Chapter 589 The Blackmail
Owen’s brow furrowed deeper. “What are you so relieved about?”
Timothy wiped his grimy hands casually across the leather couch. “Elsie had a 10% stake in Saunders Hospital. I did my homework before I came. Even if you sold it cheap, that 10% would fetch at least 200 million. As her biological father, I’m entitled to inherit her assets. Nothing wrong with that, is there?”
Owen’s eyes bulged. The sheer audacity stunned him.
“That’s the Saunders family’s property! You have no right to inherit any of it!”
Timothy chuckled lazily. “Watch your mouth, Owen. You know better than anyone where Elsie really came from. There are still people alive who know the truth.”
This wasn’t just about Elsie’s reputation anymore–it could implicate Owen in serious crimes.
Owen gritted his teeth. He could see exactly what Timothy was after. “Elsie’s dead. Her body was cremated. What proof do you have she wasn’t a Saunders? The real daughter’s still alive, and you, me, and Oscar are all alive too. You really think she won’t come out and tell the truth?”
His face went pale.
Timothy continued, calm and unbothered. “Be smart. I’m only asking for 10%. I’m not trying to take everything. That portion was rightfully Elsie’s anyway.”
“It had nothing to do with Elsie! That was my dad’s inheritance to Yunice!” Owen snapped, only to realize too late that he’d said too much. His face flushed green with regret.
Timothy sprawled out on the couch, glancing around. “Nice house. If you can’t give me the shares, I’ll take this place instead. It’s a fair trade. Don’t worry–you two can keep living here even after it’s mine.”
Then he laughed. “Where’s your mom? Haven’t seen her in years. Is she still playing the lady of the house? Bet she’s even prettier now.”
“You son of a-” Owen couldn’t take it anymore. He lunged, grabbed Timothy by the collar, and yanked him up.
Timothy sneered, completely unfazed. “Don’t get any ideas. I’ve got a house here in Silverburgh. I’m not some backwoods nobody anymore. If anything happens to me–if I vanish or die–you’re going down for it.”
He was ready for this. He came prepared.
Owen’s jaw clenched so tight his bones cracked. In the end, he let go. Left with no other option, he made a call to Yunice.
She had just received full ownership of Saunders Hospital and the Saunders estate.
She had been the true buyer behind the scenes.
More than a year ago, when the hospital’s profits began to slide, Yunice had used intermediaries to approach Owen about acquiring it, always offering generous terms. She’d laid the trap slowly, carefully, weakening Owen’s support, isolating him bit by bit until he had nowhere else to turn.
Like a slippery loach forced to burrow into chilled tofu–stuck between discomfort and desperation.
Her trap gave him no real choice. It offered temporary relief while ensuring a longer, more painful fall. There was no way back.
Owen thought he had scored a great deal by selling for 30 billion, not realizing he had fallen right into Yunice’s hands. She had just swindled 100 billion from Paul. She didn’t care about money at all. Her bait had paid off far beyond expectation.
When her phone rang and she saw Owen’s name, Yunice already knew what he was calling about.
She answered slowly, her voice cool. “Hello?”
Owen lowered his voice, frustrated and agitated. “Nuonuo, could you do me a favor?”
“Go ahead,” Yunice replied flatly.
Owen froze. His brows twitched with surprise and–somehow–hope.
He had expected Yunice to snap at him like before, to argue. But instead, she sounded calm. Cooperative.
He started to wonder if she was softening. Maybe now that Elsie was gone, with the obstacle between them out of the way, she wanted to come home again.
People were like fallen leaves, after all–always returning to their roots.
And with a family like theirs, no matter how bad the fights got… didn’t they always end up back together in the end?