Chapter 583

Zoey scoffed, "You think the cops are gonna arrest me?"

Upton's face changed instantly. He tried to stand but fell back down. Finnegan's expression was a mix of emotions, clearly weighing his options.

Zoey had a powerful background, and her fiancé, Henry, was even more influential.

Zoey turned to Finnegan, ignoring the others. "Mr. Johnson, I think Claire should give you some money."

Claire looked at Zoey in surprise but didn't question her.

Years of friendship made her trust that Zoey had a deeper plan.

Finnegan's eyes lit up, and a fake smile spread across his face. "Mr. Spencer, you truly are wise and capable! I knew it..."

"One million dollars," Zoey interrupted him sharply. "To sever the father-daughter relationship. This isn't a dowry; it's Claire's personal compensation to you."

The room fell silent.

Finnegan's smile froze, and Mabel, who was supporting Upton, also paused.

"One million dollars?" Finnegan's voice rose. "Are you kidding me?"

Claire immediately nodded. "I agree."

She turned to Joseph. "I'll pay it myself."

Joseph squeezed Claire's hand. "We'll do it together."

Zoey crossed her arms and looked at Finnegan coldly. "Is that not enough?"

She suddenly smiled chillingly. "How about this: I'll have Henry arrange for a boat to take you to a beautiful island for a month? No signal, no tourists, just coconuts and turtles for company."

As if on cue, the suite door opened again.

Henry walked in with steady steps, his casual suit accentuating his broad shoulders and long legs.

He didn't look at anyone else, heading straight to Zoey and naturally wrapping an arm around her waist.

"I heard someone was giving my fiancée trouble?" Henry's voice was calm, but it made the room feel icy.

His gaze swept over Finnegan's family, finally landing on Upton. "A few months ago, a woman kept bothering Zoey. I sent her to a deserted island."

Henry smiled slightly. "She went mad in less than a week."

Mabel gasped and instinctively hid behind Finnegan.

Upton collapsed completely, his face as pale as a sheet.

Sweat beaded on Finnegan's forehead.

He knew all too well the power Henry wielded in the business world. The Windsor Group spanned finance, real estate, and technology, with influence in both the underworld and authorities.

If Henry really wanted to ruin Finnegan, not only would his small company be destroyed, but his entire standing in the country would vanish.

"Finnegan," Mabel tugged at his sleeve, her voice trembling. "One million dollars is better than nothing."

Finnegan's Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes filled with struggle, anger, and reluctance, but ultimately, he gave in.

"Fine."

Zoey snapped her fingers. "Smart choice."

She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Mr. Owens, please prepare a contract to sever the father-daughter relationship and send it to the Coral Coast Resort's water villa area. Yes, the one for Joseph and Claire."

Hanging up, Zoey looked at Claire. "Is that okay?"

Claire took a deep breath and nodded.

Her fingers were cold, but her eyes were resolute.

She had waited too long for this moment.

Joseph felt Claire's trembling and held her tighter.

He didn't need to say anything; his presence was her strongest support.

In less than twenty minutes, a middle-aged man in a sharp suit arrived with a folder.

Zoey took the documents, quickly scanned them, and handed them to Claire. "The terms are clear. One million dollars paid in full, and all rights and obligations between you two are terminated."

Claire took the pen and, with Joseph by her side, signed each page steadily.

Her handwriting was firm, without a hint of hesitation.

When it was Finnegan's turn, his hand was visibly shaking.

The pen paused on the paper three times before he managed to scrawl his name.

"Transfer the money," Zoey told Claire.

Claire took out her phone and made a few taps.

Moments later, Finnegan's phone chimed with a notification.

He glanced at it, his face growing even darker. The account balance had indeed increased by one million dollars, but it was far from the two hundred million he had expected.

"Are you satisfied now?"

Zoey took the signed documents and handed them to Mr. Owens.

As Finnegan turned to leave, Zoey cleared her throat. "Oh, Mr. Johnson, there's one more thing I forgot to mention."

Finnegan stopped in his tracks, and Mabel, supporting Upton, also turned back.

Zoey leaned against the sofa, twirling her hair nonchalantly.

"Claire has shares in my company," she said, blinking. "You know, my company is doing quite well."

Finnegan's pupils contracted sharply.

Zoey turned to Claire. "Sweetie, how much are your earnings now? I can't quite remember."

Claire calmly adjusted her sleeve. "About eight hundred million dollars. The last quarter's dividends just came in."

The contract slipped from Finnegan's hand.

His face turned ghostly pale, his lips trembling but unable to form words. Mabel's eyes widened, her manicured nails digging into her palms.

"Eight hundred million dollars?" Mabel's voice was shrill. "Claire! You have that much money and only gave your dad one million? Are you even human?"

Claire sneered. "First, that money is from my own investments and has nothing to do with Finnegan. Second," she picked up the contract from the floor and dusted it off, "we have no relationship anymore. This one million dollars is already more than generous."

Finnegan suddenly lunged forward, but Joseph stepped in, blocking him with a swift move.

The usually gentle doctor now had eyes as sharp as knives, his muscles tense under his white shirt.

"Claire," Finnegan's voice choked, tears welling up in his eyes. "Dad was wrong. I didn't know you had it so tough all these years. We're family."

"Too late." Claire handed the contract to Zoey. "From the day you abandoned my mom for Mabel, we stopped being family."

Upton suddenly broke free from Mabel's support, blood at the corner of his mouth, glaring at Claire. "You're so ungrateful. Aren't you afraid of karma?"

Joseph's two punches were as fast as lightning, one to Upton's stomach and one to his jaw.

Upton staggered back, knocking over a table. The fruit platter from Marigoldia shattered, red watermelon juice splattering like blood on the white carpet.

"I'm a doctor," Joseph said, shaking his wrist, his voice cold as ice. "I know where to hit to cause the most pain without killing. Say one more word about Claire, and you'll be eating through a straw for the rest of your life."