?Chapter 81:


    Two seconds passed before Katelyn burst intoughter. A big smile yed at the corners of Katelyn’s mouth, radiant in the sunlight, yet Sharon and Lise detected a hint of mockery.


    Sharon stepped forward and asked angrily, “What’s so funny? We’re offering you this chance because we were family for many years. Don’t be so ungrateful.”


    Afterughing enough, Katelyn crossed her arms and looked at Sharon steadily. “You should offer this chance to someone else. I’m not interested.”


    “You!” Sharon was taken aback; she hadn’t anticipated such a dismissive response. On their way here, she had imagined Katelyn would be overwhelmed with gratitude at the offer to rejoin the Bailey family and would scramble to gather funds from her contacts like Aimee. Yet now, Katelyn dered she didn’t care at all! This infuriated Sharon!


    Her eyes narrowing, Sharon warned, “Think carefully. Reject this, and you forfeit your ce as the esteemed daughter of the Bailey family!”


    Lise grabbed Sharon’s arm and cast a reproachful look at Katelyn. “Katelyn, are you still upset about what happened before? The Bailey family is facing serious troubles. It’s time to stop being childish. Mom and Dad raised you for many years—you can’t just stand by and do nothing.”


    Katelyn chuckled again, fully aware of their greed and hypocrisy. When her parents discovered she wasn’t the biological daughter of the Bailey family, they discarded her without a second thought, harsh words and all. Now, amidst financial turmoil, they expected her to hand over billions to fix their problems because “they were family.” Did they really think she was that naive?


    Mistaking her silence for hesitation, Sharon softened her approach slightly and took Katelyn’s hand with a smile. “Listen to me, and we might still live together peacefully in the future…”


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    But before she could finish, Katelyn pulled her hand away, leaving Sharon and Lise dumbfounded.


    Katelyn scoffed. “I already gave you a billion to cut all ties. We’re nothing but strangers to each other now. Using threats to get money from me is nothing short of despicable.”


    Sharon angrily jabbed a finger at her. “You! Money isn’t everything! What about all the years I spent raising you?” Sharon changed the subject and sneered. “Since you’re so eager to cut ties with me, transfer another five billion to my ount. After that, we’re done. Good riddance.”


    Katelyn’s expression turned cold as she tapped her temple, her tone a mix of mockery and disbelief. “Are you serious? Have you lost your mind?”


    In the past, Katelyn had seen Sharon as merely feisty and daring, but now, as Sharon turned against her and held nothing back, Katelyn realized Sharoncked the grace expected of nobility; she was utterly shameless.


    Yet Sharon appeared entirely unbothered by her own behavior, snorting dismissively and speaking with conviction. “What you’ve done has deeply disappointed me. If you’re going to pick a fight with me, remember one thing: you won’t be able to shake me off without the money.”


    Katelyn’s response was a chilly grin. “Oh, is that so? Sounds more like extortion and ckmail to me.” She showed Sharon her phone, disying a recorded conversation.


    “If I upload this conversation online, do you think it will spark another viral scandal? Or maybe it couldnd you a few years in jail if the authorities hear it?”


    At this, Sharon and Lise’s expressions changed dramatically. Lise’s fists clenched, her eyes seething with barely concealed resentment.


    “This bitch is getting more difficult to deal with,” she thought. If she had known this earlier, she would have opted for a more drastic measure against Katelyn. Anger was about to spurt out of Sharon’s eyes. She gritted her teeth and took a step forward. “You have the nerve to threaten me?”


    Katelyn was already on the social media post’s editing screen, unting her phone for them to see.


    “If you don’t leave within a minute, I guarantee this recording goes viral.”


    Sharon was so angry that she gritted her teeth and said angrily, “Are you threatening me?”


    Katelyn shrugged casually, ncing at her watch. “Only fifty seconds left. No, make that forty-nine, forty-eight…” Lise panicked.


    The Bailey family was already drowning in negative publicity. Another scandal could bury thempletely.


    Yet, seeing the imminent loss of potential ie, Lise attempted a softer approach, saying, “Katelyn, we’re family. Does it have to be this ruthless?”


    A flicker of disdain crossed Sharon’s eyes, confident that Katelyn would lend them money after Lise’s appeal.


    But the smile on Sharon’s face froze as Katelyn retorted,


    “Who is your family?”


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