Chapter 3Dad Threatened Me With Mom’s Life, My Reply Stunned Him

His face instantly flushed a deep, angry crimson. "I am your father! How dare you speak to me like that!"

"Am I wrong?"

I cut him off. "When you married into this family, you signed a strict prenuptial agreement. You were allowed to manage daily operations, but you have zero decision-making power."

"The succession has always been entirely up to Grandfather and Mom."

"You don't get a say."

Marcus shook with rage, pointing a finger at me, unable to squeeze out a single word.

Seeing this, Sabrina quickly grabbed his arm to placate him.

"Dad, please don't be angry. Fiona is just in shock. She'll come around."

She turned back to me, her eyes glistening.

"Fiona, I know you're the designated heir and you're used to everyone catering to your every whim."

"But this isn't something you can just control."

"I am their real daughter, and nothing changes that. You can't keep holding onto things that don't belong to you."

She turned her head away, looking like a delicate, tragic heroine. "Of course, if you really refuse, I won't force you."

"I'll just accept that I wasn't meant to be happy."

"I've survived twenty-four years in a foster home. I can handle whatever comes next."

She wept as if her heart were breaking.

Marcus's eyes burned with indignation.

"Fiona!" he barked. "Look at how graceful and understanding Sabrina is! Now look at you!"

"You stole her life, and you can't even offer her a single word of blessing!"

"Do you even deserve to carry the Lockhart name?"

He was practically spitting in my face.

I lay there, the surgical wound in my side throbbing from the sudden spike of tension.

But I didn't flinch. I kept my eyes locked on Marcus. "I said, we wait until Mom wakes up. She will make the decision."

Marcus's face darkened. He stared at me for a long moment, then slowly, a sinister smile spread across his face.

"Do you honestly think... your mother is going to wake up?"

My fingers tightened around the bedsheets. "What do you mean?"

Just then, the door was thrown open.

A nurse rushed in, her face entirely pale.

"Miss Lockhart, your mother is experiencing severe transplant rejection! She’s in critical condition!"

"We need a family member to sign the consent form immediately for emergency resuscitation!"

I scrambled to sit up, my vision blurring. "I'll sign! Hand it to me!"

"Wait." Marcus stepped forward, physically blocking the nurse.

He looked back at me, his smile widening. "I forgot to tell you."

"As her legal husband, only my signature can authorize the hospital to proceed."

"If I choose not to sign... your mother dies."