"An explanation? Why should I give you one?"
Kyle's voice was cold, his eyes burning with suppressed fury. "First…..Linda is my wife. You better keep your distance from her. If you want to play games, do it far away from her."
"Second, if my wife loves roses, I will buy them for her myself. She is too beautiful to be given such cheap things. Tonight, I'll send her roses from Skycity!"
A ripple of laughter burst from Tyler Ravenwood, sharp and cruel. "Skycity?"
His scorn echoed in the lobby. "One rose there costs more than a thousand dollars. You can't even afford a new pair of shoes, and you're talking about million-dollar flowers? Aren't you the one begging money to buy a scooter from Elder Blackwell. You can barely survive.Don't make me laugh, Kyle. Even if you sold your kidneys, you wouldn't buy a single petal. Do you even hear how stupid you sound, trying to act like this?"
Tyler's blood boiled with fury. In VALERI CONGLOMERATE, his word carried weight. Yet here was Kyle, a useless son-in-law, daring to talk back to him. What enraged him most was how Kyle had dared to shove his flowers aside and drag Linda into the elevator in front of everyone. That image burned his pride.
His lips curved into a cold smile, his voice dripping with certainty. "Linda, I heard your company is in need of seven million dollars to survive. I can help you with that."
"What?" Linda froze, her hand stiffening in Kyle's grasp.
Tyler's smile widened. "Yes, Linda. I know you are desperate for seven million. Lucky for you, I have that much ready. I can use it as investment capital. But there's one condition. If you have lunch with me this afternoon, the money is yours."
"You… you're serious?" Linda whispered, her fingers slipping from Kyle's hand without her even realizing. Her company's survival depended on that exact amount.
"I always keep my promises," Tyler said with unshakable confidence.
Linda bit her lip, her face tight with worry. After a long pause, she finally nodded. She had no choice. If she lost this deal, her company would crash before the week was over.
"Let's go, Linda. We can talk about the project details over lunch," Tyler said smoothly.
Kyle held her hand tighter, his voice rising. "Linda! You can't go with him!" He glared at Tyler, his anger barely held back. "Tyler, this is my last warning. Stay away from my wife!"
Tyler sneered at him with disdain. "And who are you to warn me? You? A useless son-in-law? Do you think you have a say in this? Are you scared she'll cheat on you?" His voice dripped with mockery as he leaned closer. "You are nothing. Do you really think you can change your pathetic fate?"
"I..." Kyle's face twisted, words stuck in his throat.
Before he could speak again, Linda turned to him with cold eyes. "Kyle, stop making a scene."
Her words cut deeper than a knife.
"Am I making a scene?" Kyle asked weakly, stunned.
"Do you even understand how important this investment is to me?" Linda's disappointment was heavy in her voice. "If you were capable, I wouldn't have to stoop this low."
Her sigh was filled with defeat as she let go of his hand completely and followed Tyler out of the lobby. Without another glance at Kyle, she stepped into Tyler's Lamborghini.The roses on the floor still bled their petals across the marble as she stepped over them.
"Linda!" Kyle's heart shattered as he ran after her, his voice breaking. "Don't go with him! I can get you the seven million dollars! Please, just give me a chance!"
Linda looked at him from the car window, her expression tired and cold. "Kyle, why don't you wake up and find a job like a man? Stop living in your empty dreams."
"But… I..." Kyle stammered, desperate.
Tyler walked back toward him with calm arrogance. He placed a hand on Kyle's shoulder and spoke slowly, his words like poison.
"What's wrong, Kyle? Looking for a job? Do you want me to recommend one?" He smirked. "You're in luck. VALERI CONGLOMERATE is short on cleaners. I could give you a spot. One hundred and fifty bucks a month. If I'm generous, maybe I'll raise it to two hundred. How about it?"
He leaned closer, his tone dripping with insult.
"You should be grateful. VALERI CONGLOMERATE belongs to the Valeris family. Not just anyone can walk in. This might be your only chance. Think about it carefully."
Kyle slapped his hand away, his voice shaking with anger. "I don't need your fucking help!"
"Oh, ungrateful fool." Tyler shook his head in fake pity and turned away. Without wasting another word, he slid into his Lamborghini.
"Linda! Don't leave with him. I can get you the seven million!" Kyle's plea echoed in the lobby, desperate and raw. But Linda ignored him.
Her silence crushed him.
Tyler rolled down the window, his smirk cold and proud. "Kyle, stop shouting. You are nothing but a poor wretch. What can you offer Linda? Do you even have seven million? Do you even know the CEO of VALERI CONGLOMERATE? You should be worrying about where you'll beg from once the Blackwells finally kick you out." His laughter rang cruel and loud.
Kyle's fists shook, his face pale. "Tyler! Don't be so smug just because you're rich!"
Tyler tilted his head with mock sympathy. "Smug? No, Kyle. This is what true power feels like. I can take your wife into my car with a single word. I can make her divorce you whenever I wish. That is how little you matter." His laughter echoed through the air, crushing Kyle's pride piece by piece.
The Lamborghini roared to life and vanished down the road, leaving Kyle frozen at the company entrance, broken and powerless.
His thoughts burned with humiliation. A mere Director from VALERI CONGLOMERATE had the power to drag my wife away and threaten me with divorce. How far have I fallen?
His chest ached, but he forced his trembling hands to pull out his old phone. He dialed a number, his voice low but steady.
"It's me. I can help the Valeris. But I have two conditions. First, from today, VALERI CONGLOMERATE belongs to me.
Two, the most extravagant bouquet of Skycity roses to the Blackwell Marketing Firm. Deliver them with full ceremony. Make sure Linda receives them in front of everyone."