True Heiress Returns to Her Unemployed Rich Family (Arabella) novel Chapter 636

All he cared about in the end was the money. Arguing about anything else was pointless.

She knew it too—since that stubborn girl had allowed them to dig around, she'd obviously covered her tracks well. They weren't going to find anything.

Edward suddenly grew anxious. "Uncle, have you lost your mind? Where would Arabella even get that kind of money?"

"Take it easy," Calvin shot Edward a warning look. "Five million for your company—that's more than fair."

Then he turned back to Arabella. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Arabella's eyes narrowed slightly. She'd known there was a reason those two insisted on bringing Edward along. She just hadn't realized it soon enough.

"It's not that much," Arabella replied coolly.

If they wanted to play dirty, she wasn't going to hold back either.

"So you're agreeing!" Calvin's face lit up with smug satisfaction.

Arabella gave him a look like he was an idiot. "That doesn't mean I'm paying."

"You don't care about Edward or his company at all?" Calvin's voice turned shrill and nasty, as if someone had stepped on his tail.

"Of course I care." Arabella glanced toward Edward. "He's my brother. Why wouldn't I?"

Freya snapped, "So your way of caring is all talk and no action?"

"I can take action too," Arabella said, a faint smile touching her lips. "You might be able to ruin one of his companies, but I can help him start another—bigger and better."

Of course, if she weren't worried about whether Edward could handle it, she could easily set up ten without breaking a sweat.

"You?" Calvin let out a scornful laugh. "Stop talking big. If you don't want to pay, just say so."

He turned back to Edward. "See? This is the ungrateful kid you've been so loyal to—the one you chose over your own family."

"Hearing you two talk about family makes me sick. It's a joke," Edward said, his eyes bloodshot and full of disappointment.

They used him to threaten Arabella, and now they had the nerve to accuse her of not caring about family? Seriously?

"From the beginning, you kept trying to stop me from starting my company. Without Arabella, there would be no Macdonald Capital," Edward said, his voice heavy with pain. "If she gave in to you today, that would actually break my heart."

He'd already dragged Arabella into enough trouble. After this, he could barely look her in the eye.

"Arabella," Edward began, then met her gaze. "Let's go. I don't need the company anymore."

"You're really okay with starting over?" Arabella's lips curved slightly, and she felt a touch of warmth in her chest.

She hadn't planned to give in to Freya and Calvin's threats, but what she'd said earlier was her way of making things right for Edward. Still, hearing him say he'd walk away from his company for her meant something different.

Edward reached out and gently ruffled Arabella's hair. He smiled. "Even if I can't start over, even if I end up with nothing—I won't regret it."

"But I'm your real sister!" Harper insisted. "She's just an outsider."

Arabella's gaze darkened as she stared Harper down. "Before you try guilting someone, maybe try hiding your ugly motives a little better."

They kept using "family" to trap Edward, but when had they ever shown him real family love?

Harper shrank back and lowered her voice. "I'm not wrong. We share blood."

"So what?" Arabella raised an eyebrow. "All you people do is take from him. When have any of you ever given anything back?"

"The way you talk about family makes me sick. It's honestly nauseating." Arabella was angry now—angry for Edward.

These so-called blood relatives weren't even half as decent as a stranger on the street.

"Arabella, don't get upset. It's not worth it," Edward said softly, trying to comfort her.

"Yeah, not worth it." Arabella felt even worse for Edward.

Here he was, hurting more than anyone, and he was still the one comforting her.

She let out a quiet sigh. "Let's go."

Forget it. Time to leave this suffocating place. No point dragging this out any longer.