Chapter 1 It was September in Dasmieca . In the fancy Jennings family mansion in Shoneport , five people sat in the living room , the tension thick enough to choke on . Briar Jennings , fresh off a flight from abroad , kicked ba the other couch across from her , clearly uncomfortable . Gunfire from a phone game kept blasting from Briar's phone , " Briar , you just got back . You don't even know the first thing me ? You'll still get your annual cut just like before . " Briar didn't even glance up . Her thumbs kept tapping . a couch , legs crossed like she owned the place . The other four were crammed together on cutting thrash her father's voice every time he tried to speak . a Edgar continued , " Your brother's grown now . It's time he started learning the from scratch . " company , " Edgar Jennings said . " Why don't you hand your shares over to rope I could transfer him half your shares so that he doesn't have to start There was still nothing from Briar . " And about that engagement to the Hargreaves boy , " Edgar added.ve been sister take your place ? " 11 No matter what he said , Briar just kept playing , like he wasn't there . gone for years . You don't even know him anymore . Why not let your Edgar's patience wore thin . His face darkened , but before he could explode , Halle Jennings - his ever - graceful wife and longtime expert at playing the good stepmother - gently placed a hand on his chest . " Edgar, she just got home ," she said sweetly . " Let her settle in first . " But her eyes weren't so sweet . They flicked coldly toward her daughter , Beatrice Jennings . Catching the signal , Beatrice jumped up and snatched the phone from Briar's hands . " Briar , Dad's talking to you ! Where are your manners ? You're upsetting him . " Briar's face turned stone cold . She shot Beatrice a look sharp enough to kill . " Give it back . " Beatrice froze like a deer caught in the headlights . The overwhelming pressure made a chill On her spine . " Briar grabbed her phone back . The game was over . Her teammates were cussing her out in the group chat . Her mood soured even more . She hadn't even had time for a drink since stepping off the plane . Her luggage was still sitting by the stairs . But none of that mattered to Edgar . He didn't ask how she'd managed all these years alone overseas . He didn't care . All he wanted was her shares - and to dump her fiancé on someone else . Some father he was . Then again , Edgar had never been much of a father to begin with . Briar didn't care about that fiancé or the arranged marriage . But that didn't mean she'd let anyone take what was hers . She wasn't like her mother - Rosalia - who gave up everything , even her life , for a man . What made it worse was that just three months after Rosalia died , Edgar shamelessly moved his mistress , Halle , and her two kids into the house . The boy , Camden Jennings , was two years older than Briar , and the girl , Beatrice , was only two months older than Briar . Their sudden appearance was a slap in the face to Rosalia , and it instantly had her father's family boiling with anger . Even if Briar had been raised overseas by her grandfather , she was still the rightful heir to the Jennings family . Her uncles were so furious that they 1/2 Chapter 1 almost went after Edgar with knives , Back then , Edgar had built his company with the help of Rosalia's father , Zeke Grant . Rosalia had held 60 % of the shares , and before she died , she secretly left them all to Briar . It was the one thing she'd done right after everything else had fallen apart . By the time Edgar found out , it was too late . Zeke's family had already taken Briar out of the country . Edgar didn't hear from her again until she got older and started reaching out . As far as Zeke's family was concerned , Edgar and Halle were the ones who pushed Rosalia to her death . They had wanted revenge , but no matter what untouched . they tried , Edgar always slipped away The only possible reason was that he had someone powerful backing him . Some of the company's new products didn't even come from their own team -they came through private accounts under Edgar's name you But the most shocking part was this - Briar found out that mom hadn't run off because she had broken down . She'd been taken . When Zeke's people finally tracked her down , she was locked in a mental hospital - either completely out of it or asleep . During the rare times she was clearheaded , she'd cry and ask for a lawyer to make her will . Snapping out of it , Briar slipped her phone into her pocket and looked straight at Edgar . Her tone was flat , but every word cut deep . " So all those hundreds of calls , rushing me to come home , were just to trick me into handing over my shares so your idiot son can run the company into the ground , huh ? " You really think the company belongs to you now , huh ? Did you forget who the majority shareholder is ? That bastard son of yours isn't stepping one foot into my company . " Edgar's face twitched . " You ungrateful brat ! " Camden , who'd been quiet up until now , shot Briar a look like he wanted to tear her apart . Briar didn't even flinch . She pointed right at Beatrice . " And you want me to break off my engagement just so this homewrecker can take my spot , right ? Like mother , like daughter . I've never seen anyone so proud to be the other woman . " She turned her eyes on Beatrice and sneered , " Did your mom teach you that ? Was that part of your well upbringing - how to steal someone else's man ? Why are you so dead set on taking what's mine ? " Edgar's face went dark . His plan had been laid bare , but he still forced himself to speak calmly . " Briar , don't say things like that . Camden's the only boy in the family . Of course , he's going to take over the company eventually . You don't even want to work there , so what's the point of holding onto those shares ? grandfather and Gavin agreed to years ago . Now that Zeke's gone , it " And about your engagement to the Hargreaves boy - that was just somethingnt to break them up ? " doesn't mean anything . Beatrice and that boy love each other . Would you really Edgar only dared to pressure Briar now because he'd heard Zeke was dead . With their guarded ite . Edga AD Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!