Chapter 18: Pleaded With Victor
Chapter 18: Pleaded With Victor
Upon seeing the hesitant look on Andy’s face, Rachel stopped.
With a raised eyebrow, she asked, "What’s the matter? Is there something else you want to say?"
"Miss Bennet, when are you planning to meet with Mr.Sullivan? Once the liquidation procedure officially starts, stopping it will be nigh impossible."
"I see.I’ll talk to him after lunch."
Rachel let out a helpless sigh.
Andy nodded firmly.
"Got it.I’ll drive you there, Miss Bennet."
"That’s not necessary.I can get there by myself."
After saying that, she followed Abby downstairs to have lunch.
During the meal, Rachel finished an entire bowl of rice, but neither Andy nor Abby had any appetite to eat.
Those who weren’t aware of the truth and saw this scene would assume that Andy and Abby were the ones in crippling debt, and Rachel had nothing to do with said debt.
After finishing her meal, Rachel put down her chopsticks and looked at Abby and Andy, noticing that they appeared to be absent-minded.
To get their attention, she cleared her throat.
Startled, Abby put down her chopsticks and stood in attention.
"Miss Bennet, allow me to get you another bowl of soup."
Afterwards, she reached for Rachel’s bowl, but Rachel stopped her and said, "No, it’s okay.I’m full."
"Ah… I see."
Abby withdrew her hand, lowered her gaze, and soon her mind began to wander once more.
"You two…"
After a brief pause, Rachel said, "Are you worried that working for a broke woman like me will put you through so much suffering in the future? Look, you don’t have to worry about my financial burdens.I won’t let either of you help me pay off my debts."
She had always been aloof and indifferent by nature.
Getting an emotional response from her was almost improbable, and she didn’t like to rely on others either.
"Miss Bennet, please don’t drive me away.I’m not afraid of enduring hardships.I can even help you pay off your debt!"
It seemed that what Rachel said really made Abby worry.
"I’m just worried about you."
"You’re worried about me?" asked Rachel.
"You’ve been living a luxurious life since you were a kid.As much as I hate to admit it, you might not be able to adapt to a plain and poor lifestyle all of a sudden," said Abby.
Rachel was rendered speechless.
At this moment, she felt her heart softened.
But before she could say a word, Andy chimed in.
"Miss Bennet, I’d be glad to extend my assistance to you as well.Your mother had done all she could to help me when she was still alive.However, I never got the chance to pay her back.Now, I can take care of you, for her sake."
A smile appeared on Rachel’s lips.
Both of them could’ve just left, and they didn’t have to help her.
But they chose to stay.
"If I were in your position right now, I would’ve left without a second thought."
Rachel put her elbow against the table, rested her chin on her palm, tapping her face with her fingertips and smiling Abby and Andy exchanged glances for a second, and then they looked at Rachel at the same time.
"You won’t," they said in unison.
Rachel glanced back and forth between the two, until moments later, she got up and said, "I have no idea why you’re so confident that I won’t abandon you, but I can promise you that if you really want to stay by my side, I will not let either of you suffer."
‘A state of bankruptcy and 9.99 million dollars in debt? A loser like this Rachel would’ve folded by now and gave up.But to me, Shelia, it’s a piece of cake! That debt can be paid off by just fulfilling a few orders.There’s no way I’ll surrender and commit suicide.’
"I have faith in you, Miss Bennet," Abby said with a smile.
Andy nodded in agreement.
"Miss Bennet, a person undergoes so much suffering because God is preparing them for a great responsibility. I believe with all my heart that you can pull this off."
Rachel was silenced once more.
‘Well, judging by those looks on your faces, I don’t think either of you believe in me at all,’ she thought.
The corners of her mouth twitched.
She had planned to say that she could really pay off her debts, because when she was still Shelia, she was an outstanding hacker.
She could easily earn that much money in no time if she wanted to. But when she saw the way Andy and Abby looked at her, Rachel thought that it was better to just not say anything for now.
She was afraid that these two would believe that she had gone insane if she told them that.
"Never mind.I’ll meet up with Victor and see what I can do."
Perhaps, this was the only thing that they would believe in.
Outside the CEO’s office of the Sullivan Group, Alice stood in front of the door, slightly raising her head, and holding some documents.
After tucking her hair behind her shoulders, she unbuttoned the two top buttons of her white shirt, revealing her delicate collarbone and enticing cleavage.
Finally, she knocked on the door and smiled.
"Come in."
Victor’s voice rang through the partially opened door.
Seconds later, Alice came in, strutting towards her in high heels, and putting down some documents on his desk.
"Mr.Victor, this document needs your signature," she said in coquettish voice.
Upon hearing that, Victor took the document without raising his head, skimmed through it, and signed his name.
"You may leave."
Victor pushed the document to one side of his desk, and proceeded with the other documents on his desk.
It took him only a few seconds to sign the document, but he never bothered to cast Alice a glance. When she realized that, her smile disappeared.
Alice grabbed the document from the desk, but she didn’t leave right away.
Instead, she stared at Victor, hoping to entice him with her eyes.
He sensed that she was staring at him, and it made him frown. Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
A moment later, he raised his head, and asked indifferently, "Is there anything else?"
Alice took a step back, lowered her head, and replied, "I want to apologize to you, Mr.Sullivan."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"That party the other night, I knew it was important but … It’s my fault that I wasn’t able to accompany you.If you want to punish me, Mr.Sullivan, I will accept it wholeheartedly," said Alice.
She bit her lower lip, staring into Victor’s eyes.
Her eyes were brimming with tears, and she looked vulnerable and pitiful.
"Look, it’s not your fault.You don’t need to be punished for anything," he replied.
"No matter what reason I might have, it was my fault that I wasn’t prepared for emergencies.That’s why my sister…"
Alice paused on purpose, and then changed the topic.
"Mr.Sullivan, I promise you that I will not make the same mistake twice."
At the mention of Rachel, Victor was reminded of what happened that night, and it angered him.
"Get out!" he commanded.
Alice had no idea what happened between Victor and Rachel that night, but she heard that the cooperation between the Sullivan Group and Mr.Guzman’s company had been discontinued.
Judging by Victor’s reaction just now, Alice was sure that the mishap had something to with Rachel.
When that thought crossed her mind, Alice felt pleased.
It seemed that she had overestimated Rachel, when in reality, she was just a loser.
‘So what if she went to the party with Victor? In the end, Rachel did more harm than good.She only pissed Victor off even more!’
"Mr.Sullivan."
Ivan knocked on the door before he came in.
Looking at him, Victor asked, "What is it this time?"
Ivan cast Alice a glance, contemplating for a moment, and said, "Mr.Sullivan, Miss Bennet is here."
Seconds ago, Alice was in a good mood, but when she heard that Rachel was here, the smile on her face disappeared, and she subconsciously looked at Victor.
"Kick her out!"
Victor commanded; his face looking grim.
That reaction of his did not surprise Ivan at all.
He only reported Rachel’s arrival in deference to his respect for Victor’s late grandmother, but this was the last time he would do this.
"Yes, sir.I’ll ask Miss Bennet to leave immediately."
Ivan turned around and was just about to leave.
Alice’s eyes lit up.She suddenly called out to Ivan to stop him, and then turned to Victor.