CHAPTER 4 — The Family Began To Fall
Jason did not sleep that night.
By sunrise, the whole country knew Carter Technologies had survived a cyberattack.
But inside the Carter mansion...
A worse disaster was beginning.
Jason stormed into the dining room and slammed his fist on the table.
"She ruined me!"
Emma looked up quietly.
"No, Jason."
"You ruined yourself."
Victoria stood behind her son, trembling with rage.
"You think one lucky night makes you powerful?"
Emma said nothing.
That made Victoria even angrier.
For the first time, the girl she had bullied for years was not afraid.
And that terrified her.
Then Richard entered the room with two lawyers.
His voice was cold.
"Jason, you are suspended from all company duties."
Jason laughed bitterly.
"You can't choose her over your real son."
Richard's eyes hardened.
"I already did."
The room went silent.
Then the lawyer placed a document on the table.
It was a full investigation report.
Jason's gambling debts.
The secret bank transfers.
The fake contracts.
The stolen access card.
Everything.
Sophia covered her mouth.
"Jason... how could you?"
Jason pointed at Emma.
"Because she was taking everything from us!"
Emma finally stood.
"I never took anything."
"I earned what you wasted."
That sentence hit harder than any scream.
Victoria stepped forward and slapped Emma across the face.
The sound cracked through the room.
Richard froze.
Then his voice became deadly calm.
"Victoria..."
"Leave my house."
Victoria's face changed.
"What?"
Richard pointed toward the door.
"You spent years abusing a child under my roof."
"I let too much pass because I believed family could change."
"But this ends today."
For the first time in her life...
Victoria had no power.
No servants rushed to help her.
No one defended her.
Even Sophia looked away.
Emma touched her burning cheek.
But she did not cry.
Because the slap did not break her.
It proved something.
They were no longer hurting her because she was weak.
May you like
They were hurting her...
Because she had become stronger than them.
