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Catherine’s calm demeanor never wavered as Rachael and Johnathan launched their threats. It was as though she had anticipated everything that was happening. With a cool, deliberate motion, she pulled out another piece of paper from her pocket—this time, one she hadn’t shown anyone yet.
Rachael’s eyes widened in shock as she took the paper from Catherine. The words printed on it were unmistakable: Declaration to Terminate Parent-Child Relationship.
The sheer audacity of it took Rachael by surprise. Her face flushed red with fury, and for a moment, she looked as if she might faint from the shock. Catherine didn’t seem to be bothered at all, her expression unchanging.
“You’re only my biological parents,” Catherine said, her voice icy. “If you want to terminate our relationship, I’m happy to cooperate. Leonel gave me this document. He said you only need to sign it.”
Catherine’s gaze then shifted to Johnathan, her eyes cold but the smile on her lips was eerily gentle. The contrast was so striking that Johnathan shuddered involuntarily. He swallowed hard before nervously asking, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Catherine’s voice was quiet but filled with an unsettling calmness. “Grandpa originally owned this mansion. If you terminate your relationship with me, you’ll be the ones kicked out.”
The casual way she said it made Johnathan feel as though the walls were closing in around him. Fear crept into his bones, and he nearly bolted into his mother’s arms, his fear evident. He had never been so terrified of a person in his life.
Rachael, beside herself with anger, turned to Korbin for support. “Korbin, do you hear what this ungrateful brat is saying? She wants to destroy us all!”
Korbin narrowed his eyes at Catherine, his expression calculating. He could feel the tension rising in the room, and the wheels in his mind began to turn. There was something about Catherine that felt different—she had clearly predicted all of their moves. Every step they took, she was prepared. It was almost as though she had been receiving guidance from someone.
The Swanns’ fortune, worth tens of billions, wasn’t something to be taken lightly. Could it be that Catherine had someone on the inside advising her? That thought sent a chill down Korbin’s spine.
Korbin tried to regain control of the situation. “Catherine, your grandfather dedicated his life to building the Swann Corporation. You weren’t here, so you don’t understand how important this is to us. The company must be managed by someone from the Swann family. It would be best for me to take charge. You’re too young to understand the intricacies of the business, and I won’t allow it to be ruined.”
Catherine listened to his words, unfazed. When he paused, she interrupted him sharply. “There’s no need for that,” she said decisively.
Korbin, thinking he had intimidated her, allowed himself to believe she was backing down. After all, she was just a young girl, uneducated and naïve. Surely, hearing about a public press conference would be enough to frighten her into compliance. But Catherine’s next words left him dumbstruck.
“I’ve accepted an invitation for an exclusive interview with The International Economics.”
The International Economics—the leading global financial newspaper. Even Korbin had never been invited for an interview by them. The very idea that Catherine, someone he had dismissed as unimportant, had been offered such an opportunity left him speechless.
Catherine smiled playfully, the hint of defiance still in her eyes. “Don’t worry. The Swann Corporation won’t be ruined under my watch. Give me three months. If I can’t increase the company’s share price by 30%, I’ll sign the Letter of Authorization.”
Her confidence was unnerving. Korbin, who had been the general manager of the Swann Corporation for a decade, could only hope to maintain the company’s stock price, but Catherine was promising an increase of 30%. It sounded like a pipe dream, a reckless challenge that could only end in failure. But it was clear she wasn’t bluffing.
Korbin, his anger mixing with disbelief, eyed her coldly. “Okay, you have my word. But don’t go back on it.”
Catherine pulled out another piece of paper from her pocket—this time, a simple but decisive Commitment Letter—and tossed it onto the table. “I never go back on my word,” she said, turning to leave.
As she walked out, leaving the tense atmosphere behind her, Korbin looked down at the letter, a cold sense of dread creeping into his chest. This girl—this so-called “country girl”—was no simple adversary. She was playing a game far beyond his comprehension. And for the first time, Korbin wondered if he had underestimated her.