Harrison suddenly called her. He must be calling me because of the press conference earlier today.
Knowing that there was a chance that the call would turn ugly, she asked her kids to leave.
Connor saw the incoming call on Natalie's phone. Mommy won't let us listen to this. Sighing, he pulled Sharon back
to their room.
Natalie only picked up the call after the room door was closed. “Mr. Smith, can I help you with something?”
“You ungrateful child!” Harrison bellowed through the phone. Undertones of weakness in his voice made him sound
a lot less imposing than he intended.
Natalie picked up the remote and switched off the TV. She answered nonchalantly, “Mr. Smith, if I were an
ungrateful child, what does that make you? A horrible father?”
“Y-You,” Harrison stuttered with anger at her words. He took in several deep breaths before he was able to
suppress his rage. He asked fiercely, “Why did you reveal Jasmine's real identity at the press conference?”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Because you forced me to,” Natalie replied lightly, flicking her nails.
Ah, my nails are getting a little too long. I should invite Joyce to get a new manicure with me tomorrow.
“I forced you?” Harrison choked on his words. Her reply invoked a sense of déjà vu; didn't he say the same thing to
her yesterday when she called him about the rumors he'd spread of her and Shane on the Internet?
How dare she used my words against me!
“Of course you did. You used public outcry to pressure me to drop my charges against Susan and falsify my
testimony against Jasmine. Frankly, I've run out of options, and this is my only way out.” Shrugging, Natalie
expressed her helplessness.
Harrison found himself at a loss for words. His face twitched with anger as he yelled, “Fine, you are right. But did
you think about how your actions are going to affect the Smith family and the Smith Group? The stock prices for the
Smith Group are falling like mad!”
Natalie moved the phone slightly further from her ear as she replied, “Mr. Smith, surely you're joking. The stock
prices fell because of you. None of this would've happened if you didn't cheat on my mom in the past. Also, it
doesn't bother me if the stock prices fall. In fact, I hope it falls so low you're forced to declare bankruptcy!”
The Smith Group was established by both Harrison and her mom. Furthermore, her mom had put more effort into
the venture than Harrison ever did.
Harrison tricked her mom into signing an equity transfer agreement seven years ago, effectively robbing her mom
of all her shares. Natalie had lost her loyalty towards Smith Group since then.
“Y-You...” Harrison stuttered as he tightened his grip on his walking cane. He sounded like he had more to say.
Natalie let out a faux yawn as she ran out of patience. “Mr. Smith, it's late. Let's end the call here. It's time for my
beauty sleep. Goodbye!”
She hung up and threw her phone aside.
She hung up and threw her phone aside.
“Hello? Hello?” Harrison continued shouting into the phone.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Stop yelling. She has already hung up,” Jasmine spoke behind him.
Harrison looked at his phone and realized she'd already cut the call short. Angrily, he said, “That b*stard! Does she
have no respect for her own father!”
Jasmine snorted at his words. “Dad, I don't mean to take her side, but it's a fact that you've been treating her like
nothing more than a piece of trash. Why would she ever show you any respect? Isn't this ironic?”
The corner of his lips twitched as he appeared embarrassed.
Suddenly, the doors of the interrogation room opened. Dressed in prison scrubs, Susan was escorted in by an
inspector.
Susan had lost a lot of weight even though it'd only been two days. She looked frail, and her complexion was sallow.
Her bone structure appeared sharper, which only accentuated her meanness.
She glanced at an equally frail-looking Jasmine, before turning to look at Harrison, who looked exhausted. She
immediately burst into tears. “Darling, you must get me out of here! I can't stay here any longer! It's so
uncomfortable! I can't eat or sleep well, and I'm being bullied too!”
Jasmine lowered her head in disgust when she heard her wails.