Filed To Story: Watch Out! She's a Mastermind Heiress (Isabella Patton) Book PDF Free
“Not at all,” Susan replied with a smile, then turned to Elaine and greeted her, “Hello, Mrs. Patton. You look even younger than the last time I saw you!”
Elaine laughed. “You are such a kind girl.”
Isabella introduced the two women to Susan. “This is Mrs. Santos, and this is Mrs. Riggs.”
Since the moment the girl took her seat, Mara’s gaze had been riveted on her face. Even though the girl wore a mask, her eyes were strikingly familiar. Mara’s mind raced. She was unable to believe it could be true. Then, as if to confirm her fears, Susan removed her mask, revealing a delicate and charming face.
Susan glanced at Mara and said, “Hello, Mrs. Riggs.” Amanda recognized Susan immediately, her surprise evident. “Susan?”
“Hello, Mrs. Santos,” Susan greeted her with a polite nod. Amanda took a moment to study Susan. The last time she had seen her at the Riggs family’s home, Susan had been emotional and irrational, arguing with Mara. But now, sitting opposite her, Susan was calm, composed, and nothing like the girl from that day.
“Well, it’s good to see you. Have you been in Ansport recently?” Amanda inquired, her tone laced with curiosity.
“Yes, I’ve been back for a while. Didn’t Mara mention it?” Susan replied, blinking in mild confusion.
Amanda’s eyes flicked to Mara, her frown evident. Moments earlier, Mara had mentioned that Susan wasn’t in Ansport.
Mara felt the weight of their stares, and a cold sweat prickled at her spine. She had spent so much time spinning tales about Susan, never expecting to be caught off guard like this.
With a strained smile, Mara forced herself to respond, “Yes, Susan returned a few days ago, but she hasn’t been around much. I assumed she might have left again.”
Susan’s gaze sharpened, locking onto Mara. “Mara, you’re aware my grandfather’s in the hospital, and I’ve been there taking care of him, right? Oh, you must have forgotten because you’ve been busy arranging my marriage. After the Norris family’s collapse, it’s clear I can’t marry Onyx now.”
The air seemed to tense as the weight of Susan’s words hung in the air. Onyx’s misdeeds, exposed in the wake of his family’s downfall, were well-known.
How could Mara have even considered such a match for her stepdaughter?
But Mara didn’t panic. Her expression shifted to one of innocence, her voice dripping with practiced sincerity. “Oh, Susan, that was your father’s decision. I remember he discussed it with you, and you agreed. If I’d known Onyx was such a scoundrel, I would never have supported the match. Surely you’re not blaming me, are you?”
What a hypocritical old witch! Isabella silently fumed, but Susan didn’t let her down. With a sharp, knowing smile, she looked at Mara and said, “Even if that’s true, I’d appreciate it if you stopped spreading rumors about me. People might start thinking I’m off gallivanting, refusing to come home.”
Isabella chimed in with a smirk, “But Susan, doesn’t Mrs. Riggs often give you a hundred thousand dollars? With that kind of money, why are you still working?”
“A hundred thousand?” Susan’s brow furrowed in confusion as she reached for her phone. She scrolled through her messages with Mara and then looked up, her expression calm. “I haven’t received any money from you, Mara. Are you sure you didn’t send it to the wrong person? Maybe you mixed me up with my sister, Jada?”
Amanda was sitting close enough to see the messages on Susan’s phone. One of Mara’s texts read, “Susan, your match has been found. Come back quickly. Your father said that once you’re married, he’d cover your grandfather’s surgery costs.”
“Fine,” Susan replied.
Mara’s next message was, “You should marry Onyx soon. Don’t have any wild dreams, Susan. You won’t inherit anything from the Riggs family!”
Susan hadn’t even bothered to respond to that one.
The chasm between Mara’s earlier words and the cold, hard evidence now glaring on the screen was unmistakable.
Mara’s heart pounded, cold sweat beading on her brow. Rage and panic intertwined—how could Susan dare to reveal those messages?
Amanda’s face darkened, her eyes narrowing as the truth became painfully clear.
From the messages, it was clear Mara was a mean-spirited, selfish stepmother.
Elaine, sensing the tension, subtly signaled Susan to show her the messages.
As Elaine scanned the texts, her expression hardened. As a woman who never minced words, she turned to Mara with a steely gaze. “Mrs. Riggs, is this really how you treat Susan?”
Cursing Susan silently, Mara quickly adopted a helpless demeanor. “Susan, I didn’t mean to come off so harshly. These were actually your father’s instructions; I was merely passing them on to you. As for the money, your father must have stopped the transfer—I wasn’t aware.”
Even now, Mara was pretending, shifting the responsibility onto Esteban without missing a beat.
Isabella’s eyes narrowed, her voice laced with irony. “According to you, you must have sent Susan millions over the years. How could you not know that the money had never been transferred to her account?”
Mara tried to maintain her composure. “To be honest, I don’t usually handle the family’s finances. I only have access to the sub-card my husband gave me.”
Isabella’s lips curved into a sly smile. “Well then, why not transfer the money to Susan now as a gesture of goodwill?”
Mara’s smile faltered, but under the weight of those watchful eyes, she forced herself to nod, turning to Susan with feigned sincerity. “It’s my fault for not catching this oversight. I’ll transfer the money to you right now.”
With no other option, Mara transferred ten million dollars to Susan.
Susan accepted the transfer without hesitation, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she observed Mara’s composed exterior, despite her simmering fury. After years of being under Mara’s thumb, this small victory tasted sweet.
“Thank you, Mrs. Riggs,” Susan said, her voice dripping with innocence. “I’ve never asked you for money before, but I didn’t expect you to be so generous. Can I come to you if I need money in the future?”
Mara’s smile was strained, her mouth twitching at the edges, but she managed to reply gently, “Of course, Susan. The Riggs family is your family too.”
“Okay,” Susan agreed with a bright smile. Isabella was also in high spirits. She was pleased to see Susan finally turning the tables. She looked forward to seeing Mara regret her loose talk in the future. If Susan asked Mara for money again, Mara wouldn’t be able to refuse.
Amanda and Elaine didn’t say a word; they just continued eating in silence. After the meal, the group decided to leave. But before they went their separate ways, Elaine held Susan’s hand and said, “Susan, I never thought you were a member of the prestigious Riggs family. I didn’t expect your stepmother to be so vicious, either. But from now on, don’t hesitate to ask for money. If she refuses, tell me. I will handle her.”
Elaine’s words warmed Susan’s heart. “Thank you, Mrs. Patton.” She was genuinely touched. Of course, she knew she couldn’t truly rely on Elaine, but she appreciated the kindness the Patton family showed her.
“Why don’t you stay at my house tonight?” Elaine invited warmly. However, Susan gently shook her head. “Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Patton, but I’m afraid I can’t. I need to go to the hospital to care for my grandfather.”
“Oh, I see. How long will your grandfather be staying in the hospital? I want to visit him tomorrow,” Elaine said.
“Mrs. Patton, please don’t trouble yourself. My grandfather is fine. His surgery was very successful. He is in the recovery stage now,” Susan quickly waved her hand dismissively.
“No, it’s no trouble at all. I have plenty of free time. I’d love to visit your grandfather and have a chat with him,” Elaine insisted. Her tone was serious yet gentle.
Susan was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes. Elaine was an outsider but showed more care and concern than her own family.
“Okay, if it doesn’t trouble you. Thank you, Mrs. Patton,” Susan said gratefully.
She bid farewell to Elaine and Isabella and returned to the hospital. When she arrived at her grandfather’s ward, she was surprised to see Mara outside, waiting for her.
Susan asked indifferently, “What are you doing here?”
“Susan, give me the money back,” Mara sneered. Her mean and vicious expression at the moment starkly contrasted with the gentle and kind demeanor she had feigned earlier.
Susan looked at her coldly. “You want the money back? Why didn’t you think of this when you spread rumors about me? Do you deserve this money? Not at all. Besides, you’ve slandered me. So, it is only fair that I keep the money as compensation.”
“How dare you! That money belongs to your father. If you don’t give it back, I’ll go straight to him,” Mara threatened in a voice dripping with malice.
She knew Susan didn’t care about her at all, but her father’s opinion mattered to Susan. In fact, it was one of the reasons Mara always used Esteban against her. Mara was aware of how much Susan valued his approval.
“You are such a rebellious girl! Your father will definitely get angry when he finds out about this. Do you want to give him another heart attack? Have you forgotten that your father got sick last time because of you? Give me the money. Otherwise, I will tell your father how selfish and ungrateful you are. Be careful. He may even kick you out of the house.”
Since Susan was a child, she had been deeply affected by her father’s opinion of her. She was worried he would think she was an unfilial child. Because of this, she always gave in to Mara’s demands.
So, this time, Mara still believed Susan would return the money.
However, Susan’s expression remained cold. She just said calmly, “You can say whatever you want to him.”
Mara was taken aback for a moment. She looked at Susan in disbelief. “Are you not afraid I’ll tell your father?”
“Go ahead. I no longer care. After all, you’ve probably been bad-mouthing me to him all along,” Susan responded coldly. She no longer cared about her father’s opinion. Anyway, he always sided with her stepmother and stepsister. Her heart had grown cold because of him. So what if her father thought poorly of her? It wouldn’t change anything. He never loved her.
“Susan!” Mara spluttered, feeling helpless for a moment. “Do you want to be kicked out of the family?”
“If I remember correctly, I told you before I agreed to the marriage you arranged that I no longer considered myself a part of the Riggs family,” Susan replied coldly.
Mara looked at her with narrowed eyes. “What if your father asks you to return and work in the company? Won’t you go back?”
Susan didn’t answer.
So, Mara continued, “Susan, Jada has been studying perfumery abroad and will graduate soon. That means she is returning and will be the new head of the Riggs family. I suggest you don’t overstep your bounds.”
“I also advise you to stay in your lane. Stop causing trouble, especially around me. Otherwise, if I decide to work at the Riggs Group, it may not end up in your or your daughter’s hands,” Susan said coldly.
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