Chapter 3 - The Golden Grandson
Across town, Carol was pacing the hardwood floors of a lavish penthouse apartment.
She had sought refuge with her eldest son, Richard, a man whose arrogance was matched only by his financial incompetence.
Richard sat on his leather sofa, swirling a glass of expensive bourbon while his ten-year-old son, Jackson, played loud video games nearby.
"Thomas has completely lost his mind, Richard," Carol ranted, throwing her hands into the air.
"He kicked me out onto the street like a common criminal, all because of that low-class woman he married."
Richard scoffed, taking a slow sip of his drink.
"I always told you Jade was a gold digger, Mother."
Jackson paused his game, looking over with a spoiled smirk on his face.
"Does this mean Uncle Thomas isn't going to buy me the new dirt bike he promised?"
"Your Uncle Thomas is dead to us, Jackson," Carol snapped, though she quickly softened her tone for her favorite grandson.
"Don't you worry, my sweet boy, you are the only true heir to the family legacy."
Richard leaned forward, a greedy glint appearing in his cold eyes.
"Mother, if Thomas is acting this irrationally, perhaps it is time we invoke the morality clause in the family trust."
Carol stopped pacing, a slow, malicious smile spreading across her heavily made-up face.
The family trust, established by their late grandfather, controlled the majority shares of the lucrative real estate firm Thomas currently ran.
"You are absolutely right, Richard," she whispered, her mind spinning with vengeful possibilities.
"If we can prove Thomas is mentally unstable and being manipulated by an unfit mother, we can strip him of his CEO title."
"And I will step in to take over the company, ensuring Jackson’s future is secured," Richard added smoothly.
They were entirely unaware that an active police investigation had already been opened against Carol.
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In their minds, they were the untouchable elites of the city, and Jade was nothing more than a peasant who had overstepped her boundaries.
Carol picked up her phone, dialing the number of the most ruthless corporate lawyer in the state.
