Chapter 10
Upon seeing the transfer document, Johannaโs expression softened, her voice laced with a hint of appeasement. โFreya, after all, Leland is your brother. His taking over the company is for the sake of ensuring the Dawson familyโs legacy continues. Itโll be your backer, allowing you to marry Mr. Sutton without worries. Isnโt this killing two birds with one stone?โ
Then, Johanna pulled Leland toward Freya and said, โArenโt you going to apologize to your sister? Who allowed you to barge into her room early in the morning?โ
Reluctantly, Leland retorted, โEventually, our familyโs empire will be mine! If she dares call off the engagement, ruining my prospects, I must confront her!โ
Freya observed silently from the sidelines. She hadnโt expected Leland to be eyeing the family fortune from such an early age, already seeing himself as the future head of the Dawson family. It seemed Johannaโs careful grooming was bearing fruit.
โLeland is talking nonsense. Freya, donโt take it to heart. Just give me the agreement. Iโll keep it safe.โ Johanna was fixated on the document. The document stated that Leland could take over the company after finishing high school. They had waited too long to let anything happen to this agreement.
Freya looked at Johanna, a faint smile crossing her face. โJohanna, youโre so eager for this?โ
โYesโฆโ Johanna barely got the word out when she heard a ripping sound. The agreement in Freyaโs hands was torn in half. Johanna turned pale in an instant, while Leland angrily shouted, โFreya! What are you thinking? Who said you could tear that up?โ Leland rushed to grab it, but Freya tore the document into shreds and sprinkled them in front of the stunned pair.
โThe Dawson Group will never fall into Lelandโs hands. Youโd better not get your hopes up, the two of you,โ Freya declared coldly. Johanna was furious. โWhat are you saying, Freya? If not Leland, who else would you hand the company to? The Dawson family only has him as a male heir! Youโฆโ
Freya interrupted, โStrictly speaking, Leland isnโt Dadโs biological son. Iโve decided to take over the company myself. Besides, according to Dadโs will, except for the five million left to you and your son, the only thing from the Dawson family youโre getting are two bedrooms.โ
โWhat! How could Dad only leave us five million? Freya, you must have tampered with the will!โ Lelandโs disbelief was evident.
The Dawson Groupโs assets were worth billions of dollars! Though not as immense as the Sutton Group, it was still significant in Echo City.
Leland couldnโt believe it. โHow could Dad just leave us five million?โ
โIf you donโt believe me, Iโll have the lawyer bring out the will, and we can all take a look,โ Freya said as if remembering. โOh, right. The will explicitly states the Dawson Group is my inheritance. You two donโt bother plotting anymore. If you do, donโt blame me for being merciless.โ
Watching the shocked faces of Leland and Johanna, Freya couldnโt help but sneer. In her past life, she had thought revealing the will would hurt Johanna and Leland, so she never did, allowing them to squander freely and believing Johanna truly cared for her and looked out for her best interest. She hadnโt realized Johanna was only eager to marry her off, paving the way for her son!
If it werenโt for her previous life, where Leland squandered the Dawson familyโs fortune within three years, forcing them to threaten her for the Sutton Groupโs assets, she wouldnโt have seen their true colors.
Looking back, Kieran could have ruthlessly abandoned her at their wedding because, as the Dawson heiress, she had lost her value. โFreya, what you just saidโฆ Is it all true?โ Johanna was desperate to verify the truth. If Gavin Dawson was really that heartless, what were they supposed to do? Were they expected to just live on those five million?
Freya settled into a nearby chair, stating, โJohanna, it seems you still donโt believe me. Well then, Iโll have the lawyer bring over the will. I think that will make things clearer.โ
โMom! Donโt believe her! Sheโs lying! Dad couldnโt possibly have done this to us!โ Leland glared at Freya, insisting, โSheโs just trying to grab the Dawson familyโs fortune because her marriage to Kieran fell through! Mom, I am the Dawson familyโs son! The company should rightfully be mine!โ
Chapter 11