Chapter 233: Sean, are you threatening me?

Chapter 233: Chapter 233: Sean, are you threatening me?

Miss Sterling and Silas Sterling were both genuinely coughing up blood; it was no act.

A chronic poison had been accumulating in their bodies for years, and their internal organs had long since been corroded by the toxins. As the medicine took effect, it clashed violently with the stubborn poison throughout their bodies. The potent remedy forcibly expelled the deep-seated toxins, an extremely perilous process that triggered an increasingly severe backlash from their bodies.

Over the next three or four days, their conditions showed no signs of improvement. Instead, they deteriorated with each passing day. Their faces were ashen, their gazes unfocused, and their bodies withered. They looked to be at death’s door.

The staff brewed top-grade ginseng soup and fed them all manner of expensive nutritional supplements each day, just barely keeping them alive.

They could only take liquid food each day, as if they had lost the ability to eat on their own.

This was a necessary, painful part of the detoxification process. To an uninformed outsider, however, they simply looked beyond saving—like death was imminent.

Sean Sterling, who had been lying low and secretly plotting, waited quietly for several days. Seeing that the perfect opportunity had arrived, he could no longer suppress the greed in his heart.

That evening, he rushed back to the villa from the Sterling Group. Clutching a thick stack of documents he had prepared long ago, he barged straight into the bedroom.

"Grandmother, Father, I need you to sign these documents."

Miss Sterling struggled to lift her heavy eyelids. Her breathing was faint, and with the last of her strength, she gave him an indifferent look, her voice hoarse and dry.

"What are these?"

"They’re the share transfer agreements for the Sterling Group, as well as the contracts to transfer all of the Sterling Family’s private assets." Sean Sterling lowered his gaze, his voice still holding the meekness he usually feigned. "You know as well as I do, Grandmother. The elders from the branch families always use the fact that I’m not a blood relative against me. They make things difficult, criticize me constantly, and refuse to let me take over the group’s core businesses, let alone accept me as the head of the Sterling Family. Only when I have firm control over the majority of the family’s shares—when I hold real power—will they stop daring to utter a single word of dissent, no matter how unhappy they are."

"Grandmother, you told me yourself that you wanted me to support the Sterling Family and take good care of Julian, didn’t you?"

"Whether or not I can secure my position in the Sterling Family and protect this inheritance all depends on you."

Miss Sterling’s cloudy eyes shot open. Mustering all her strength, she looked up at him, a furious rage churning in her chest. Her voice trembled violently.

"Sean, are you threatening me?"

"How can you say that, Grandmother? I’m simply explaining the situation to you." Sean Sterling let out a soft laugh as the cracks in his hypocritical mask began to show. "You wouldn’t want to see the Sterling Family fall into chaos without a leader after you and Father are gone, would you? If I don’t have absolute power, I won’t be able to protect the family, let alone Julian. Everything I’m doing is for the sake of the family, for the future security of Julian and myself."

"Say no more." Miss Sterling closed her eyes. Her breathing was faint, but her tone was resolute. "Before I die, I will draw up a formal will. You will manage the Sterling Group. You will be the official decision-maker. But all the shares, and the entire family fortune, must be put in your brother Julian’s name."

"So you’re saying you want me to be Julian’s glorified servant for the rest of my life, at his beck and call?" Sean Sterling’s head snapped up, his face a mask of disbelief. The gentleness in his voice had vanished completely. "With Julian’s childlike mind, you’re giving him all the family assets and shares? What if someone with ulterior motives coaxes it all away from him? Are you just going to stand by and watch the Sterling Family’s century-old legacy fall into someone else’s hands?"

"With Sebastian around, no one will dare to touch Julian." Miss Sterling shakily extended a hand as if to grasp his, sighing with profound meaning. "As long as you know your place and act with a good heart, the Sterling Family will never wrong you. You and Julian will be able to live the rest of your lives comfortably and peacefully."

All her life’s planning had been for one purpose: to protect her simple-minded, biological grandson, Julian Sterling.

Though she had raised Sean Sterling for many years, he was ultimately an outsider. You can never truly know what’s in a person’s heart, and this was a gamble she dared not take—one she could not afford to lose. By placing the entire family fortune in Julian’s hands and entrusting Sebastian Kensington to keep watch, even if Sean managed the company, he wouldn’t dare make any rash moves. He wouldn’t dare mistreat or harm Julian after marrying and having his own children. This would always leave her poor grandson a path to survival.

If Sean harbored no rebellious thoughts and treated Julian kindly, he would remain the Sterling Family’s honored Second Young Master, with endless wealth and prestige at his disposal.

But to the greed-addled ears of Sean Sterling, her painstaking efforts sounded only of extreme injustice and resentment.

"And what about me?" Sean suddenly grew agitated, his body tensing as long-suppressed rage boiled in his eyes. "You think about Julian in everything, you protect him at every turn, but have you ever once considered me?"

"I have already told you, the Sterling Family will not fail you," Miss Sterling said, closing her eyes in exhaustion, though her voice remained firm. "You will have usage rights to all Sterling Family properties, and the group will pay you an annual salary of five million. A life of luxury, wealth, and stability—it’s more than enough for you to live out your days in comfort."

Five million a year was enough for a comfortable life, even enough to support a wife and children! That is, provided he behaved himself and didn’t fall into a life of debauchery and vice.

But Sean never wanted a comfortable life. He wanted complete and utter control of the Sterling Family. He wanted legitimate ownership of all its assets. He wanted to never again have to live at the mercy of others!

"A handout like this will only make everyone at the company despise me more! They’ll think I’m nothing but a dog the Sterling Family keeps!" Sean completely dropped his act. His gentle, scholarly face lost all pretense, revealing only cruel determination. "I’ve spent years playing the part of the obedient, sensible son. I’m done with the humiliation of living under someone else’s charity! Today, you will sign these papers, whether you like it or not!"

’Anyway, these two old fools are barely hanging on. They only have a few days left. Once they die, the entire Sterling Family will be mine to command.’

’Julian is just a simpleton. His life or death will be in my hands. He’s no threat at all!’

"Sean Sterling, you’ve gone too far!" Silas Sterling, lying on the bed, forced himself up with his last ounce of strength and rebuked him. His face was ghostly pale, his chest heaving. "How dare you threaten us so openly?"

"You’re right, Dad." Sean had decided to drop all pretenses. He threw the documents down in front of Silas Sterling, his eyes sinister and cold. "For the sake of the affection you’ve shown me all these years, I suggest you sign quietly. Don’t force my hand and lose what little dignity you have left."

Silas Sterling trembled, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at the man before him. It was as if he were seeing the adopted son he had raised for so many years for the very first time.

’From the day I adopted him, I treated him and Julian exactly the same. I never favored one over the other. I can’t believe he’s not only ungrateful but is now biting the hand that fed him!’

"Don’t even think about it! I’ll die before I sign!"

Overcome with rage, Silas Sterling raised a trembling hand and swept the documents away. The papers scattered across the floor in a messy heap.

Sean flew into an immediate rage, the malice in his eyes flaring. Without a second thought, he raised his hand and slapped Silas Sterling hard across the face.

The sharp sound of the slap echoed jarringly in the deathly silent bedroom.

"You ungrateful old fool! You should have taken the offer while I still had the patience to negotiate!"

With a dark expression, he threw the documents in front of Silas Sterling again, the corners of his mouth twisting into a cruel smile.

"Sign them, and I’ll let you live out your last days in peace. You’ll die with some dignity. But if you insist on refusing..."

The mask of the gentle and refined scholar was torn away, revealing the vicious, wolfish face beneath—a chilling sight.

Miss Sterling trembled violently with rage. She pointed a shaking finger at Sean, gasping for breath. An unbearable pain seized her chest, and she couldn’t form a complete sentence.

"You... you heartless monster! He’s your father! How dare you strike him? This is unforgivable! You’re insane! COUGH, COUGH, COUGH—"

Before she could finish speaking, she violently coughed up a mouthful of blood that splattered across the bedding in a shocking crimson spray. Her vision went black, her head lolled to one side, and she lost consciousness.

"Mom!"

Devastated, Silas Sterling struggled and fell from the bed. He scrambled over to his mother’s side and roared at the top of his lungs toward the door, "Quick! Call a doctor! Get a doctor in here right now!"