Chapter 543
The First Heir
That slap was so brutal it took everyone by surprise.
Martha especially brought her hand to her rapidly-swelling face, looking at Philip in disbelief.
Since when did this useless trash have the guts to hit her like this?
Wait, he had done so a few times before.
When she remembered the past few times, Martha only grew angrier.
How dare that trash hit her so many times! She was his mother-in-law, his elder in the family!
âHow could you hit me?! Donât you guys see, heâs gone way over the line! He hit me!â Martha
screamed, throwing a tantrum and even trying to scratch him.
However, Philip simply kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her falling on her backside and crying
for her mother.
âMartha Yates! Iâve warned you many times now, but you still keep pushing my limits! Do you really
think I donât dare to kill you?â
Philip said coldly, clenching his fists. If Wynn was not holding him back, he would teach that clueless
woman a lesson she would never forget today!
Martha fell onto the ground, her stomach feeling like it was about to burst. She broke into tears and
howled like a banshee, âSee, see! Heâs my son-in-law, but heâs hitting his mother-in-law! What a
travesty! What place do I have left in this family? Are you f*cking dead, Charles Johnston? Your son-in-
law hit me, so why are you just standing there without a word?!â
Marthaâs body trembled in rage, but she was actually scared at the same time.
The murderous aura coming from Philip earlier made her panic from the bottom of her heart.
That was why she turned her target to Charles instead.
Charles was exasperated too. He shook his head and advised Philip, âUm, Philip, she is still your elder,
after all. Could you just let it slide this one time?â
âShut up! Itâs all because you keep letting her be that sheâs become this unreasonable, self-absorbed
witch!â
Philip barked, his eyes filled with rage.
Charles knew that as well, and he was quite torn. True, he was supposed to be the one wearing the
pants in this family, but that banshee Martha managed to usurp his position as the head of the
household.
When Martha saw Charles hesitated, she exploded. âJohnston, are you even a man? Are you scared of
your own son-in-law? Youâre trash, just like him! I must have been blind to marry you! I want a divorce!â
Since Martha was frustrated, she immediately threatened him with a divorce.
That only added to Charlesâ headache. It felt like he had no say at all here.
Since he was pushed over the brink, he turned around and barked at her, âYou want a divorce? Fine!
Iâve had enough of you! I told you so many times not to go too far, I told you to stop raising hell, but you
never listened. Youâre always complaining that I didnât make much of myself, right? Saying I only
became a section head after so many years of hard work? Alright then, letâs get a divorce. Go back to
your own family!â
His rant left Martha wide-eyed and stunned.
She was just saying that out of anger. Her own family, the Yates, had long since left Riverdale. As for
why they went bust, she never dared to ask, because she was terrified that they would ask her to help
clear their debts.
Martha instantly broke down. Wailing at the top of her lungs, she beat her chest and stomped her feet.
âFine, fine, so youâre all ganging up on me, arenât you? Oh, what did I do to deserve this? You two
traitors would rather help an outsider to bully me! I should just die and get it over with.â
Wynn did not say anything the entire time. Since her mother was throwing another ridiculous tantrum,
she simply took Philipâs hand and dragged him upstairs.
She did not want to engage Martha anymore. There was no point.
Charles also snorted and went into the study.
Now Martha was the only one left in the living room, bawling her eyes out. She would stop once she
had had enough.
The next day, Blake invited all the members of Beaconâs board to a banquet at a hotel.
Houston was there too, of course.
Right now, they were all on cloud nine.
âWhatâs the happy occasion, Mr. Michaels?â
âYeah, Mr. Michaels. Do you have good news to announce?â
âHas Beacon gone bust?â
Blake smoked his cigar and said with a laugh, âOh, Beacon is nothing in my eyes. Once our family
decides to take someone down, no one will survive our wrath. Iâm here to tell all of you that another
company will rise in Beaconâs place once it falls, so I hope all of you will work with me to clean
Riverdale of all possible obstacles. Once we do, Riverdale is ours for the taking.â
âA new company? What do you mean by that, Mr. Michaels?â
The other board members asked excitedly.
âI will start a new company that will monopolize the entire pharmaceutical industry here in Riverdale.
With that, weâll be earning billions, not just a few millions!â Blake said, his ambition burning hot and
high.
The board members in the room gasped at his declaration. So that was why Blake was so set against
Beacon. He wanted to take over everything in Riverdale.
âIâm not so sure, though, Mr. Michaels. Even if we pull out of Beacon, they still have the Capital City
Clarke Group. If those guysâ¦â
Someone asked, doubtful.
Houston burst out laughing. âDonât you worry about that, Mr. Jenkins. The Capital City Clarke Group is
no problem. Yes, Michaels Corp isnât quite a match for them yet, but donât forget, we have our patron.â
Their patron!
All the board members shared the same look of astonishment.
Could this all be part of the Michaelsâ patronâs master plan?