Chapter 11: A Pack of Ingrates!

Words : 2101 Updated : Dec 11th, 2025

Murphy Scurr saw every light in the yard blazing and muttered with a frown, "It's this late-why are there so many lights on? The household staff would be asleep by this hour…" Asher Jauncy narrowed his eyes. "There are people inside-and plenty of them." Maria Scurr tensed and gripped Murphy's arm. "Grandpa, could it be the Black Gold Society on our tail?" "Not likely." Murphy shook his head. "The Black Gold Society do things ruthlessly. If they were here, they wouldn't announce it by turning on every light. Come on, let's take a look." The three of them pushed the ajar iron gate and followed the flagstone path toward the villa's living room. The closer they came, the louder the commotion from inside. People were quarreling over which branch company should belong to whom, noisy as a marketplace. Murphy's face grew darker with every step. He knew those voices too well. Inside the living room, Ramon Scurr sat in the seat reserved for the head of the Scurr family. The rest were almost all Scurrs too, but from collateral branches. Murphy had been born poor. As the eldest son, once he succeeded in business he treated his younger brothers and sisters well. He brought nearly all their children into Scurr Group afterward. Ramon, for instance, had become a vice president at a branch company while other nephews and nieces held management posts. Ramon had already received instructions from Andrew Zorn: Murphy and Maria would die tonight. So he had hurriedly summoned these relatives to the Scurr family home with one goal-to seize power. Ramon slapped the table. "Family, I just got word: Granduncle and Maria were in an accident and are likely gone!" "At a time like this, the Scurr family can't be without a backbone. I say I temporarily act as chairman. Once things steady, we hold a formal election! As for the family assets, let's agree on a plan tonight and split them-how about it?" "I agree!" Zayne Scurr was the first to raise his hand. "Ramon is young and capable, the most promising junior of the Scurr family. He should be chairman!" "Yeah, I agree too!" Rocky Scurr chimed in, eyes rolling as he grinned. "Just give me the East City branch and I've got no objection!" "We agree as well! Ramon has our confidence!" Murphy's nieces had married out and didn't argue. The group chuckled and traded jokes as if carving the Scurr family apart were a casual affair. Just then, a girl in a white dress-eighteen or nineteen at most-suddenly stood up. She was Maria's cousin, Adelina Scurr, who normally stuck to Maria like glue. She frowned and spoke in a small voice. "Brother, Granduncle and Sister Maria are only missing. There's no confirmation of an accident… Isn't it too soon to split the inheritance and pick a chairman? What if they come back?" Ramon's face sank. He shot Adelina a vicious glare. "Adelina! What do you know! The head of the Zorn family told me they ran into assassins-they won't make it! Right now the Scurr family is headless. If we don't settle this fast, what if other families swallow us whole? If you don't want a share, don't get in the way!" Adelina's eyes reddened under his roar, but she kept her chin up. "I don't care! Maria treats me the best. I won't divide up her things while there's still no word." "You little-" Rocky tugged her arm and hissed, "Don't be ridiculous! Ramon is right. We're doing this for the good of the Scurr family!" Adelina lowered her head, tears pooling. "For the good of the Scurr family?" A cold voice came from the doorway, startling everyone into whipping around. They froze. Murphy Scurr stood at the threshold, face like iron. "Gr-Granduncle?" Ramon sprang off the couch like he'd seen a ghost. "Y-you're not dead?" The others went pale, rooted in place, their swagger evaporated. "I didn't die. Disappointed?" Murphy stepped into the living room one measured stride at a time. His cane struck the floor-thud, thud, thud. "I hauled you one by one from penniless boys and girls into millionaires, brought you into Scurr Group as executives. I didn't treat you badly, did I? And this is what I get? Maria and I go out of contact for a moment, and you can't wait to split the estate and snatch seats. Did your consciences get eaten by dogs?" Rocky hurried forward with a fawning smile. "Uncle… it's not like that! We were just worried no one would be in charge, so we met to discuss things. We had no intention of divvying up the assets!" He made frantic eyes at his siblings. "Right, right, Uncle, you misunderstood us…" "Yeah, Uncle, it's all that brat Ramon talking nonsense, otherwise how would we think something happened to you?" Murphy let out a cold laugh and pointed at Ramon. "Ramon Scurr, you ungrateful wolf. You disappointed me." He had secretly joined hands with the Three Major Families to seize power. Murphy hadn't planned to settle accounts with Ramon yet, but what he had just walked into wiped out whatever trust he still had. Ramon's legs gave out. He dropped to his knees and banged his forehead to the floor over and over. "Granduncle! I was wrong! Please forgive me this once! I won't dare again!" The other collateral relatives toppled to their knees in a chorus of pleas. "Uncle, we were wrong! Please forgive us!" "Granduncle, we were muddleheaded-don't hold it against us!" Murphy looked over the kneeling crowd, anger and chill coiling in his chest. They were his own nephews and nieces. After his brothers and sisters passed, he had treated them like his children. And this was how they repaid him? Ramon clutched Murphy's leg, sobbing. "Granduncle! For my grandfather's sake-he held your hand before he died and begged me to help you manage the Scurr family-please let me off this once! If he knew what I did, he'd claw his way out of his grave from rage!" At the mention of his late second brother, Murphy's body stilled. Pain and hesitation flickered in his eyes. His second brother had built the business with him, worked himself into an early grave, gone at just past fifty. Because of that, Murphy had treated Ramon like a true grandson-sent him abroad for school, made him a vice president at the company. Zayne knelt as well. "Uncle! For my dad's sake, forgive Ramon! He's young. Andrew Zorn tricked him-he didn't mean it!" Murphy closed his eyes and drew a long breath. When he opened them again, fatigue had settled in. "Enough… For Mike's sake, I'll let you go this once." Everyone let out a breath in unison, knocking their heads to the floor in thanks. "But!" Murphy's tone snapped sharp. "From today on, all of you will withdraw from Scurr Group. You are never again to interfere with any company operations. You can keep your shares, and your annual dividends will be paid on time." They all went still. Leaving management meant they would be idle shareholders from now on. But compared to being expelled from the Scurr family with nothing, it was the best outcome they could hope for. Ramon gritted his teeth and nodded. "Thank you, Granduncle. We will never interfere with the company again." The others bobbed their heads in a hurry. "We'll do as you say, Uncle!" "We won't dare anymore!" "Get out." Murphy waved a hand, his voice heavy with weariness. "Without my permission, you are not to set foot in Scurr Villa again." The crowd scattered like they'd seen a disaster. Only Adelina stayed, kept by Murphy because of what she had said. Once they were outside Scurr Villa, Rocky started complaining. "Ramon, this is all on you. Now we've got nothing!" Ramon glanced back at the villa, eyes full of venom. "This won't end here."

Chapter 11: A Pack of Ingrates!

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