I smiled. “Simple. I’ll take back everything you and your mom stole from my family–and the shares David stole from my mom.”
The crowd exploded into laughter.
“She’s still bluffing? Claire’s delusional!”
“Having her in our class is embarrassing. Can someone just get rid of her already?”
The mocking buzz filled the auditorium, but I didn’t flinch. On stage, David’s expression darkened.
“You ungrateful brat!” he roared. “How dare you spout such nonsense!
“I disown you from the Sinclair family right now! I’ll cut off every penny of support and make sure you’re expelled this instant!”
His words were still echoing when the auditorium doors flew open with a thunderous kick.
In walked my mother, Elena Lambert, flanked by a swarm of bodyguards. Her presence radiated authority.
The principal, who had been conveniently quiet until now, stepped forward, his expression pinched with disapproval.
“Ma’am, this is a formal event. Please refrain from causing a disruption.”
Mom smiled faintly, her gaze steady and cutting.
“I’m not here to disrupt anything. But if you’re slandering my daughter in public while using funds stolen by my ex–husband and his maid to make donations, that’s a different story. David, the one whose time is up–is you.
David froze, his face a mix of disbelief and panic.
“This… this can’t be! How did you get out?”
Mom chuckled. “I built Sinclair Corp into the country’s most successful business empire. Did you honestly think you could outsmart me?”
Her calm confidence hit like a tidal wave, and my chest tightened. Tears welled up in my
eyes.
In my previous life, after I died, Mom had been so broken that she missed a crucial detail about her car. David’s sabotage turned it into a death trap, causing a fatal crash on the highway. Her only weakness had been me–and I had unknowingly set the stage for her downfall.
Not this time. This time, I’d protect her with everything I had and make sure every last one
