Chapter 231
Naomi let out a cold laugh. "Don't think I don't know what you're scheming. I won't let you get away with it!"
"I'm not signing this thing, and you still have to give me that settlement letter. Otherwise, I'll march straight to the Windsor Manor and make a scene, let everyone know exactly what kind of person you really are."
"Don't forget—I'm your biological mother. One word from me, and whatever career or family you and Blake have built, I can destroy it all."
"Sign the settlement letter now, and I won't go to the Windsor Manor. But Blake? Don't even think about protecting him."
Caroline had witnessed Naomi's ugly side too many times, yet today she was still shocked into bitter laughter by her shamelessness.
"Fine. Remember what you said."
"You won't sign the severance document."
"Then don't expect that settlement letter either."
She stood and walked away. Naomi lunged forward to grab her, but the mediator blocked her path.
Of course, this couldn't be the end of it. Caroline had other ways to deal with Naomi.
But before she could make her move, Arthur found her first.
He said Isaac had learned about her situation, and with his birthday coming up in a few days, he wanted to invite Caroline to attend.
Regardless of everything else, Isaac had always been kind to her—one of the few sources of genuine family warmth she'd found within the Windsor family.
After a moment's hesitation, she shook her head.
"I have other matters to handle."
"I know. Naomi's recent behavior has caused you considerable trouble. I have records of all the money transfers and investments the Windsor family has made to her and the White Group over the years. Would you like them?"
Arthur seemed to read her thoughts, speaking first.
Caroline's eyes lit up. If she had those records, things would indeed be much easier.
"Yes."
"I've already had my secretary prepare them. They'll be in your hands by tomorrow."
Arthur nodded. "Grandpa's birthday..."
"I'll be there on time."
Caroline understood, of course, that Arthur wouldn't give her these things for nothing.
But compared to owing a favor, treating this as a transaction was also a decent option for her.
Isaac's birthday was in three days. She received the documents the next day.
Looking at the transfer records, Caroline's face darkened.
During her seven years in the Windsor family, Naomi had actually extracted eighty million dollars from them.
That was a full eighty million dollars. Even if she sold every organ in her body, she couldn't come up with that much money.
Yet Naomi had shamelessly gone to Arthur again and again. No wonder Tiffany treated her so poorly.
Over a million dollars a year, and that didn't even include what Arthur spent on Heidi.
She took a deep breath.
With these records, no matter how much Naomi shrieked, she'd only make herself a laughingstock.
She didn't wait. That very day, she posted the transfer records online, along with her own bank statements.
After Naomi remarried and brought her into that marriage, from Caroline's high school years through her marriage into the Windsor family.
A full decade, and Naomi had spent less than a hundred thousand dollars on her.
The rest of her expenses had been covered by her own scholarship money.
But after Naomi learned she was dating Arthur and schemed to marry her off to the Windsor family...
Seven years. Eighty million dollars.
She tagged Naomi's account.
[You can sell a daughter for eighty million dollars. Your son—how much are you planning to sell him for?]
To make the post gain more traction, she put ten thousand dollars into promotion, which caused the message to explode with attention the very day it went up.
Seeing the bank statements, netizens were stunned.
[A hundred thousand turned into eighty million dollars—I wouldn't dare dream of that.]
[Over ten million a year? Does the Windsor family think money grows on trees?]
[Didn't she spend all that time marketing herself as a pitiful mother? What's going on?]
[Don't get it yet, watching and waiting.]
As the post's popularity continued to climb, Blake's company also contacted her and, with her permission, posted from Blake's account.
[Eighteen years. Not a single phone call. Not a cent of child support. Mom, you say you love me. How much does your love cost?]
Naomi had been basking in the joy of Heidi's reduced sentence and having a son to support her. Who knew that when she woke up, the entire internet had turned against her?
Seeing the wall of condemnation, her expression changed. She rushed to start a livestream to defend herself.
But those bank statements were cold, hard facts, and after a night of fermentation, no one was willing to believe her words.
The persona she'd built for herself collapsed overnight. She became the villain in netizens' mouths—worse than a wicked stepmother.
The White Group's stock plummeted. Already teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, the White Group was crushed by this scandal.
Numerous partners canceled their contracts, and creditors came knocking.
In just one day, Naomi experienced the fall from heaven to hell. She frantically tried to contact Caroline, but the result was always the same.
Caroline simply ignored her.
Even when Naomi tearfully said she'd sign the severance document and begged Caroline for more money, Caroline paid no attention.
That severance document had originally been meant to give Blake some dignity, but now that things had reached this point, she wouldn't give Naomi another cent.
While Naomi spiraled into madness and collapse, Caroline stood before the familiar Windsor Manor, her emotions complicated.
She'd come back after all.
She'd barely stepped out of the car and hadn't yet walked inside when two small figures rushed over, hugging her legs from both sides.
"Mommy, you finally came back!"
"Mommy, Mommy, did you get the birthday presents we sent you?"
Logan and Layla clung to Caroline together, lifting their adorable little faces filled with hope.
Seeing her children, Caroline almost couldn't hold back the heat in her eyes.
She bent down, stroking both children's heads. "I got all your gifts. I've just been so busy lately that I haven't had time to come see you."
"If you really cared, you wouldn't have waited until now to come back. You're just trying to play hard to get, aren't you?"
Tiffany stood on the steps, coldly eyeing Caroline below.
Having just witnessed Naomi's deranged behavior, she harbored nothing but resentment toward that entire family.
Caroline's smile faded as she looked up at Tiffany. Before she could speak, another voice cut in first.
"She's a guest Grandpa invited. Today is Grandpa's birthday. Isn't Mom's behavior completely disrespectful to Grandpa?"
Arthur had just arrived. He'd made a special effort with his appearance today, wearing a bespoke suit with his hair impeccably styled.
Just standing there, he radiated an innate nobility.
Tiffany's expression shifted. "You're not still hung up on this, Caroline, are you? She—"
"She's the mother of two children. If you can't speak civilly, Mother, then please go back inside."
Arthur showed no concern for whether Tiffany would be embarrassed, standing entirely on Caroline's side.