Chapter 3 To Change The Will?
After being handed the will, Catherine returned to the living room.
Most of the Swanns were sitting in the family living room.
âI donât care what you bumpkin had done. But you are dreaming to want to inherit the Swannsâ fortune!â
The one that spoke was the youngest son of the Swanns. He was Catherineâs younger brother, Johnathan Swann.
He was the only son of the Swanns. At first, everything in the family would eventually belong to him. But now, it had all become Catherineâs. How could he accept it?
From the beginning, he didnât respect Catherine at all, as he thought she was just an uneducated country girl. Now, she had inherited the Swannsâ wealth. How could he take this lightly?
Johnathan came to his mother, Rachael, took her hand, and complained, âMom, you canât let the jinx inherit the familyâs fortune! Make her give it up, and go back to the countryside!â
Everyone in the Swanns knew that Catherine was a jinx, so Vicente sent her to the countryside when she was young.
Soon after Catherineâs accident, Laura Swann died. The priest at the Prayersâ Church said that Catherineâs birth was an omen that would bring calamities upon them!
Catherineâs mother, Rachael, did not care about Catherine at all.
She looked up and fixed Catherine with a fierce gaze as she ordered her directly, âCatherine, did you hear your brother? Call Leonel now and tell him you will give up the Swannsâ fortune. You will pass it over to your father. Iâll ask your father to compensate you with some money. A few days later, you will go back to the countryside.â
Catherine accepted everything calmly as though she was a bystander.
After Rachael had finished talking, Catherine opened her mouth slowly and said in a clear and calm voice.
âOkay!
âIf you can, take it!â
Her answer was so straightforward that she left everyone there dumbfounded.
How could she not care about it at all?
Everyone only heard Catherineâs âOkay!â but did not care for the cold warning that followed.
After all, in their eyes, if even a member of the Swanns could not inherit the familyâs fortune, a country girl like Catherine would surely fail to inherit it too.
Liana was the first to come back to her senses. She was also the happiest among the Swanns at Catherineâs words as she smiled brightly and triumphantly.
âIâm glad you know your place!â
In Lianaâs eyes, Catherine was just an uneducated country girl. Even if the Swann Corporation fell into Catherineâs hands, she wouldnât be able to keep it. It would be better for Catherine to hand it over directly so that Liana and her family wouldnât need to scheme against her later to take it from her.
That being said, Liana came to Rachael. âMom, what are you waiting for? Call Leonel over and sign the hand-over agreement immediately so that we donât have to worry about it for long.â
Before Rachael could make such a call, Korbin came into the living room and spoke loudly, âNo. The will canât be changed!â
At his words, the expressions on Lianaâs and the othersâ faces turned nasty. Liana didnât care about her image anymore and let out an agitated scream.
âDad, why? Why are you letting a bumpkin like her inherit the Swannsâ fortune?â
In the face of Lianaâs questioning, Korbinâs face darkened. He didnât want to either, but he couldnât stop Catherine from doing so.
Korbin turned to look at Catherine, who was on the side. As he saw that she was still wearing the battered white T-shirt, a trace of disdain flashed across his eyes.
âCatherine, you must be tired from the day. Go upstairs and rest!â
Catherine knew that Korbin was asking her to leave on purpose.
She didnât hesitate and strode upstairs.
As Catherine turned her back to her family, an evil smile spread across Catherineâs beautiful and doll-like face.
Her bright eyes shone with mocking and disdain.
After Catherine had disappeared upstairs, Rachael took the initiative to ask, âKorbin, why donât we get the girl to transfer the fortune to you?â
Rachael wouldnât even call Catherine by name because of her disdain toward her daughter.
Korbin shook his head and sighed, looking helpless.
âDad had stated clearly in his will, if Catherine abandons the inheritance, the Swannsâ fortune would be fully donated to the charity. Most importantly, Branden has agreed to marry her to unite the two families. As of now, Catherine is already Brandenâs fiancée.â
They couldnât afford to cross the Duncans. Besides, Vicenteâs will had stated his conditions clearly. Therefore, in Korbinâs eyes, if he were to keep the Swannsâ fortune, he could only let Catherine inherit it for now and only try to take it back from her later.
The two pieces of news left every one of the Swanns in shock.
Lianaâs eyes widened in shock. She looked at her father in horror. âDad, youâre joking, arenât you? Branden would never agree to marry the jinxâ¦â
Korbin knew that his youngest daughter had always fancied Branden, but right now, it was already a fact. No one could do anything about it.
âLiana, I canât do anything about it!â
Liana fell onto the sofa in a daze at her fatherâs words. Her mind had gone blank.
She couldnât believe how much had changed in merely a day.
The wealth that Liana could so easily get was gone. Even the man she had fancied for so many years had become someone elseâs fiancé.
It was all because of Catherine!
Liana clenched her hands into fists as her eyes were filled with pure hatred and anger.
She swore in her heart, âCatherine, I hate you!â