Chapter 29: Entry Denied!
Lillian Winter stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with calculation. "You don't have a choice. If Alex still wants you, that's our only hope." Her lips curled into a cruel smirk.
"If he tries to take you to bed, then let him. In fact, I'm hoping he does." Rose stiffened, her breath catching in her throat.
"M-mom, you're not serious, are you?!" Rose asked in disbelief, her mother… her mother was suggesting it.
Lillian snorted. "What's the problem? That'd mean he still has feelings for you." She crossed her arms, her gaze sharp.
"As long as you can get him back on your hook, we can recover." Her voice lowered to a near-whisper, but every word cut like a blade. "It's either that, or you can start getting used to being poor again."
Rose trembled, her fists clenching so tightly her nails dug into her palms. She had spent years living in luxury. Wearing designer clothes. Driving luxury cars. Living in a mansion.
She couldn't go back to a normal life. She refused to. She wanted to resist, to fight back. But her mother's words had already planted fear deep in her heart.
She knew what she had to do. Even if it meant humiliating herself. Even if it meant swallowing her pride.
She had to make Alex forgive her. Or else… Her life of luxury would be over. Forever.
….
Not far away, Ethan Carter had been listening in on Harold Winter and Lillian's conversation with Rose.
And the more he heard… The wider his eyes became, his expression shifting from shock to utter disbelief.
"What the hell is this?" His mind raced. "Are these people insane?! They're actually forcing her to go back to Alex?! Not just that—they're even hoping he'll… sleep with her?" Ethan felt his blood boiling, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"No! I won't let this happen! How could they even think of sacrificing someone as perfect as her?! She's mine! The one destined to stand by my side!" His body tensed, instinctively ready to rush forward and pull her away.
But just as he was about to move… He forced himself to stop. Reality slapped him hard. The humiliation he had suffered earlier in the banquet hall was still fresh in everyone's minds.
The moment he had been exposed as a fraud. The way people mocked and dismissed him. The fact that Harold and Lillian no longer trusted him.
If he tried to step in now, what would happen? They'd just humiliate him again. No… he couldn't afford to be humiliated again. He had to be smart about this.
Instead of acting recklessly. He reached for his phone. His fingers hovered over the screen for only a second before he dialed a number.
The call connected almost immediately. A woman's voice answered.
Smooth. Cool. Unreadable.
"Ethan? You haven't called me in a while." Ethan's grip on the phone tightened.
His tone was serious, urgent. "Lily… I need your help." The person on the other end? Lily. A woman currently studying abroad. A woman with a special connection to Alex Reid. Because she was his half-sister.
And Ethan was about to use her to turn the tables.
….
Back at the Winter residence. Harold Winter stood beside his car, his eyes locked on Rose, his expression grim and unwavering.
Rose, however, was far from composed. She was seething with frustration, her emotions a chaotic mix of anger, humiliation, and panic.
But most of all… Fear. Fear of losing everything. Her pride screamed at her to resist, to refuse, to throw a tantrum and demand things go back to how they were.
But her survival instincts? They forced her into silence. Because she knew— Without Alex, her luxurious life was over.
Harold's voice was sharp, cold, and absolute. "Remember this, Rose… our family's future rests on your shoulders. You must make Alex forgive you."
Follow new episodes on the "N0vel1st.c0m".
"NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES." His stern gaze bore into her, leaving no room for argument.
Then— With a harsh press of the gas pedal, he sped off, leaving her standing alone outside Alex's private neighborhood.
She was on her own. She took a deep breath. Slowly, she reached into her purse, pulling out a compact mirror. She checked her reflection, quickly adjusting her makeup, ensuring that she looked as flawless and delicate as ever.
Because if she was going to manipulate Alex again. She needed to be perfect. Taking one final breath to steady herself… She walked toward the gated entrance.
But then… Something unexpected happened. She was stopped.
"Excuse me, miss." A uniformed security guard stepped forward, his stance professional yet firm.
"This is a private residence. No unauthorized visitors are allowed entry." Rose blinked, momentarily stunned. Her brows furrowed in irritation.
"Do you even know who I am?" she scoffed, flipping her hair back in an attempt to regain control of the situation.
"I'm Rose Winter. The girlfriend of Alex Reid, the CEO of Reid Industries!" She folded her arms, looking at the guard with thinly veiled arrogance.
"Now, step aside. I don't have time for this nonsense." The guard, however, remained completely unfazed.
Instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly, as if evaluating whether to even bother entertaining her words. Then, with a calm, measured tone, he responded—
"Miss Winter… is it?" He glanced at a clipboard in his hand, as if double-checking something.
Then, he sighed. "I'm sorry, but CEO Reid has given specific instructions. Anyone by the name of 'Rose Winter'—is to be permanently denied entry into the estate." The guard said blocking the way and in the end he added.
"Under all circumstances."
Rose's entire body went rigid. Her mind blanked for a second as the words sank in. Then… Her ears started ringing.
"W-What…?" She barely managed to choke out the words.
"You're saying… Alex banned me?" The guard nodded without hesitation.
"That's correct, Miss Winter. CEO Reid was very clear about this. You are not to be allowed inside, no matter what you say or do."
Rose staggered slightly, her breath hitching as she struggled to comprehend what she had just heard.
"He… he actually banned me?!" Her eyes darted around frantically, as if searching for some kind of explanation.
Chapter 31: Shareholders Meeting!
The moment Alex picked up the documents, his expression turned icy. With a swift motion, he waved his hand.
"Let's go. To the company!" His voice carried a weight that left no room for hesitation.
"Call put to all the shareholders… Immediately." His gaze sharpened as he added, "We're holding a meeting."
His butler nodded. And then went to fulfil the order.
….
Five Minutes Later: At the Estate's Entrance:
A sleek luxury car pulled up at the estate's entrance.
Rose, who had been kneeling at the gate with a pitiful expression, immediately perked up. Her heart pounded with excitement as she saw Alex's car approaching.
"He came to see me… he must have been moved by my sincerity!" She quickly adjusted her posture, making sure she looked as weak and pitiful as possible. In her mind, Alex would surely get out of the car, help her up, and beg for her forgiveness.
However, reality was cruel. The car didn't slow down. Instead, it roared past her in a flash, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Ugh—!" A wave of dirt and exhaust hit her face. Rose coughed violently, her once carefully applied makeup now smeared with dust and irritation.
Just as she was about to curse in frustration, the car suddenly came to a stop a few meters ahead.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"He's regretting it! Yes! He realized his mistake and stopped for me!" With renewed hope, she quickly wiped her face and adjusted her appearance. She took a deep breath, preparing herself to put on the most fragile and sorrowful expression possible.
The tinted window slowly rolled down.
Alex's cold gaze met hers, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Rose, let me remind you," his voice was indifferent, emotionless. "There are only two hours left until five o'clock. If you don't come up with the Two Hundred Millions dollars by then…" He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"You're going to go to the very nice place I prepared for you and your family." Without another glance, he rolled up the window, stepped on the accelerator, and sped away.
Rose stood frozen in place, her expression blank.
The joy she had felt a moment ago shattered like glass.
….
Reid Industries:
By the time Alex arrived at the company, a group of shareholders had already gathered at the entrance, waiting for him. Alex's erratic and different actions had thrown them into a state of unease.
"Why did he call us all here?" One of them whispered nervously.
"Yeah, and why make us wait outside like this? Something doesn't feel right…"
"I have a bad feeling about this. Just a few days ago, he purged half the company's executives. What if we're next?"
"Calm down," another shareholder said, though his voice lacked confidence. "We are shareholders, after all. He can't just get rid of us that easily. If we stick together, there's nothing to worry about."
"Right. As long as we stand together. Alex won't be able to do anything reckless." A false sense of security settled among them.
Then, Alex's car pulled up. A shareholder, eager to curry favor, quickly stepped forward and opened the car door for him.
Follow new episodes on the "N0vel1st.c0m".
"Sir Alex, there was no need to summon us all here personally," he said with a flattering smile. "If you needed something, a simple phone call would have sufficed." His voice was dripping with fake politeness, but Alex saw right through him.
With a slow, deliberate smile that didn't reach his eyes, Alex replied, "Oh, but this is something important. A very… big matter."
Without another word, he reached out, and Mr. Waters, his ever-loyal butler, promptly handed him a thick stack of documents.
Alex casually tossed the papers at the shareholders. The crisp sound of paper rustling filled the air as they fumbled to catch them. When they saw the bold red title on the first page, their faces paled instantly.
[Reid Industries – Share Transfer Agreement]
Alex's smirk widened as he watched their expressions crumble.
"Let's not waste time," he said coolly. "Shall we get started?"
….
The bold words on the cover of the document left the shareholders stunned.
"Share transfer agreement? Is Alex planning to buy us out?" One of the shareholders shared his concerns regarding the file and the matter at hand.
"What does this mean? Does he want to be the sole shareholder of the company?" One more raised his voice among them. Clearly none of them were happy from the news they received nor was there any reason for them to be happy.
"This is outrageous! Is he trying to cut us out of the business completely?" One more shareholder raised his voice in anger, his eyes showing how much he meant that.
Their expressions quickly shifted from surprise to anger. Though the company's value had taken a hit after the Reid Industries previous issues, it was still highly profitable. The annual dividends they received were a significant source of income.
Now Alex was demanding they surrender their shares, which was essentially cutting off their golden goose. Naturally, they couldn't accept this.
"Everyone, calm down. Why don't you take a look at the details first?" Alex's tone was calm, almost indifferent, as if the matter didn't require much discussion.
"And after that… If there's no issue, just sign it." His demeanor was nonchalant, a sharp contrast to the rising tempers of the shareholders.
The more composed he appeared, the angrier the shareholders became.
"This is ridiculous! If you want us to surrender our shares, you owe us an explanation!"
"What kind of attitude is this, Alex?"
"There's no way I'm giving up my shares!"
"Me neither!"
They exchanged glances, silently agreeing to stand together against Alex.
Alex noticed their unspoken pact but remained unfazed. His lips curled into a faint smile, one that seemed to mock their resolve.
"Are you sure you don't want to take a look at the agreement in your hands?" he asked, his voice laced with subtle amusement.
"There's no need!"
"We won't sell our shares no matter what!"
"Exactly! We refuse to sell!"
The shareholders' voices grew louder, their determination clear in their tone. The commotion quickly drew attention from nearby employees.