The Mistress Is Reborn As The Fiancée
Chapter 49: Rejected Once Again

Chapter 49: Rejected Once Again

Vernon, his face pale and drawn, sat across from the CEO of Thompson Group, Theo Thompson, in the latter’s expansive, impeccably decorated office. The air was thick with tension, the silence broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioning. Vernon’s hands, clammy and trembling, gripped the edge of the polished mahogany desk.

He had come to Theo, an old acquaintance, a man he had known since their childhood, with a desperate plea. He needed a substantial sum of money, and he needed it quickly. Rico, was breathing down his neck, and the consequences of failing to pay were too gruesome to contemplate.

"Theo, you have to help me," Vernon pleaded, his voice hoarse and strained. "I need a loan. A significant one, and quickly."

Theo Thompson, a man of shrewd eyes and a stern demeanor, leaned back in his leather chair, his gaze fixed on Vernon. He had heard whispers, rumors of Vernon’s financial troubles, of his reckless gambling and mounting debts.

"Vernon," he said, his voice cold and businesslike, "I am reluctant to do business with you. I have heard... things."

Vernon’s face flushed. "Rumors," he scoffed, his voice laced with a hint of desperation. "Just rumors. You know how people like to talk."

"I have also heard you have been removed from your office," Mr. Thompson continued, his voice unwavering. "Replaced by some young upstart."

Vernon chuckled nervously, his laughter hollow and strained. "Don’t believe everything you hear, Theo," he said, his voice laced with forced confidence. "I am still very much in control."

He leaned forward, his eyes pleading. "Look, Theo, we go way back. We have known each other since we were kids. You have to trust me."

Mr. Thompson’s expression remained unchanged, his eyes cold and unyielding. "This is not about friendship, Vernon," he said, his voice flat. "This is business. And in business, there are no friends or family."

Vernon’s heart sank. He knew that he had lost. He had gambled on their shared history, on their childhood bond, but Theo was a businessman first and foremost. He would not risk his reputation, his company, for a man in Vernon’s precarious position.

"But Theo," Vernon stammered, his voice trembling. "I promise to pay you back. With interest. Double the interest. Just give me a chance.

Theo shook his head, his expression firm. "I’m sorry, Vernon," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "I can’t help you."

He stood up, his towering figure casting a long shadow over Vernon. "I suggest you find another solution," he said, his voice laced with a hint of finality. "And quickly."

He gestured towards the door, his eyes conveying a clear message: the meeting was over. He was rejected once again.

Vernon, his face flushed with anger and humiliation, stood up, his body trembling. He glared at Theo, his eyes filled with a mixture of rage and desperation.

"You are going to regret this, Theo," he hissed, his voice laced with venom. "You’ll regret turning your back on me."

Theo remained unmoved, his expression calm and composed. "I very much doubt it," he said, his voice flat.

Vernon turned and stormed out of the office, his footsteps heavy, his mind racing. He had been rejected, humiliated, left to face the consequences of his actions alone. He had no one to turn to, no one to help him. He was trapped, cornered, facing the wrath of a ruthless mob boss.

He walked through the opulent lobby, his gaze fixed on the polished marble floor, his mind consumed by a dark, bitter rage. He had to find a way out, a way to pay his debts, to reclaim his lost fortune. He would not be defeated. He would not give up. He would find a way to make them all pay.

He stepped out into the bustling city streets, the sounds of traffic and life surrounding him, but he felt isolated, alone, adrift in a sea of despair. He had to find a solution, and he had to find it quickly. His life depended on it.

*

When he got home, Vernon stormed through the mansion, his face a mask of fury, his body trembling with rage. He bypassed his own wing, heading straight for Ma-ri’s. He did not bother to knock, simply throwing the door open, the force of his entrance startling Ma-ri, who was seated at her vanity, applying makeup.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with surprise and alarm. "What are you doing?"

Before she could react, Vernon grabbed her, his grip like iron, and delivered a sharp, stinging slap across her face. Ma-ri cried out, her hand flying to her burning cheek, her eyes wide with shock and fear.

"You useless, incompetent fool!" Vernon roared, his voice echoing through the room. "You have done nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

Ma-ri, her face flushed with anger and humiliation, tried to protest. "Dad, I—"

"Shut up!" he snarled, cutting her off. "I gave you one simple task! Secure Flynn! Get him on our side! And what have you done? Wasted time! While I’m out there fighting for our lives!"

"But Dad," Ma-ri pleaded, her voice trembling. "It’s not that simple. Flynn—"

"I don’t care about your excuses!" Vernon yelled, his voice filled with rage. "You are supposed to be smart! You’re supposed to be manipulative! You’re supposed to be good at this but that orphan is winning at everything!"

He shoved her roughly, sending her stumbling backwards, her back hitting the edge of her vanity.

"You are a disgrace!" he spat, his eyes burning with contempt. "A complete and utter disgrace!"

Ma-ri, her eyes filled with tears, looked up at him, her face contorted with a mixture of anger and fear. "What do you want me to do?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"Anything!" Vernon hissed, his voice low and menacing. "Get rid of the Flynn problem. I don’t care how you do it. I don’t care what it takes. Just make it disappear."

He leaned closer, his eyes boring into hers, his voice dripping with venom. "If you fail me again, Ma-ri," he whispered, his words a chilling threat, "you will regret it. You will regret having me as a father."

He turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Ma-ri trembling, her face stinging, her heart pounding with fear and rage. She stared at the closed door, her mind racing, her thoughts a whirlwind of anger and desperation.

She knew that her father meant exactly what he said. She knew that he was capable of anything, that he was driven by desperation and fear. She knew that she had to act, that she had to find a way to neutralize Flynn, to prove her worth, to save herself.

She rose to her feet, her movements slow and deliberate, her eyes filled with a cold, hard determination. She would not be intimidated. She would not be broken. She would find a way to get rid of Flynn, to secure her position. When she did that, she would have all the power and her father would cower at her feet.