Chapter 1937
Mr. and Mrs. Dunhill were the kind of parents that made local gossip rags seem like they were reporting mundane everyday life. It was unheard of, unfathomable even, that their daughter hadn’t received an ounce of parental affection despite both parents being alive and well. Instead, she was exploited as a sacrificial offering for her elder sister’s benefit-a tale both pitiful and tragic.
“Do you really think handing over that three million today will make them keep their word and leave you alone? Based on your description of them, it seems that once they discover they can extract money from you, they’ll only tighten their grip on you in the future.”
Balfour’s cautionary words froze Ivy in her tracks. She had hoped that this hefty sum would close the chapter on her dealings with the Dunhills, but Balfour knew the family’s character all too well. The scenario he painted was all too plausible.
The Dunhills were insatiable in their greed. Once they got a whiff of money coming from Ivy, they’d surely tighten their grip, seeing her as nothing more than a cash cow!
“I’ve got to run. Quinton will be in touch,” Balfour said before abruptly ending the call.
Ivy was left somewhat bewildered.
What did that mean?
Was Balfour in or out?
Minutes later, her phone buzzed with a call from Quinton.
“Ivy, I’ve taken care of what Balfour asked. The legal team has drafted an agreement, and I’m sending the digital copy to you. It’s your call whether to have the Dunhills sign it. Also, could you send me your bank details? I’ll transfer the three million to your account promptly.”
Hearing how Balfour had arranged everything so meticulously, Ivy was taken aback. “Uh… sure, I’ll send it right over.”
After hanging up, Ivy’s email pinged with the digital agreement from Quinton.
The gist of the agreement was straightforward: upon accepting the three million, Ivy would no longer have any association with the Dunhill family, freeing her from any daughterly duties, and the Dunhill family would no longer be allowed to morally coerce Ivy under any circumstances.
Balfour had indeed thought of everything. With this agreement in hand, Ivy wouldn’t be shackled by their demands
anymore.
Having sent her bank details to Quinton, she waited for his confirmation before heading to the living room. Ivy tossed her bank card on the table before her parents, declaring, “There! Three million is in this account. Sign the agreement, and I’ll give you the PIN. Then the money’s all yours!”
“You’ve got three million?” Clara looked down her nose at the bank card, skepticism written all over her face. She didn’t believe for a second that Ivy had that much money.
Ivy, undeterred by the disbelief, tucked the card back into her purse. “If you don’t trust me, then forget it!”
“Hey, hey, Ivy, hold on.”
Tessa, sensing the possibility of losing out on the money, grew anxious and reached out to stop her. “We’re just asking, Ivy. But you’ve got to prove that you really have the money. How else can we believe you?”
Greed flashed in Tessa’s eyes; she wouldn’t let a potential windfall slip through her fingers so easily.
Ivy took a step back, putting space between them. “And how would you like me to prove it?”
Clara whipped out her phone, revealing the bank’s customer service number on the screen. “Call the bank and check your balance. Let us see if there’s really three million in there.”
Without wasting words, Ivy dialed the number. “Hi, I’d like to confirm if there’s three million in my account.”
“Just a moment, please,” replied the polite bank employee. After verifying Ivy’s identity, they informed her, “Ms. Ivy, your
account balance has been sent to your phone via text message. Please check your messages.”
Ivy thanked them, ended the call, and showed the text message to her parents. “Is this evidence sufficient for you?”
They peered at the text message confirmation, and the figure was right there. Clara was completely taken aback. “Ivy, how on earth do you have three million? What have you done? Where did this money come from?”
