Hiding Behind Her Superficiality novel Chapter 552

Chapter 551 Turning Your Back on Him
Arthur had a strong idea in his mind that he wanted to prove. The moment he
pushed the door open, he was greeted by colors that shouldn’t have belonged to
Blake’s room.
Margot explained next to him with some embarrassment, “This room belonged to
Blake at first, but Elspeth moved in here afterward, no? That’s why she stayed in
this room for a while.”
As expected, it’s the same as I thought, thought Arthur. He entered the room
directly, walking around before his gaze fell upon a framed illustration lying on the
desk. The illustration looked adorable, and it seemed to be a casual sketch by
Elspeth. He gently stroked it as a hint of tenderness flitted across his face.
An uneasy thought crossed Margot’s mind when she saw him like this. Don’t tell
me Arthur has feelings for Elspeth. At the thought of this, she immediately shook
her head in an attempt to dispel the idea, but she couldn’t seem to get it out of
her mind. In the end, she couldn’t help but ask, “Arthur, you just said you have
something to discuss with Callum. What’s the matter, actually?”
“It’s about the acquisition of the Winthrop Group.”
Margot jumped at the word ‘acquisition.’ “Acquisition? What happened to the
Winthrop Group? Why does it have to be acquired?”
Arthur purposely pretended to look very sorry. “There’s no way around it. The
Winthrop Group appears to be going strong under Callum’s management, but in
fact, it’s already rotten to the core. I can’t just sit back and watch it go bankrupt,
right? It’s Dad’s life work, after all.”
He tried to make himself seem benevolent and great-hearted with these highsounding words, but how could Margot not figure out the intrigues and plots
behind them? She wasn’t a fool, after all. “Arthur, you can’t do such a heartless
thing. Callum is your brother.” She tried to sound as gentle as she could. “Callum
has done everything he could to look after you over so many years, you know.
Do you think it’s right for you to turn your back on him at such a time?”
“Me turning my back on him? Are you kidding me?” Arthur burst out laughing
unashamedly. “Mrs. Winthrop, I call you ‘Mom’ out of respect, but could you have
forgotten the favoritism you’ve shown over the years?” He would never forget
how Margot and Theodore had Callum join the Winthrop Group as an intern and
named the man the future heir to the company while forbidding him to join the
company just because he wasn’t related to them by blood. They even told me
falsely that they had done all of this for my own good, that I couldn’t survive at the
company with my temperament, that Callum was more qualified to be the heir to
the company with his steady character and would help us as much as possible.
How ironic, he thought. “Since you can’t treat us equally, I’ll do whatever I can to
steal it.”
“Arthur!” Margot placed her hands on his arm. She wanted to talk him out of this,
only for him to shake her off mercilessly. He said, “Don’t touch me! I’m telling you,
I’m gonna acquire the Winthrop Group today no matter what!”
Margot looked like a sorry sight upon being thrown to the floor.
“Arthur, what are you doing?” questioned an angry voice from behind.
Arthur looked back indifferently and saw Callum and Elspeth at a glance. They
were both coming this way, and neither of them looked very pleased. He
shrugged and sat down on the couch nonchalantly, saying, “What am I doing? I’m
not doing anything.”
Elspeth stepped aside and helped Margot up; only after whispering to Margot
and making sure that she was all right did she feel relieved. “Arthur, she’s your
mother and has raised you for over 20 years! Not even a pet dog deserves such
treatment, no?” she questioned in a confrontational tone, losing control of her
emotions.
“Stay out of this, Elspeth. You know nothing about the story behind this,” Arthur
replied nonchalantly before turning to fix his gaze upon Callum. “Callum, surely
you know my purpose in being here today?”
Callum uttered, “Yes, I do, of course.”
“I’ve thought about it. I accept your terms, but there’s a condition.” Arthur raised
his eyebrows. “You have to promise me that you’ll stay out of the business circle
from today onward.”
Callum had studied finance and business management at university, not to
mention he had always been trained to be heir to the Winthrop Group since he
was little. Therefore, forbidding him to do business and be part of the business
circle right now would simply be equivalent to chopping his hands off. Arthur
deliberately proposed such a tough condition just to bring Callum to heel—or
rather to embarrass him.
Just as he had expected, Callum’s face darkened visibly at once. “Arthur, don’t
you go too far!”
“Callum, I’ve accepted your many conditions, no? You asked for 15 billion, so I’ve
brought the money here to you. That’s not a small amount, you know.”
Elspeth let out a chuckle. We’ve been waiting for you to say this, she thought.
Callum’s expression softened a little, though he continued to resist. “Still, that’s
an exacting condition to me.”
Arthur retorted, “Exacting, huh? Callum, don’t forget that I was totally banned
from joining the Winthrop Group back then. Dad has put his heart and soul into
preparing you for the job, but it’s such a shame that you’re so useless that you
can’t even keep the company.” He looked up proudly, feeling incredibly pleased
with the sight of Callum looking like a wretched prisoner. Still, he had a bit of
regret. If only Dad were here. That way, he’d witness with his own eyes how
Callum has sunk so low as to be forced to give the Winthrop Group up to
someone else. On the contrary, his third son, whom he had never thought highly
of at first, founded the Bluestone Corp and ends up inheriting his legacy. Every
dog has its day, eh?
“Arthur, have you prepared the money?”
Arthur frowned at the sight of the man’s worthless appearance. “I seriously
wonder how you managed the Winthrop Group. I’ve never seen you being so
hungry for money before. Tsk, tsk. Perhaps I was wrong about you. I thought you
were such an unfathomable rival…” Well, he’s just a profit-seeking businessman,
after all. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you every cent of the money. But you have to sign
the paper first.” He pushed the contract before him toward Callum with a
triumphant smile.
Callum picked up the contract and leafed through it with a smirk curving his lips.
“What a good brother you are. These unfair clauses are written so well.”
Arthur replied, “Would I dare to hide them from you? That’s why they’re written
explicitly, no?” He had wanted to show some restraint; at least he wouldn’t have
let Callum see through these clauses so easily. On second thoughts, however,
the Winthrop Group was already on its last legs. Even if he had these clauses
written explicitly, they wouldn’t have any impact on the situation, and Callum
wouldn’t dare to argue with him either. That was why he had these clauses laid
out openly.
“Arthur, aren’t you afraid of getting what you deserve for all the bad things you’ve
done?”
Arthur raised his eyebrows with a noncommittal smile. “Why would I be afraid of
that? And besides, aren’t you the one who’s supposed to worry about your
situation right now?Chapter 552 I’m Not Gonna Sign This
Seeing that the man was still unrepentant, Callum slammed the document on the
desk with a frosty gleam in his eyes, saying, “I’m not gonna sign this.”
All at once, Arthur flew into a rage and stopped playing nice with Callum
altogether. “Callum, don’t you dare be so cheeky with me! I’m only willing to
negotiate a collaboration with you now because I still think of you as my brother!
You’ve made so many enemies before who can’t wait to kill you! Do you actually
think they’ll let you off if the Winthrop Group falls into the hands of another
plutocrat?” He sounded like he sincerely had Callum’s interests in mind.
Callum sneered while looking at the man in complete disappointment. “Arthur,
you don’t have to hide your motives with such a high-sounding excuse. You’re
just coveting the Winthrop Family’s fortune and wanting to have the Winthrop
Group to yourself while you’re at it.”
Arthur retorted, “Don’t push it, Callum! It’s fine as long as I’m well-intentioned.
Everything else is none of your business. What qualifies you to blame others
after leading the Winthrop Group into such a state?” He looked down
condescendingly at Callum with the air of a victor. Callum’s smart, but it’s a pity
that something addled his brain and made him bring such a miserable end upon
himself.
“I’m gonna ask you one last question.”
Arthur frowned. “Shoot! Stop wasting our time.” He just wanted to get the
contract signed with no intention of touching on everything else.
“Do you know about Max’s accident at the car race?”
Arthur’s eyes flickered, but his face gave nothing away. “I know that, of course. I
hosted that car race, after all.”
“Did you have a hand in his death?”
Arthur laughed instead of getting angry. “Callum, do you actually suspect I’d kill
my own brother?”
Callum replied, “There’s nothing you’re afraid of doing, no? You even dared to
frame me despite me being your brother. You really think you’ve left no trace of
what you did?” With that, he clapped his hands, upon which Harper carried a
man over and threw him inside.
“Ouch!” cried the man in pain while lying on the floor. After rolling over a few
times, he finally realized that he was surrounded by people. Startled, he got up
immediately.
Arthur’s face darkened the instant he saw the man.
Callum said, “So, Mr. Head of the Organizing Committee, tell me how Max died.”
Having been threatened and oppressed in every way possible, the man dared
not lie at this very moment, of course. Making a clean breast of everything, he
answered, “I really didn’t want to do this! It was Arthur who used my family to
threaten me into tampering with Max’s car. I… I really didn’t mean to kill him!”
“You *sshole,” was all Arthur could mutter menacingly after a long time.
The man held his breath in fear. Obviously, he was too scared to speak after
turning Arthur in.
“Do you know what kind of price you’ll have to pay for framing me?” Arthur said,
threatening the man both explicitly and implicitly with a deliberate emphasis on
the word ‘price.’
However, such a threat didn’t work anymore. Elspeth said impassively, “Stop
intimidating him. I’ve had his family moved to somewhere safe, so your threats
aren’t gonna work on him.”
With his plans going out of control, Arthur’s countenance finally changed for the
first time. “So what? You guys actually have the mind to worry about other things
when the Winthrop Group’s in great peril right now?” He let out a snort of
laughter. “Callum, I’d suggest that you pretend to know nothing. Otherwise, I can’t
guarantee what I’ll do to the Winthrop Group.” In other words, he was threatening
to make them feel sorry for it if they refused to let the matter drop.
Callum said, “I’m probably not the one who cares the most about this. Arthur, I
never thought you’d actually lay a hand on Max, who was usually the most
innocent, just to satisfy your pathetic self-interests. You’re so disgusting;
someone like you should just go to hell.” Then, he threw a glance at the door with
an inscrutable expression. “Do you understand everything now?”
Not knowing to whom Callum was saying this, Arthur followed his gaze and
looked back, only to realize two figures were standing at the door. He couldn’t be
more familiar with them—they were none other than Edmund and Blake. Blake
had disbelief written all over his face, whereas Edmund felt a chill running down
his spine.
Having a bad feeling at once, Arthur curled his fingers behind his back and sent
out a few text messages.
Though he had a bit of a sharp tongue, Edmund’s image had always been that of
a noble and self-restrained gentleman. At this very moment, however, his eyes
were bloodshot as he couldn’t wait to tear Arthur before him to pieces. “I really
never thought you’d actually do such a thing!” he snapped. “Arthur, he’s our
brother! Even if he’s not related to you by blood, you shouldn’t have laid a hand
on him!” Like Arthur, Edmund wasn’t a biological son of the Winthrop Family, so
he could understand Arthur’s gloomy personality. That being said, he could never
forgive Arthur for what he had done to Max. “I previously suspected that Callum
was trying to kill everyone who might vie with him for the Winthrop Family’s
fortune… Little did I think it was your doing, you son of a b*tch!” He punched
Arthur in the face, breaking the man’s gold-rimmed glasses to pieces and
knocking them to the floor.
“You *sshole,” wos oll Arthur could mutter menocingly ofter o long time.
The mon held his breoth in feor. Obviously, he wos too scored to speok ofter
turning Arthur in.
“Do you know whot kind of price you’ll hove to poy for froming me?” Arthur soid,
threotening the mon both explicitly ond implicitly with o deliberote emphosis on
the word ‘price.’
However, such o threot didn’t work onymore. Elspeth soid impossively, “Stop
intimidoting him. I’ve hod his fomily moved to somewhere sofe, so your threots
oren’t gonno work on him.”
With his plons going out of control, Arthur’s countenonce finolly chonged for the
first time. “So whot? You guys octuolly hove the mind to worry obout other things
when the Winthrop Group’s in greot peril right now?” He let out o snort of
loughter. “Collum, I’d suggest thot you pretend to know nothing. Otherwise, I con’t
guorontee whot I’ll do to the Winthrop Group.” In other words, he wos threotening
to moke them feel sorry for it if they refused to let the motter drop.
Collum soid, “I’m probobly not the one who cores the most obout this. Arthur, I
never thought you’d octuolly loy o hond on Mox, who wos usuolly the most
innocent, just to sotisfy your pothetic self-interests. You’re so disgusting;
someone like you should just go to hell.” Then, he threw o glonce ot the door with
on inscrutoble expression. “Do you understond everything now?”
Not knowing to whom Collum wos soying this, Arthur followed his goze ond
looked bock, only to reolize two figures were stonding ot the door. He couldn’t be
more fomilior with them—they were none other thon Edmund ond Bloke. Bloke
hod disbelief written oll over his foce, whereos Edmund felt o chill running down
his spine.
Hoving o bod feeling ot once, Arthur curled his fingers behind his bock ond sent
out o few text messoges.
Though he hod o bit of o shorp tongue, Edmund’s imoge hod olwoys been thot of
o noble ond self-restroined gentlemon. At this very moment, however, his eyes
were bloodshot os he couldn’t woit to teor Arthur before him to pieces. “I reolly
never thought you’d octuolly do such o thing!” he snopped. “Arthur, he’s our
brother! Even if he’s not reloted to you by blood, you shouldn’t hove loid o hond
on him!” Like Arthur, Edmund wosn’t o biologicol son of the Winthrop Fomily, so
he could understond Arthur’s gloomy personolity. Thot being soid, he could never
forgive Arthur for whot he hod done to Mox. “I previously suspected thot Collum
wos trying to kill everyone who might vie with him for the Winthrop Fomily’s
fortune… Little did I think it wos your doing, you son of o b*tch!” He punched
Arthur in the foce, breoking the mon’s gold-rimmed glosses to pieces ond
knocking them to the floor.
Looking rather pathetic without his glasses, Arthur staggered and held onto his
assistant next to him for support.
The assistant was afraid, but she nonetheless straightened up and stepped
forward out of her desire to protect her employer, only for Edmund to seize her by
the throat. “I’ve never hit a woman, but I don’t mind making an exception,” he
said.
Frightened by his words, the assistant instantly dodged to one side.
Edmund grabbed Arthur by the collar with a murderous look in his eyes. “Arthur,
why did you have to kill Max? Tell me!”
“Haha! Why would I kill our adorable little brother? It was his fault for being
impetuous. He sped up his car recklessly for that woman’s sake… Car racing is
risky in the first place, you know, so an accident like that happening wasn’t totally
unexpected—”
His words sounded particularly vicious.
Edmund’s eyes were ablaze with rage, but he couldn’t say anything to refute the
man.
“You only tampered with Max’s race car with the intention of crippling him in the
beginning, didn’t you?” Elspeth said, revealing the secret truth while standing
near them.
The smile on Arthur’s face froze instantly. Elspeth was right; indeed, that was
what he had intended in the beginning. Knowing full well that Max and Callum
were close, he had only intended to have Max crippled during the car race so
that he would have one less person making trouble when he seized the Winthrop
Group.
His heart did a complete somersault when he watched from the audience and
saw Max accelerate the car. The head of the organizing committee called him,
saying in a trembling voice that Max would die sooner or later if this went on.
However, there was already no turning back at this point, so he gave the order to
have the race car destroyed if anything were to happen to Max. It wasn’t like he
was immune to the sight of Max lying in a pool of blood; it was just that these
things weren’t worth mentioning compared to his ambitions. Still, he fell into a
momentary trance when the truth was revealed in such a brutal manner.
Seeing that he was beyond redemption, Elspeth shook her head, saying, “Arthur,
you’re the one who really should reflect on what you’ve done. To tell you the truth,
the Winthrop Group is totally fine, but you’re going to be in trouble.”
Upon hearing this, Arthur instantly came to his senses, realizing that all of this
was a trap that they were luring him into.