"Mom, I want to divorce Esther." My son dropped this bombshell on my birthday in front of a bunch of important people.

I put down my fork without even looking up. "You and Esther grew up together, and you had an arranged marriage. You've always been a famous loving couple. Why suddenly divorce?"

Hank Browning pulled a timid girl from the crowd and said, "Mom, I've fallen in love with Aida. I must marry her."

Another shocker.

I was stunned, struggling to process. I looked at the girl's face. She looked exactly like an old enemy I hadn't seen in a decade.

Seeing her made me shiver with fear. It was her.

The day had come, and my reaction was completely different from my previous life. "So be it."

In my past life, I stopped Hank from divorcing Esther Travis. Esther ended up being accused of murder and imprisoned. It was also this timid girl who got Hank killed.

At the same time, the Browning Group fell apart.

On my deathbed, she smiled as she peeled a fruit and said nonchalantly, "Mom, don't worry. Your son and daughter-in-law are already waiting in the underworld. When you're buried, your in-laws will join them.

"You're a family, so you'll all go together. After you're gone, your daughter will join you. And the entire Browning family, including everything you've enjoyed over the years, will be mine.

"These are your debts to my mother, and you need to pay for your sins.

"Do you hate me? Do you regret it?"

"You should regret not finishing us off back then. You left me and my mother alive."

I flailed my arms for help, grabbing her sleeve. She watched me struggle with satisfaction, then pulled out my oxygen tube, and watched my dying expression.

Her devilish laughter echoed in my mind, and I jolted awake.

I said, "Hank, if you divorce Esther, you won't be a part of the Browning family anymore."

Hank argued, "Mom, what are you talking about? I'm the only heir to the Browning family."

"From now on, Esther is my goddaughter and has inheritance rights," I announced, looking at the girl with a determined gaze.

In my previous life, I was too soft, and she took advantage of Hank being the only heir, slowly taking over.

This time, I wasn't going to let Hank have the freedom he wanted.

Of course, being the heir also restricted his freedom. I was going to fulfill his so-called love.

Hank sulked, "Mom, are you really going to be this ruthless?"

"Hank, go. Don't spoil everyone's mood," I said.

I had the security throw them out and turned to comfort Esther. "Don't worry, from today, I'm cutting off all ties with Hank. From now on, you're my daughter."

She said, "But Hank is your son."

I said, "Being my son doesn't mean he should abandon his wife for some unknown girl. He shouldn't listen to malicious gossip and divorce you.

"The Browning Group doesn't need such an heir."

Esther's mother, my childhood friend, saw me forcing a smile and tried to comfort me. "Can you really bear to cut off ties with Hank? Even if it's to get back at him, a good talking-to or a beating would be enough. Why be so ruthless? Without the Browning Group heir title, how will he manage?"

My naïve best friend was still worried about others, even at a time like this. She was afraid I would be sad about losing my son.

I smiled and said, "Since he has cut ties with me, why should I care about his well-being? It's got nothing to do with me or the Browning family.

"Besides, he's not my only heir."

She asked, "What about tomorrow's stock transfer meeting? Should we cancel it? Should we notify the media and shareholders that Hank has been expelled from the Browning family?"

I grinned, "No need, we'll proceed as planned."

Fearing she and her daughter might misunderstand, I took Esther's hand and said kindly, "Esther, today's events are because of us. I will never agree to let Hank come back and remarry you. If you don't mind his unfaithfulness, I do. If that girl made you lose face, then I'll make sure she loses face too."

Esther was moved to tears and cried in her mother's arms, saying I didn't need to be this way. She blamed herself for not keeping Hank's heart. She was just as naïve as her mother.

I leisurely returned to my study and made my first counterattack by calling my secretary.

I ordered, "Freeze all of Hank's assets, bank accounts, and company positions."

I chuckled to myself, thinking, "Aida Melton, you never imagined I'd be reborn in this life, did you? No matter how hard you try to ruin the Browning family, it's meaningless."

In my previous life, I only learned just before my death that I had a daughter still living.

After Hank was born, I got pregnant again within two years, but sadly that child died just days after birth.

I was depressed for years over the loss. But seeing Hank grow up day by day finally eased my sorrow.

So, I spoiled him, even though it meant offending my best friend and accepting his divorce from Esther and the break with the Travis family.

I made another call.

"Hello, Mom?"

Hearing my mother's gentle voice on the other end, I couldn't help but tear up. Since Aida appeared in my previous life, I hadn't seen my parents again, and it made me feel ashamed.

My mom, sensing something was wrong, asked, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

I replied, "Mom, I want to sever ties with Hank."

I casually dropped the bombshell, and my father yelled from the other end, "What? Do you want to cut off your relationship with Hank? Colleen, have you gone crazy? Hank is the only heir to the Browning family. Without him, the Browning family will be extinct."

I reasoned, "Dad, I'm not crazy. Over the years, Hank has become uncontrollable. It's time he learns a lesson. Besides, he wants to divorce Esther and marry some girl he picked up. The Travis and Browning families have been family friends for generations. How can we let his actions ruin that?"

My dad sighed deeply and said solemnly, "It's just a wild girl. Kids are meant to play. Having a woman isn't a big deal."

My mom's temper flared.

She snapped, "You only ever say nice things. He's thirty and still acts like a kid. He has married Esther, not some ordinary girl. How can the Travis family tolerate this?"

My dad's voice became weak.

He said tiredly, "Do it your way then. The Travis and Browning families are indeed friends for generations, and if we want the Browning family's century-long legacy to continue, strong alliances are essential."

I said, "Thank you for understanding, Mom and Dad."

I took a deep breath and reassured my parents.

After all, Hank was my son. I had pampered him for years, and it pained me to see him fall into such a situation. I didn't want him to be misled by Aida's true nature, but it was going to take some effort.

I informed my parents and then explained my intentions to my in-laws.

They had devoted their lives to the Browning Group and would never agree to let some unknown girl ruin the Browning family.

Over the years, they had treated me like their own daughter, so they would trust me over a stranger.

After taking these steps, I enlisted some help and drove out.

...

The next morning, at the hotel conference, shareholders and reporters arrived.

Small shareholders of the Browning Group whispered among themselves, "Today is Hank's big day to take over the Browning Group. Where is he?"

The news had been sealed the day before, so no one knew that Hank and I had severed our ties.

However, the delay made people uneasy.

The lights went out, and a spotlight shone on me. I walked slowly through the crowd to the stage, took the microphone, and began my speech.

"Ladies and gentle, thank you for attending the Browning Group's successor announcement, and thanks to the reporters as well.

"Unfortunately, I severed my ties with Hank yesterday. Therefore, today, Hank will not be taking over the chairman position."

There was an uproar among the shareholders. Someone even shouted, "Do you want to take over the Browning Group for yourself? Is that why you cut ties with Hank and stripped him of his inheritance?"

Several shareholders glared at me, accusing me of not informing them about such a major change.

But, given their stock holdings, they didn't dare make a scene.

I calmly said, "Please, everyone, stay calm.

"Hank wants to divorce my goddaughter, Esther, and destroy our cooperation with the Travis family. As such, he cannot be the successor of the Browning Group."

The consequences of severing ties with the Travis family were clear to everyone present. The Browning Group's successors had always prioritized family interests.

If Hank couldn't do that, he wasn't fit to be the heir.

I continued, "I have two more major announcements to make in front of the media and all shareholders."

I glanced at the crowd and looked at a young woman dressed in a sharp suit standing in the distance, giving her a reassuring smile.

"First, I will recognize Esther as my goddaughter and transfer 3% shares to her without compensation. I will also appoint her as the manager of the technology department."

I looked at the shareholders below. Their faces turned ashen. They seemed to find it even harder to accept that I was handing over shares to the Travis family rather than my unknown daughter.

They were just idiots.

I raised my hand and smiled, inviting Esther to the stage to give her speech.

"Thank you, godmother, for this small gift," she said.

My best friend smiled. The 3% share of the Browning Group was a sincere gesture of apology, and she accepted it gladly. She stood on stage, reaffirming the Travis family's position. The cooperation between the Browning and Travis families would not falter due to the end of Esther and Hank's marriage.

With that storm settled, I smiled and said, "Second, the Browning Group cannot be without a successor. Therefore, I announce that my daughter, Valarie Browning, will inherit the Browning Group."