Chapter 2

Samantha delivered her speech about my mental instability and violent tendencies with impassioned, self-righteous conviction. In an instant, public opinion shifted once again.

The scrutiny on the board members' faces reverted to hesitation and doubt. The way they looked at me now was filled with uncertainty. After all, an heir prone to emotional outbursts was indeed a grave risk to the entire conglomerate.

"Mental instability?" I couldn't help but chuckle.

Samantha frowned when she saw that, instead of panicking, I actually let out a laugh.

I walked straight up to her. Then, under her stunned gaze, I reached into the clutch she was carrying and pulled out the second document she had prepared.

It was a "Property Custodianship Application" that had long since been drawn up by a law firm she had already engaged.

In my previous life, after I discovered that all the shares had been transferred, I had tried to fight back.

But it was precisely with this document that Samantha, together with several board members she had bought off, successfully placed all the shares and assets under my name into custodianship on the grounds of my supposedly unstable mental state.

I held it up high, showing it to everyone.

"After I refuse to give her the inheritance, the next step is to use my so-called emotional outbursts to apply to the board for custodianship of all my assets."

I scanned the faces in the room one by one. "Does anyone here actually think I've shown any sign of emotional instability?"

Some people began to hesitate and started recalling my behavior just moments ago, murmuring among themselves.

"Now that he mentioned it, he didn't really seem emotionally out of control. In fact, he was actually speaking quite calmly."

"But his slashing someone with a pen was pretty terrifying."

"True, but his reasoning was perfectly clear."

Samantha was stunned. She had no idea how I could possibly know her plan inside and out.

The universe gave me a second chance at life so I could come back and settle the score with Samantha and Howard.

But her panic lasted only a fleeting moment before she resumed her performance. She looked at me helplessly and said, "Glenn, if you hadn't beaten Howard so many times before, I wouldn't have been worried about you to this extent.

"I know Mom's death hit you very hard, and you can't accept the fact that you're ill. But everything's going to be okay. Let's just get you properly treated. With all the shareholders here as witnesses, I promise to return everything to you once you're all better."

With that, she looked toward the corner of the room.

A man in his 50s calmly walked up onto the stage.

Someone in the audience immediately recognized him.

"It's Dr. Griffin!"

"The leading authority from the psychiatric department at Union Hospital?"

Samantha was extremely pleased with the crowd's reaction. She affectionately took Dr. Griffin by the arm and introduced him to everyone.

"Dr. Jerome Griffin is the country's leading authority in the field of psychiatry and is also Glenn's attending physician. Glenn is in such a poor state that I had no choice but to ask Dr. Griffin to accompany us to such an occasion. While we're at it, perhaps Dr. Griffin can back me up on this."

Dr. Griffin pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose and looked at me with the kind of pained regret a doctor reserved for a troubled patient.

He let out a sigh and picked up the microphone. "Distinguished guests and members of the media, as Mr. Hatfield's attending physician for the past two years, it pains me deeply, but I am compelled to speak the truth at this moment.

"Mr. Hatfield does indeed suffer from episodic affective disorder. This condition causes extreme emotional instability, characterized by alternating bouts of depression and mania.

"According to my most recent diagnosis, Mr. Hatfield's condition is showing signs of worsening, and he has even begun to exhibit marked antisocial and violent tendencies."

He shook his head sorrowfully and delivered his final conclusion.

"From a professional standpoint, I strongly advise against exposing Mr. Hatfield to any further significant stressors, and I do not recommend that he manage complex business affairs such as those of Hatfield Group. This would be extremely dangerous, both for himself and for the conglomerate."

The room erupted into complete chaos.

Samantha had produced a witness—and not just any witness, but a titan in the field, an undisputed authority!

If everyone had been only half-convinced before, now Dr. Griffin's words were tantamount to a final verdict.

I saw the faces of the board members below grow exceedingly grim.

With this, the most unimpeachable voice in the field had categorically and permanently cemented my reputation as a lunatic.