Chapter 30

Chapter 30
Sarah chuckled coldly. “As you said yourself, you brought this into our family. Since when do you take back what you once gave? We certainly didn’t skimp on your wedding gifts.”

At that, Emily could no longer remain calm. The old woman was crossing a line, and Emily had given her enough to chew on. Slowly, she stood up from her seat, her expression turning cold. She pulled the bracelet from her wrist. “Are you talking about this bracelet?” she asked with a hint of amusement, laughter tinged with anger bubbling up. 

“To my knowledge, this bracelet isn’t even worth threçe hundred thousand. Do you really think you can swap this insignificant trinket for a hundred million? You shameless old witch! How come I didn’t see your true nature before?”

A trace of fluster crossed Sarah’s face; she hadn't expected Emily to know the bracelet’s actual price. But before she could respond, Susan intervened, unable to remain silent any longer.

“Emily, you are going too far! This bracelet may not be worth much, but it has been in the Callum family for generations, long before you were born! It symbolizes the lady of the Callum house, and for that reason alone, it is priceless!”

Susan narrowed her eyes, watching Emily closely. Just because she had kept quiet didn’t mean she was a fool. She had chosen silence to avoid a complete fallout and the resulting discomfort.

Emily's influence was undeniable. After her recent decision to step down as Mrs. Callum, Susan saw no reason to keep targeting her.

Ultimately, Susan's concern wasn't Emily herself but the powerful Charles family backing her, which was too risky to provoke. Everyone knew that Mary Charles was Emily's aunt and the current head of the Charles family. Rumor had it that their bond was very strong; although the Charles family wasn't confronting Victor directly at the moment, overpowering Susan, an adopted daughter of the Callum family, would be an easy feat.

However, hearing Emily insist that Victor return her money pushed Susan beyond her limits. After all, it was about a hundred million! Not just a hundred or a thousand dollars, but a whole hundred million dollars! Where did Emily expect them to find that kind of money?

What a heartless and wicked woman! Susan cursed inwardly.

Emily was at a loss for words. She stepped back a bit, picked up a grape from the plate, and threw it into her mouth. Chewing casually, she passed the bracelet to Evelyn, who was fanning her.

“Since you value this bracelet at a hundred million dollars, I wouldn’t dream of keeping something so precious. I’ve decided to sell it to you. Just make sure to transfer a hundred million to my account, or else…” Emily glanced at Susan with a faint smile, despite the chilling tone of her voice. 

“The Charles family wouldn’t tolerate any nonsense, and their legal team is quite serious about handling matters like this.” She motioned her head toward Evelyn. “Please, Evelyn, hand the bracelet to Miss Callum.”

“Yes, Miss Charles!” Evelyn smiled and gathered the bracelet, striding over to where Susan stood just inside the gate, holding it out with both hands. “Miss Callum, when will you transfer the money?”

“Emily!” Susan's face turned crimson with rage. She grabbed the bracelet and attempted to throw it to the ground. Just before she could step on it, Emily vice-gripped her wrist. “If you dare destroy it, I’ll call the police. Remember, as you said earlier, this bracelet is worth a hundred million. Not even Victor can shield you from this. Do you think I can’t ensure you face serious repercussions?”

Susan shivered at the threat and quickly pulled back her hand. Her eyes were red as she turned back to Sarah, saying, “Mom! Look at her; she is being so domineering! This bracelet was a gift from Grandma to you. You always wore it, and you gave it to Emily as a good gesture, but she didn’t value it. I only spoke a few words, and she treated me harshly, like I was a servant…”

Susan's explanation dripped with sorrow and pain, quickly igniting Sarah’s anger.

But before Sarah could speak up, a flurry of footsteps approached. Four men in suits hurried toward them; they were from the property management company.

The lead man, the property manager, rushed forward and bowed to Emily through the gate. “Miss Charles, I apologize for the delay,” he said, hands clasped together.

Emily snorted softly and glanced at the property manager. “Find a way to get those old witch’s arms out and make her leave.”

Emily understood better than to expect Sarah to return her money based on their conversation. She knew the old woman’s nature—how greedy she was when it came to money.

Sarah would rather face death than return a hundred million dollars, and she didn’t have the intention to do so. Emily knew she didn’t have the final say in the Callum family. If negotiations were to be made, it should be Victor who handled them.

“Understood,” the property manager replied with a nod, as the men carrying a toolbox jumped into action.

With a grim expression, Sarah remained quiet in front of the staff. She was determined not to ruin her public image; after all, she was Mrs. Callum, a figure of status who needed to maintain her composure in public. She also understood the importance of keeping family grievances private.

The property team worked under the intense midday sun. As the heat rose, Sarah could no longer contain her frustration and shouted, “Are you not finished yet? Under this scorching sun, you are still slow! Are you trying to toast us alive? Do you realize who we are? If we suffer heatstroke, your lives wouldn’t cover the compensation!”

Drenched in sweat, Sarah noticed the property management staff appeared even less comfortable, especially in their suits. Overwhelmed with irritation, one of the workers threw his tools to the ground and exclaimed, “We can’t release her! Not without breaking down the gate!”

Before the manager could respond, Emily’s voice cut through the tension. “There is no way I will allow my gate to be destroyed just for that old witch!”

Everyone turned to Emily as she stood up again and walked toward them with a formidable and cold presence. Striding into the sunlight, her long wavy hair flowed behind her, highlighting her striking features.

The property workers paused, taken aback by her beauty.

Emily stopped before them, her hands casually tucked into her trousers pockets, exuding an overwhelming demeanor. “Who will cover the cost if the gate is damaged?” she asked calmly, slightly tilting her head to the side.

Her gaze shifted slowly to Sarah and Susan. “Or will it be them? This gate isn’t ordinary; it was custom-made by a renowned designer and imported from Europe. Its worth is five hundred million dollars.”

A flicker of memory crossed Emily’s mind, and a slight smirk played on her lips as she looked with disdain at the bracelet Susan was grasping.

“This gate is worth far more than some so-called heirloom that has been handed down through generations.”

At her words, the atmosphere shifted, and the property manager and his team wore worried expressions. Six hundred million dollars! That amount was merely equivalent to their four-year salaries combined. It felt like a financial suicide—how could they possibly afford it?