Chapter 390

Victoria watched Eleanor and Ronnie ascend the staircase.

She rose from her seat immediately.

Her footsteps carried her toward the first-floor study.

Richard was inside, organizing a stack of documents.

She entered without knocking. “Richard. We need to talk. I want to give Victoria our twenty-five percent shares.”

They originally held twenty percent. After the wedding incident, they had seized an additional five percent from Victoria.

That left Victoria with a mere five percent.

Richard’s face darkened instantly. “Have you lost your mind? Give her all our shares? I might have agreed before, but consider her recent actions!”

First, the nude photo scandal. Then, her scheme against the top supermodels. It got worse. She seduced the man who was nearly her brother-in-law. And now, a pregnancy-forced marriage. She had brought endless shame to the Montgomery name.

“I know she’s made mistakes,” Eleanor sighed. “But she’s apologized. She’s been punished. Her only desire now is to marry Alexander and find happiness. She’s carrying a child. She won’t act recklessly anymore.”

She continued, her voice tightening. “Do you know how the Whitmores are treating her? They’re treating this wedding like a joke. She’s still the daughter we raised, despite everything. She’s always supported you with the business. She was the most considerate of our children. Now the Whitmores are bullying her because of her past and her tiny five percent share! If this is how they treat her before the marriage, what happens after?”

Tears streamed down Eleanor’s cheeks. As a woman, she understood the pain of being undervalued. She had endured her own hardships when she married into the Montgomery family. She refused to let her daughter suffer the same fate.

Richard’s expression remained grim. “You’re not entirely wrong. I’ve considered that too… But every time I remember her plotting against those models, how she lied to us with those pitiful acts, it sends a chill down my spine. You were there when she claimed she was happy for Isabella. Look what she did behind her back. She slept with Alexander. She conspired to steal Isabella’s assets. Now I can’t distinguish her truths from her lies.”

Outside the door, Victoria listened, her fists clenched. Were they really going to deny her everything because of past errors?

She had been obedient lately. She had followed all their rules. She had even helped Richard resolve several company crises. Wasn’t that enough to atone for her mistakes?

Were her own parents refusing to help her when she was being mistreated?

Back in the study, Eleanor felt a sharp pang in her heart. After a long silence, she spoke. “She’s pregnant now. I believe, for the baby’s sake, she will mature and learn from her errors. Regardless, I won’t let the Whitmores destroy her!”

“Don’t worry. I am her father. The wedding is in two days. We still have time to discuss this,” Richard said, his tone placating.

Victoria’s face contorted with fury. Discuss? What was there to discuss? They simply didn’t want to give her the shares!

They were this critical of her without knowing she was adopted. What would they do if they found out?

Knowing Isabella, the truth would eventually surface. Victoria needed those shares now. Her eyes turned dangerously dark.