Kate had been disappointed for a long time.
She didn't care about Roman's words and calmly finished her sentence.
"If I don't want Jerry to invest, he won't. That's a fact. So, Dad, if you want the money, don't expect me to help for free."
Roman's face darkened.
"What do you mean? You dare to talk back now? You want to negotiate with me?" He was furious, watching her act like someone who had just come into wealth.
He wanted to lash out, but he knew he couldn't do anything to her right now. He had no choice but to hold back.
"That's right. If you want my help, give me fifteen percent of Bently Corporation's shares. If not, I'll rely on Jerry alone. That way, I'll never go hungry!"
"Fifteen percent of the stock? You must be dreaming, Kate Bently! What are you thinking? That's impossible!" Roman jumped up in rage.
If Ruby hadn't stepped in, he would have slapped Kate right there.
Kate instinctively backed away, fear creeping in. The memory of past beatings made her nervous and she quickly raised her arms to protect herself.
"I have something to say to you, Roman. Kate is an adult now. You can't just hit her whenever you feel doing it!"
"She's an ungrateful brat! And I'm not allowed to punish her? Did you hear what she just said? I'm still alive, and she's already after my assets! She's nothing but a shameless bitch! She's the reason the Bently family is falling apart!"
Roman was so furious that he lashed out without thinking.
"Hmph! I'm a bitch? Then don't use this bitch to get investment capital. If you don't agree, then forget it. Besides, I'm enjoying my life with Jerry. Whether he even acknowledges you as his father-in-law is another story!"
Kate boldly argued her way back after noticing Ruby was stopping Roman.
She had finally realized something recently —whether it was her father or the men who only wanted to use her, none of them would ever really treat her well.
The only way to secure a good life and avoid being trampled on was to have leverage.
Without it, she could never control her life.
Roman was momentarily stunned by Kate's confidence.
Although Roman resented Kate's ungrateful attitude, he couldn't afford to lose Jerry, who was his biggest hope right now.
The deadline was approaching quickly. If the Shallow Bay development project didn't start soon, the Bently family would be doomed.
"Roman, Kate is our only chance to turn things around. From what I see, there's no harm in giving her some shares. Right now, she's the only way we can secure the investment funds!"
Ruby took advantage of Roman's moment of calm to persuade him. At the same time, she shot Kate a subtle wink.
Catching on, Kate stood up and softened her tone.
"I'm not wrong for looking out for myself, Dad. Your beatings have left me traumatized. If I don't have money, what will I do if you decide to kick me out one day? I won't even be able to afford a meal. Please, think of my welfare as your daughter!"
Roman's anger subsided slightly when he realized Kate had given him a way to escape his dilemma.
"I'll give you ten percent of the stock if you secure a hundred-million-dollar investment. If you can't, don't even think about it!" He laid out his terms.
Kate expected him to resist at first. But ten percent was still a significant amount, so she "reluctantly" agreed.
With that settled, she happily went upstairs to get dressed and prepare to go out.
Meanwhile, Roman was already thinking about going back on his word once the investment came through. He planned to deny Kate her shares entirely.
What he didn't expect was for her to return with a share transfer agreement in hand after getting dressed.
She watched him closely as he signed the agreement.
Roman felt humiliated and furious. But he had no choice.
"Thank you, Dad. I will make sure to secure the investment fund for our family!" Kate smiled triumphantly as she tucked the contract away, and walked out in her high heels.
The moment she left, Roman slammed his teacup against the floor, shattering it into pieces.
Chantelle slept for a long time. Surprisingly, it was peaceful. She didn't have any nightmares. Instead, she had a beautiful dream.
In it, the three of them were a happy family, living together in harmony.
When she woke up, she hesitated to open her eyes.
Then, she saw the man from her dream right in front of her...
For a moment, she thought she was still dreaming.
"Are you awake? Do you feel better now?"
His deep, magnetic voice was filled with warmth. His eyes were so deep, like an endless ocean.
"What are you doing in my bed?"
Chantelle quickly realized she wasn't dreaming. She sat up in a panic.
Had this jerk actually crawled into her bed?
Where were his morals?
"I'm sorry. Rai and I were sitting on the bed to keep you company, but we accidentally fell asleep."
Daniel, ever the gentleman, quickly stood up, looking a bit embarrassed.
Anyone who didn't know him might think he had innocently dozed off on her bed.
But Chantelle wasn't convinced!
Wait... Did he say he and Rai?
Kane was still nestled in Chantelle's arms when she suddenly realized the situation.
Sensing her movement, Kane rubbed his eyes and sat up.
"Auntie, you're awake. Do you still feel sick?"
"Don't worry, Rai. I'm fine..." Chantelle gently stroked his soft hair, but inside, she was panicking!
Oh no! She had been sick and ended up in bed with this little guy too.
She was completely overthinking things. How embarrassing!
Chantelle wished she could just disappear into a hole!
When Russell heard that Chantelle was awake, he rushed upstairs and ran several tests.
After confirming she was fine, he finally relaxed.
"Ms. Chantelle, what on earth did you do yesterday? Your body was in terrible shape! You nearly gave me a heart attack this morning!" Russell let out a deep sigh, relieved that the worst had been avoided.
"I didn't do anything. Is there any food? I'm hungry." Chantelle quickly changed the subject, not wanting him to ask more questions.
"Of course, Ms. Chantelle. There's plenty of food, and it's delicious. But..."