Chapter 293: You Mother Is A Liar

\[Theodore\]

"When did I ever force her to repay the money?!" I roared, my palms slamming down on the expansive desk in my office at the top of Pierce Technologies Tower. The impact sent a jolt up my arms, but I barely felt it through my anger. My heart hammered against my ribcage, each beat punctuated by the memory of Sarah's pale face in that hospital bed.

It was her! Sarah herself who insisted on repaying this money! Why couldn't she just accept what I'd willingly given? The money meant nothing to me compared to her safety, her life.

"You think I'm demanding that money from her?" My voice trembled slightly with emotion as I looked at Alex, who stood rigid before me, clutching his tablet to his chest like a shield. 

Alex immediately shook his head. "I know you would never ask Ms. Sullivan for money. But you could tell her she doesn't need to repay it."

"Would she listen to me?" I let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh and foreign even to my own ears. "What makes you think she cares what I have to say?!" 

Alex froze in place, clearly stunned by my emotional outburst. I could see the concern in his eyes, and it only fueled my frustration. I didn't want concern. I wanted a solution. I wanted Sarah back.

"Did Mike put you up to this?" I asked, my Adam's apple bobbing as I swallowed hard, my brow furrowing deeper with each passing second. 

"No," Alex replied carefully, "he knows talking to you would be pointless. But I believe that even if she won't listen, you should at least make your position clear. If something happens, she can't blame you."

"I understand. You can go now." I dismissed him with a curt nod, my jaw clenched so tight it ached. The moment the door closed behind him, I felt my carefully constructed façade begin to crumble. I ran a hand through my hair, gripping the strands tightly, using the physical discomfort to ground myself.

I wasn't afraid of being blamed—I was terrified about her health. The thought of Sarah pushing herself to exhaustion, still recovering from her injuries, made my chest tighten painfully. I could picture her so clearly—stubbornly ignoring her pain, pushing through exhaustion, that determined set to her jaw that I found both infuriating and endearing.

She was truly driving me insane! I paced the length of my office, feeling like a caged predator. I reached for my coffee cup only to find it empty. I called for my secretary, and just as she entered, my phone rang. My heart leapt into my throat when I saw the screen.

Seeing Sarah's name flash across the screen, I immediately answered, my pulse racing with a conflicting mix of relief and anger. "Sarah! What exactly are you trying to do? What do you want?!" My outburst caused my secretary to freeze in the doorway, her eyes widening in shock. 

On the other end of the line, Sarah seemed equally taken aback by my tone. The momentary silence from her end was deafening. Had I pushed too far? Would she hang up?

"What's wrong with me?" She sounded genuinely confused. "Theodore, what are you raging about?"

"I'm raging? Who's the one who's truly lost their mind?" I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Manhattan skyline, the city lights blurring through my fury. My reflection stared back at me—a man I barely recognized, eyes wild with emotion that I couldn't suppress. "Who told you to take on all this work when you haven't even recovered from your injuries? Was it me? Am I the one forcing you to repay the money?!" My free hand pressed against the cool glass, seeking something solid when everything else felt like it was slipping through my fingers.

"I haven't taken on any inappropriate work," she responded calmly, her voice steady despite my outburst.

"You're still lying!" I bellowed, my free hand clenching into a fist. The urge to punch the wall nearly overwhelmed me. "Is your wound healed? The only thing you should be doing right now is resting! Have you considered how I feel watching you desperately scramble for money like this?" 

My secretary stood rooted to the spot, completely dumbfounded by my display of emotion. Sarah's breathing quickened momentarily before slowing back to a measured pace. I closed my eyes, trying to picture her face, wishing I could see her expression, read the emotions in her eyes that her voice concealed.

"I did take one surgery for the money," she admitted, "but the workload is within what my body can handle. It's not inappropriate work. And it's getting late now, I need to rest."

She didn't hang up immediately, seemingly waiting for my response. The space between us filled with all the things I wanted to say but couldn't find the words for. I love you. I miss you. Come back. Let me take care of you. A thousand pleas died on my lips.

But I said nothing. Pride and fear wrapped around my throat like twin serpents, choking the words before they could escape.

After a brief silence, she ended the call. The soft beep as the connection severed felt like a knife to my heart.

\[Other’s POV\]

In the gifted classroom at Angela School, a boy approached William during lunch break, his eyes darting around as if checking to make sure no one else was listening.

"Hey Sullivan," he whispered, leaning close as he adjusted his glasses. "That woman in the news who scammed Theodore Pierce out of a billion dollars—that's your mom, right?"

William's face flushed with anger, his grip tightening on his lunch tray until his knuckles turned white. The plastic fork on his tray trembled slightly as he fought to control his emotions.

"My mom is NOT a con artist!" he snapped, glaring at him with a ferocity that made the boy take a step back.

"Whoa, easy," the boy said, hands raised in a placating gesture. "I know she's not. If she really were a scammer, Pierce would have gone after her already." He pushed his glasses up his nose, curiosity getting the better of him. "Is your mom okay? Is she at home?"

"My mom is in Europe," William answered, deliberately focusing on his food.

The boy's eyes lit up behind his glasses. "Oh... why isn't she coming back to America?" The question hung in the air between them, loaded with unspoken implications.

William's brow furrowed. "William, don't be angry!" the boy persisted. He leaned closer across the table, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm just wondering, will Pierce want his money back? Does your family have enough to repay him? If your mom doesn't repay the money, will you and your sister still be able to come to school?"

That was the final straw. William stood up abruptly, the legs of his chair screeching against the floor. He grabbed his tray with such force that his milk carton toppled over, spilling across the table.

When the bodyguard dropped William off at home, the boy was still fuming. He stomped into the house, threw his backpack onto the couch with unnecessary force, and retreated to his room without a word to the housekeeper. When Mike returned home later, the bodyguard pulled him aside at the door.

"William seems upset today. There might have been an incident at school," the man reported in a low voice. "He hasn't spoken since I picked him up."

Mike's expression darkened with concern. He nodded his thanks and went straight to William's room, knocking softly before entering. He found the boy sitting at his desk, pretending to read a book but clearly lost in thought.

"Will, buddy," Mike said gently, crouching down beside the desk to meet the child at eye level. "Did something happen at school with your classmates?" His voice was gentle but firm. "I promised your mom I'd take good care of you and Emma, and not let either of you suffer. If you don't tell me what's wrong, I'll have to call your mom."

"The kids at school said my mom is a scammer," he finally admitted, his voice small but defiant. His little hands curled into fists on top of his open textbook.

"That's outrageous!" Mike exclaimed, genuine anger flashing in his eyes. He rested a reassuring hand on William's shoulder. "Your mom is not a scammer! Pierce gave that money voluntarily. And when your mom found out, she immediately started looking for ways to pay it back." He squeezed William's shoulder gently. "Tomorrow, I'll take you to school and talk to your teacher about this."

William looked up at him, his eyes suddenly sharp and assessing in a way that seemed far too mature for his age. "Mom has to repay one billion to Theodore Pierce?"

"Yes," Mike explained with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I told her she doesn't need to, but she won't listen. And Pierce hasn't even asked for the money back. For him, even though it's not a small amount, it won't affect his financial foundation."

William lowered his head, deep in thought. "You little rascal," Mike said with sudden realization, a small smile playing at his lips. "Don't tell me you think like your mom and believe the money should be repaid?" He shook his head in amazement. "Your mom gave birth to you and Emma, and now she's carrying another baby. Doesn't Pierce owe her some compensation?"

"We don't recognize him as our father, and we don't need his compensation!" William stated firmly.

Mike stood up, placing his hands on his hips. "I just don't want your mom to be under so much pressure. Do you know how much a billion dollars is?"

Without responding, William suddenly pushed back his chair and strode purposefully toward his room.

"Dinner's almost ready," Mike called after him, confused by the boy's sudden movement. "Where are you going?"

"I want to check the cryptocurrency prices," William replied without looking back, his voice carrying a hint of excitement that hadn't been there before.

Mike's brow furrowed in confusion as he followed the boy. "You bought cryptocurrency? When did this happen? Why are you getting into this? Your job right now is to study well. Investment isn't suitable for you..."

William turned at his doorway, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. "The hush money Wilson gave me earlier." William quickly opened his computer and logged into his account to check the latest cryptocurrency prices. The cryptocurrency had skyrocketed from $10,000 to $50,000 per coin.

He had previously blackmailed Wilson with videos of him and Nathan, forcing him to compensate with 2,000 digital coins. 

Now these cryptocurrencies were worth $100 million.