Chapter 3 Seize Her Shares

Kayden trembled with rage as he leaned on his cane and stood up. “Really? You call being the other woman knowingly a misunderstanding?” Yvonne's face hardened. “Old Mr. Graham, I wasn't aware of your grandson's marriage at first. Had I known, I, a girl of good character, would have definitely stayed away from him.” She shot a fierce look at Brandon. “You told me there was no love between you and Roseanne, and that a divorce was inevitable. That's why I agreed to your advances. Now, I'm being labeled as the other woman and ridiculed. Handle your own family issues. We're done!” Just as Yvonne was about to leave, Brandon quickly grabbed her arm and whispered urgently, “Yvie, please don't go. My Grandpa is deceived by her, so he misunderstand you. If you leave me and Roseanne refuses to divorce, Graham Group will inevitably fall under her control, and my home will be destroyed.” His earnest plea caused Yvonne to stop in her tracks. She turned to him and demanded, “You must resolve this matter today.” “I will.” Brandon exhaled, then turned his gaze toward Kayden. “Grandpa, you didn't let me go abroad, so in my haste to get married, I misled you into thinking I liked Roseanne. It wasn't until I met Yvie that I understood what true love really is.” Kayden's face remained stern, while Roseanne watched the two perform with a sarcastic gaze. Brandon continued, “Yvie is currently the team leader at Kiefyose Medical Research Institute, and she has been invited to give lectures at several prestigious institutions. Her status is noble and she commands respect. Only someone like her is fitting to be the lady of the Graham family.” Kiefyose Medical Research Institute, a top-tier international research institute, had stringent and tricky assessments. Even professors in the medical field couldn't necessarily pass these tests. Surprisingly, Yvonne was the team leader. Kayden's tone softened slightly as he said, “Since this was a misunderstanding, I apologize, Ms. Scott. However, the only woman who can be my grandson's wife is Roseanne.” Brandon held Yvonne's hand tightly, his expression unwavering. “Grandpa, my mind is made up. If you try to stop us, Yvie and I will leave for Egrea, and we won't come back in this lifetime.” The more one tries to prevent it, the more likely it is to backfire. If Brandon really ran off to Egrea with Yvonne, their home would be utterly ruined. Kayden remained silent, his brows deeply furrowed. The Graham family had few members left, and he had tragically lost his only son. His grandson had no interest in business and was fully committed to studying medicine. His granddaughter was even worse—a total slacker. All play and no work. They had let him down, so he had no choice but to place his hopes on his granddaughter-in-law. However, he never expected that Brandon would cheat on her. He thought for a long time, guilt written all over his face. Turning to Roseanne, he sighed and said, “Rosie, the Graham family has wronged you. If you don't agree, I would rather die than let you two divorce.” Brandon nervously held Yvonne's hand, fearing that Roseanne might refuse to grant the divorce. Roseanne replied indifferently, “Since Brandon has someone he likes, there's no need for me to stay with the Graham family anymore.” Kayden looked sorrowful. “The Sylvester family already has a daughter, so your return would be redundant. It's better for you to stay with the Graham family. I don't have many days left. After I'm gone, Graham Group will be yours.” His grandson didn't want children, but there was still the option of in vitro fertilization. The child Roseanne would bear would still carry the Graham surname. Graham Group would remain within the family. Brandon's face was filled with displeasure. “Grandpa, how could Graham Group possibly be handed over to an outsider?” Roseanne glanced at him casually and replied, “Grandpa, I managed just fine without the Sylvester family until I turned twenty, and I'll continue to do so. As for this marriage, if Brandon won't file for divorce, I will. I am not so forgiving as to tolerate his infidelity and still stay to manage the household.” Kayden rubbed his temples, finally letting out a sigh. “You two leave. I need to have a chat with Rosie.” Brandon had more to say, but Yvonne pulled him away. Kayden gazed at Roseanne, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions. “Rosie, I can agree to your divorce.” Just as Roseanne breathed a sigh of relief, Kayden continued, “But you initially invested five hundred million, so you can only take back that amount. You can't take the shares. I'll have the finance department arrange for your dividends from the past two years to be given to you as well.” A touch of disbelief surfaced in Roseanne's eyes. “Why can I only take away five hundred million?” Kayden explained, “Since you're divorced, you're no longer a part of the Graham family. It's inappropriate for you to hold four percent of Graham Group's shares.” “Grandpa, I never intended to claim any part of the Graham family fortune; otherwise, I wouldn't have signed the prenuptial agreement. When Graham Group faced a financial crisis, with plummeting stock prices, I invested five hundred million and acquired four percent of the shares. I'm not just a part of your family. I'm also one of the shareholders of Graham Group.” Roseanne's eyes grew colder as she grasped his intention. “I've poured my heart and soul into Graham Group, and now the shares have significantly appreciated, consistently trending upward. My contribution has been immense. You don't have to give me the shares, but I want 1.5 billion based on the current market valuation!” Kayden's expression changed dramatically. He suppressed his shock and said, “That's simply out of the question. Including dividends and compensation, I'll offer you seven hundred million!” Roseanne let out a cold, bitter laugh, her trust in Kayden completely shattered. “I see it now. The kindness you've shown me these past few years was only because I was useful, and I could bring benefits to Graham Group. I guess I misjudged you. You made me sign a prenuptial agreement. You're no better.” Brandon was unaware of her sacrifices, and she could accept that. But Kayden had seen everything she had done for the family. Now, he was treating her like an enemy, even trying to seize her shares. With a steady gaze, Roseanne added, “Brandon cheated, and I can leave with nothing. I don't care about the Graham family's wealth, but what's mine is mine, and no one can take it away.” Her mood shifted rapidly. Kayden coughed a few times, took a sip of coffee, and said in a resonant voice, “Rosie, I'm really grateful for your initial investment of five hundred million, which helped Graham Group. But I know your parents only gave you fifty million as a dowry.” His words were diplomatic, yet Roseanne discerned their true meaning. She laughed mockingly. “It doesn't matter where the money came from; the fact is, I invested it.” “You became a shareholder in Graham Group only after the marriage. Even before that, you signed a prenuptial agreement stating that you wouldn't take anything from the corporation. Seven hundred million is already a generous offer. I haven't even signed the share transfer document yet.” A frosty glint appeared in Roseanne's eyes. “So, you had it all planned from the very start.” Signing a prenuptial agreement was exactly what she wanted. After all, her assets were all over the place, and if she were to split them with Brandon, she would surely be at a loss. She didn't care about this small share, but giving it to the Graham family for free was out of the question. It was a bit of a hassle, but if she handed it over to the lawyer, she wouldn't have to spend much time on it. Kayden stroked his beard, his deep-set eyes gleaming with wisdom. “One must know their place in life. Stirring up a big fuss won't do you any good. The Sylvester family won't help you, and opposing the Graham family is like throwing straws against the wind.” When gentleness didn't work, he resorted to a more forceful approach. A smirk played on Roseanne's lips. “If you're so eager to take my money, I'll just file a lawsuit.” Continuing this conversation wouldn't lead to any resolution, and staying here was merely a waste of time. Kayden scoffed. “I'd like to see which lawyer would dare to represent you and go against the Graham family.” “Old Mr. Graham, you won't be around for much longer, so there's no need for you to worry.” With that, Roseanne turned and walked away. Kayden's face turned pale. Suddenly struggling to breathe, he shattered the cup in his hand. Upon hearing the commotion, the butler hastily pushed open the door, only to be met with Roseanne's cold visage. Instinctively, he greeted her, “Mrs. Graham.” “The Graham family is ruthless and greedy. I'm afraid I can't bear that title.” Her tone was light and airy, carrying a hint of mockery. The butler paused for a moment. After Roseanne left, he hastily rushed into the study. Inside the car, Brandon furrowed his brows. “I really can't understand why Grandpa places such high importance on Roseanne, even considering giving her Graham Group.” Yvonne had already done her on Roseanne. She said softly, “From what I know, Roseanne didn't make it to university. She barely scraped through middle school, skipping classes and getting into fights, bullying her peers. She simply doesn't have the capability to be a vice president.” Brandon was taken aback. It was his first time hearing about Roseanne's affairs in the countryside, and he never imagined her to be a troublemaker. Yvonne continued, “I knew about the crisis at Graham Group two years ago. When your grandfather fell ill, three directors took advantage of the situation, embezzled company funds, and fled abroad. Eventually, the police brought them back, and the credit should go to them. Somehow, rumors started circulating that Roseanne deserved the praise. People also said she secured several collaborations, stabilizing Graham Group. As for the five hundred million... The Sylvester family clearly doesn't care about Roseanne. Otherwise, they wouldn't have married her off as soon as they found her. There's no way they would have given a dowry of five hundred million; at most, a few tens of million. I suspect she's done something illegal. If it ever comes to light, it could potentially implicate Graham Group.