Love’s Cruel Stroke

Love’s Cruel Stroke Chapter 40

Just like that, Rachel told Jordan everything about the fifty percent shares in Yates Corporation her mother had left for her. When she was done with her side of the story, she eyed him steadily and asked, “Do you think it’s reasonable for the shares that are rightfully mine, Mr. Ford?”

“Not at all,” Jordan said unaffectedly.

Shirley’s face lit up when she heard this. She was overjoyed that Jordan had considered the situation from her point of view. Now that he had spoken up for her cause, she had every reason to turn down Rachel’s proposition; not even Vivian could fault her for not signing the agreement to have those shares transfer

Rachel, on the other hand, grew grim. She had been right to think that Jordan couldn’t be trusted, and she hated herself for wasting her breath.

She was just about to raise her argument when Jordan suddenly said, “If I were in your position, Miss Rachel, I would do whatever it takes to get back every last share.” There was a cold edge to his voice that belied his seriousness. “Why should you have to give up half of your inheritance to benefit somebody else?”

This left Rachel stumped. So that was what he meant when he said I was not at all reasonable? I completely misunderstood him! 

“J-Jordan…” Shirley’s lips were trembling as she stammered, “You—1—” She opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water, but she could not form the words to express how she felt. Everyone else knew her as the woman who bore two of Jordan’s children, and yet, here he was humiliating her in front of Rachel and the rest of the Yates. He didn’t care at all that he was turning her into a laughingstock.

“Hah!” Miranda let out a dry and awkward laugh in hopes of breaking the tension in the room. “Jordan, I don’t think you understand just how close Rae and Shirl are; the pair of them are thick as thieves, which is why Rae is so willing to relinquish half of the shares to Shirl. We shan’t pry into the dynamics of their sisterhood, so let us carry on with the meal, shall we, Jordan? You barely ate!”

She couldn’t risk having this conversation go on, or Jordan would see to it that the other half of Shirley’s shares end up back in Rachel’s possession.

On the other side of the table, Vivian was eyeing Jordan with admiration. After a pause, the old woman said, “Butler, do you have the agreement ready?”

Having already prepared the necessary documents after Vivian told him to, the butler was now standing in the dining room entryway with the agreement in hand.

At the sight of this, Shirley and Miranda exchanged a brief and unhappy look.

Neither of them wanted this to happen. The company shares, albeit only half of the full inheritance, were worth up to billions, and signing them over to Rachel would be a huge loss to the scheming mother-and-daughter duo.

However, with Jordan here, Shirley would look bad if she did not sign the agreement, and she dared not imagine how he might think of her if she went through with her stubborn rejection.

It‘s fine. These shares are nothing compared to the fortune I will have once I marry into the Ford Family. Besides, Rachel might not even live to see the sun tomorrow, and the shares will come back to me anyway once we dispose of her 

At the thought of this, Shirley’s smile took on a more genuine edge as she walked up to the butler and took the agreement, thereafter signing it with a flourish. With one stroke of the pen, twenty-five percent of the company shares were officially signed over to Rachel, who kept the agreement nonchalantly like the transaction did not affect her in the slightest.

When the signing had concluded, Vivian felt as if she would collapse at any moment. She gripped the butler’s hand and helped herself to her feet, then announced, “I need to lie down for a bit. The rest of you carry on with the meal.”

Rachel stood up as well and held Vivian’s right hand, saying, “Here, Grandma, I’ll help you into the room.”

Vivian nodded feebly, and both grandmother and granddaughter walked slowly toward the lounge further into the house.

Meanwhile, the dining hall was still as lively as ever. This was the first time Jordan had stepped foot into the Yates Residence, and everyone in the family felt certain that the marital alliance with the Fords would take place anytime soon.

“Jordan, there’s a new movie released in cinemas recently, and I think you should go on a movie date with Shirley,” Miranda prompted with a grin. “The both of you could go shopping afterward and have a candlelight dinner. That would be most romantic!”

Shirley lowered her head shyly as she mumbled wistfully, “Jordan might be busy in the afternoon. He won’t have time for movies.”

“Regardless of how busy he is, he’ll still need to spend some quality time with his girlfriend, won’t he?” Portia pointed out. “The both of you have been seeing each other for four years now, and it’s high time you settle down as husband and wife. Jordan, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but Shirley isn’t getting any younger. She could end up a spinster if you drag this on. Just get married and have the wedding already-”

She had barely finished her sentence when a cold laser-like gaze swept over her and sent a chill running down her spine..

Jordan sneered as he bit out, “First of all, I don’t have a girlfriend; secondly, I will never marry her; and thirdly, her evolution into a spinster has nothing to do with me.”

This was all he needed to say to nip any possibility of a romantic relationship between them in the bud.

Shirley had always known that the man did not intend to marry her, but he had never made his stance so clear before, nor had he ever broken her heart like this.

Ever since she became the mother to the two princes of the Ford Family, her status in the Yates Family had been elevated, and she would constantly use her ties to the Fords to suppress the other relatives in her family. But as of today, Jordan had as good as publicly declared that the Fords wanted nothing to do with her, thereby stripping her of her glory.

She was trembling all over, and she was in such disbelief she thought she might faint.

At that moment, Rachel returned from the lounge and picked up her purse from her seat at the dining table, then announced, “I’ll be taking my leave, then. Goodbye.”

“We’ll leave together,” Jordan suddenly piped up as he straightened up and followed Rachel out of the dining room. With his long legs, it didn’t take him more than two strides to catch up with her, and the both of them walked out of the Yates Residence side by side.

Watching them leave together only turned the disappointment in Shirley’s eyes into a rage. She was sure that Jordan only chose to humiliate her out of the blue because Rachel was back. That little b*tch must know something! 

“My, my, I wonder why Jordan offered to escort Rae out?” Portia was a huge gossip, and she was practically buzzing as she pointed out in amusement, “Greta and Miranda have never provided accurate insight into this, but I’d just like to know if Rae is interested in Jordan as well.”

“You would do well to keep your mouth zipped, Aunt Portia,” Shirley hissed. “If I don’t become Mrs. Ford, then the Yates will never get the chance to join the ranks of the top-tier elite families!”

“There’s no need for you to get testy with me, Shirl,” Portia said huffily. “I don’t see you snapping at Jordan for humiliating you earlier, and yet here you are snapping away at me when all I did was tell the truth! You’re just looking down on me because you think I don’t have a right of speech in this family.”

“That’s right! It’s not our fault that you can’t win over Jordan’s heart!” Greta joined in the spat as well. “Besides, Rae is far prettier than you, so she has a better chance of marrying into the Ford Family than you do. She’s also a Yates, and once she becomes Mrs. Ford, then the rest of us will still be able to join the other top-tier elite families.

The two aunts were ganging up on Shirley, and she was so incensed she thought she might implode on the spot.

Taking a deep breath, she lowered her voice and addressed Miranda, “Mom, I can’t take this anymore. Let’s not wait until tomorrow. We have to get rid of her now!”

Miranda merely patted Shirley’s back as she said, “That wench has become warier after our mishap at the graveyard the last time. Good things come to those who wait, and for the sake of the grand scheme of things, we must be patient..”