: The True Motive

3

I was stunned by his shameless claims.

"Ugh, how could you be like this! I knew from the very beginning you were only after our family's money. Now that Sylvie's back with my little nephew, you're getting desperate. Let me tell you, Sylvie is far more innocent than you are. My brother never should have fallen for your act."

Maisie added fuel to the fire, hugging the child without letting go.

"Don't you know how your brother made his money?" I retorted. 'These people are utterly shameless.'

'Ryan started from nothing. I was right there with him, building our business. We worked around the clock for months on end, barely ever going home. And all that time, Maisie was at school, squandering the money we earned with our blood and sweat, pretending to be some wealthy heiress. Funny how she never mentions that!'

"You..." Maisie's face flushed with anger, but she didn't dare continue. She knew she had nothing to gain if the truth came out.

"And I never laid a hand on the child. If you don't believe me, ask him." My gaze fell to the boy. 'I'll admit to the things I've done, but no one is going to frame me for something I didn't.'

But who would have known? The child whimpered "Grandma" in a tiny voice and shrank into Mrs. Kendrick's arms in terror.

"The child is innocent. Even if Ryan has wronged you, you shouldn't have taken it out on him. There, there, sweetie, let Grandma see if you're hurt." Mrs. Kendrick held the child, her face filled with pity, looking as if she were about to cry.

Ryan stepped forward as well, crouching on the ground and gently stroking the boy's head. "It's okay, don't be afraid. Daddy's here. No one can bully you."

'I was speechless. I honestly wanted to laugh in that moment.'

'This whole family, young and old, were such drama queens.'

"So, the reason you all called me over today is...?" I had seen right through them, but some things had to be said plainly.

Ryan stood up, his eyes cold as ice. He took a deep breath, looking as if he were deeply disappointed in me. "Vera, I wanted to talk to you about this calmly, but there's no point now. Sylvie is my ex-girlfriend. We were together in college. Later, she went abroad because she was afraid of getting in the way of my career. Now she's back, and she's given me a son. By all rights, I should be with her. So, let's break up. You'll find someone more suitable."

"By all rights? Then what were the years I spent with you? Just something to keep you company when you were lonely?" 'And to think I chose to believe him so firmly at first. To think I still held out hope for this family. In the end, it was all just a joke.'

"Vera..." Ryan's expression softened for a moment. He started to say something else, but I cut him off.

"You had to do this in front of your family? You didn't call me all the way over here just to break up, did you?" I wanted to know just how shameless he could get.

"I'll compensate you. The house, the car—just ask. What I want is for you to give up your shares." Ambition flashed in Ryan's eyes. 'So that was his real objective.'

: Leaving with Nothing

4

"You want me to leave with nothing? You can't possibly have forgotten how this company got so successful, can you?" I said through gritted teeth.

'If it weren't for me, Ryan Kendrick would never be where he is today.'

"You're not even married to my brother. You should be grateful you're getting any compensation at all," Maisie Kendrick sneered. "Besides, you've raked in plenty for yourself over the years."

I laughed, a smirk playing on my lips as I looked at her. "That's true. I slaved away for this company, so of course I'd make more than a useless freeloader like you."

My retort left Maisie Kendrick speechless. All she could do was glare at me hatefully.

Ryan Kendrick produced a contract from out of nowhere—a share transfer agreement.

I picked it up and glanced at it. 'He must take me for a fucking idiot. The transfer price was set at the original issue price. The stock has skyrocketed dozens of times over in the past few years. He's just trying to screw me over.'

"So, are you going to sign it or not?" A look of impatience and panic crossed Ryan Kendrick's face. He had drafted the contract, so of course he knew exactly what it entailed.

"I'll sign," I said with a contemptuous smile. "Such a generous severance package from President Kendrick. How could I possibly refuse?"

'It wasn't enough to just discard me; they had to grind me into the dust.'

My hand trembled as I picked up the pen and signed my name.

'Years of love and devotion, all the blood and sweat I'd poured into this... all gone in an instant.'

Ryan Kendrick snatched the document, a satisfied smirk on his lips. "For things to have come to this, you should really take a look at yourself. If you weren't so ruthless and cruel, I might actually feel guilty. From now on, let's go our separate ways. We should never see each other again."

"Just get out of here!" Maisie Kendrick shrieked at me. "My brother's been more than fair to you. Sylvie Sloan is just too soft-hearted. If it were up to me, I'd sue you for child abuse." The others didn't try to stop her; in fact, they seemed to think she had a point.

Mrs. Kendrick never looked up at me again. Before, she would always take my hand affectionately and tell me how lucky Ryan Kendrick was to have found such a capable girlfriend.

'So that's how it is. A person's heart can change in a single instant.'

'The people here, this place... there's nothing left for me anymore.'

'They say I'm ruthless and cruel?'

'Fine. I'll show them what ruthless really looks like.'

'Because I am a truly ruthless person!'