Isn't that exactly why it's worth so much?

With just a few well-timed cries of "Dad," she'd managed to wrest the entire Schultz family fortune over in one fell swoop.

Yvonne rolled her eyes. "If you're that envious, why don't you call him 'Dad' a few more times yourself?"

She smirked. “Though, after so many years, I doubt you'll ever make it sound as lucrative as I do."

Yale was left speechless.

Damn it! Did this woman grow up chewing on razor blades? Everything out of her mouth cut straight to the heart.

He shot Yvonne a venomous look, then skewered Xander with another, but in the end, there was nothing he could do about either of them.

Yvonne turned to Tristan. "I want everything transferred tonight."

Tristan hesitated. "Wait, hold on-this is-"

“Dad, I'll be frank," Yvonne interrupted. "When a stepmother starts whispering in your ear, no man stands a chance. I think it's safest to do this before anyone has a chance to whisper in your ear and change your mind."

Calling Mona "stepmother” to her face, over and over, in such a biting tone—it had Mona's vision blurring with pure rage. "It's the middle of the night! And you want me to just hand everything over, right now?"

"That's exactly what I want," Yvonne replied softly.

"Tristan!" Mona shrieked, her composure finally snapping.

Now, Mona finally saw it clearly. This wretched girl had come back for one reason: to

make her life miserable. To put it bluntly, Yvonne was here just to target her.

Tristan felt his temples throbbing. After Yvonne's last two visits, he'd learned something: when Yvonne wanted something, you had to give it to her, or you weren't leaving this room.

"Give it to her!" Tristan barked, his patience gone.

He just wanted to get this over with so he could be done with it. He had no desire to go another round with Yvonne. She was a Quinn, after all. Anyone else, he might ignore. But when it came to the Quinn family? Not a chance.

Mona had planned to wait things out, to get Tristan alone and work her persuasion in the bedroom. She had never intended to actually hand over control-especially not to Yvonne.

But she hadn't expected to be cornered like this.

"What's the rush? Let me organize things and I'll give them to her tomorrow!" Mona said, still hoping for a last reprieve, even as it was clear Tristan wouldn't back her up.

But Yvonne refused to offer even that consolation.

"In that case, maybe Xander and I should just go back to the Quinn house. I'll call my mother right now so she can announce that Xander's officially joining the Quins tonight. If the Schultz family makes a publie spectacle of themselves, it won't be our problem. And besides-"

"Enough! Give it all to her!" Tristan snapped, cutting Mona off.

The very mention of the idea sent him over the edge. The Quinn family was nasty enough, especially Lottie's daughter.

He glared at Mona, who had fallen silent. "All this mess with the Quinns-this is your doing."

Mona protested, "But—"

"And you still

Il haven't owned up to

Lottie about what Regina did. And now you want to play innocent? Yvonne is Lottie's daughter Dont you think you owe the Quinns enough already? Just give her what she wants!"

Things between their families had always been good while Ronald was alive. But the moment he passed, Regina had completely ruined everything, leaving the families at odds.

As soon as Regina was mentioned, Mona's eyes flickered with guilt. “But all those accounts... There's so much to go through, I just need to sort things—"

Yvonne cut her off. “Forget the accounts. Just give me the money."

Mona was stunned into silence. There was simply nowhere left to turn.

At last, under Yvonne's unyielding pressure, Mona grudgingly handed over all the household funds. But Yvonne wasn't done-she went straight for Mona and Yale's private Stash as well.

That was just over the line.

Mona fumed silently, but there was nothing she could do. With Tristan's backing,

she had no choice but to surrender more.

Still, Yvonne pressed on.

“In addition, from today on, I'll be managing all the credit cards in the Schultz

family's name," Yvonne announced.

"On what grounds?" Yale practically exploded in outrage.

Yvonne smiled sweetly. "Because my husband will be the one running the company from now on."

The Schultz business might not be the powerhouse it once was, but it was still turning a profit.