Thaddeus and Brendan exchanged glances with a family member after they finished speaking.
"Think about it," a family member hurriedly said. "They were still part of the family when they received those presents, so they can't be considered private possessions! Besides, you were nice enough to provide for them for decades. It's only natural for them to show some gratitude."
Brendan patted his leg and yelled enthusiastically, "Yes! Those gifts should be ours. I'll go get them back right now!"
Thaddeus nodded with satisfaction. "If they become in-laws with the Monroes, I can let them return to the family as long as they hand over those gifts."
Brendan paused briefly, recalling Claudia's smug expression the day before. "Grandpa, what if they don't agree?"
"Hmph, if they disagree, we'll make them repay everything they've received from the Reeds over the years! That box of goodies won't be enough to offset it all. Tell them." Thaddeus smirked.
"Yes, Grandfather. I know what to do." Brendan exited joyfully.
The next day, Anastasia was at home.
Charles and the others were still eating breakfast when Brendan burst in with several people, threw open the courtyard door, and sauntered inside.
"Oh, all of you are at home, huh?" Brendan smirked roguishly.
Anastasia patted the terrified Sophia and looked at the intruders with disgust.
When Claudia and Charlotte saw Brendan, they were both outraged. "What are you doing here?"
Brendan confidently strolled to the center of the courtyard. "What am I doing here? If I remember correctly, the Reeds still own the house you're staying in. What right do you have to question me?"
"So, are you here to chase us away?" Charlotte asked.
Claudia and Charles had sullen expressions.
Thaddeus had already openly kicked them out of the Reed family and even disowned them. Seeing Brendan here, they assumed he had come to seize their home.
Brendan gazed at Charles and Claudia. "Well, Uncle, you grew up with the Reeds, and I've called you my uncle for many years. No matter what, I still care for you. How can I chase you out?"
Charles and Claudia were stunned by his remarks. Although kinship seemed ludicrous to them, Brendan seemed to imply he wasn't here to chase them away.
"What do you mean?" Anastasia asked warily. She didn't trust Brendan or Thaddeus to care about kinship.
Given Brendan's nasty attitude toward her in the past, he definitely couldn't wait to drive her away from the Reed family. How could he come here and say this to them after disowning them?
"Grandpa has chosen to retract his directives because you've lived with us for so long. As long as you give us the Monroes' gifts, Grandpa will let you back into the Reed family," Brendan remarked arrogantly.
"Hmph!" Anastasia sneered. So it's only for the gifts.
"Don't even think about it! How can we give you the gifts?" Claudia was immediately anxious.
Brendan stared at her and asked slowly, "Aunt Claudia, isn't that what you told me last night? You said the Monroes liked Charlotte and gifted you a large chest containing title deeds, a car, cash, and merchandise. You're about to become the Monroes' in-laws. Surely, you don't worry about that tiny bit of money. If you hand over these items, Grandpa and I will allow you to return to the Reed family!"
"That... no..."
When she met Brendan and Thaddeus at the banquet last night, she couldn't help but brag to them. Now, she realized it was all a big misunderstanding. She couldn't tell Brendan she'd made a mistake but didn't want to give the Reeds the pricey gifts.
At this point, Charlotte stepped forward. "It was a mistake. The Monroes presented those things to Ethan, not to us."
Brendan laughed. "Charlotte Reed, do you think I'm a fool? Ethan Knight? He's just a piece of garbage. How could the Monroes have given him such presents out of gratitude? You should come up with a better excuse."
"Those goods don't belong to us. You can't take them from us. Since we've been disowned, you can return this house, and we'll relocate. That's all I have to say," Anastasia stated coldly.
"Anastasia, how can you say that?" Claudia was upset because she didn't understand why they had to give them the house. The house should have belonged to them because they had lived there for decades.
"Hmm, do you think you can just move away? It's not that simple!" Brendan dropped the pretense and revealed his actual intentions. "I'm not afraid to tell you. If you want to leave the Reeds, repay the money we've spent providing for you over the years!"
"I'll perform a basic calculation for you. Charles Reed, you've been living with us for almost thirty five years. We'll assume you spent twenty thousand dollars each year. That means you've spent seven hundred thousand dollars in total." Brendan pointed at Charles.
Before Charles could speak, he pointed at the others. "And you, Claudia, Anastasia, and Charlotte, have been sponging off us for two to three decades. The three of you have spent up to two million dollars in total. You've also taken at least six million in profits and benefits from us and lived in this mansion for decades. Given all the miscellaneous charges, it wouldn't be too much to ask for ten million dollars, right?"
Every word Brendan uttered made Charles and Claudia's faces more worried. When Claudia heard Brendan's final sentence, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Ten million dollars?! Is this daylight robbery? How could we have spent ten million dollars?! Besides, we barely get more than twenty thousand dollars in dividends!"
Brendan let out an uninhibited laugh. "Don't say I'm making this up. Every year, these details are recorded in the company's financial records!
"Anyway, you can either give us ten million dollars now and leave the Reed family, or you can hand over that package of goodies and rejoin the family. Grandpa might even let Uncle Charles take over his role in the future. You should think hard about what you want to do!"