4
The words hit Jill like a bucket of ice water dumped over her head.
Her mouth opened, and her face went from flushed red to bloodless white in an instant.
Her lips trembling, she stammered, "It's... it's not that serious, is it? It's just one patent. Can't we develop it ourselves?"
"Develop it ourselves? The core technology is all with her. It would take us three to five years, minimum, and by then the market would be gone!" Corey finished, then turned to look at me.
His face was far softer than a moment ago, almost ingratiating.
"Sophie, is this all right now? Cool off a little. I'll have her apologize to your sister in a minute..."
I ignored Corey and kept staring coldly at Jill.
Backed into a corner at last, forced to face reality, she finally shuffled one grudging step forward. "I'm sorry, Angela. I acted rashly just now. Please forgive me..."
"You call that an apology?" I gave a small laugh and looked at Corey.
"When she slapped my sister across the face, the whole banquet hall heard it. Now she apologizes and it's a mosquito's whine? That's beyond half-hearted!"
"Don't push your luck!" Jill blew up again.
"I've already apologized, what more do you want? You expect me to kneel down and beg her forgiveness?"
"Kneeling won't be necessary," I said, holding her gaze.
"But you're going to say it out loud. You were wrong just now. You shouldn't have hit someone without knowing the first thing about it, and you shouldn't have insulted my sister. Say that clearly, and this is over."
"I won't!" Jill stiffened her neck.
"Didn't you just say an apology would do? Well, I've apologized. Sophie Henson, don't keep pressing your advantage. Everyone's watching!"
Maybe it was true, that birds of a feather flock together.
Hearing his mother say it, Corey was actually swayed.
He stepped forward. "My mother's right, Sophie. You only asked for an apology just now. You never said everyone had to hear it. She's apologized exactly as you asked. It's time you settled down and returned the license to Gilbert!"
I let out a cold laugh, looking at Corey, cut from the same cloth as his mother.
The regret in my chest wouldn't stop.
Regret that I'd been blind enough to help him save Gilbert back then.
And deeper regret that seven years together hadn't been enough to see who Corey really was.
Whatever I'd felt for him, in that moment, vanished completely, without a trace.
I was about to fire a few words back at him when the doors of the banquet hall were suddenly pushed open.
I looked up and saw who it was: several shareholders of Gilbert Group.
I couldn't help the cold smile that spread across my face.
It seemed...
This time I wouldn't have to force Corey's mother to apologize after all...
