Herbert, seething with anger, spat and glared at Dave, his eyes burning with rage. “Dave, you cruel bastard! You’re heartless! You’re even plotting against your own uncle, and now you’re talking nonsense! I curse you to never find peace, and may you rot in hell!”
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Dave’s mouth as he placed his hand on Herbert’s dusty hair. With an almost gentle motion, he stroked it before quickly yanking it back, causing Herbert to grimace in pain and scream. “Dave! Are you out of your mind? I’m your uncle!”
“My uncle?” Dave’s voice sliced through the air, cold and sharp. “When you locked me in that cellar to starve, did you ever stop to think that you were my ‘uncle’?”
Herbert glared at Dave, but Dave stayed calm as his expression became cold. He released his grip, then took a tissue from Michael, wiping his hands clean. His eyes remained empty of emotion as he spoke. “When it comes to scheming against family, I’m nothing compared to you. You planned the car accident, trying to kill my father and take the heir’s position. Am I right?”
Even though Dave already knew the truth, saying it out loud still caused him pain.
His own family, driven by greed and the desire for power, had killed his parents.
He couldn’t understand it. Were power, wealth, and status really worth betraying your own family? Did they value those things more than their own flesh and blood?
These relatives were selfish and only cared about their own gain, treating each other terribly. But now, with his father gone, Dave finally had a chance to stand up for himself.
None of them cared about what was best for the Evans Group. They only wanted to be the next leader and take full control. That was their common goal.
They acted friendly on the outside but kept their distance inside, something Dave used to his advantage without them even knowing. They didn’t realize that he could rise above those before him, not just because of his skills but because Lucas had favored him. Of course, he also owed some thanks to his uncles for their “encouragement.”
For years, Dave endured humiliation and carried heavy burdens, all with one goal. To get revenge on those who killed his parents.
When Herbert heard Dave speak the truth, he was shocked and trembled. “How do you know that?”
Dave’s voice was cold as he replied, “Uncle Herbert, if you don’t want anyone to find out, then don’t do it.”
As Dave looked at the fearful man before him, he couldn’t help but smirk. “You know, I never planned to hurt any of you. Uncle Herbert, I’m giving you a chance now. What you do with it is up to you.”
Herbert shook with fear, but he tried to keep calm. “Dave, what are you planning?”
Dave’s face grew serious. “Here’s what I want from you. Sign the share transfer agreement, give me all your shares in the Evans Group, and tell me who was behind my parents’ death. In return, I’ll help you clear your debt and make sure you have enough money for the rest of your life.”
Herbert laughed as if something amused him. “Dave, it must’ve been hard pretending to be the good grandson all these years in front of my father. Are you finally going to stop pretending? Think about it; my debt is just ten billion dollars. Do you really think my father would just watch me fall and won’t help me?”
Dave’s smile made Herbert restless.
“You’re right,” Dave said. “But what happens after that? Even if Grandpa helps you now, he’ll lose trust in you in the long run. Do you really think he’ll give you important projects in the future? You’ll become irrelevant at the Evans Group, and your voice won’t matter anymore. Have you ever thought about who will win after all the fighting inside the family?”
Herbert felt a sinking feeling in his chest at Dave’s words.
His face twisted in a frown, and he gritted his teeth. With Kent out of the picture, Rupert was the only one left to compete with Dave. If Lucas lost faith in Herbert, the entire Evans Group would fall into Rupert’s hands.
As Dave watched Herbert’s reaction, a smirk appeared on his face, and he added, “Do you know why Uncle Rupert didn’t join in those business ventures this time? Doesn’t that seem strange to you?”
Herbert, already on edge, couldn’t handle Dave’s taunts. His anger flared, and he clenched his teeth, demanding, “Did Rupert know everything from the start? Is he using you to get rid of us and take control of the Evans Group?”
Dave raised an eyebrow. “You’re not completely clueless. Did you figure it out? Uncle Rupert is the sneakiest and trickiest among us.”
“You should all be working together, but he’s always wanted to take control of the Evans Group on his own. He’s just using me to push you out. Even if I hadn’t come up with this plan, he wouldn’t have let you go so easily, would he?”
Herbert’s eyes burned with anger, and hate bubbled up inside him. With a snarl, he glared at Dave and said bitterly, “Stop trying to provoke things up. Plotting against your own family shows exactly what kind of person you are.”
Despite his harsh words, Herbert’s courage was weakening. He was defeated. Now, he had to choose between siding with Dave or Rupert.
Herbert knew Rupert’s true nature. Though he appeared calm and gentle, Rupert was the most deceitful and ruthless among them. Rupert hadn’t even hesitated when he killed his older brother, so dealing with Herbert was nothing to him.
Herbert fought with his emotions while Dave stayed quiet, simply watching him.
“Are you saying you’ll spare me if I do what you say?” Herbert asked, looking up at Dave.
Dave shrugged casually. “If you don’t, you’ll end up like Uncle Kent.”
Herbert swallowed hard, realizing he had no choice. Dave could easily get rid of him without anyone noticing. If Dave wanted him dead, there was no reason to make things this complicated.
“Fine, I’ll talk. You should have figured out by now who was behind your parents’ death. It was your Uncle Rupert. He planned everything, caused the conflict between us, and set up your father’s car accident. He’s the one who ordered your mother’s ashes to be scattered later on.”