Beaten by my ex, now I'm a Trillionaire Heir

Ch-12

The hallway was alive with murmurs and low laughter. 

The moment Harper had gone inside her office, the employees had sneakily left their workspaces again, eager to watch the drama unfold. 

They were gathered together in groups of twos and threes, whispering and discussing their own bets about how this was going to turn out, occasionally glancing back at the tightly shut office door. 

But as time dragged on, Sophia was getting more anxious; her mind flashing back to the conversation her mother and sister had told her about. 

Because of his new rich girlfriend, he had been preferred over her family! What if… what if Harper was the same, new woman in his life?

Her lips were curled in an irritated pout as she nervously bit her nails. 

“This is taking too long,” she snapped, casting an annoyed glance at the closed office door. “What could they possibly be discussing in there? It’s a simple matter—Nathan is a nobody. Kick him out and move on.”

Lucas, leaning against the wall with a smug expression, barely glanced at her. “Relax, Sophia. Mac Hilton is in there, he knows what he is doing.”

Sophia turned sharply toward him. 

“Does he?”

A frown appeared on her face and she addressed him directly. 

“And leave him, just tell me– do YOU know anything for sure? Because I don’t. What if that woman… that Harper, who knows if she is actually fair and unbiased ? What if she starts asking questions?” She glanced around the hallway, lowering her voice. 

“What if she actually believes that trash’s nonsense?”

Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious right now? You think someone like her would take Nathan’s side?” 

He scoffed. 

“Come on! Why would someone take his side? Nathan’s just a roach trying to crawl his way in, and everyone can sense the smell of desperation reeking from him.”

Lucas leaned against the wall, arms crossed, chin lifted with confidence.

“I’m telling you, honey! There is nothing to be worried about!”

He said in a voice loud enough for others to hear. 

“Mac Hilton is a powerful man. He’ll have sorted everything out by now. And Miss Harper is probably already signing the collaboration papers with us!”

Sophia pressed her lips together, tossing her hair over her shoulder before she sighed. 

“I think you're right, I am overthinking it. There is not a single soul in this office building who would like to waste their time entertaining a random nobody like Nathan. I was just letting my anxiety get to me. 

But I agree with you, most probably, Mac would have convinced Harper by now… she must be apologizing for the confusion, and even expediting the deal as we speak.” 

Instantly, her eyes were filled with arrogance as all traces of the earlier panic disappeared. 

“How sad! The only thing Nathan has to look forward to is to get kicked out of here!”

They snickered, casting sideways glances at Nathan, who was standing a few feet away from them. He had his hands in his pockets, silently watching their dramatics. 

Leaning against the wall with a casual posture, he looked nothing like a man stuck in the position that Quella and Kenneth assumed him to be. 

His confidence was subtle, not loud or boisterous at all.

Lucas noticed him looking in their direction, and scoffed. 

“Why are you still standing here like your presence will make any difference! I mean, sure you don't have brains of your own, but can't you see it'll be better for you to escape while you still can?” 

He took a step closer, voice sharp and arrogant. “Let me put it in terms you'll understand better; don't you have anywhere else to leech off, bloody freeloader? Instead of roaming the halls for no reason.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow,

“That's quit an interesting accusation, coming from someone who’s been waiting in the lobby like a lost puppy for over an hour.”

At last, the employees were getting the beef they were here to witness, and their laughter grew louder with every second.

Lucas’ expression became bitter on realising that he was the subject of their laughter. 

“Listen, you leech! Not only am I here for an extremely important announcement, but I also have many connections that you don't–”

“Lucas, if your so-called connections actually got things done, you wouldn’t be stuck here with no clue about what’s happening behind that door.”

He gestured towards Harper's door, and Lucas' gaze was involuntarily drawn towards it as he gulped nervously. Sophia’s eyes narrowed in irritation, why couldn't he just die that day! 

He had definitely changed, and she was finding this new personality even more irritating than the simp she had been tolerating all the while they were supposed to be dating. 

“Watch your mouth, Nathan! You are really going to regret talking like that when the announcement comes.”

Lucas’s ears were burning. He could feel the heat rising up his neck– the crowd was enjoying far too much, and that too at his expense. He needed to regain control of the situation, and suddenly, the perfect idea struck him.

“You know what?! I'm sick of your stupid jokes.”

He said, voice louder and drawing attention; “Let’s make it interesting, and raise the stakes. 

Nathan didn’t flinch. 

“Go on.”

“If I land the deal,” Lucas declared, turning dramatically toward the audience, “you will kneel to me. Right here! In front of everyone. You will apologize for wasting everyone’s time daring to pretend like you’re important when we all know your truth.”

Nathan’s brows lifted slightly, while Sophia was smiling from ear to ear, thinking that it was the perfect punishment for Nathan. 

Lucas continued. 

“But let's say, your desperate prayers are heard by the devil- and by some chance,  I don’t get the deal… then, I! Lucas Reed, will kneel and apologize to you.”

Gasps echoed from the crowd. A few people exchanged wide-eyed looks. The tension had just been cranked up to eleven.

Nathan exhaled slowly. Then, with a casual shrug, he said, 

“Alright, I accept your challenge.”

Nathan replied, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. 

“Although I would recommend you should start practicing your apology now, since you might forget it later when the panic sets in.”

Sophia scoffed, stepping forward, voice dripping with venom. 

“You were always a little crazy, but now you've gone fully delusional, Nathan! You know what, I’ll love watching you kneel. That’s exactly where you belong… on the ground. Begging us for your sins.”

“Careful, Sophia. Your excitement might turn to regret before the day’s over.”

Every eye in the hallway was on them now. The hallway had turned into an arena, and the tension between the contenders was razor sharp.