Chapter 80 The Deal and The Threat
Max's POV:
I was too satisfied watching Chase Pemberton fall off that barstool, sprawled on the floor, looking utterly embarrassed.
His styled hair was messed up, and his designer shirt was rumpled, and blood was already swelling his bottom lip where my fist had probably connected.
I didn't care about the consequences of this. Didn't care who was watching or what it might mean. The bastard deserved it.
People started looking around, whispering, phones coming out to record. The last thing I needed was this going viral, but I couldn't bring myself to regret it.
Then Chase did something unexpected.
He stood up, wiping blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, and smiled. He raised his hands to the gathering crowd.
"It's fine... we're actually buddies," he announced loudly. He climbed back onto his barstool and threw his arm over my shoulder like we were old friends. "We boys were just roughhousing. You know how it is."
The crowd relaxed, a few people chuckling, assuming we were just some drunk rich guys messing around the way drunk rich guys do.
They went back to their drinks and conversations; the moment of drama was already forgotten.
It was strange! If Chase was acting cool about getting punched, playing it off as if nothing happened, then he was probably about to do something very bad.
Chase's expression shifted the moment the attention was off us. The friendly smile dropped, replaced by his usual arrogant form.
"Listen, buddy," he said, and the word 'buddy' draped with contempt. "Let's just make a deal. You give Veronica back to me, convince her to drop this ridiculous fashion app nonsense and come home where she belongs, and I'll let you Ashfords have the Swiss deal."
I just chuckled at that, taking another sip of my whiskey. The audacity of this motherfucker.
"The Swiss deal?" I said. "You think I give a shit about the Swiss deal? Or any deal the Ashfords make?"
Chase's eyebrows rose slightly.
"I'm not in the business of impressing my father," I continued, turning to face him fully. "Unlike you, apparently, who seems desperate to prove himself to daddy's board members. I don't play those games anymore, Chase. Haven't for years."
"Stay the fuck away from Veronica. And get the fuck away from me. Now," I leaned in closer and whispered in a dangerous growl that only he could hear.
"Don't mess with me, Ashford," he threatened. "I'm already fed up with all you Ashfords. Your saint of a brother stealing my fiancée, and you're enabling her delusions, your whole family thinking they are better than everyone else..."
"On what account are you even threatening me?" I interrupted, setting my glass down. "You might pretend to the world that you're thriving, that everything's fine, but I know the truth about Pemberton Industries."
He went pale.
"Your shares are falling rapidly," I continued, enjoying the way his expression crumbled with each word. "Ever since Veronica publicly announced your split, your stock has been in free fall. You're losing momentum everywhere... your investors pulling out... partnerships dissolving. Your entire reputation is in tatters."
I paused to take another sip of whiskey, savoring both the burn and the look of growing panic on Chase's face.
"Without Veronica, you couldn't raise," I said. "She was your trophy, your proof of success, the beautiful heiress on your arm that made everyone think you had a strong connection and substance. And I know you're being pressured right now by your board members who are already disappointed by your very public adultery that caused all this damage."
His hands were clenching into fists now, his whole body rigid with barely contained fury.
"In fact," I continued, unable to resist twisting the knife deeper, "I heard some of them are making a petition to replace you. Make your cousin the CEO instead. What's his name? Richard? Robert?"
"Robert," Chase ground out through clenched teeth.
"Right, Robert," I laughed, sounding harsh and mocking. "Imagine that. Giving up your father's industry to your cousin because you couldn't keep your dick in your pants. Because you were too stupid to appreciate what you had when you had it."
I leaned back, finishing my drink.
"So you don't fucking threaten me, Chase. You have no leverage or power. You're a desperate man watching everything he built crumble because he was too arrogant to treat one woman who really loved him with basic respect."
That's when Chase snapped.
"MAXIMILIAN!" he shouted, loud enough that heads turned again throughout the VIP lounge. His face was red, veins bulging in his neck. "I swear, I SWEAR I'll destroy you and your brother with everything I have!"
He was standing now, looking like some kind of manic.
"I won't spare your nerd of a brother!" he continued. "Or you! Or anyone in your family! I'll make you all pay for humiliating me, for stealing what's mine, for..."
I hit him again.
This time not just a single punch but a full tackle, driving my shoulder into his chest and taking us both to the floor.
My fist connected with his face once, twice, three times before he managed to get his arms up to protect himself.
"Stay fucking away from my family!" I roared, getting on top of him, my forearm pressed against his throat. "Stay away from Veronica! Stay away from Theo! You hear me?"
Chase was trying to fight back, but I had leverage and fury on my side. Blood was streaming from his nose now, mixing with the blood from his split lip, and he was making these desperate choking sounds as I pressed harder against his windpipe.
"You threaten my brother?" I growled, my face inches from his. "You think you can touch Theo? He's worth ten of you. A hundred of you."
People were screaming now, scrambling away from us. I was vaguely aware of someone shouting for security, of phones recording the whole thing, of the bartender yelling something I couldn't make out.