"Fenris, Raina's been out too long, that's why she's so wild. Don't bother arguing with her, don't get angry... Remember, we have serious matters today. Besides, so many guests are watching."
Odette, the third wife who'd risen in status, lowered her voice at the end.
Fenris snorted coldly, scowling, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and come with me! Such an embarrassment!"
Raina lowered her gaze, her face returning to its usual indifferent expression.
This was her father - his heart was always biased.
But it didn't matter anymore. She hadn't come back to reunite, but to find her lost baby and reclaim what was hers.
Amidst the murmurs, Raina followed Fenris and Odette out.
Mireille snapped out of her daze and followed as well.
...
Hotel lounge.
With a sharp "slam," Fenris threw a contract in front of Raina.
"Sign this contract. From now on, the Carrington family has nothing to do with you!"
On the front page of the contract was clearly written - Company Share Transfer Agreement.
Fenris was demanding Raina transfer her mother's company to Mireille - for free!
Raina lounged casually on the sofa, but an invisible pressure radiated from her, even making Fenris furrow his brow and fix his gaze on her.
After all these years, something about Raina seemed different.
The girl raised her hand, picked up the agreement, and curled a cold, sarcastic smile at the corner of her lips.
"Company transfer agreement?"
Fenris felt no problem demanding Raina sign it. Ever since Lauren passed away, he'd taken for granted that everything belonged to him.
But before she died, Lauren left a will, leaving all her inheritance to that useless bastard, Raina.
Besides, the company was now managed by a professional manager, and without this transfer agreement, the other side wouldn't acknowledge Fenris's claims.
That's why he saw this as the perfect opportunity. Raina was always timid - with him asking personally, there was no way she wouldn't sign.
A flash of triumph crossed Fenris's eyes before he impatiently said, "It's just a failing company anyway. Think of it as your sister's wedding gift. You wouldn't be that petty to begrudge her that, would you?"
Odette quickly chimed in with a sweet smile, "Exactly, Raina, you don't know how badly business has been these past years. The company's always losing money. Even if you got it, you wouldn't be able to run it. Better to give it to Mireille as her dowry - that's what an older sister should do."
Mireille sat nearby, her arrogant pride slowly returning.
With Fenris and Odette backing her, she didn't even have to lift a finger to crush Raina.
"What right do you have?" Raina slammed the agreement down heavily on the table.
Fenris's expression hardened, a bad feeling creeping up inside him. "What do you mean?"
The atmosphere instantly thickened.
Raina tapped twice on the contract, a mocking smile playing at her eyes and brows.
"The company is mine. Why should my own property be given away for free? I won't sign this."
"Whether you sign it or not isn't up to you! You'll sign it today-willing or not! Don't fool yourself into thinking you're some untouchable high-society lady. With or without your consent, Jasper and Mireille's engagement is already set in stone!"
"It's just giving her a bankrupt company and you can't even agree to that?"Odette seized the chance to fan the flames. "Fenris, I'm telling you, your daughter is... tsk, tsk, selfish to the extreme."
Raina rubbed her forehead, knowing there was no point in staying. She stood and left the lounge.
"Raina! Stop right there! You unfilial daughter! Once you step out that door, don't ever think of coming back to the Carrington family!"
The Carrington family?
Aside from the name, she no longer had any ties to them.
Beep-
As soon as she stepped out, her phone rang. Raina glanced at the caller ID, then answered, holding the phone to her ear.
"Raina, you really have some serious charm. Wherever you go, that Mr. Vexley follows. His people are at the scene too. Be careful not to reveal your whereabouts."
Leif was here for the Hale family engagement banquet?
Rumor had it this Mr. Vexley was low-profile, never attending public events. If not to personally clear up the media rumors about the second young master of the Vexley family's leg injury, he wouldn't have appeared publicly.
Yet he even came to some insignificant noble family's engagement banquet - low-profile, huh?
Raina lowered her gaze lazily and replied, "Got it."
She hung up and tapped a few times on her phone screen. A complex web of lines and dots appeared, with over a dozen red dots blinking.
For such a large event, the other side could insert their people quietly without alerting the hosts - interesting.
"Raina! Stop right there!"
A sharp, venomous voice sounded from behind.
No need to turn around - it was Mireille.
Raina put away her phone and turned to look at Mireille, raising an eyebrow.
"Second Miss Carrington still have something to say?"
Second Miss Carrington - those words were like a fine needle piercing through Mireille's skin. The pain was subtle but impossible to ignore.
Mireille stood frozen for a moment, then suddenly raised her head, her tone and expression turning cold and cruel as she sneered, "Why aren't you dead yet? You should have died five years ago... Raina, seriously, just die already, won't you?"
"Answer me! Say something, Raina! Answer me-"
Her voice grew sharper and full of malice, making it clear this curse wasn't just empty words. She really wanted Raina dead.
But Raina laughed, covering her face with one hand as the laughter slipped through her fingers.
"You're still alive, so why should I die? Mireille, everything you stole from me, I'll make you spit it out one by one."
"Never!"
Mireille's eyes widened, a flicker of fear and panic flashing in her pupils. She clenched her fists tightly, as if holding onto something, and yelled fiercely at Raina:
"What I've got, is mine! Raina, you'll never take it from me again... never!"
***