Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts

Chapter 245

"So what if you got it? Can you even manage it? The state of the company right now can't be solved by just the two of us." Maybe Hunter's words had some effect, as Emma still had some sense left in her.

Sure, she wanted the Galeana Group, but she knew if she handled things worse, the Galeana Group would be toast. Even if she got it, it would just be a worthless shell. Only a little use really.

"We can hire people to manage it. If we don't know how. Is there anything money can't do?" Shirley retorted angrily.

"We need to wait until the company stabilizes a bit first. Dad recently said that a lot of people have been eyeing the Galeana Group like hungry wolves. We can't let them take advantage of our situation." All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

"Emma, what's with you lately? You always go against me now, not listening to anything I say. Everything I do is for your own good!" Shirley looked at Emma, her heavily made-up face twitching with anger.

"Mom." Emma felt a deep sense of helplessness, not knowing how to explain to her.

"Dad, that's all you've been saying lately. He's already dead. From now on, I'm the only one you can rely on, alright?" Emma touched a nerve with those words and couldn't help but ask, "Can I really rely on you?"

Perhaps due to her pregnancy, she's been able to think more calmly than before for the sake of her child. She's also realized a hard truth: her mother wasn't reliable. She wasn't able to give her a sense of security.

"I see now, you've been brainwashed by your father. He's pretty crafty. He managed to change your mind overnight. You underestimated him. Can't you see? Everything he did was to pave the way for Ines. You're being too naive."

Emma didn't say anything, just said, "Mom, I thought about this for several days before deciding. Let's not fight for now. Let's wait until the company stabilizes."

"Father, family, think about how he's treated you over the years. He's never shown you kindness. You're always walking on eggshells around him. Didn't you find his sudden kindness strange?" Shirley continued to try to brainwash Emma.

"Mom, you just don't understand. Dad knew his time was running out, so he wanted to tell me as soon as possible. People tend to speak kindly when they're about to die. I choose to believe him."

Shirley didn't look surprised at all. Instead, she scoffed, "Good for him, even knowing he's about to die, still fooling you."

"Mom, aren't you sad to hear this news at all? Or did you know all along?" When Ines told them the news that day, Shirley wasn't there. She'd thought Shirley didn't know.

"Sad, why should I be? He deliberately hid his illness. It's none of my business. Everyone dies. What's the difference between dying early or late?" Shirley said ruthlessly.

Looking at Shirley like this, Emma felt like she didn't know her anymore. Her previous gentleness and kindness disappeared, replaced by a greedy face. It was as if she'd become a completely different person.

"Mom, how could you become like this? Didn't you say Dad was your childhood sweetheart? How can you have no sentiment towards him at all?"

"Sentiment? I'm not young anymore. My love for him disappeared more than twenty years ago. After you've experienced what I've experienced, you'll know that men are the least reliable thing in the world. The only thing you can rely on is money in your hand. Without money, you're nothing." The thought of the will she saw in Hunter's drawer ignited her anger. He didn't leave her anything. How could she bear that?

Hearing this, Emma was shocked. No wonder Dad said such things. He must've known her true colours long ago. That's why he told her not to trust Shirley's words blindly.

A bold thought suddenly crossed her mind. Maybe Dad's accident wasn't an accident, but as they suspected, a murder. And the only one with a motive seemed to be her own mother. She harboured a lot of resentment in her heart.

Emma's lips trembled as she looked at Shirley and asked nervously, "Mom, did you have anything to do with dad's death?"

Shirley was taken aback. Looking at Emma, she said excitedly, "Do you even know what you're asking?"

"Mom, I just want to know the truth."

"So what if you know, will you send me to jail yourself?" Shirley looked at Emma angrily.

"Mom, did you really do it?" Emma pressed on.

In her agitation, Shirley couldn't hold back and said, "Emma, what's the point of knowing so much? I'll tell you, the will your dad left had pitifully little for you, less than a tenth of his wealth. The rest all went to Ines and her unborn child. If he truly cared about you, he would never have done that."

After saying those words, Shirley regretted it, feeling she was too impulsive and immediately shut up.

But Emma had heard clearly and understood one thing. She looked at Shirley nervously, "Dad left a will?"

"No." Shirley denied it flatly.

"Mom, do you think I'm three years old? You just said you saw dad's will, that what was left for me wasn't even a tenth of it. Where's the will?"

"Nothing. There's no will, you heard wrong."

"Mom, stop lying to me. There's so many things you've been lying to me about."

"What do you want to know so much for. I'll tell you, the will's already been destroyed by me. Nothing was left for me, and what was left for you and Jasmine was only 10% of the Galeana Group's stocks. He held 52% and only left you so little. The rest all went to Ines. What good would that will do you?" Shirley growled.

Emma seemed unable to accept this fact, slumping weakly onto the couch.

There was a knock at the office door. Shirley took a breath to steady herself, composed her emotions, and went to open the door. The visitor was a man who said, "Ma'am, the things you asked for, I've prepared them all."

Shirley flashed a smile, looking as prim and proper as always, as if it wasn't her that was just tearing her heart out, "Sir, come on in. I've already sent word to the others. They should be here any minute now." The man nodded, "Alright then."