<b>Chapter </b>251


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    “If everything looks fine, just sign here,” Gregory said, handing her a few more transfer documents, “I’ll handle all the paperwork for you.”


    Reba took the documents and skimmed through them.


    Once she confirmed there were no problems, she signed her name without a second thought.


    She really didn’t feel like getting into another argument with Jeffrey over this stuff. If he insisted on giving things to her, so be it–she was just going to put it all in Samuel’s name in the end anyway.


    “Ms. Jensen,” Gregory said after she finished signing.


    Reba looked up at him. “Yes?”


    Gregory cleared his throat and pressed his lips together. “Mr. Hanson has a small request. I’m not sure if you’ll agree.”


    Reba kept her expression neutral. “Go ahead.”


    “He wanted me to ask if you’d let him stay at Reba’s Manor–or even rent it,” Gregory said, his look a bit conflicted. “His other ces are pretty far from the Hanson Group. Commuting would be a pain.”


    “He can stay for now,” Reba replied, her tone sharper than ever, colder than anyone could have expected. “But once we’re divorced, that’s it–he’s out.”


    Gregory froze in surprise.


    For a second, he just stared at her, unable to process what he’d heard.


    ‘Is this really Ms. Jensen? Since when has she be so heartless?‘ Gregory couldn’t help but think.


    “He can keep those properties, as long as they’re transferred to my name,” Reba said, pointing at the list. “Or, if he wants, just put Reba’s Manor back under his ownership.”


    “Do you really not have even a trace of feeling left for Mr. Hanson?” Gregory ventured, unusually bold.


    Reba’s lips tightened, her expression unreadable.


    ‘How could I not?‘ she thought.


    She wasn’t some robot that could erase every memory right on cue.


    There were just too many problems between them. Even if nothing had happenedtely, sooner orter, all those old issues would’ve blown up anyway.


    “Sorry,” Gregory said, suddenly aware his question was out of line. “I’ll let Mr. Hanson know.”


    Reba just nodded, making no move to exin herself.


    67


    Jeffrey had plenty of options—he could’ve kept the properties or just bought new ones. But instead of making that call himself, he had Gregorye ask her for a favor.


    Maybe he was testing the waters for her boundaries after the divorce, or maybe he still wanted to hold onto some kind of connection.


    Whatever his reason, she just didn’t want to deal with it right now.


    “I’ll be heading out now,” Gregory said, getting to his feet with the signed documents in hand, his professional mask firmly back in ce. “On the day you pick up your divorce papers, someone wille to take you to Jsburg. Just stay home and wait.”


    Reba replied curtly, her tone distant. “No need. I’ll book my own flight.”


    Gregory looked like he wanted to say something more, but after a moment just nodded. “Alright.”


    No sooner had Gregory left than Amelia walked straight into the study.


    Noticing Reba sitting there, neither happy nor sad–just silent–Amelia sat down beside her, worry in her voice. “What did Gregory say? You don’t look yourself.”


    “Mom,” Reba said, her energy so low she barely looked up.


    Amelia smiled gently. “Yes?”


    Reba forced out a smile. “All I’ve got left is money—I’m broke in every other way.”


    “Are you really still nning to go toe–to–toe with the Quinn family?” Amelia asked–her voice was soft, but there was real concern behind it. She never tried to control Reba, no matter what. “Max told me, if you give up those shares, you’ll be getting 30 million a year just in dividends.”


    Reba raised her brows a little.


    ‘So now he’s trying to convince Mom too?‘ she thought.


    “With the money I’ve got, the office building Sebastian gifted you, that boutique brand from Ryan, and the settlement you picked up from Jeffrey,” Amelia said, spelling it all out, “even if you just let the shares go, you and Samuel would have it made for life–you’d never have to worry about anything, ever again.”


    Reba could already guess what her mom was about to say.


    “If I could choose, I’d really rather you not go head–to–head with the Quinn family,” Amelia said inly. “Those people seriously wouldn’t bat an eye if someone dropped dead.” <fn92fb> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n f?ndnovel</fn92fb>


    Honestly, there wasn’t much Amelia could do about any of this.


    If the Quinn family ever got their hands on proof that she’d helped Reba, then no matter how hard Reba tried, she’d never get those shares.


    The contract made it clear–if Reba got tangled up with the Quinn family, Amelia couldn’t do a thing to help her, or the whole agreement would be null and void.


    11:46 Tue, <b>Oct </b><b>7 </b>


    “I know,” Reba said, her voice steady. “But I still want to fight for it.”


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    From the moment she learned her mom had been forced out of those shares, Reba realized Michael was really as ruthless as they came. Especially with him and his two sons teaming up to hurt her mom–she couldn’t just let that slide.


    With all that had happened, Reba knew that as long as she was still breathing, every single day could bring some new “ident.” Being a target was her new normal now.


    So instead of just waiting for trouble toe, she decided to go all in.


    She was going toy everything out in the open and take whatever they threw at her.


    ‘And anyway,‘ Reba thought, ‘those shares always belonged to Mom. There’s no way I’m just letting them


    go.’


    “Alright, since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t try to change it,” Amelia said, seeing the look in Reba’s eyes. “But seriously—from now on, whenever you step outside, keep Mark glued to your side. Don’t take a single step without him.”


    “Okay,” Reba said, agreeing without hesitation.


    After that talk, Reba threw herself into her studies even harder.


    Seeing the light in the study still burning past 1 AM, Amelia realized she hadn’t felt so conflicted in a long time.


    ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have stopped her from getting into business and finance back then, Amelia wondered.


    But she dismissed the thought almost immediately.


    Every decision she’d made was the best she could. If she’d let Reba take that path, there was no telling how many times she might’ve fallen into trouble–whether out in the open or in secret. Michael Quinn was never one to y fair.


    Just a single Deed of Property Transfer was enough for him to try and take her out.


    If Michael Quinn ever caught wind that Reba was studying those subjects—either behind his back or right out in the open–he’d use every dirty trick in the book to shut her down.


    And sure enough, after Reba locked herself away following that banquet, Michael Quinn had been sulking ever since, totally at a loss for what to do.


    Sure enough, Michael called Max into his study.


    He called Max into his study.


    Looking at his son–who was so much more aplished than he ever was–Michael Quinn’s face turned stern. “So, Max, what’s your n for dealing with Reba?”


    “ording to the Quinn family’s rules, before anyone can inherit shares, they’ve got to prove themselves,”


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    <b>11:46 </b>Tue, Oct 7


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    Max said, icy as ever. “Let’s toss her apany that’s on itsst legs and see if she can turn things around.”


    Michael Quinn narrowed his eyes skeptically. “Is it really that simple?”


    “For someone raised in the Quinn family, it’s a piece of cake,” Max shrugged. “But for Reba, who’s never even tried her hand at this sort of thing, it’s nearly impossible. She’s been sheltered her whole life by her family and Jeffrey–she’s never had to handle anything herself.”


    “Who knows if Amelia’s been secretly teaching her behind our backs?” Michael muttered, his face clouded with suspicion.


    Max didn’t beat around the bush. “Haven’t you already tried testing her–quietly, more than once?<i>” </i>


    Michael’s brows creased, as he mulled it over.


    Truth was, for over twenty years, he’d run plenty of secret tests on Reba. Yeah, she always scored top marks and was talented in calligraphy, chess, painting, and music–but when it came to anything business–rted, she waspletely out of her depth.


    If she’d ever shown even the slightest spark for business, he wouldn’t have let her walk away so easily–or maybe not at all.


    Looking back, all he could feel was regret for the choices he’d made.


    “If you hadn’t blocked me back then, we wouldn’t be in this mess,” Michael med Max, his tone icy.


    Max’s eyes stayed cold and indifferent. “If I hadn’t stopped you, Uncle would be running the family right now.”


    Michael Quinn’s brows drew together. “What do you mean?”


    “Grandpa only listened to you and Uncle and forced Amelia out,” Max replied, his voice t and merciless. “But for him, Amelia was always the one he admired most. No matter what you or Uncle did, neither of you could ever take her ce.”


    Upon hearing that, Michael Quinn’s expression turned stormy.


    He red, his features twisting even darker.


    ‘You know, if Amelia hadn’t always outshined me, maybe Dad would actually have given a damn about me,‘ he thought, resentment simmering.


    The way Dad kept going on about her was like having a ghost haunting me. She’d been pushed out ages ago, but he never let it go–always saying that if I had even half of Amelia’s brains and guts, our family would’ve been ruling The Big Four Families, not stuck in mediocrity like we are now.


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