Chapter 3

3

I met her furious gaze. What was the point of explaining?

"I asked you to give up the CEO position, and you assault her? I should've known you wouldn't agree!"

Each word cut like a knife. I wiped the blood from my lip. "Look around. Whose room is this? Who started it?"

My coldness startled her. She noticed the scattered clothes, the overturned suitcase, but remained silent.

I dragged out another suitcase and slammed it at her feet. Then, I shouted at Britney, "I said I'd give you everything!" I turned to Mom. "You too!"

I kicked the suitcase open. Cash erupted, raining down on us. Britney’s eyes widened at the money. Mom scowled. "What's this?"

"I'm giving her everything. This should cover what you spent on me," I said, gesturing at the suitcase.

Britney spoke softly, "Ashley, you can't take Mom's money and pretend it's yours to give back." She sneered. "This is Mom's money, isn't it?"

I laughed. "Who said it was hers?"

Mom's face darkened at my refusal to call her "Mom."

I stepped towards Britney. "This is all mine."

She looked at Mom, who remained silent. Britney paled. They thought I'd be helpless, destitute. But Mom had inadvertently taught me survival. This money was the result.

Mom's relentless pressure had driven me to excel, earning praise from her friends. But when I missed a scholarship and failed my grad school exams at 20, she’d coldly told me to leave.

The housekeeper threw me out on a winter night. Mom watched, her eyes glacial. "Come back when you succeed." The door slammed shut, leaving me to cry in the cold.

I spent a year crashing with a friend, studying and working multiple jobs. My friend's family ran a finance firm, offering me an internship. That’s where I learned to apply my knowledge, following markets and investing my meager savings. Now, I had millions.

Britney clenched her fists, her eyes burning with resentment.

I walked past her, out the door, taking nothing.

"Where are you going?!" Mom's cold voice echoed.

I didn't turn. "Home. And from now on, Harrison Enterprises, and you, have nothing to do with me."