Part 2A Mother's Gambit

Perhaps because I was so easy to fool, so oblivious, Amelia grew bolder.

At first, she would only meet Edward in secret when I was at the office. Now, she found excuses to come over even when I was home.

“Cassandra, I’ve been teaching myself to cook! I came to show off my new skills.”

“Cassandra, I just got back from the countryside and brought you some fresh produce.”

“Cassandra, my pipes burst! Can I stay with you for a few days?”

…

I knew she was only here for Edward and Shelley. But I never refused. I welcomed her politely, agreed to every request.

Edward reveled in it. His lips would curl into a smile the moment she walked through the door. Sometimes, he’d exchange flirtatious glances with her right in front of me. Even Shelley grew closer to Amelia, buying her a special pair of slippers to keep at our house for her frequent visits.

This continued until Shelley’s college entrance exams.

The day the scores were released, Amelia was at our house first thing in the morning.

When Shelley’s abysmal scores appeared on the screen, Edward feigned outrage. “How could you score so low?”

Shelley shrugged. “We’re rich. Why should I work myself to death studying? Mom can just buy me a degree, can’t she?”

Edward shot me a look. When I said nothing, he continued his act. “Even if your mother spoils you, she can’t let you be this reckless! It’s not easy for her to run the company alone. You need to step up! How else will you help her? How can she trust you with the company?”

Amelia quickly interjected, “Cassandra is Shelley’s mother. Of course, she’ll take care of her.”

“Exactly,” Shelley added. “I’m her only daughter. She’s not going to let me starve with all her companies, is she?”

Amelia gave Shelley an appreciative glance, then turned to me. “Cassandra, Shelley is a good girl. You can’t let her go to some diploma mill. What if she gets bullied? Why don’t you make her a general manager at your company? Let her learn the ropes.”

The truth was, Shelley, spoiled rotten by Amelia and Edward, was lazy, arrogant, and completely incompetent. She wasn't even qualified for an internship at my company.

But I didn't say that. Instead, I said seriously, “General manager isn’t enough. She’s my only child. She deserves to inherit everything.”

“I have it all planned out. First, I’ll send her abroad to study. When she returns, I will hand the entire company over to her.”

Amelia’s eyes lit up. She laughed heartily. “Yes, yes! A brilliant girl like Shelley deserves to be a CEO, looking down on everyone. I always said she was born for a life of luxury, so much better than that short-lived little brat of mine!”

Edward and Shelley nodded enthusiastically, their faces beaming.

Watching the three of them laugh, so smug and triumphant, I smiled too.

They laughed at my stupidity.

I laughed at their naivety.