Chloe Evans took a deep breath.
She turned to Mrs. Winston.
"Mom, I'm sorry."
Her apology sounded sincere.
After all the humiliation she'd endured in the Winston family, she'd been dying for this moment.
Now the opportunity had finally arrived.
Mrs. Winston suppressed her rage.
"It's fine. Go ahead."
She closed her eyes.
Surely Chloe knew her limits.
But the next second proved her wrong.
Slap!
The sharp sound of a palm striking flesh echoed through the room.
The blow carried full force.
Mrs. Winston's head snapped sideways from the impact.
She stood frozen in shock.
Chloe immediately feigned concern.
"Mom, are you alright? I didn't mean to..."
Secretly, she reveled in satisfaction.
Finally, she'd gotten her revenge.
Mrs. Winston exploded with fury.
"You little bitch! You did that on purpose!"
Chloe tried to explain.
But Mrs. Winston's hand was already raised.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Three consecutive strikes left Chloe dizzy.
She cursed inwardly.
This old hag had lost her mind!
Chloe dropped all pretense.
She fought back.
"Mrs. Winston, I told you it was an accident!"
"You're lying! You've hated me from the start!"
The facade between them shattered completely.
Their earlier plan was forgotten.
Julian Roscente watched with amusement.
He rested his chin on his hand.
"These two are really going at it."
Turning to Isabella Robinson, he said,
"I'll add another million to the pot."
Isabella rolled her eyes.
"Don't make things worse."
She gestured toward the scene.
"What if Miss Evans thinks the payout's too low? Will you cover the difference?"
Julian quickly waved his hands.
"Forget I mentioned it."
In the center, Chloe began losing ground.
She retreated hastily.
"Mom, calm down! Liam's still in there!"
Mrs. Winston seethed with anger.
"I'm perfectly calm!"
As she prepared to strike again, Chloe grabbed her wrist.
"Mom, look around you!"
Mrs. Winston paused.
The room was filled with spectators.
Her precious dignity had evaporated.
Chloe's cheeks burned red, tears welling in her eyes.
"We're just following Sophia's instructions..."
Her hatred burned—not just for Mrs. Winston, but for Sophia Sullivan most of all.
Chloe turned to Sophia.
"Miss Sullivan, are you satisfied now?"
Her tears were genuine.
The pain was unbearable.
Mrs. Winston looked equally disheveled.
Her hair hung in wild disarray like a madwoman.
She glared venomously at Sophia.
"Wasn't that enough slaps? You're truly vicious!"
Isabella stepped between them.
"Nobody forced you to participate!"
She scoffed.
"You can't expect rewards without effort."
Mrs. Winston's face darkened.
She swallowed her rage.
"How much have we raised?"
Sophia answered calmly.
"Not even ten million yet."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Don't worry. You have until sunset."
Chloe paled instantly.
Those slaps had nearly killed her.
And they hadn't even reached ten million.
She couldn't collapse before saving Liam.
"Mom, maybe we should consult Grandpa at the estate?"
Mrs. Winston frowned.
"But if the old man finds out..."