I gathered my courage and said, “Could you buy part of my shares to set up a charity foundation?”

Dad looked a little puzzled.

I explained seriously, “I want to use it to help people in disaster-stricken areas. First, as a way to pray for and honor Aunt Olivia, and second, to establish a good corporate image.”

“It would be best to livestream the event—it would help our company’s reputation.”

Dad hesitated. “This…”

George Anderson glared at him. “What? You can’t even spare that much money?”

Dad forced a smile. “George, how could you think that of me?”

George glanced at me and, a bit awkwardly, instructed, “Three days from now, gather the media and the company board. We’ll handle the share transfer and the charity foundation at the same time—there should be an explanation for everyone!”

I quickly added, “Dad, Aunt Olivia’s adopted child should also be there.”

Dad seemed suspicious. I sighed softly. “After all, Aunt Olivia died saving Mom. We need to show that child some consideration too.”

Dad finally agreed.

As I was leaving, George Anderson called to me in private. “Sophie!”

I stopped.

His stern demeanor softened into concern. “Sophie, you’re a decisive child—you wouldn’t make such a reckless decision without a reason. What’s really going on?”

“I’ve known your grandfather for decades and already see you as my own granddaughter. I would never harm you. Tell me the truth.”

I lowered my gaze, trying hard to hide my reddened eyes.

George was indeed someone I could trust, but I couldn’t put him in danger.

In my previous life, after I was killed by the kidnappers, he was the first to question the truth of my death.

But he was quickly silenced—arrested on fabricated charges of embezzlement.

Before being taken away, he shouted, “This is slander!”

Two days later, he died of a sudden heart attack in the detention center.

From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Dad’s bodyguard watching us, so I quickly pushed down the sting in my eyes and replied awkwardly, “George, nothing’s wrong. I just want to take a break.”

He sighed and didn’t press further.

Late at night, the wind and rain howled outside.

Carrying the weight of my thoughts, I padded barefoot down the hall, turning the lock quietly under the cover of thunder.

The villa was silent.

I’d heard that just yesterday, Dad had fired several longtime servants who had worked for Mom, accusing them of misconduct, planning to replace them with new ones.

I figured he was worried Aunt Olivia might slip up.

Even though she and Mom were twins and looked very much alike, their habits were completely different—making it easy for those who knew Mom well to notice something was off.

As I reached the master bedroom door, I heard a strange sound.

The door was ajar.

Through the crack, I could see clearly inside.

Dad was holding Aunt Olivia in his arms, lying on the bed that used to belong to him and Mom.

Their wedding photo still hung on the wall—Mom in her wedding dress, calmly gazing at them—while Dad and Aunt Olivia were shamelessly intimate.

A flash of lightning lit up their laughing faces.

My hands and feet went cold, bile rising in my throat.

I wanted to throw up.

Years ago, Dad would hold Mom as they sat in the living room, admiring the flowers in the garden.

Before long, Mom would shift uncomfortably, giving him an exasperated glare. “The child is grown—you still can’t behave yourself!”

Dad would grin mischievously. “That just means I’m in good health.”

Mom’s cheeks would flush pink. “You’re impossible!”

Now, the one in Dad’s arms was Aunt Olivia.

A clap of thunder sounded.

Boom!

Aunt Olivia flinched in fright.

She pushed Dad away, asking anxiously, “Richard, do you think Julia’s ghost will come back to take revenge on us?”

Dad lost interest as well.

He let go of her, lit a cigarette, and said casually, “Don’t worry. The grave under that headstone in the cemetery is empty. I hired a highly skilled master from Portville—he wrapped the coffin with a red cord and pressed it down into a sealed dry well.”

“The master promised me that not only will she never come back for revenge—she won’t even be able to reincarnate for all eternity.”

My pupils dilated sharply.

Aunt Olivia playfully hit his shoulder. “You’re really ruthless!”

Then she asked, “What do you plan to do with Sophie?”

At the mention of me, Dad’s eyes darkened. “For now, we’ll keep her in the house. Once she transfers her shares, I’ll buy her a ticket and send her abroad.”

Aunt Olivia frowned. “You really plan to let her travel the world?”

Dad sneered. “The world is a dangerous place. If she gets kidnapped and killed, no one can blame us.”

Aunt Olivia hesitated. “Isn’t that a bit too cruel? She’s already given up her shares—there’s no need to wipe her out completely.”

Dad kissed her and said, “You’re silly. Sooner or later, she’ll notice something’s wrong. Rather than wait for her to make trouble, it’s better to strike first.”

“As soon as she’s dead, you can pretend to be ill, and I can naturally take over the company. Everything will be ours, and we won’t have to answer to those old fossils.”

Drip.

Tears slid down my cheeks and fell to the floor.

In my past life, even up until the moment the kidnappers slit my throat, I still held on to a shred of hope.

I thought maybe it was Aunt Olivia alone who wanted me dead so her and Dad’s son could rise to power.

After all, I was Dad’s biological daughter.

But I hadn’t expected that Dad would truly be so merciless.

Not only had he schemed to kill Mom,

even after I gave up my shares, he still wanted me dead.

Did he have no trace of fatherly affection in his heart?

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded behind me, followed by the voice of a servant.

I was startled—too late to hide.

So I simply knocked on the door openly.

Dad and Aunt Olivia looked toward the doorway as if they’d seen a ghost, their eyes meeting my tear-soaked gaze.

Dad forced an awkward smile. “Sophie, what’s wrong?”

I walked briskly to Aunt Olivia and threw my arms around her like a child. “I dreamed about Aunt Olivia’s ghost—she kept telling me she died in terrible pain.”

Her body went rigid.

In the window’s reflection, I could clearly see her and Dad exchanging a panicked glance.

After a moment, Aunt Olivia gently stroked my back. “Silly child, that was just a nightmare.”

I murmured softly, “I don’t want to stay home tomorrow. I want to go out for a bit—maybe I’ve just been scared these past couple of days. A little sunshine will make it better.”

Dad studied me for a moment before finally agreeing. “Alright.”

On the day the charity foundation was to be established, social elites and media outlets flocked to the venue.

After all, the Scott Group was a local powerhouse.

When my grandfather Robert Scott—a brilliant man of his time—passed away, the media predicted the company wouldn’t survive three years.

But Mom proved them wrong, relying on her talent to withstand the pressure and achieve new heights.

Over the years, she never crushed small and medium-sized businesses—instead, she formed strong partnerships, creating mutual benefit and earning widespread goodwill.

Now, with the matter of transferring shares on the table…