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Novel Catalog
Chapter 75
“There’s…” Floch stammered, unsure of how to respond.
But before he could finish, Elizabeth interjected with a pointed comment, “At the very least, there should be a minimum of three to five million for it to be acceptable.”
“Three to five…?” Rachel froze, her tears halting abruptly. She glanced at Elizabeth, clearly stunned, but her anger was tempered by the sharpness of Elizabeth’s words. She quickly masked her frustration with a forced, apologetic smile. “You’re right, Old Mrs. Kings. You’re absolutely right.”
Floch, however, didn’t seem to mind the confrontation and immediately covered for himself. “Yes, yes, I think so too. There’s about three million in there. It’s compensation for the poor girl.”
His words were a thin veil for his true feelings. He was practically seething with resentment, and in his mind, he longed to silence Veronica’s audacity once and for all.
Just as he was about to say more, Veronica lifted her hand to take the card. She was about to speak when Elizabeth stood up abruptly, walking toward her. “Veronica, give the card to me. I’ll check the balance for you.”
Elizabeth’s tone was firm, and it was clear from her actions that she was siding with Veronica. Her movement made it clear that she had little trust in the Larsons, choosing to handle matters herself.
Veronica, caught off guard by the gesture, felt a surge of warmth toward the elderly woman. Elizabeth is too kind to me! I must have done something incredibly good in my past life to deserve this kind of care in this one, she thought, touched by the support.
Elizabeth handed the card to a servant standing nearby. “Mr. Randall, check the balance for me. It’s important we clarify this matter, especially when money’s involved. We wouldn’t want anything mixed up.”
“Yes, of course. You’re absolutely right!” Floch quickly agreed, though his anxiety was evident. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, wishing the situation would resolve itself before he lost more ground.
The servant, Mr. Randall, took the card and headed off to check its balance.
Elizabeth returned to her seat beside Veronica, her face softening as she looked at the girl with affectionate eyes. “Are you hungry? You’ve been running around all day.”
Her concern was genuine, and her expression mirrored that of a grandmother doting on her granddaughter. The Larsons, however, were growing more frantic with every passing second. They exchanged uneasy glances, realizing that the kindness Elizabeth was showing Veronica could work against their interests.
It was precisely this dynamic that had made Rachel caution Floch before. The moment Elizabeth showed any sign of favoring Veronica, the Larsons would have to change their strategy. They had initially planned to get rid of Veronica, but Rachel saw that the best move was to embrace her as their daughter. By doing so, they could use her newfound status as Elizabeth’s god-granddaughter to climb higher in the social ranks.
The Kings family had immense influence in Bloomstead, and aligning themselves with Veronica could open doors to a world of opportunities. Rachel had insisted that announcing Veronica’s identity publicly would be their best option. Floch had agreed enthusiastically, and the Larsons were quick to announce to the press that they would be bringing Veronica back home to compensate her for the years of suffering.
Just then, the servant returned, his face somber as he handed Elizabeth the card. “Madam, the bank reported that this card has a balance of only fifty thousand.”
Elizabeth’s face immediately hardened. She took the card from the servant with a stiff hand, her expression darkening. Without hesitation, she flung the card toward Floch, her voice icy. “There’s only fifty thousand in here! Is this your idea of compensation?”
Floch’s eyes widened in shock. “No! No, it’s a mistake. There used to be three million in there, but I donated it to the Red Cross. I’ve been too forgetful. It was a mistake!”
He was flustered now, realizing that Elizabeth wasn’t going to let them off easily. Meanwhile, Rachel’s face was pale. She had no idea how the situation had escalated so quickly, but she knew there was no turning back now. Apologetically, she tried to placate Elizabeth, “Old Mrs. Kings, please don’t be angry. Floch is always so busy with work. It must have slipped his mind.”
Elizabeth’s glare was sharp. “Why are you apologizing to me? I’m not the one affected here!” she retorted, her voice full of reproach.
Veronica, watching the scene unfold, was nearly overwhelmed with emotion. She clutched Elizabeth’s wrist, her voice tremulous with gratitude. “Grandma, you’re too kind to me!”
The Larsons, clearly uncomfortable with the turn of events, tried to make excuses. “Don’t get mad at us, Veronica. Your father has just been too busy with work…” Floch began, but Veronica cut him off.
“I only have one father,” she said coolly, “and he’s living in the countryside.”
Her words stung, and she didn’t care for the Larsons’ explanations. She was too busy savoring her newfound power, taking full advantage of Elizabeth’s favor.
Elizabeth wasn’t finished yet. She turned her glare back on the Larsons and, in a tone dripping with disdain, said, “What’s wrong with the two of you? She just got back, and yet you’ve upset her so soon!”
The servant returned, cutting through the tension. “Madam, the balance on this card is three million, one hundred and thirty thousand.”
Elizabeth took the card and turned to Veronica with a soft smile. “I know you don’t have much money, but you shouldn’t accept theirs,” she said, her voice firm but gentle. She tossed the card onto the table with a finality that made the Larsons uneasy.
Then, Elizabeth reached into her bag and pulled out another card. “Here,” she said, pressing it into Veronica’s hand. “You’re my granddaughter now. It wouldn’t do for rumors to spread that you’re accepting money from anyone else.”
Veronica stared at the card in her hands, her heart swelling with gratitude. “You don’t have to do this…” she murmured, unable to fully express her emotions.
Elizabeth simply waved her off. “From now on, your pocket money will be one hundred thousand every month. You’re part of this family, and no one should treat you as anything less.”
The Larsons, on the other hand, looked absolutely livid. Veronica stole a glance at them, her heart light with the knowledge that their plans had failed. But before she could savor the moment too long, Matthew entered the room with Tiffany at his side.
He had clearly overheard the conversation, and his sharp eyes landed on Veronica. “How could you possibly take Grandma’s money?” he asked, his tone stern.
Floch immediately jumped on the opportunity to chime in. “Exactly. Although you’re Old Mrs. Kings’ god-granddaughter, you shouldn’t be so greedy, Veronica!”
Tiffany, standing behind her father, added her own words of ‘wisdom’. “Floch is right. Although three million isn’t much, once you’re back home, we’ll definitely give you more money. If you take too much all at once, you might get spoiled by it. Money can come and go, you know.”
Veronica’s mouth twisted in amusement, but before she could respond, Matthew shot her a questioning look. “I gave you a card before you arrived. Is the money insufficient?”
Veronica frowned slightly and pulled the card out from her pocket. “Do you mean this one?” she asked, holding it up with a smile that barely hid her satisfaction.
