Chapter 367: A Master of Double Standards

Chapter 367: Chapter 367: A Master of Double Standards

The Lynch family was rendered speechless with anger. Arabella Donovan also couldn’t quite understand how Cassandra could be so brazenly self-righteous.

’Did she just accidentally say the quiet part out loud? When you get right down to it, all she wants is the inheritance Fourth Sister’s parents left behind. Anyone who didn’t know better would think *she* was their biological daughter. Is this like someone renting a house for so long they start thinking they own the place?

And the things she said to Mr. and Miss Lynch... even I, an outsider, couldn’t stand to listen. Accusing them of setting her up for a fall is just ridiculous. What’s the difference between that and saying, "If you weren’t the one who hit them, why are you helping them up?" Haven’t Mr. Lynch’s family been wronged enough? They’re just total suckers—putting in all this money and effort only to get stabbed in the back.’

The members of the Lynch family had been fuming over Cassandra’s twisted accusations, but upon hearing Arabella’s thoughts, their anger abated significantly.

That’s right. Their family had been wronged, and they really had been played for suckers, but it wasn’t their fault!

"Since you brought up my younger brother and his wife, and the inheritance they left behind, I have no choice but to set the record straight with you today, in front of everyone here."

It was clear Mr. Lynch was truly enraged this time and was prepared to show Cassandra absolutely no mercy.

"You claim we intended to embezzle the assets my brother and his wife left for their child. The fact is, you only came of age at the end of last year. Before that, all of my brother and sister-in-law’s assets were held in trust by your legal guardians—my wife and I. This is all perfectly legal and aboveboard. I have a clear conscience, and no one can fault us for our actions."

"And before you came of age, our family discovered that you weren’t my brother and sister-in-law’s biological daughter at all. You were a fake heiress, swapped into our family by someone with malicious intent. We righted this wrong and brought back my brother and sister-in-law’s true daughter. Naturally, the inheritance they left behind should go to their own child."

Hearing this, Eloise Donovan immediately stepped forward to support her uncle. "I can prove this. On the day of the birthday banquet, my uncle and aunt found me and asked me to return to the family. For the next month, I traveled back and forth frequently to handle the transfer of the inheritance my parents left me. The entire process was completed three months ago. If anyone is curious, you are free to investigate. I don’t mind, and I’m sure my uncle doesn’t mind either."

Mr. Lynch immediately added, "My conscience is clear. I’ve done nothing wrong, so I’m not afraid of any investigation."

"You... you’re all in this together now! How can anyone believe her? And-and so what if they really did transfer the assets to her? How old is she? Can she manage so many businesses on her own? In the end, won’t their family have to help her? To put it bluntly, she’s just a puppet, a figurehead put out there to fool people. Even if they did all that, it doesn’t prove they genuinely care about her."

Arabella was genuinely amused by her nonsensical pestering. "Miss Wagner, please get your facts straight. *They* are a real family. If they’re not in this together, should they be siding with an outsider like you instead?"

"Besides, you’re aware my Fourth Sister is young, aren’t you? But you’re only a day or two older than her. When Mr. Lynch and his family didn’t hand over the businesses to you before you came of age, it was because they were ’coveting the inheritance.’ But when they hand things over to my Fourth Sister after *she* comes of age, it’s suddenly ’using her as a puppet.’ Your command of double standards is as masterful as ever."

Cassandra’s expression stiffened, and she retorted almost instinctively, "No, that’s not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean? You’ve argued it from both sides. When it comes down to it, aren’t you just bitter that the inheritance you thought was yours slipped through your fingers? You’re resentful, so nothing looks right to you. As long as that inheritance doesn’t end up in your hands, there *must* be something wrong with the situation."

"I’m not..."

"You’re not? If you’re not, would you be watching like a hawk to see if another family’s assets have been transferred? If you’re not, would you be looking for trouble by questioning whether blood relatives are sticking together?"

Arabella continued, "Miss Wagner, please be clear about one thing. Your surname is Wagner, not Lynch. No matter how much you cling to the past, no matter how desperately you try to hold on to what you once had, you can’t change that fact."

"The Lynch family, the Lynch family’s assets—the moment your true identity was exposed, none of it had anything to do with you anymore. Even if Mr. Lynch and his family didn’t hand over this inheritance, even if they secretly had conflicts with Fourth Sister, that would be their business. It has absolutely nothing to do with an outsider like you."

Cassandra remained silent, but her gaze swept over Arabella and Eloise, her face filled with resentment.

Arabella noticed the subtle action and suddenly recalled how, not long ago, this person had tried to sow discord between her and her Fourth Sister by mentioning Eloise and the Donovan family’s fortune. A flash of insight struck her, and she seemed to understand everything.

"Let me guess. You heard that even after my Fourth Sister returned to the Lynch family and received her inheritance, she never really left the Donovan family. You heard she’s still one of us and will inherit a portion of the Donovan fortune in the future. So, you just assumed that the Lynch family should treat you the same way our family treats her and give you a share of their property as well, didn’t you?"

Cassandra’s expression faltered, and her eyes began to shift away involuntarily.

Seeing this, what was there for the Donovans to misunderstand? They actually laughed, infuriated by the woman’s shamelessness.

The Lynch family was also stunned. They couldn’t understand how the child they had watched grow up could have turned into such a brazen, hypocritical, and selfish person. Just where had things gone so wrong?

"No way, you really think that? I won’t even say anything else. I’ll just ask you one thing: do you even deserve it?"

"Then does Eloise Donovan deserve it?"

"Of course she does! Because we love her, and she loves us. We wholeheartedly treat her as family and are happy to invest in her future. But what about you? The Lynch family certainly loved you, but do you love them?"

"If you loved them, you wouldn’t have had Melody Lynch kidnapped just so you could be the only young miss of the Lynch family. And you certainly wouldn’t have, after being kicked out by the Lynches, secretly spied on Zane Lynch’s wife and child, who were living elsewhere, plotting to kidnap them to extort the family."

Arabella met Cassandra’s resentful gaze, poked her in the chest again, and said sharply, "Get one thing straight. Everything you’ve enjoyed all these years was stolen. The fact that the Lynches have merely put a stop to it, rather than seeking revenge or demanding repayment, is a testament to their kindness."

"As for whether they are willing to accept you after everyone has returned to their rightful place—to maintain the old family relationship and dote on you as they did before... let’s just say that accepting you would be a show of grace; rejecting you is their prerogative. Given everything you’ve done, do you think there’s any affection left between you and the Lynch family? This outcome is entirely your own doing. You’ve earned it, and you have no one to blame but yourself!"