Chapter 10
Chapter
10
"There's a misunderstanding, Fabian. I never called Mr. Santos!" Frank was shocked to the core, especially when he sensed the hostile aura Fabian was exuding. In an instant, he was trembling and speaking sheepishly.
"Don't accuse us of things we didn't do, Fabian. Besides, the factory is ours anyway!" Cindy quickly chimed in. She was also on edge after seeing how angry the man was.
"Do you think a woman like you has the right to have a say in the Murrays' affairs?" Fabian scolded, and she instantly shut her mouth out of shock. Anyone could tell just how angry the man was at that
moment.
"Uncle Fabian, it's true that Mom and Dad didn't call him," Julianna refuted.
"Stop the act, Julianna. The people from Santos Corporation already let me know that they would only work with Uncle Frank when I went to them to discuss our collaboration previously. Tell me this; if you hadn't made the call, why would Santos Corporation not want to collaborate with us?" Fabio questioned in anger.
Everyone in the room was stunned upon hearing what he said.
Frank never would have expected Santos Corporation to not collaborate with Fabian.
Was Christopher telling the truth just now? Did he really call Truman, and Truman actually agreed to it?
B-But that can't be it! There's no way Christopher is so capable. Our factory is clearly just that good.
Cindy was just as confused. She refused to believe that Christopher had such an impact on a business deal worth tens of millions. Julianna, on the other hand, glanced toward him instinctively. She was expecting to hear that Christopher was the one who made the call because her uncle had been bullying her family too much.
"How arrogant of you, Uncle Fabian. I was the one who made the call. I originally thought that you came here to apologize to us. Who would have thought that you would be so hostile? Those who don't know what actually happened would have thought that we stole the factory from you!" Christopher said coldly.
Fabian was already angry enough, but he was even more furious when he heard what was just said. After all, he was the head of the Murrays, and Christopher was just a retired soldier. How dare he talk to me in such a tone?
"You- What did you say? Say that again if you dare!" he said furiously.
"It looks like your son didn't relay what we said to you. I'll say it again now. I will show you mercy if you apologize sincerely. Otherwise, you know the consequences," Christopher barked.
"Watch how you talk to Fabian, Christopher! Don't be angry, Fabian. Calm down," Frank said. He was practically begging by now, even though Fabian was the one who was in the wrong in the first place. "Oh? So you were the one who called?" Fabian questioned in a frosty tone.
"That's right. I'm classmates with Mr. Santos' son. Mr. Santos was infuriated when he heard what had happened," Christopher said icily, not a hint of fear in him even under the other man's gaze. "Stop talking now, Christopher!" Frank was truly terrified now. He hastily tugged on Christopher, and Julianna quickly said, "Dad, Uncle Fabian has already chased us out of the Murray residence. Why are you still so afraid of him? We've been living like cowards our whole lives. Do you think we'd starve to death just because we left the family?"
"Oh my. Just take a look at your daughter and son-in-law, Frank! They don't have the slightest bit of respect for me, the head of the house. Listen up! You better tell Christopher to call Mr. Santos now to tell him to collaborate with us. Otherwise, I'm going to have to use the family's rules. You know the consequences if I do that," Fabian shouted as he suddenly brought up the fact that he was the head of the family. "That's right. Don't forget that my dad is the head of the family. You're all Murrays here," Fabio chimed in coldly.
"Christopher, q-quick. Give Mr. Santos a call now!" Frank was intimidated by his brother's words. The fear of Fabian was engraved into his very bones. It was especially so when the family rules were brought
up.
Christopher was left exasperated that his father-in-law was such a coward. The latter still didn't dare to oppose them even though they had the upper hand right now.
"Don't worry, Uncle Fabian. I can make the call. However, you have to hand over the seat for the head of the family to my father-in-law," the man said with a smile.
Everyone was mind blown upon hearing what he said. Fabian and his son, along with Frank's family, were all staring at him in shock. No one had ever expected him to say something like this.
There was no way Fabian would hand over the position to Frank. Even if he had to give up on the factory or lose out on collaborating with Santos Corporation, he would never give up on being the patriarch of the family.
"Are you f*cking crazy, Christopher? You're telling my dad to give up being the head of the family?" Fabio wanted so much to kick Christopher at that moment. Right then, his father pulled him to his side. It seemed to him that this wasn't Christopher's idea at all.
After all, how could a retired soldier think of something like this?
"It seems like you've been secretly coveting the position of the head of the family, Frank. I was wondering why your son-in-law would do this to me suddenly. It turns out that you were the one instructing him secretly. You want to be the head of the family? Dream on! I don't want this factory anymore. However, I will be arranging for a family meeting with the rest of the Murrays tomorrow. Let's see if you'll still be as arrogant then."
With that said, Fabian slammed his fist on the wall before turning to leave.
That was when Fabio realized what was going on. Uncle Frank definitely instructed Christopher to do this. A mere retired soldier like him would never have thought of schemes like this.
"This is a misunderstanding, Fabian! I've never wanted to become the head of the family. This is all Christopher's idea. Christopher, tell him!"
Frank was horrified at what had just happened. He had never thought a day would come when he would have a fallout with his brother.
"We are not in the wrong, Dad. Uncle Fabian, after tonight, you won't have the chance to apologize anymore," Christopher reminded with a smile.
With that, the father and son stomped away furiously, leaving Frank and Cindy trembling. Julianna, however, was stunned. The woman had never expected her husband to threaten her uncle, telling him to hand over the position as the head of the family to her father.
This is just crazy! Am I dreaming?
Frank watched as his brother drove away. Once the car was out of his line of vision, he instantly turned around and shouted at Christopher, "Look at what you just did! You never came home for three years, and all you've done is cause trouble since you returned!"
"Dad, Uncle Fabian and his family have gone too far. Originally when Grandpa passed away, his assets should have been divided evenly between the two of you. However, he used a bankrupt factory to appease you and never lent you even a single cent to help. We finally managed to sign a major contract, yet Uncle Fabian snatched away the factory so ruthlessly. Think about it! Has he ever treated you like you're a Murray or his brother?" Christopher said in a low voice.
At that, Julianna quickly said, "That's right, Dad. You still don't see the bigger picture of things like how Christopher does. When did Uncle Fabian and his family ever treat us like we're one of the Murrays? He's forcing me to marry Jared. Do you really think he's doing it for our family? I'm sure that whatever benefits Jared is going to give will be seized by Uncle Fabian."
Cindy never liked how cowardly her husband had been. Hearing what her daughter said, she added, "Even though Christopher was the one behind the mess this time, he's right. Besides plotting against us, what has that sly fox Fabian ever given us? You're too soft-hearted. If you had gone against your brother, how could we be dismissed with just a piece of useless land? And you, Christopher! You've been talking so much today. Why did you take that piece of useless land after giving the factory to Fabio?"
Christopher couldn't help but find it funny. There was nothing good about their bankrupt factory, but the value of that piece of land was just shocking.
"Don't yell at Christopher anymore, Mom. The deed and the land-use rights are all with Uncle Fabian right now. In the end, there's no use fighting for it," Julianna explained.
Frank was busy worrying about the family meeting at that moment. "What should I do if Fabian actually arranges for a family meeting?" he asked worriedly.
"Don't worry. Uncle Fabian is the one with the disadvantage now. The tables will turn in our favor," Christopher said.
Meanwhile, Fabian and his son were infuriated at how things had turned out. "That piece of trash Frank even dares to talk back to me now. I'm going to arrange a family meeting tomorrow. I'll see for myself how gutsy he will be then and whether he will dare to challenge me," the former seethed.
"That's right. You should kick Christopher out of the Murray family at the family meeting tomorrow. I wish nothing more than to strangle him to death right now. He disgusts me much more than Uncle Frank does," Fabio said.