Chapter 19 Not the woman from that night.
In the living room, Gianna sat seductively on the couch, dressed in silky pajamas.
Seeing Callie, she arched her perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Well, if it isn't Callie."
Callie clenched her fists tightly. During the time her mother had been sick, Gianna had already made herself at home.
Her gaze fell on the expensive jade bracelet on Gianna's wrist. It seemed the money from the Robinson Family had turned Rafael's fortunes around.
Bitterness welled up inside her. "I'm here to see Rafael."
Gianna flicked her wavy, chestnut-colored hair. "Your dad's not home."
Callie turned to leave...
"Wait."
Gianna called out to her. "You're not here to ask for money, are you? You're already the Young Mistress of the Robinson Family. How could you be short on cash? Let me tell you, we have no money to give you. Your mother is a bottomless pit."
Callie pressed her lips together. This Mistress was now acting like she owned the place?
"Rafael hasn't divorced my mom yet. If he refuses to pay for her medical bills, I'll sue him!"
"You..." Gianna started to say something but quickly changed her expression to one of kindness when she saw someone walk in through the door. "What Rafael? He's your father. How can you call him by his name?"
Callie noticed the change in her expression and turned to see Rafael.
"Give me the money," she demanded bluntly.
Rafael walked in with a cold expression. "Now that you're married into the Robinson Family, you think you have the guts, huh? Just now, you said you were going to sue me?"
Callie looked at him steadily. "My mom needs surgery. You promised, one million dollars."
"I don't have the money right now..."
"The Robinson Family gave a dowry of two hundred million dollars, and you say you don't have money? Dad, I'm still your daughter, and Mom is your legal wife. I expect you to keep your promise, or we can both go down together. I'm not afraid to make a scene!" She stared at Rafael coldly.
"Are you threatening me?" Rafael's face darkened.
"Just because I'm a girl, you've never valued me as your daughter, father." You've only ever controlled and used me. I'm a person too, and if you push me too far, I'll do whatever it takes." Her determined expression made Rafael pause. Considering that she was now part of the Robinson Family and could still be useful, he relented.
"Follow me," he said, heading towards the study.
Gianna tried to intervene, "Rafael..."
"Shut up, I know what I'm doing," Rafael snapped. In the study, he took out a checkbook from the drawer. After writing a one, he hesitated for a moment before adding a five.
He handed the check to Callie. "Here's one and a half million dollars. Take it and buy yourself some new clothes. You're the Young Mistress of the Robinson family, yet you dress so poorly. You're embarrassing them. By the way, doesn't Shane give you any money?"
Callie stared at the check, her eyes red. She knew that her father's sudden kindness and concern were just attempts to win her over, to use her for his own benefit within the Robinson Family.
Her heart ached. Her own father saw her only as a tool.
She reached out and took the check. "Do you not know how I got into the Robinson Family? Shane give me money? He'd rather see me dead!"
Rafael's face darkened. "You're a girl; you need to learn how to please a man. You're not unattractive..."
"Is Shane some lovesick fool? Has he never seen a woman before? Or do you think a man like him can be swayed by a woman's beauty?" Callie pocketed the check. "If you have time, you should hurry up and divorce my mom."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Rafael retorted. If he had wanted a divorce, he would have done it long ago. "Your mother and I still have feelings for each other."
Rafael had long decided not to divorce. He planned to bring Callie into the Robinson Family, creating an alliance between the two families and reaping the benefits.
If he divorced, he wouldn't be able to control Callie anymore.
"I stayed with your Aunt Gianna because she gave me a son. You know your mother couldn't have children; you can't blame me for finding another woman. I need an heir..."
"I have things to do. I'm leaving," Callie cut him off, not wanting to hear his sweet lies.
Feelings? His words might fool her mother, but not her.
She stepped away, and Rafael called after her, "Come back when you have time."
Callie didn't respond.
She walked briskly out of the Norris Family estate.
Her first stop was the bank. She only felt secure when the money was in her own account.
She was waiting for her mother's health to improve so she could take her away.
Right now, her mother's condition couldn't handle any stress.
So, for now, she had to stay.
...
After returning from Blue Bridge, Shane went straight back to the office.
Henry was just about to leave.
He bumped into Shane in the office area and hurried over. "President Robinson."
Shane cast a sharp glance at him, his tone far from pleasant. "Did you get to the bottom of what I asked you to investigate?"
Henry inwardly grumbled. Did Shane think he had three heads and six arms? The workload today had been enormous!
"No... not yet. I was just about to," he stammered, trembling slightly. What on earth had happened? Why was Shane so furious?
At that moment, the secretary approached. "President Robinson, there's a Miss Ayers at the front desk. She says she wants to see you."
"Miss Ayers? Could it be Belinda..." Henry's words trailed off as he noticed Shane's cold expression, tinged with a hint of anger. Wisely, he shut his mouth.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Shane's voice was icy. "Henry, bring her up."
"Yes, sir."
A short while later, Henry escorted Belinda to the CEO's office.
Shane stood by his desk, having removed his suit jacket, which he had casually draped over the back of his chair. He slowly turned to face her.
Belinda still maintained her graceful and elegant demeanor.
"Did my sudden visit disturb you?" she asked softly.
At the time, Shane didn't bring it up, nor did he question her afterward. He simply said, "No."
After all, he wasn't planning to marry her.
Whether she was pure and innocent didn't seem to matter much.
Belinda hesitated for a long time before finally speaking up, "Um... I..."
She found it hard to say.
"Need money?" Shane Robinson cut straight to the point.
Belinda was stunned. How did he know she needed money?
Shane didn't waste words with her. "How much do you need?"
Belinda hurried to explain, "My dad is sick..."
"Ten million? A hundred million?" Shane interrupted, uninterested in her reasons.
What she needed the money for was her own business!
He couldn't be bothered to care.
Belinda felt that Shane was not as gentle as before, but she couldn't pinpoint what was off about him.
She thought she had always presented herself flawlessly in front of Shane.
Asking him for money was a last resort.
Corey had agreed to break up with her if she repaid the money, but there was a catch—she had to do it within 24 hours. Corey probably thought
there was no way she could come up with that amount in such a short time.
But now, Belinda was desperate to get rid of him, so she had no choice but to seek help from Shane.
"I'll work hard to pay you back..."
"No need. Just tell me, how much?" Shane was starting to lose his patience.
He hadn't noticed it before, but now he found her behavior incredibly fake.
He was really annoyed.
How did he end up with a woman like this?!
"Twenty-five million," Belinda said, thinking she needed to solve Corey's issue first. She would figure out how to redeem herself in Shane's eyes later.
He picked up the phone and connected to the internal line. "Take Miss Ayers to the finance department and transfer thirty million to her."
"Shane..."
Shane's gaze was icy, mixed with a disdain that made Belinda shiver. She swallowed her words.
The secretary entered and gestured for Belinda to follow. "This way, please."
Belinda bit her lip and lowered her head, following the secretary out.
Only then did Henry cautiously step forward. Shane's attitude towards Belinda had taken a complete 180, and he had ordered a new investigation into that night. "Do you suspect that Miss Ayers wasn't the woman from that night?"
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