Chapter 406 Are you saying she's the heir to the Douglas family?
Back then, when the Douglas family was massacred, many of their assets were left without an heir.
The Hamilton family and the Russell family could have been more ruthless and directly taken over these assets.
But Wesley strongly advocated for the Hamilton family and the Russell family to agree to jointly manage the Douglas family's assets.
On one hand, this ensured that the core industries of the Douglas family could continue to maintain their integrity and generate significant profits.
On the other hand, it prevented them from becoming targets of criticism.
After all, massacring all members of the Douglas family was an exceptionally cruel act.
Neither the Hamilton family nor the Russell family wanted to bear such a notorious reputation.
So, at that time, Wesley's proposal was accepted by the Hamilton family and the Russell family without a second thought.
After all, in their view, the Douglas family's assets were already in their grasp. Even if they managed them temporarily, the Douglas family's wealth would eventually fall into their hands.
They never dreamed that today, someone would stand up and claim to be from the Douglas family.
As soon as Wesley finished speaking, Jenny couldn't hold back. "Mr. Ellison, what did you say Francesca and Xanthe's identities were?"
Wesley looked over at Jenny, who had spoken. "You're Jenny from the Russell family, right? I held you when you were a child."
Jenny's face darkened, clearly unhappy. Held her? This Wesley was shameless! What did he think her status was?
The Ellison family's current assets were not even worthy of a conversation with the Russell family.
Jenny snorted coldly, "You say Francesca is from the Douglas family, and that makes her from the Douglas family? What evidence do you have? Besides, everyone here knows that the head of the Ellison family, Wesley, has never been married."
Wesley's previously polite expression vanished, replaced by a hint of anger.
Seeing the situation turn sour, Joshua immediately stepped in front of Jenny. "Mr. Ellison, do you remember me?"
Wesley glanced at Joshua, "Of course. The Russell family has declined over the years, even their manners are not what they used to be. Joshua, you should discipline your niece better."
No matter how the five great families schemed and killed each other in private, they still maintained a facade of mutual support and false peace.
Joshua replied, "Jenny is young and doesn't know how to speak properly, but she is telling the truth. Mr. Ellison, you say Francesca is your daughter, which can be easily proven with a DNA test. However, claiming she is the heir to the Douglas family is hard to convince without sufficient evidence. After all, we all know what happened to the Douglas family back then. The entire Douglas family was killed, with no survivors. If this lady is Francesca Douglas, why hasn't she returned to the Douglas family all these years?"
Just as Wesley was about to speak, Francesca stepped forward.
Seeing that it was Joshua speaking, Francesca had a mocking smile on her lips.
She said, "Joshua, am I not Francesca Douglas? You are the best person to prove it, aren't you?"
Joshua's expression changed slightly.
From the moment he first saw Francesca, he had a nagging feeling of familiarity.
But he still couldn't believe that the woman in front of him was Francesca.
Over forty years ago, he had personally been at the scene of the massacre, checked Francesca Douglas's breath to confirm she was no longer alive, and watched as her body was prepared for burial.
That small body was thrown into a pile of corpses, and he cried and screamed until he was forcibly taken away.
Francesca walked down the steps. "Joshua, do you remember my fifth birthday when your father brought you and your older brother to the Douglas Mansion to celebrate with me? Do you remember the 'alliance' between the Douglas family and the Russell family, and the engagement arranged for us? If you've forgotten, let me remind you."
With that, Francesca took out a round brooch from her handbag.
The brooch had a gold wolf totem on a black background, which was the emblem of the Russell family.
Every member of the Russell family had one.
Those engaged to a member of the Russell family would receive this emblem at the time of engagement.
Francesca opened her hand, revealing the brooch in her palm.
Since she was not a member of the Russell family, the back of the brooch had Joshua's name on it.
This signified that after the engagement, she would be Joshua's wife.
Joshua's throat tightened. Even before Jenny questioned it, Joshua was already certain that she must be Francesca Douglas.
At this moment, the brooch belonging to his fiancée was in Francesca's hand, and Joshua couldn't utter a single word.
Just as Joshua was at a loss for words, Jenny reached out to grab the brooch from Francesca's hand, but Francesca clenched her fist.
Jenny said, "It could be fake, you know? Maybe it was lost when the Douglas family was killed. Francesca, don't you have any other proof that you are the heir to the Douglas family? If you can't prove your identity, we can't hand over the Douglas family's assets that we've been managing."
Francesca had been waiting for such an opportunity, and she didn't expect Jenny to be so cooperative.
As Francesca's lips curled into a slight smile, Joshua angrily shouted at Jenny, "Shut up."
Francesca seized the moment. "The simplest way to prove my identity is a DNA test, isn't it? Don't you still have my grandfather's body preserved for memorial purposes?"
As soon as Francesca said this, Joshua slapped Jenny across the face. "Don't talk nonsense."
Wesley said discontentedly, "Joshua, I don't care what the Russell family and the Hamilton family think about returning the Douglas family's assets. The custodial agreement signed back then, witnessed by me and several judges, clearly states that if there are any survivors of the Douglas family, even collateral ones, efforts will be made to return the Douglas family's assets to them!"
Wesley said this while glancing at the media cameras, smiling slightly.
He knew that the Russell family and the Hamilton family had prepared extensively for tonight to maximize their advantage.
So at this moment, those devices were broadcasting everything live.
He wanted to use this opportunity to force the Hamilton family and the Russell family to return the Douglas family's assets and funds that they had been occupying and managing for years.
Francesca was not polite either. She couldn't afford to worry about whether she and Wesley were truly related as father and daughter.
She was certain of one thing that she had been hiding with the Douglas family's hatred, but now she had stepped forward.
Only by moving forward could she protect herself and Paige.
Otherwise, it would be death, and she would have no future or life to think of.
Most importantly, Paige was pregnant.
Everything had come to this point, and Francesca could not retreat even half a step.
Francesca stood up. "Please, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Russell, contact your family heads. Today, the entire venue is under my control. If we can't reclaim the Douglas family's assets, then let's use this grand live broadcast to settle the hatred from forty-three years ago, and let the whole world see it clearly!"
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