My two brothers stared at me angrily.

"Tina, let me remind you, we're the ones who actually hold power in the company. You're still a student. If anyone's getting thrown out, it's you!"

"What's going on? Why are you all standing here? Shouldn't you be seated?"

Just then, a dignified and well-dressed middle-aged man squeezed into the crowd.

He was Bobby, the CEO of Skyrise Group and also my biological father.

Instead of coming to my side, he directly approached Tina and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes.

"Tina, don't cry. Who upset you? Tell me. I'll make sure they pay for it!"

David pointed at me angrily. "Who else? Cindy, that arrogant little brat, had the nerve to bully Tina right under my nose!"

Without hesitation, Bobby slapped me across the face.

"Cindy, you've got some nerve. How dare you throw your weight around and bully Tina?

"Kneel and apologize to her right now. Otherwise, don't expect to receive a single cent of your living expenses this year."

Staring at Bobby, who didn't even bother asking what happened before blaming me, I felt a wave of disappointment wash over me.

Just like in my previous life, Bobby was blindly doting on Tina, completely siding with her and my two brothers.

Although I had expected this, it still stung.

I never understood why. I was Bobby's biological daughter. Tina was just my brothers' plaything.

But the moment Bobby laid eyes on her, it was like he fell under some kind of spell.

After he found out both of my brothers had kept Tina as their sugar baby, he flew into a rage and whipped them both for an entire day and night.

Back then, I had even pleaded with Bobby in order to protect my brothers.

I ended up accidentally getting two lashes myself. They became scars on my arm that never faded.

After that, Bobby not only forbade my brothers from seeing Tina again, but even used his connections to get her into the top college in Asperio.

Most importantly, he gave my brothers a message.

If either of them truly loved Tina, they should compete fairly for her hand. Whoever married her would become the heir to his entire fortune.

That strange obsession of his in the past life had always puzzled me, so I secretly investigated Tina's background.

That's when I found out that Tina was the daughter of Bobby's first love.

She looked exactly like her mother. The moment Bobby saw her, he knew who she was.

That was the power of a long-lost love. Tina's familiar face alone was enough to completely win over Bobby's heart.

My mother, who died too early from an illness, never even knew that her husband had been hiding another woman in his heart the entire time.

Thinking of this, I looked at Bobby with bitter sarcasm.

"I'm not apologizing, but since my brothers are calling Tina their sister and claiming she's the heiress of Skyrise Group, don't you think you owe everyone here an explanation?"

Tina immediately looked at Bobby with teary eyes because she knew that was his biggest weakness.

Sure enough, the moment Bobby saw her crying, he gave me two more slaps across the face.

"What's there to explain? They're absolutely right. Tina is my daughter. She's the rightful heiress of Skyrise Group!"

I stared at Bobby, furious at the blatant lie, and finally couldn't hold back my rage.

"Dad, how could you say that? Doesn't your conscience ache for my mother, who gave her life to this family? I dare you to look me in the eye and repeat what you just said!"

Bobby ignored me completely and turned to my brothers.

"Take this trash who bullied your sister and throw her out."

As I looked at my cold and heartless father, a thousand emotions surged in my chest.

So this was the man my mother had loved all her life?

This was the man I had admired and looked up to for eighteen years?

My poor mother had no idea. After her death, the two boys she had lovingly raised ended up hurting her own daughter for the sake of a sugar baby.

To top it off, instead of protecting their child, her husband wanted to kick her out for the daughter of his first love.

At that moment, all I felt was sorrow for myself and for my late mother.

I lifted my head and locked eyes with Bobby.

"Skyrise Group belongs to my family. I won't let outsiders like you run wild in it," I said coldly.

I made sure to emphasize 'my family' when I uttered those words.

As soon as I finished speaking, Bobby lost his temper.

He ordered my two brothers to hold me down, pinning me so I couldn't move.

"Your family? What a joke!"

Bobby stormed up behind me, grabbed me by the hair, and slammed my forehead against the glass wall.

"I've been the one running Skyrise Group all these years. Why the hell shouldn't it be mine? Why shouldn't I get to decide who inherits it?"

I held back my tears and shouted defiantly, "Skyrise Group belongs to Grandma. I'm the real heiress of the company!"

Bang!

Before I could catch my breath, Bobby smashed my head against the glass wall again.

He continued shouting furiously.

"Cindy, quit dreaming. I already gave Skyrise Group to Tina as her wedding gift last year. Whoever marries her will inherit the company!"

His words sent a wave of shock through the entire crowd. Everyone's eyes lit up as they stared at Tina.

At that moment, a commanding voice came from behind me.

"Bobby, I dare you to say that again. Who did you just claim is the heiress of Skyrise Group?"