Dealing with these seemingly sincere but actually manipulative tactics was tricky. If Khloe wasn’t careful, she could end up being seen as overly confrontational.
After all, there are always people who, without knowing the full story, preach about the sanctity of family and urge reconciliation, turning a blind eye to the underlying truth.
Khloe smiled, a cold glint in her eyes. “Fine. I’ll give you a chance to make things right.”
She met Sloane’s falsely innocent gaze with a calm expression and continued, “An apology, however, should come with a price. I’m not interested in someone like Eric; what I want is the Evans family fortune. If you sign over your rights to their assets, I’ll let this slide and go home with you right away. That way, you won’t need to worry about me being in any danger, my dear sister.”
Sloane was stunned, caught off guard by Khloe’s unexpected demand. She stood speechless, unsure of how to react.
Khloe sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. “What’s wrong? Are you not willing? You were just begging for my forgiveness a moment ago. Now it seems it was all a lie.”
Sloane felt trapped by Khloe’s words, her composure slipping in front of the crowd. The intense gazes from those around her were like daggers, cutting into her. Her face flushed with humiliation before draining of color. She didn’t want to comply with Khloe’s request. However, having just publicly vowed to make amends, she couldn’t back out without contradicting herself.
“I’m not making excuses. I truly want to make it right,” Sloane said, forcing down the resentment that boiled inside her, managing a calm expression. “Legal approval is difficult to obtain, and I can’t make final decisions about the Evans family’s assets. How about this? I’ll transfer all the properties in my name to you.”
As she spoke, a deep pang of loss struck her.
It was a huge sacrifice, but once free from Khloe’s grasp, she swore she would make her pay dearly.
“Too bad. I’m not interested in your properties,” Khloe said with a sly grin. “Why don’t you return the shares of Genesis Company that my mother established? You said you were managing them for me because I was too young. Isn’t it about time you gave them back?”
Sloane’s face hardened. Lorraine, standing beside her, let out an uncontrolled scream, clearly rattled.
“Khloe, have you lost your mind? Don’t push your luck! Genesis Company belongs to Sloane. Everything in the Evans family is hers!” Lorraine shouted, only realizing afterward how out of line she sounded.
The crowd quickly caught on, and murmurs of disapproval spread.
“The mother and daughter say they want to make amends, but neither is willing to part with anything of real worth. Khloe can afford a billion-dollar necklace; a few houses mean nothing to her.”
“Lorraine’s words were absurd. Khloe claimed the company belonged to her mother. Why not just return it to her?”
“Sloane always sees herself as the noble lady of the Evans family. She wouldn’t lower herself to acting like a home wrecker, holding on to Khloe’s mother’s property, would she?”
As the murmurs around her grew louder, Sloane felt a rush of anger cloud her vision.
Genesis Company was the Evans family’s lifeline. Once prestigious, the family had fallen from grace and now only held its position because of the weapons manufacturing company. The core technology had been developed by Khloe’s mother and her team. Giving up the shares meant the family’s downfall.
Of course, Sloane didn’t want to agree, but the crowd’s eyes were on her, waiting for a response.
Khloe’s request seemed reasonable-she only sought what was rightfully her mother’s. How could it be wrong? They couldn’t claim to be Khloe’s family while clinging to her mother’s assets.
“Khloe, your mother’s shares are undoubtedly yours, but Genesis Company has been suffering massive losses, which the Evans family has been covering. If you take control, the company would collapse. Besides, the issue of the shares has always been under our father’s control. I can’t interfere with that without upsetting him.”
Khloe’s expression remained cold, her eyes narrowing as she regarded Sloane. “Stop trying to complicate things, Sloane. I’m asking you to renounce your claim to Genesis Company’s shares. This has nothing to do with anyone else.”
Sloane’s face drained of color, but she fought to hold her ground. “But this is also a matter for our father to decide. If-“
Khloe cut her off sharply. “If you don’t want to give up my mother’s shares, just say so. Don’t offer excuses! Even if you can’t decide, don’t you have the right to refuse? You’ve already admitted this is my mother’s property. Can’t you just say you don’t want it?”
Before Sloane could defend herself, Khloe went straight to the heart of the matter.
“Sloane, stop pretending like you’re torn. No matter how much you and your mother try, you’ll never change the truth-you’re just an illegitimate daughter, and none of this is yours to inherit. If you can’t make a promise, then-“
Khloe’s words destroyed Sloane’s sense of dignity in an instant.
“Khloe, you’ve gone too far!” Sloane screamed, her voice shaking with tears.
“Too far?” Khloe shot back coldly, her gaze unflinching. “What’s too far is nothing compared to what you and your mother have done.”
Sloane’s fists tightened, her nails digging painfully into her palms, but all she felt was hatred for Khloe.
Unable to hold back her fury any longer, Lorraine snapped, “Khloe, what’s there to be so proud of? Do you think we don’t know your background? You’re completely incompetent! Do you honestly believe you can manage the Evans family’s assets? Sloane is a top student at Zhecrora University, while you don’t even have a degree! The Evans family will crumble under your hands.”
Though Lorraine’s words were laced with anger, they cleverly pointed out Khloe’s lack of formal education, subtly elevating Sloane’s position in contrast.
Rhett intervened, his voice firm. “Madam, that’s inappropriate. Khloe is far from what you claim. Her abilities and wisdom are well beyond the ordinary, and Evergreen Capital had originally intended for her to take on the role of CEO. She only declined because she had other plans. Someone valued by Evergreen Capital cannot be as incompetent as you said. As for you, making such claims-aren’t you afraid of being ridiculed?”
Lorraine stood frozen, rendered speechless by Rhett’s words, her face flushing with anger. Khloe shot a brief, grateful glance at Rhett.
“Thank you, Mr. Foster. Some people place too much importance on education, forgetting that true ability and vision are what really matter,” Khloe replied calmly. “And as for Lorraine, she’s trying to trap me with her logic. Even if I were incompetent, why should what my mother left me go to my father’s mistress?”
Khloe’s words cut to the heart of the issue.
The onlookers finally understood the true point now.
“Exactly! Khloe’s mother’s properties should be given to her daughter. No matter how remarkable the illegitimate daughter is, what does it matter? I’d rather burn or destroy them than let an outsider claim them.”
“Education may make you appear impressive, but without solid character, it means nothing.”
“And yet, Sloane acts like some noble, talented woman. Pathetic! Trash!”
The crowd’s harsh words made Lorraine’s and Sloane’s faces twist in fury.
Sloane quickly composed herself, realizing the gravity of the situation. She couldn’t let this escalate. Everyone present was from the entertainment industry. If she was branded as a mean, illegitimate daughter, her carefully crafted image of being kind, pure, and wealthy would be destroyed. It would ruin her career as a celebrity.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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