Chapter 3

Rick didn't try to stop me in the end.

With Abby shouting and my parents looking furious, I walked out the door. Even when I got into the luxury car meant for Dad, none of them came outside to see me off or even look through the window.

If they had, they might have realized that their daughter and sister's claim about going bankrupt and running away was just a joke.

That night, I moved into the luxury villa I'd just bought, which had originally been intended as a gift for Rick, much like the one I had planned for Dad.

My assistant, Diana Lance, helped me move my belongings in. Before she left, I stopped her.

"I heard you graduated from the Faculty of Law at Nortingham University?" I asked.

"Yes, Ms. Johnson." She glanced at me before lowering her eyes.

"So, can I get back the villa I just gave away and the other stuff I gave away?"

Diana quickly caught on. Maybe after hearing the conversation at the door, she'd already guessed how things would unfold. When I asked her, she answered right away.

She explained that since the villa was under my name, it would be easy to reclaim. However, the gifts I had given to my parents were considered support-related under the law, so getting those back would be challenging.

As for the gifts to Rick and Abby, if they hadn't transferred the assets to others, they could be revoked under property law.

I told Diana that my brother and his wife weren't smart enough to have transferred anything and instructed her to handle the matter.

As for my parents, I'd consider those gifts as my upbringing fees for everything they'd done for me over the years.

After she left, I felt an inexplicable emptiness, as if something had been taken from me.

Growing up, I'd always been taught that family came first and that they were the ones I could count on.

After graduating, I worked tirelessly and would always buy gifts for my family whenever I could. Even when my startup was struggling, and funds were low, I didn't hesitate.

When my parents told me they wanted to live under one roof, I spent a fortune to buy the villa they now live in.

During those early years, I barely slept more than three hours a night to keep things afloat.

When I finally became the world's wealthiest person, my first thought wasn't about my wealth. It was about making my family proud and fulfilling their dreams.

Instead, they took over my house. After I joked about going bankrupt, they tried to marry me off to a cripple who was even older than Dad.

I opened my phone and scrolled through the financial news headlines about me. I laughed through my tears, then cried through my laughter.

The luxury car, the villa, and the title of the world's wealthiest person. If only they had looked beyond their greed and seen the world outside, maybe things would have been different. But at that moment, I didn't care anymore.

I had a Michelin-starred chef prepare a premium steak for me, and the champions of the World Model Competition even made my bed. Then, I soaked in a bathtub filled with 1982 Lafite. This was the life of the wealthiest person in the world—simple and unpretentious.

I spent a peaceful week like this.

When the directors of Seatre Corporation's branch in the city were planning a business conference in my honor, Dad called me.

"You ungrateful brat! Have you lost your mind? How dare you sue your own family? Don't you fear bad karma?"

I scoffed. "Mr. Jonson, first of all, we've severed ties, so no bad karma's coming my way. And second…"

I looked at the demolition map the board member had handed me and marked a big "X" over my family's hometown.

I continued, "Second, those things don't belong to you. I'm taking back what's mine, and that's only fair."

"Rebecca!" he roared.

I interrupted him, "Third, you should be grateful the law gives some leniency to parents because all I can take back is what belongs to Rick and his wife."

"You ungrateful brat! Tell me where you are. I'm coming over to deal with you myself!"

Before he could finish, I heard Abby's voice in the background. "Just marry her off to Mason since we've already accepted his money."

After hearing this, I didn't bother replying and hung up the phone.

Kingsley Brandon approached me and said respectfully, "Ms. Jonson, the conference is about to begin. Everyone hopes you'll honor us with your presence.

"At just 30, you've already become the world's wealthiest person. Not only have you brought glory to the country, but you're also Seatre Corporation's pride. The older generation admires you, and the younger generation looks up to you as an idol. The media is already there to interview you."

At that moment, it hit me—I had finally reached a point where people looked up to me. I didn't need to worry about managing their expectations or holding back my emotions anymore.

I nodded. "Thanks, Mr. Brandon. Let's go."

Kingsley, one of the wealthiest men in the state, personally drove me. The familiar yet strange scenery passed as we quickly reached the downtown hotel, where the conference was being held just for me.

When I got out of the car, the place was packed. People were waiting behind the security line, and media photographers were snapping away with their cameras clicking nonstop.

I didn't expect Abby to rush toward me with a microphone. She stared at me, dumbfounded.

"R-Rebecca? What are you doing here?" she stammered.

Seeing the microphone in her hand, I remembered that she worked as a TV host. I stared at her dumbfounded expression. Had she not even bothered to research the person she was supposed to interview?

Kingsley, unaware of our relationship, frowned and was about to reprimand her.

But Abby had already started yelling. With disgust on her face, she pointed a finger at me and shouted, "Rebecca, how dare you sneak in here! Do you even know what today is? Oh, I get it—you're here to pretend to be a big shot and scam some money, right?"

She turned to the media behind her and dragged me forward to face the live cameras. "Listen up, everyone! This woman is a fraud. She went bankrupt and ran away, and now she has the nerve to try and steal my family's one-million-dollar prize money."

At that moment, I was broadcast live to the entire nation.