Reborn with Nothing but My Farm and Vengeance in the Apocalypse novel Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Blackmail

The Lancasters on the other side of the screen were all stunned.

They had considered many possibilities. They had thought Melody Summers might agree, that she might hesitate, and even that she might refuse. But they never, ever expected her to mention a will.

For a moment, none of them could react, simply staring blankly at Melody.

Seeing the dumbfounded expressions appear on all the Lancasters’ faces at once, Melody found it so comical that she let out a snort of laughter.

Melody continued with a faint smile, "Since you claim I’m the one he’s most worried about, let me see how much money he left for me in his will. Go on, bring it out and show me."

Sylvia Lancaster’s hand, holding the phone, trembled slightly. She could barely maintain the sad and heartbroken expression she had put on. She had no idea how to answer Melody.

’This is just a spur-of-the-moment act! How could we have actually called a lawyer to draft a will? And who could have predicted that Melody would bring up a will?’

Simon Lancaster was the first to snap out of it. A rare look of annoyance crossed his usually reserved and indifferent face.

He moved closer to the phone screen, frowning at Melody. "There’s no will yet. Why are you suddenly bringing that up? If you truly care about Father, you should come see him right now."

Hearing this, Melody feigned a surprised expression and replied, "You’re kidding, right? A rich family like yours, and the patriarch doesn’t even have a will prepared when he’s on his deathbed? Don’t tell me your family is completely broke and saddled with a mountain of bad debt."

Her words were like daggers plunging straight into the Lancasters’ hearts. She had hit the nail right on the head. Simon could no longer maintain the composure he was so proud of.

He snapped at Melody, "What kind of nonsense is that? Your own biological father is lying here on his deathbed, and you don’t have a single word of concern for him, only thoughts of money? Besides, you’re an outsider. What right do you have to covet the Lancaster family’s assets?"

Melody nodded with feigned helplessness and sighed. "You’ve got a point. I’m just an outsider with no real connection to your family. Besides dividing up the assets, I can’t think of any other reason you’d contact me."

At Melody’s words, Elaine Hughes’s eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at Melody and said angrily, "Melody Summers! Your biological father is about to die, and all you can think about at a time like this is money? How can you be so unfilial? A-Aren’t you afraid of divine punishment?!"

Melody just let out a couple of taunting clicks of her tongue. "Tsk, tsk. Well, well, has Mrs. Lancaster lost her temper out of embarrassment? Seeing you so worked up, I must have hit a nerve. Mr. Lancaster really didn’t plan on giving me a dime, did he? So this is what you meant by him being ’most worried’ about me? Mr. Lancaster’s concern sure is cheap."

Elaine’s face flushed crimson with rage. She snatched the phone from Sylvia’s hand, glaring at Melody as her voice trembled. "We are your biological parents! How can you speak to me like that? Is this how you repay us? You get back here right now! Or I’ll truly disown you as my daughter!"

Because Elaine was closer to Robert Lancaster, from this angle, Melody could clearly see him lying on the bed with his eyes shut, feigning unconsciousness. His facial muscles were twitching slightly, and the veins on his forehead were bulging from the strain of holding his breath.

Now Melody understood everything. The Lancasters were setting a trap for her. They probably hadn’t given up on the matchmaking scheme and were trying to trick her into coming back.

The smile on Melody’s face faded. She said nothing, just calmly watching Elaine’s frantic expression, finding the sight oddly novel.

In her past life, Elaine had always been aloof toward her. Even when Sylvia framed her, Elaine had just looked at her with a condescending, disappointed expression, as if all she could ever feel for Melody was distance and disappointment.

This was the first time in two lifetimes that Melody realized Elaine could show such strong emotional fluctuations toward her.

The thought of the misery from her past life extinguished any desire Melody had to continue teasing the Lancasters.

She shook her head and said to Elaine, "You say he worries about me the most, yet you won’t give me a single cent. I don’t want such cheap love. Next time you’re on your deathbed, Mrs. Lancaster, the same rule applies. If my name isn’t on your will, don’t bother contacting me."

With that, Melody ended the video call and immediately blocked the number. Only after all that was done did she hand the phone back to Grace Sutton.

"Auntie, if you get any more calls or video chats from the Lancasters, just hang up. They have nothing to do with us, so don’t pay them any mind," Melody said to Grace.

"Okay, don’t you worry. That family seems very strange to me, too. It didn’t look like someone was dying; it was more like they were putting on a stage play. Their crying was so forced," Grace replied with a frown.

Melody sighed inwardly. ’Even my great-aunt could see they were acting. Yet in my past life, I was fooled by such a clumsy performance. I was so stupid. I was too desperate for a family’s affection, blinded by the so-called ties of blood.’

On the other side of the screen, Elaine stared in disbelief at the disconnected call. What had Melody just said? Did she just curse her own mother to die?

’I must have misheard her! Melody is my own daughter, how could she speak to me like that?’

Unwilling to give up, she tried calling back, only to find that Melody had already blocked the number.

"She... how could she say that to me!" Elaine said in disbelief. "I’m her biological mother!"

Robert Lancaster sat up in bed, his face grim. He had heard every single word Melody said. A wave of fury shot through him, making his head spin. He almost fainted for real.

Furious, Robert swept the vase from his bedside table to the floor. "Unfilial daughter!" he roared. "I’ll kill her!"

"Mom, Dad, don’t be angry. Now’s not the time for that." Simon was still relatively composed. Although he didn’t understand why Melody harbored such animosity toward the Lancasters, he was always rational. He knew the priority right now was to facilitate the marriage alliance with the Lawson family, not to get bogged down by Melody’s attitude toward her parents.

Simon had already come up with a plan. He continued, "Since we can’t get through to Melody, let’s change our approach. We’ll start with the people around her."

*

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