<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Chapter 884 Five Billion</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Charlotte initially thought Pa would refuse, but to her surprise, Pa said, “Please give me more time. I will do everything I can to raise the money.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Mdm. Pa, you were once a public figure. You should know how crucial public opinion is. If you dy much longer, the public might forget about Cecilia’s giarism altogether.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">With that, Charlotte hung up.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Pa stared at her phone, thinking about the five billion.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">If this were nine years ago, right after Regas passed, five billion wouldn’t have been an issue for her at all.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Back then, she had transferred hundreds of billions to Ralph, bit by bit, while Regas was still alive.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yet, Ralph had no idea how to manage apany and had been losing money for years.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Worse still, he’d learned how to siphon funds himself, and Pa wasn’t sure how much he still had left.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Realizing time was of the</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Where are you now?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">& Pa quickly called Ralph.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">can (</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Ralph was abroad, enjoying himself with his secretary. He sneered, “Why do you care where I am? Go ahead and file thewsuit. Let’s see if you even survive long enough to finish it. When you’re dead, I’ll just wipe out your ount.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">He had no intention of holding back his cruel words. Pa didn’t have much time left anyway, so what was the point of being nice?</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Listening to his vicious tone, Pa didn’t feel hurt anymore. She only med herself for trusting the wrong person.</font></font>Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Aren’t you afraid Cecilia will take all your money? If you give me five billion, I’ll agree to the divorce,” Pa said, enunciating each word carefully.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">On the other end of the line, Ralph burst into a coldugh at the</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Are you joking? Five billion? Why don’t you just rob a bank?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">2 of tive billion</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">He continued, “The Smith family fortune was used up long ago. The money I have now is mine, and no one’s getting any of it. If you agree, I’ll give you one billion, and we can get divorced.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">The truth was, Ralph still feared that Cecilia might drag him into awsuit, which would cost him much more than just a little money.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Not a chance…”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Before Pa could finish her sentence, Ralph hung up on her.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Pa regretted it deeply now. Why did I hand over all my personal savings to Cassandra?</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Unwilling to give up, Pa dialed Cassandra’s number next.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Cassandra had just woken up and answered impatiently, “We’re no longer rted. Why are you calling me?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Give me five billion,” Pa said directly.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Cassandra was stunned. “Five billion? What do you need that much money for?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“That’s none of your concern.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Do you really think five billion can save you? Your illness is beyond curing.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Hearing her biological daughter’s cold words, Pa was filled with remorse. How had I never realized before that Cassandra was so heartless?</font></font>
“If you refuse, I’ll release the video of you forcing me to sign the papers to sever our mother–daughter rtionship and let the public judge for themselves.”
At this point, Pa felt no love left for Cassandra.
“Video?” Cassandra was shocked. “You recorded it?”
“Of course I did. Do you really think I managed to marry Regas and swindle the Smith family fortune without any tricks up my sleeve?” Pa responded icily.
“Mom, are you trying to drive me to my grave? Where am I supposed to get five billion from? If you release that video, my reputation will be ruined.”
Cassandra was terrified now and called her “Mom” again.