Vernon's POV
The success of the San Francisco project was no accident. It took years of careful planning and constant negotiations with various powerful parties. Even a small misstep would’ve meant failure.
“You can leave now,” Zera said coldly. “From today on, Andrews Corporation has nothing to do with you.”
As everything had been settled, I turned to go, but Calvert’s voice rang out behind me.
“Wait!”
His tone was deliberately arrogant.
I stopped walking but didn’t turn around.
“Since Vernon is out of the picture, he’s not part of the family anymore, right?” he asked smugly. “By the usual rules, he shouldn’t be allowed to take anything with him. He should leave with nothing.”
He looked at Zera, clearly enjoying himself. “Don’t you agree?”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned heavy.
I slowly turned around, letting my gaze pass right over Calvert’s smug face and settle directly on Zera. “Is that what you want?”
Her expression flickered—uncertain, conflicted. Her lashes trembled, and her eyes couldn't stay at a single point. And finally, she looked away.
That few seconds of silence said more than any words ever could.
Mr. Andrews suddenly slammed his palm on the table and stood up. “Ridiculous! Vernon has been with us for twenty years. Even if he’s not my son-in-law, he’s still a family!”
“Dad,” Zera finally spoke, her voice cold but firm. “Calvert’s right. If we’ve made the decision, then we should cut all ties completely.”
I looked at her for a long moment and then smiled.
A calm, quiet smile that made her visibly flinch.
“Mr. Andrews,” I said, “if this is what Zera wants, I’ll respect it.”
I looked around the study, making eye contact with everyone in the room. And when my eyes landed on Zera again, she instinctively turned away, her fingers twisting nervously at the hem of her dress.
“Since we’re being so clear today, then it’s only fair we settle some accounts too.”
My voice was soft, but it silenced the room instantly.
“I started managing the family business at eighteen. It’s been ten full years now.”
In the middle of my sentence, Calvert let out a mocking laugh, but Zera shot him a glare that shut him up.
As such, I continued, “The Austin development project had 1.2 billion dollars investment, and five hundred million dollars in net profit. And the El Salvador redevelopment had seven hundred million investments, and made a two hundred fifty million profit. While the New York Rear Harbor project…”
I listed them one by one, each number sharper than the last. With every figure I spoke, Mr. Andrews’s expression grew more and more serious.
“In total, I brought in over three hundred million in net profit for the Andrews in the past decade,” I computed.
Zera bit her lip as she knew exactly what those numbers meant.
In my last life, Andrews Corporation had risen to the top of New York’s elite thanks to these very projects. They were the foundation of everything.
“The Andrews raised me for twenty years. In return, I earned three hundred million for you.”
My tone was calm as I declared, “We’re square now. You don’t owe me. And I don’t owe you. So, I’ll leave with nothing. And from this moment on, we’ll have nothing to do with each other.”
But Calvert suddenly let out a cold laugh. “You say that like it’s noble. But does this look like leaving with nothing?”
He stepped forward and grabbed my suit roughly. “This custom-tailored suit? That’s worth at least a ten grand.”
He yanked up my sleeve to reveal my watch. “Patek Philippe? That’s gotta be worth a hundred grand, easy.”
Then he pulled my car keys out of my pocket. “And this? A limited-edition supercar—easily a million.”
After that, he turned to the others, grinning smugly. “Every single thing on you was bought with this family's money.”
I let him tug and mock all he wanted. I didn’t react, but my eyes never left Zera.
Her fingernails were digging into her palms now, but she still said nothing.
Then, I asked solemnly, “Zera, after all these years, does it really mean nothing to you?”
As such, her lashes trembled, then she opened her mouth, about to speak.
