Her Revenge Contract
Chapter 59

Katherine's

POV

I arrived home minutes before John did and was exhausted after such a busy and eventful day.

The foyer was dead quiet when I entered, yet I could hear Erika giggling out loud while replaceing something amusing in the living room. "Why do you sound so happy?" Rose asked.

"Mom," Erika said, sounding very proud of herself, "Kate got into trouble at work today. There was something wrong with the tender!"

She burst out laughing again, yet Rose didn't replace it amusing.

"That is strange," Rose said. "Your father confirmed that the tender was perfectly completed."

"I changed it!" Erika said.

"Change what?" Rose gasped.

"I swapped some of the information in the original tender," she answered proudly.

"You did what!?" Rose yelled out in shock.

Something like a bowl came crashing down, and fruit rolled out of the door.

I chuckled amusingly behind my hand.

Rose didn't expect to hear that news from her daughter.

I am surprised she didn't get a heart attack. I wonder what John will do when he hears the news.

"Why did you change the tender?" Rose yelled, "Did you know this was part of your father's plan? If Kate won the project, she would have been completely ruined, and she would have been asked to leave and never return again!" I slowly walked closer and saw Erika looking at Rose as if she had grown two heads.

"Mom, you and Dad just worry too much! It's just Kate you are talking about; her parents have been successfully removed. Are you still afraid of her? I really don't understand you!"

Erika switches on the music and rhythmically dances with it.

Rose took a seat on the sofa and looked at her, worried.

"Mom, smile; everything will be just fine!"

Rose sighed, and her face turned disappointed.

"I don't have the heart to laugh," she simply replied. "If your father replaces out about what you have done, I don't know what he would do to you."

"What are you afraid to tell me?" John suddenly asked.

I was so interested in hearing the conversation that I didn't see or hear John enter from the side door. He must have parked his car in the garage and entered through the kitchen.

The two women became silent, and they looked at one another.

"What were you talking about just now?" John asked again.

Erika was about to say something, yet I walked in, cutting her moment off.

Here was my chance.

"Cousin!" I yelled out, surprised, "There you are!"

I walked toward her and smiled.

Erika looked at me bewildered, while I ignored John and Rose.

"Why did you leave in such a hurry at the bidding meeting today?" I asked sweetly. "I haven't had time to ask you, but when you stood at the booth and so close to the platform, did you maybe see who changed the tender's documentation?" Erika lifted her chin and crossed her arms around her waist.

Rose jumped to her feet and rushed toward Erika's side. She looked between John and me, afraid that Erika would tell us the truth, and she was ready to shut her mouth when the time came.

"Kate, what nonsense are you talking about?" Rose asked angrily. "Erika didn't even leave home; she stayed with me all day. Don't blame your work problems on her and create unnecessary issues!"

A smile followed on my lips, and I glanced out of the corner of my eye at John.

All the color had drained from John's face; it seemed like he was about to explode and have a heart attack.

"Oh, okay." I acted surprised and pouted. "Sorry, cousin, I guess it must have been your double or something at the meeting!"

After that, I went straight back to the room, and the second I closed the door, I heard John's roar, followed by Rose's pleas.

"You changed the tender, didn't you?" John roared angrily.

I have seen John mad, yet this was the angriest I have ever seen.

"John, please calm down!" Rose pleaded.

"So what if I changed it!? I just don't like her. I hate her!" Erika yelled, "Her parents are dead. I am supposed to be the heir of the company. Why do you let me bear her?"

The sound of a hand coming into contact with someone's cheek sounded from below.

I could almost feel the intensity of that slap.

How many times has John slapped Erika in the last few weeks?

"How can I have a daughter like you?" John roared. "Lock her in her room! No one is allowed to go in to see her without my permission, and she is not allowed to come out!"

Erika was locked in the room with a red-swollen face and yelled nonstop throughout the night.

"Kate, you are such a bitch! I will kill you sooner rather than later!" Erika shouted in a hoarse voice, yet no one responded to her screaming.

Rose pleaded with John, but he didn't give in to her plea. She ended up giving John a pillow and a blanket, refusing to have him sleep in the same room as her. He ended up sleeping in his study for the night. John was determined to teach Erika a lesson.

I sneaked downstairs and looked at John's indignant figure, and a smile followed on my lips. It seems that Erika really hit John's sore spot this time. It was merciful for a little expert like Erika to pit her own father beyond redemption. However, according to Erika's character, it's only a matter of time before John loses it and ends up in jail.

With Erika crying and howling all night, I eventually fell asleep with a smile on my face. I guess because of all the drama, I slept so peacefully that I didn't even check my phone throughout the night.

As soon as I unlocked my phone, I saw 173 missed calls and 59 messages displayed, and the phone rang in my hands.

I felt stupid when I answered the call, and without a hello, Xavier went straight to the reason for his call.

"Did you hit Erika last night?" He asked, sounding grumpier than usual.

"No," I answered, "for what reason would I have done that?" I asked as I stared blankly into nothing with the phone in my hand.

All kinds of emotions ran through my mind, and I suddenly had a bad feeling deep down in my pit. Something bad must have happened.

After we ended the call, I opened my Instagram account and saw the photos posted by Erika, reading: "domestic violence."

The whole screen was full of photos, and all the major news reporters were scrambling to get the story.

My cell phone was always kept in flight mode at night just to ensure I wouldn't be bothered during the night, yet that was not the case with John and Xavier.

Unfortunately, Erika was slapped by John last night; otherwise, he could have spoken to the reporters.

"Kate," John stopped me as I was about to get into the car, "don't go to work today. My assistant just called and said that the reception area was full of reporters looking for you. Rather take the day off and stay home."

I glanced at John, seeing that he clearly looked afraid. I guess he was scared that I would say something to put him in a bad light.

If I said something he couldn't control, he might lose the respect of the employees.

"It doesn't matter, uncle. I won't say anything to them, but I have to go to the company today. There is a project seminar in the afternoon. I want to attend it."

"They can send you the information; you don't need to attend it."

Project seminars usually give information on the core structure and details of the company. I didn't understand many of those things. I needed to attend to figure out what was wrong with the financials.

I could replace the problem, but I can't tell you the reason behind it.

I needed to learn more about the company's internal data. Although data are important, for me, they are just numbers.

John insisted that I stay home.

I sighed. Erika might not have brains, but this time she really outsmarted everyone.

I sat down at my small dining table with a cup of coffee in hand and opened the Instagram photos.

The uploaded photos on Instagram weren't filtered, and the natural lights of the room were used to make the red and swollen spaces on her face very obvious, and her eyes were full of tears.

The accompanying text said: I accidentally damaged the tender document; please don't be angry with me. I have been punished. I apologize. I am sorry for what I have done.

A sincere apology successfully focused everyone's attention on me. Many people ran to my Instagram account to accuse me of abuse, and that made me look stupid.

Aren't I the victim here?

Why is it that just because the perpetrator apologizes, all the blame is pointed at the original victim?

What about the three thousand views? Three thousand views! Rose shouted in her heart.

Erika's phone hadn't stopped since she posted it on her account, and the news on the Internet kept on updating.

The next second, John kicked Erika's bedroom door open, furiously took her phone from her, and smashed it.

"Erika!" He roared, "You'd better be honest with me. You have ruined too many of my plans!"

Erika didn't react to any of what John said; she sounded restless after her phone was broken and she lost control over her emotions.

"Keep her locked up in here! Don't let her out until she is honest!" John yelled and stalked down the hallway.

After John left, I took the opportunity to deliver her meal.

As soon as I entered her room, Erika swore about the pictures on her Instagram account.

"A high-class lady, like yourself, shouldn't swear like you just did," I said and smiled.

"What do you want, bitch?" She growled.

"Nothing," I said. "I just wanted to come and see you." My gaze moved over the furniture in the room and stopped at her gaze. "By the way, I really want to ask, do you want me to die that much?"