Chapter 3
Vanessa's father's voice thundered through the phone.
"Vanessa!"
"What have you done?"
The entire rooftop restaurant fell silent.
Even the orchestra had stopped playing.
Vanessa's hands shook violently.
"Dad..."
"I don't understand."
"You don't understand?"
Her father sounded as if he could barely breathe.
"Andrew Collins..."
"...is the man buying our company!"
Vanessa looked up at Andrew with tears in her eyes.
Her lips trembled.
"...Please tell me this isn't true."
Andrew didn't answer.
He simply watched her quietly.
On the other end of the line, her father continued shouting.
"We've spent six months negotiating with Collins Global!"
"I begged them to keep our company independent!"
"But tonight..."
"They've activated the final acquisition clause."
Vanessa felt dizzy.
"What clause?"
"The clause that gives Andrew Collins complete authority to replace every executive at midnight."
Her knees nearly gave out.
"...Including you?"
Her father answered bitterly.
"Including me."
The restaurant manager returned, carrying a leather folder.
"Mr. Collins."
"The legal department asked me to deliver these."
Andrew accepted the folder.
Inside were the finalized acquisition documents.
He glanced at them briefly before closing the folder again.
Vanessa stared at the familiar Morgan Luxury Group logo.
Her family's company...
The company her grandfather had built fifty years ago...
Now belonged to Andrew.
One of the businessmen at the neighboring table whispered,
"I've heard about Collins."
Another nodded.
"They say he never mixes business with emotion."
"So why buy Morgan Group?"
An elderly investor quietly smiled.
"Because Morgan Group has the best jewelry distribution network in the country."
Another replied,
"So this acquisition was planned long before tonight."
Andrew overheard them.
He calmly spoke.
"They're right."
"I began negotiations eight months ago."
Vanessa looked confused.
"So..."
"This has nothing to do with me?"
Andrew met her eyes.
"No."
"I bought your family's company because it made business sense."
He paused.
"But what happens next..."
"...has everything to do with you."
Vanessa hurried toward him.
"Andrew..."
"I was wrong."
"I'm sorry."
"I was arrogant."
"I was selfish."
"I'll marry you."
"I'll do anything."
Andrew smiled sadly.
"That's exactly the problem."
"You'll do anything..."
"...now that you know who I am."
She reached for his hand.
"I didn't mean those horrible things."
"You said I was beneath you."
"You laughed while I was on one knee."
"You didn't reject my proposal."
"You rejected the man you believed had nothing."
Vanessa burst into tears.
Guests quietly turned away.
Some pitied her.
Others believed she deserved every second of humiliation.
Just then...
Andrew's phone rang.
He answered immediately.
"Yes?"
A calm female voice spoke through the speaker.
"Mr. Collins."
"The board meeting has concluded."
"The acquisition is now official."
"The Morgan family no longer controls the company."
Andrew nodded.
"Thank you."
"And the executive review?"
"The dismissal letters are ready."
He glanced toward Vanessa.
"I'll sign them personally."
He ended the call.
Vanessa's face turned pale.
"Dismissal..."
"You mean..."
Andrew spoke evenly.
"Every executive who abused their position..."
"Every director who approved fraudulent spending..."
"Every manager hired through favoritism..."
"They're all leaving tomorrow."
"My company has no room for entitlement."
At that moment, Vanessa's father rushed out of the private elevator, still wearing his tuxedo from another gala downstairs.
His face was pale.
The moment he saw Andrew, he walked straight toward him.
To everyone's astonishment...
He lowered his head.
"Mr. Collins..."
"I'm deeply sorry for my daughter's behavior."
Vanessa stared in disbelief.
"Dad..."
Her father didn't even look at her.
Instead, he spoke quietly to Andrew.
"My daughter embarrassed an honorable man."
"I won't defend what she did."
Andrew nodded respectfully.
"I appreciate your honesty."
Vanessa couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Her own father wasn't trying to save her.
He knew it was already too late.
Andrew picked up the velvet ring box from the table.
He looked at it for a long moment.
Then gently placed it into his pocket.
"I bought this ring because I believed I had found someone who loved me."
He looked directly into Vanessa's tear-filled eyes.
"Instead..."
"I found someone who measured love by wealth."
He turned toward the elevator leading to the rooftop helipad.
The pilot was already waiting beside the open doors.
"Sir."
"The helicopter is ready."
Andrew nodded once.
Then, without looking back, he began walking away.
Behind him, Vanessa collapsed into a chair, sobbing uncontrollably.
She hadn't just lost a fiancé.
She had lost the only man who had ever loved her without expecting anything in return.
May you like
And at midnight...
Her family would no longer own the empire she had spent her life boasting about.
