Chapter 21 You Have the Nerve to Come Back

Briarwood Hall was brightly lit. A flashy red Bentley stopped in the courtyard. Nanci slammed the car door shut and strode toward the grand entrance, a smirk of irony curling her lips.

Joanne and Nicola probably never dreamed she would come back alive.

She entered the password as she remembered it, but it was incorrect!

They had even changed the password, planning to take over the entire Ross family for themselves.

She calmly lowered her gaze and lifted her left hand, tapping a few times on her smartwatch before placing it near the lock.

The sound of the password lock disengaging.

Laughter and cheerful voices burst from the living room.

It dawned on Nanci that Nicola had just come back too, and tonight, there was supposed to be a welcome home party, with all their close ones gathered.

As the door swung open, everyone's gaze converged on her.

When they saw clearly who it was, their faces showed surprise, astonishment, and disbelief.

Joanne was the quickest to react, masking all emotion from her eyes and replacing it with an ecstatic expression. “Is that Nanci? It's really you! You're back!”

“It's me, Joanne. Disappointed, are you?” Nanci's lips curled up, her eyes crinkling with amusement.

Joanne's smile froze for a moment before she said, “What are you talking about, darling? Why would I be disappointed? Come here. Let me look closely at you! It's been three years. Where have you been?”

She appeared every bit the caring mother, examining Nanci from top to bottom, then suddenly blurted out, “Nanci, you're so reckless! You should have just told us if you didn't want to marry Mr. Ogden. The Ross family can still afford to support you. You didn't need to run away! Even though you've caused trouble between the Ross and Ogden families, not to mention we suffered a lot, you're still the daughter of the Ross family.”

Her dredging up the past caused Frank Ross, Nanci's father, sitting at the head of the table, to darken in expression.

He looked at Nanci with eyes aflame with anger, his voice harsh. “You still have the nerve to come back?”

That marriage alliance with the Ogden family three years ago would have helped Oakmont Properties through a rough patch. However, Nanci calling off the wedding at the last minute led the Ogden family to pull their investment, nearly bankrupting the company.

Fortunately, Joanne, with her wide connections, managed to save the company.

Nanci looked at her father, whom she could hardly recognize, with no pleasant expression. “This is my home. Why shouldn't I come back?”

“You...”

“Frank, hold your tongue. Don't frighten Nanci!” Joanne hurriedly intervened, giving Frank a way to back down, and pulled Nanci inside. “It's good that Nanci is back. We were just talking about you. Nicola is about to have her birthday and will be taking over the company. Since you know nothing about it, just give her your shares as a birthday present.”

Half of the company shares were in the name of Nanci's mother.

Her mother had left a will before dying, stating all shares should transfer to Nanci, and even Frank couldn't meddle with it.

Initially, with Nanci missing for three years, they could have processed her as deceased, allowing Nicola to claim the inheritance. But they never expected Nanci, gone for three years, to suddenly reappear.

But Joanne and Nicola weren't about to give up just like that, stating their claim boldly.

Nicola, initially shocked, now accepted the reality, her voice soft and frail. “Nanci, you've neglected the company for so many years and know nothing about pharmaceuticals. For the company's sake, let me handle it.”

Frank snorted coldly, “Tomorrow, I'll have the legal team draft an agreement, and then you'll sign it.”

Coldness flickered in Nanci's eyes.

Her family were nothing more than cunning foxes.

They had taken over the house in her name and squandered everything her mother had left, and now they were even after her mother's company.

Her lips barely curled, a cold sneer forming. “Impossible.”

Frank slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "What did you say?"

Joanne hurried to calm him. "Frank, don't get angry. Let her finish speaking. She might have some misunderstandings about business, thinking she can run the company well."

Nicola looked anxious but still tried to appear understanding. "Nanci, you don't understand anything. Why won't you let me take charge of the company? Are you still holding a grudge over what happened between me and Gavin?"

Gavin, who had been sitting quietly, couldn't remain indifferent when mentioned. He sighed deeply, "Nanci, I know you're upset, but you can't be temperamental about this. You don't have your sister's talent in pharmacology, nor her extensive management experience, so just don't..."

Nanci glanced at him coldly, her voice tinged with irony. "Oh? Nicola's more talented in pharmacology than me? Wasn't it you who once told me that I was the most gifted one in the Ross family?"

Gavin choked, his face sour. "Times have changed. Nicola is more diligent and hardworking than you, and even Dr. Lancy from Ross Clinic thought highly of her."

Nanci was baffled.

When did she personally acknowledge that?

"And soon, Dr. Lancy will become a professor at Alderley Medical Institute, and Nicola will apply to be her graduate student. She will have a bright future! At that time, the Ross family will take back Ross Clinic and regain the family's dominance!" Frank continued solemnly.

"Exactly. When it comes to connections and talent, you can't compare to Nicola. Why keep embarrassing yourself?"

Nanci almost laughed in frustration as she listened to their back-and-forth. She glanced outside. Brian must have arranged dinner by now. She had achieved her goal of this visit and didn't want to waste more words. She abruptly said, "I will not give up my shares. On top of that, Joanne, you should prepare to transfer some shares. You have three days left. I will take them back on my dear sister's birthday."

"Nanci, you're crazy!" Frank shouted.

Nanci looked at him, her eyes icy. "Dad, the one who is crazy is you, handing the Ross family over to an outsider."

Frank's gaze flickered, and to mask his cowardice, he raised his voice unnaturally as he challenged, "Joanne is your stepmother. How can you speak to her like that? How is she an outsider?"

"Don't forget about Grandfather's will. I suppose you know better than me, don't you?"

Frank fell silent, his face filled with shock.

Nanci didn't explain any further. She stood up and walked out.

Joanne was also shocked by Nanci's last remark, never expecting her to bring up her grandfather's will.

She had kept the will secure. How had Nanci found it?

Their expressions varied.

Only Nicola stubbornly chased her out to the yard. She blocked Nanci's path, her facade of kindness long gone, her voice sharp. "Nanci, what are you trying to do showing up now? Don't you know we don't welcome you?"

Nanci looked at her disdainfully. "Have you even forgotten that this place belongs to the Ross family, Nicola Gill?" she uttered the name lightly.

Nicola's face darkened.

Originally named Frank Gill, Frank had changed his surname to join the Ross family upon marrying Nanci's mother. After her mother's death, he wanted to bring Joanne and Nicola into the fold, but the Ross family opposed it.

Eventually, Frank compromised, changing Nicola's surname to Ross, and promised that everything would prioritize Nanci, never wronging her, to persuade the Ross family to relent.

Despite it all, the true owner of this place was Nanci.

As she recalled the name filled with humiliation, Nicola's face contorted violently.

"So what? Everything that belongs to your mother is now Dad's, and what Dad gives me is mine. What right do you have to come back and fight me for it?" she yelled, her face twisted in anger.