Chapter 34 Can't Lose Her Temper
At the very least, she should have confirmed Adrian's real intentions first.
If he was actually serious about acquiring the Chasey Group, having her sister Sarah handle negotiations would probably work way better. After all, Sarah and Adrian were former classmates. Even with all the bad blood between their families, Sarah and Adrian still had that old school connection. They'd be better suited for this kind of talk.
But this wasn't just about the Chasey Group shares. There was also the whole Tomlinson Group mess to deal with. She couldn't dump that problem on Sarah too, could she?
Besides, she was already here. Was she really going to tuck tail and slink away like some coward?
That wasn't Serena Rothwell's style.
Lost in thought, she cautiously glanced up—only to find Adrian already watching her.
She sat in her wheelchair. He stood towering above her. And he was already way taller than her to begin with. Meeting his gaze from this angle, there was an unmistakable power dynamic at play—him literally looking down on her in every sense.
It put Serena at an even bigger disadvantage.
Refusing to look so pathetic, she pushed herself up from the wheelchair so she could meet Adrian at actual eye level. Then she started making her pitch, voice measured and deliberate: "The Locke Group wants to break into the Sweetwater City market. Starting from scratch would eat up massive amounts of time. Since the Chasey Group already exists as a ready-made springboard, I don't see why you'd waste resources building from the ground up.
"Plus, the Chasey Group has solid resources and infrastructure across the board. It fits perfectly with what the Locke Group needs for rapid market entry into Sweetwater City.
"Mr. Locke, surely you're not going to let some trivial old grudge between us cost you such a perfect opportunity?"
"Trivial old grudge?"
His tone came out deliberately slow, like he was tasting each word on his tongue.
Then he lifted his water glass and took a sip with infuriating elegance.
Serena watched his unhurried movements, studied his expressionless, devastatingly handsome face, and had absolutely no idea what he was thinking.
Back when she'd first learned that the Rothwell family had arranged her engagement to the Locke family, she'd still been in college at Sweetwater City. Right up until she'd insisted on breaking it off, she and Adrian had never even formally met face-to-face. There was zero emotional connection between them—they were basically just "kids who knew each other way back when."
So she honestly didn't see this as some deep, unresolvable grudge.
But judging by his expression, apparently he saw it as something completely insurmountable.
She had no idea what to say anymore.
Adrian suddenly let out a short laugh. "Ms. Rothwell, do you know what a man's greatest grudge is in this lifetime?"
Serena shook her head blankly. "No idea."
Adrian set down his glass, words coming out slow and deliberate: "Having his woman stolen from him."
"...But we never got married."
So it didn't really count as that kind of grudge, right?
"Wasn't my fiancée basically a wife?"
By the time he spoke those words, he'd closed the distance between them, looking down at her with half-lidded eyes. His tone stayed neutral, but the light in his eyes ran cold—those deep, fathomless eyes seemed bottomless.
Serena didn't have the courage to hold his gaze. She slowly lowered her eyes.
What now? Should she apologize?
Except she didn't actually think she'd done anything wrong. She and Adrian had zero feelings for each other—what was she supposed to do, not break off the engagement? Become some sacrificial pawn in a business merger between two families?
Yeah, no.
He'd made his position crystal clear. Obviously he had no interest in continuing this conversation. Why torture herself over it?
She'd never been great at negotiations anyway. Especially not against someone like Adrian.
Looked like this was a dead end.
Her spirits sank as the realization settled in.
Adrian studied the top of her head for a long moment without saying anything else. Then he reached out and pressed down on her shoulder, guiding her back.
Serena landed in her wheelchair with a thump.
Wait, what was that supposed to mean?
His silent way of telling her to get lost?
Fine. Getting lost it was. She shouldn't have come in the first place.
Serena lifted her head and met his eyes with forced composure. "Sorry to waste your time, Mr. Locke. I'll see myself out."
She'd just have to figure out another solution back home.
She turned her wheelchair, ready to leave.
Adrian's voice cut through the air, suddenly ice-cold: "Is this how Ms. Rothwell always handles business?"
Serena froze mid-motion and turned back, confusion written across her face.
Adrian stared at her for several seconds, tone still frigid: "I thought the precious Rothwell family daughter who once boldly declared she'd conquer Sweetwater City on her own terms would have something exceptional to show for herself. Turns out all you've got is 'drop by, give up immediately.'"
Serena had no comeback for that.
What else was she supposed to do?
If it were anyone else, maybe she could keep trying. But this was Adrian. She didn't have a snowball's chance in hell.
She'd been ready to just leave and call it a loss. But now he had to stop her and twist the knife.
Whatever. This wasn't the first time she'd humiliated herself in front of him. Might as well use this opportunity to lay everything out in the open.
She lifted her chin to meet his gaze: "Yes, I rejected a loveless arranged marriage. Yes, I pursued a relationship that crashed and burned. I deserve to be laughed at. But haven't you been messing with me all evening?"
He'd seen through her intentions from the start, knew exactly what she wanted. And still he'd sat there playing that stupid game with her. Only after they'd finished gaming did he reveal his true colors.
He was the one pulling all the strings here. She was just the clown performing for his entertainment.
When he didn't respond, she pressed on: "If you're still nursing wounded pride over that broken engagement and want to humiliate me to get even, fine. I'll take it. If you've got anything else you want to say, just get it all out now. I'm listening."
Adrian stood across from her, taking in her whole "ready to face the firing squad" expression.
He almost laughed at the absurdity. "Such a temper. Can't even handle a little criticism?"
Serena blinked.
Like his words had snapped her back to reality.
Right. What was she even saying? Had she seriously just lost her temper at Adrian?
The Rothwell family was already walking on thin ice. Sarah was barely holding things together as it was. Adrian was absolutely not someone she could afford to antagonize. She couldn't make more enemies for the Rothwell family.
The thought hit her like cold water. Her expression stiffened.
Quickly pulling herself together, she stood up and gave Adrian a proper bow. "I apologize, Mr. Locke. I'm sorry for the disturbance. Goodbye."