Can't Win Me Back

“No! I won’t! You can’t make me apologize.” Betty started making a scene.

“Xavier, come in ” Jasper raised his voice. Hearing that, Xavier knocked and entered the room. before greeting everyone with a curt nod.

“Show the document to the chairman.”

“Yes, Mr. Jasper.” Eyes darting, Xavier handed Javier the document.

“What’s this?”

“These are last year’s and this year’s financial reports of EV Concepts, co–run by Sophia and Betty,” Jasper said flatly.

Sophia and Betty’s faces stiffened as they tensed up.

“The reports show that the store has been making annual losses of almost 10 million in the three

years since its operations. They also received funds from the Beckett Group to pay off the operational costs.

“From the start, the agreement dictates that it is Sophia who will take care of the profits and losses. If the Beckett Group doesn’t get a share of your profits, we shouldn’t have to pay for your losses too.”

Jasper looked down. “If Betty does not offer a public apology for the incident, I will exercise my right as the president to shut down EV Concepts.”

What? Shutting down the store?

Betty froze while Sophia seethed in hatred. A murderous look flashed across Sophia’s eyes. She quickly grabbed Javier’s arm and shed tears. “Javier, the store is your birthday gift for me from three years ago. We can’t shut it down!”

Javier’s jaw stiffened when he saw the evidence. As the chairman, he could not refute Jasper’s accusation and proposal.

“I can turn a blind eye to the losses for your sake, but with a few conditions–Betty must apologize publicly, and Sophia shall pay for the losses her business had incurred.

“Otherwise, I will reveal the losses in the company–wide meeting the day after tomorrow. By that time, no one could turn the situation around.” Jasper was unfeeling and determined.

Sophia glowered at him. She would never let EV Concepts shut down. It was an important part of her wider plan.

“Betty, throw a press conference tomorrow night. Do what Jasper asked.” Javier’s brows were

Shoulders slumped, Betty looked like a deflated balloon. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

From the darkening look on Javier’s face, Sophia knew that she had completely lost the battle.

She had no choice but to focus on her long–term strategy as she shot daggers at Jasper’s back.

After Jasper and Xavier left the study, they heard Javier smashing items onto the ground and the crying sounds of the two women.

Xavier scratched his head in confusion and asked cautiously, “Mr. Jasper, I thought you wanted to go against Madam Alice at all cost. Why the sudden change of mind?”

“Keep your nose out of my business.”

He thought of Alice’s clear eyes and her delicious scent when they were inches apart. That brought some emotions to his otherwise impassive eyes.

He tried convincing himself that he had changed his mind to side with Alice because of the surveillance footage and Betty’s unapologetic behavior. But was that the truth?

Why did he overreact when Sophia and Betty criticized Alice, and when Javier demanded him to get the divorce over with? Perhaps, deep down, there was a reason he sided with Alice. 1

“We weaponized the evidence we gathered with much effort just to force Ms. Betty to apologize. Don’t you think that’s a waste?” Smirking, Xavier still couldn’t get over it.

“That’s fine. Even if I released the evidence to the public, Dad has his way of covering up for Sophia. They’re lovebirds, after all.”

Mocking his parents, Jasper shook off the imagery of Alice’s alluring eyes in his mind. The look in his eyes deepened.

He continued, “I have simply chosen an outcome that serves the two of us. I needed to make up to Alice for unfairly accusing her at the auction over Lia’s incident.”

He let out a wistful sigh as he was gripped by bitterness. “We’re even now. I don’t want to be indebted to her in any way.”