Chapter 3 Mockery

The Hunter family wanted to form a marriage alliance with The Scott family, yet they couldn't bear to let Megan marry into it-how could they expect to have it both ways?

For years, Bella had pulled The Hunter family's business back from the brink of bankruptcy, creating wealth far beyond the three percent of shares she was asking for.

As soon as she spoke, the expressions of everyone in the room changed.

Bella's mother frowned in discontent. "Why do you need shares? Have we ever let you go hungry or deprived you of anything?"

"Hah!" The fourth brother, Liam, sneered. "Bella, you're just ungrateful. It hasn't even been that long, and you're already eyeing shares?"

The second brother, Evan, glanced at Bella but remained silent.

The eldest brother, Chester, relaxed his frown and said, "Bella, these shares will be ours in the future anyway. There's no need to rush."

Blake nodded with a smile. "That's right, Bella. We're all family. The family will always take care of you."

Bella looked at the fake smile on his face and replied with a trace of mockery in her voice.

"No shares, no marriage. Find someone else."

If they could force her to marry a comatose man for their benefit today, how good could they possibly be to her in the future?

In fact, when she had first returned, The Hunter family had treated her fairly well.

But it didn't take long before their attitude changed.

Even when she did nothing, they assumed she was targeting Megan.

If Megan showed even a hint of sadness or distress, Bella would immediately be blamed. Any explanation she gave was dismissed as an excuse.

Perhaps, in the end, blood ties could never surpass years of shared affection.

She had felt deeply disappointed, yet she had still yearned for familial love.

But today, she suddenly realized-she considered them family, but they did not consider her the same.

Maybe she was destined to be alone in this life, and that was fine too.

Seeing her refusal, Blake softened his tone.

"Bella, Eugene may be in a coma now, but he's still part of The Scott family. A life of unimaginable wealth and privilege is just waiting for you..."

He paused.

"Don't worry. Even after you're married, we'll always be a family. No one will be able to touch your position in the company."

"Hah!" Bella chuckled.

Did they really think they could use the excuse of family to trade her marriage for their own benefit?

"I'll marry when the share transfer is finalized."

Leaving that statement behind, Bella turned and went upstairs.

"Bella, are you getting too bold?"

Bella's mother slammed her teacup on the table in anger. "I knew it! A child we didn't raise would never have any gratitude!"

Liam sneered. "Mom, you knew her personality already, didn't you? She always looks like the world owes her something. What can you expect from her?"

Evan frowned slightly as he watched Bella's retreating figure.

For some reason, the look on her face just now left an uncomfortable feeling in his heart.

Chester furrowed his brows. "What does Bella mean by this?"

Blake remained silent, his face dark.

Megan's eyes flickered slightly before she spoke sincerely, "Dad, Mom, if it's too difficult, I'll marry instead. It's okay..."

Bella's mother was the first to object. "No way. Eugene's accident has thrown The Scott family into chaos. You can't marry him now."

Eugene wasn't the only heir of The Scott family.

Now that he was unconscious, the outside world speculated that he was not only in a vegetative state but also physically disabled.

The family members Eugene had previously suppressed were now eager to make their moves.

If Eugene woke up, all would be well. But if he didn't, he would become a discarded pawn-a target at the center of a storm.

Blake looked at Megan's sincere expression and his face softened. "It's fine, Megan. Don't worry. We'll persuade your sister later. Your career can't be affected right now."

Bella returned to her room.

Her room was at the far end of the third floor, small, with a north-facing window that barely let in any sunlight.

She once overheard the maids saying this used to be a storage room.

When she first returned to The Hunter family, her room had been next to Megan's, bright and sunny.

But one day, Megan casually complained that the piano room was too far away, and Bella's mother had immediately had Bella move out so Megan could use the space for her piano.

Bella hadn't minded.

No matter what, this room was still far better than the one she had in the home of Megan's biological parents.

Just as Bella sat down, Chester came upstairs.

He wore a warm smile.

"Bella, we actually don't want to force you to marry, but Mr. old Scott proposed fulfilling the engagement. We couldn't refuse..."

Bella found his smile filled with hypocrisy.

"Oh, so you don't want me to marry, or you don't want Megan to marry?"

Chester cleared his throat. "Big Brother knows you've always been understanding, always putting the family first. Megan is really popular in the industry right now, and she's at a critical stage in her career. If she gets married now, it'll affect her greatly..."

Bella was curious.

"The engagement was originally between Eugene and Megan. If Mr. old Scott wants it honored, does it not matter which one of us marries him?"

"The old man didn't specify."

Mr. old Scott only asked if they agreed to the marriage and if they had any conditions.

"Besides, technically speaking, the engagement was originally between you and Eugene. Megan was just an accident."

Bella stared at him for a few seconds before suddenly laughing.

"When I first returned, didn't you all take turns warning me not to have any designs on Eugene? That the future lady of The Scott family could only be Megan?"

Chester rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Well, the situation has changed."

Bella frowned slightly as she looked at him.

She couldn't understand how they could be so shameless.

When Eugene was at the peak of his power, the engagement belonged to Megan.

Now that Eugene's fate was uncertain, they wanted her to marry him instead-without a hint of hesitation.

The Hunter family never saw her as one of their own.

And yet, she had always treated them as family. Even towards Liam, who treated her the worst, she had still been willing to help.

Perhaps Bella's mockery was too obvious in her gaze.

Chester avoided her eyes. "Bella, think about it carefully. Marrying into The Scott family benefits all of us."

With that, he left.

"Hah! Big Brother, talking to her is useless."

Liam stood with his hands in his pockets, sneering.

"This Bella is just ungrateful. She's nothing like our real sister. Look at Megan-she always thinks of us first."

If it weren't for Megan helping him revise his composition, he wouldn't have shot to fame in the entertainment industry with just one song.

"Eugene is already like that, and she still won't marry him? She won't lose a piece of flesh! She'll even become Mrs. Scott for nothing! What's so unfair about that?"

Chester sighed. "Maybe she has her own thoughts."

"Hah!" Liam scoffed. "What thoughts could she possibly have? I heard from a friend in our circle today-Bella just got dumped by that Hardy family guy. She's just in a bad mood and taking it out on us!"