Filed to story: The Heiress Rises From Ashes Book PDF Free
Though she had no issue with the DNA test itself-she had wanted to do it anyway-there was no way she’d agree to such a lopsided deal.
Brenna said, “Rewrite the terms first. Then I’ll consider signing.”
Rosie refused to back down. “No. You need to prove you’re a Harper first,” she said.
Ernst sneered, throwing in his own jab, “If you’re not part of this family, you don’t even have the right to sign it.”
Giselle had heard enough. Furious, she snatched the contract from Brenna’s hands and tore it to shreds.
She would protect her daughter’s rights, even if it meant going against Rosie.
“This agreement is completely unfair to Brenna,” she declared. “My husband and I will write a new one ourselves.”
Shepard nodded in agreement. “That’s right. We’ll handle it.”
Rosie’s eyes welled with tears as she looked at them in disbelief. “I’ve always called you Mom and Dad. How can you turn your backs on me for her?” she said.
Giselle’s voice was cold and firm. “We are not going to turn our backs on our real daughter. The truth is, we’re not your biological parents, Rosie. From now on, don’t call us Mom and Dad; you should call us Uncle and Aunt since that is the reality.”
Utterly disappointed, Luther flung a glare at Rosie. “Do as your aunt Giselle says. Change the way you address them from now on.” It was clear to him now that they had spoiled Rosie so much that she had become arrogant.
Ernst couldn’t take it anymore. He stepped in to defend Rosie, saying, “Rosie lost her parents when she was young, and this is how you treat her?”
Shepard lost his patience and stared coldly at his eldest son. “Shut up! Did I give you permission to speak? And don’t forget-you’re part of this agreement, too. If Brenna takes first place, you will lose your position as the Vice President of the Harper Group.”
Ernst scoffed, “She’s not capable of winning first place.”
Shepard’s anger only grew. “You’d rather tear down your own sister than acknowledge her talent? A leader who judges with bias and refuses to be rational isn’t fit to run the Harper Group. I don’t think you deserve to be the Vice President of the company.”
Turning to Giselle, he said, “Bring me my computer. I’ll draft this agreement myself.”
He had already thought of the crucial terms in his head. The moment Giselle handed him the laptop, his fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard, and within half an hour, a fair agreement was complete. The document clearly defined the roles and responsibilities of all three parties, along with the consequences of losing the wager.
Once it was printed, Brenna carefully reviewed it before nodding. “Mom, Dad, this agreement is fair. I’ll sign it.”
Giselle, overjoyed, turned to her husband. “Honey, did you hear that? She called us Mom and Dad.”
Shepard’s face softened with a smile as he nodded. “Yes. And once the paternity results confirm everything, I’ll allocate Brenna an extra share of the company. We have to make up for all the years we lost.”
Ernst’s mood turned sour as he read the agreement, his hands shaking slightly. “Mom, Dad, why are you stripping me of all my shares if I lose the bet?”
Shepard let out a cold snort. “That’s the cost of your reckless actions. Why should Brenna risk losing everything if she doesn’t win, while you walk away unscathed? This needs to be fair.”
Ernst’s grip on the pen was so tight that his knuckles turned pale under the strain.
He turned to look at Brenna and said bitterly, “Happy now? You’ve won. I have to step down as the Vice President and forfeit five percent of my shares in the Harper Group.”
Deep down, it wasn’t that he doubted Brenna’s identity-he simply couldn’t stomach what he saw as her insatiable greed.
However, if he had to pay such a high price for targeting Brenna, he felt it wasn’t worth it.
He was hesitant to sign this.
Brenna looked at him in silence, a cold look on her face. When she saw his hesitation, she snorted and said, “You don’t want to give up the status and luxury that come with being a Harper, huh?”
Rosie, unaware of the full details of the agreement, instantly sensed something was wrong from Ernst’s reaction. She grabbed a copy from his hand, scanning the terms. The moment she reached the section concerning herself, her voice rang out in protest, sharp with outrage. “Why should I lose my shares and be cut off from my allowance if I lose the bet?”
If this agreement were enforced and she lost the bet, she would have no further claim to the Harper family’s wealth. Every privilege she had enjoyed would be stripped away.
Her future would rest entirely on her own abilities.
That was unacceptable!
“Grandpa, Grandma!” She hurriedly handed the document to Luther. “Look at this! Uncle Shepard and Aunt Giselle are being completely unreasonable. What right do they have to take everything from me?” She couldn’t accept it-losing everything she had was out of the question.
Luther read the agreement carefully. After a while, he spoke, his tone firm. “This agreement is fair. This is exactly how it should be. You were quick to argue that Brenna is an adult and doesn’t need financial support from the family. But you are an adult, too, aren’t you? Plus, you’ve been working for two years. You shouldn’t need financial support from the family, either. This is final. Regardless of how this wager plays out, all allowances for adults in this family will be discontinued.”
Turning to Ernst, he said icily, “Sign it.”
Ernst hesitated briefly but ultimately pressed the pen to paper, signing all three copies with such force that the paper nearly tore.
Despite her unwillingness, Rosie had no choice but to sign as well.
Later that evening, Brenna returned to her room. After taking a shower, she settled at her desk, turning on her computer to continue working on a design. There was still an issue with the cargo ship’s advanced power system; it needed refining.
As she concentrated on her work, a knock sounded at the door. Without turning to look, she called out, “Come in.”
Assuming it was a servant delivering a late-night snack, she added absentmindedly, “No need to bring me snacks anymore. I’m not exactly a huge fan of them.”
A scoff broke the silence, followed by Rosie’s mocking voice. “Already diving into your design? How ambitious. But it’s pointless. I’ve seen what you designed for the Barrett family before-it was awful. The Harper Group’s design competition attracts top-tier professionals from all over the world. Do you seriously think you can win first place? You’ll be lucky to even get an honorable mention.”
Earlier, she had fretted over the possibility of Brenna actually winning, but Ernst had reassured her. And now, standing here, she realized her concerns were ridiculous. Brenna simply lacked the talent. Even though she had signed the agreement, it didn’t matter.
And if, by some miracle, Brenna’s work showed potential, she could always manipulate the results to ensure Brenna lost.
One way or another, Brenna would never have a chance to succeed.