Trillionaire Heir- Jeremy Nathaniel

Chapter 9 - The Battle line is Drawn

Furious, Avery let out a scream as she ran back into the living room. Her words rang with the sharp edge of a sword.

"I'm not a tool, you can't use me like one!" The outburst, filled with intense emotion, reverberated throughout the room and caught Everyone's attention including Jeremy. He quickly turned back to see what was happening.

Fuming with anger, Lady Williams shot back at Avery, her voice rising to a shout.

"Keep your mouth shut, Avery!"

As Jeremy approached, the sight of him only fueled the fire in Avery's belly. Her eyes narrowed as her fury burned hotter still.

"If my husband won't stand up for me," she growled, her voice thick with rage, "then I'll do it myself."

Avery's words hurt Jeremy's heart. He knew how much she trusted him, and he wanted to tell her the truth

Jeremy knew that if he told Avery the truth, it could put her and their daughter's life in danger.

He had to think of a way to protect them both and also let Avery know that he was still on her side. He took a deep breath and slowly walked towards Avery, trying to calm her down.

"I know this is hard," he said, "but please trust me. I love you and our daughter more than anything." Avery's eyes were still full of anger and mistrust. She wanted to believe Jeremy, but she couldn't help but feel hurt and betrayed.

Mrs Williams spoke in a mean way to Jeremy. "Why did you come back? Do you want to pretend to be a hero who can save your wife? Why didn't you pay for your daughter's hospital bill when she was sick?" she said. But Jeremy ignored Mrs Williams and looked at Avery who was crying.

As Jeremy remained silent, his phone buzzed with a notification, and upon reading the message, it became clear that Jefferson Benson had received his earlier text and responded with a reassuring "Okay Boss!"

Everyone's attention shifted to Jeremy as he looked at his phone, and Mr. Williams shook his head in amusement while Mrs. Williams and Noah laughed mockingly, clearly intending to embarrass Jeremy.

With an arrogant smile, Mr. Williams remarked, "You're looking quite calm all of a sudden, I suppose the message you received was from one of the many creditors that you're indebted to. They're probably demanding payment, right? It's quite embarrassing for a grown man to be in such financial disarray." The Williams let out a laugh,

With a look of distaste on her face, Mrs. Williams retorted, "What's truly embarrassing is that he is our son-in-law, part of our prestigious family, thanks to Avery. She's the one to blame for bringing such a disgraceful man into our lives." The malice in her voice was unmistakable as she lashed out at Jeremy.

Continuing with his sarcastic words, Mr. Williams remarked,

"I think the term 'creditors' is too narrow; you owe everyone who's ever listened to your pitiful tale. It's pathetic." As he finished, the room erupted in mocking laughter, all except for Avery who remained silent and unmoved.

Her distress was noticeable as she wrestled with the rage of being caught between her love for Jeremy and her loyalty to her family.

Mrs. Williams reached for Avery's hands, feigning concern. With a sympathetic look, she addressed her granddaughter,

"Avery, my dear child. You deserve the best, and this man is far from it. He's nothing but a gold digger, looking to take advantage of you." As she spoke, Mrs. Williams cast a scornful glance at Jeremy, her disgust at his presence evident in her words and expression.

With a calculated tone, Mrs. Williams pressed on,

"Imagine the chaos that will ensue when his many creditors come knocking at your door, berating him and even sending him to jail. Is that the kind of life you want for yourself? Noah is right here, and he is a far more suitable choice for you. He can provide you with the stability and security that Jeremy never could."

As the exchange of words continued, Avery felt herself being torn between her loyalty to her family and her love for Jeremy. Mrs. Williams, sensing her vulnerability, pushed further, saying, "Avery, dear, you deserve to be happy. Why settle for someone who is only bringing you problems and debts? Noah is a respectable young man, a true gentleman. He can offer you a life filled with respect and security."

Her manipulative words rang true to some extent, but Avery's heart still belonged to Jeremy, and her mind was a battleground of conflicting emotions.

With a quiet yet firm voice, Avery addressed her, "Grandmother, I appreciate your concern, but I cannot allow you to insult my husband." Her words were a gentle yet rebellious plea for respect, but Mrs. Williams only laughed in response.

"What has gotten into you, child? Your husband was the one who insulted you first when he willingly accepted Noah's offer just moments ago," she retorted, eager to highlight Jeremy's supposed flaws.

Seizing the moment, Noah spoke with renewed confidence, his tone dripping with conviction. "I'm not surprised that Jeremy accepted my bet. It's quite obvious that he's deep in debt and desperate for money, no matter the cost. He doesn't care about you, Avery. Can't you see? Jeremy is only after money; his own selfish needs are his priority, not you."

As Jeremy listened to Noah's accusations, he clenched his fists in a desperate attempt to control his anger. The urge to punch Noah in the face was almost irresistible, but he fought to keep his composure.

He knew that losing his temper would only worsen the situation, yet the urge to lash out was almost overpowering.

Continuing to mock Jeremy, Noah added, "Ten million dollars! That must be the amount he owes his creditors." His words aroused laughter from Mr. and Mrs. Williams, who took pleasure in their perception of Jeremy's apparent financial woes.

Mr. Williams, his disdain for Jeremy only increasing, spoke in a mocking tone, "No wonder he's acting so desperate. Clearly, he's returned to beg for money from Avery. Pathetic." With that, he spat on Jeremy's feet in a gesture of disgust.

Jeremy, his fury now evident, spoke in a low, intense voice, "Mr. Williams, with all due respect, I am not a dog for you to spit on." His words caught Mrs. Williams by surprise, and in a flash of rage, she grabbed the collar of his shirt with an iron grip.

"How dare you disrespect my husband, you low life!" she screamed, her face twisted in fury.

Avery's attempts to calm the situation were futile as her grandmother's rage grew, the tightness of her grip on Jeremy's shirt increasing with each passing moment.

"Grandma, please stop!" Avery begged, her voice trembling as she tried to intervene between the two. But Mrs. Williams' fury was relentless, her eyes fixed on Jeremy as she held him with a strength that seemed to defy her age.

"How are you going to pay off that worthless debt?" Mrs. Williams spat, her voice laced with contempt. "I will never allow you to drag Avery down with you like you've already done to yourself!"

Caught in a web of conflicting emotions, Jeremy resisted the urge to push Mrs. Williams off him, knowing that such an act would only further disrespect Avery and her family.

Despite the growing tension and Mrs. Williams' insults, he stood his ground, refusing to stoop to her level of hostility.

His heart ached at the sight of Avery's anguish, but he knew that causing a scene would only make things worse.

Watching the confrontation escalate before her eyes, Avery cried out,

"Grandma, stop!" Her voice rang out, a desperate plea for the confrontation to cease.

But her grandfather and Noah, caught up in their own amusement, had no intention of intervening. The scene was a spectacle for them, a twisted source of entertainment that only fueled their spiteful characters.

""You better not back out of your promise, you pathetic excuse for a man!" Mrs. Williams shouted as she removed her hands from Jeremy's clothes. "We made a deal, and I expect you to honor it. If Noah gets 1% of the contract, you'll divorce my daughter, understand?" she yelled, her voice dripping with contempt.

Jeremy's eyes shone with fury as he responded curtly, "We have a deal, and I won't back out. But mark my words,Mrs. Williams," Jeremy continued, his voice becoming a low, threatening growl, "the moment I win this bet, you will all regret what you've put me through today."

Jeremy's threat was met with a burst of mockery from the Williams and Noah, who found his words humorous.

Avery's face crumpled with a mixture of confusion and disappointment. She had always known Jeremy to be a man of integrity, yet his choice to prioritize money over their relationship felt like a betrayal of everything she had believed in.

"Jeremy," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the laughter, "I thought you loved me?" The tears that rolled down her cheeks betrayed the heartbreak that threatened to consume her.

Jeremy's own heart shattered at the sight of Avery's devastation.

Without uttering a word, Jeremy picked his own copy of the agreement from the table.

In a calculated move to undermine Jeremy, Noah stepped forward, taking Avery's hand gently in his own. His voice was soft, yet assertive as he spoke.

"Avery, my dear, I am so sorry to see you in such a state. Clearly, he never deserved you. But don't worry, this will all be over once I secure the contract. You will be with me, free from all this suffering.

The room fell into a stillness as Jeremy let out a chuckle that seemed to fringe on madness.

With a scowl that held both amusement and disdain, he uttered,

"Coming from the man who has no chance of securing even a single percentage of the contract with Blue Silver Entertainment. I doubt they'd even let a riffraff like you past their front gates."

The room erupted in an uproar of shock and resentment, as Jeremy's audacity caught them all off guard.

With the words of a man who had already sealed his opponent's fate, Jeremy approached Noah with a defeating step.

"You might want to start liquidating your assets, Mr. Noah,once the agreement expires, you'll be looking at 10 years behind bars."

His voice was icy and full of malice as he continued, "And lastly, take a good look at my wife. She's radiant, not suffering. She will never be yours, no matter how hard you try to charm her. Your fantasies are nothing but wishful thinking."

As the Williams and Noah stood rooted to the spot in shock, Jeremy strode confidently across the room, his steps oozing the power of a conqueror. Reaching Avery, he gently took her hand and, without another word, led her out of the room.

The moment they reached the door, Avery whirled around to confront Jeremy, her face turned with rage and hurt.

"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind? How dare you decide my fate, to decide who I am allowed to love or not?" Her voice rose in volume, each word more venomous than the last. "You made that bet without consulting me, without even considering my feelings! Do you know who Noah's family is?"

"They can easily secure the contract, Jeremy. You've played right into their hands! How could you be so blind, so arrogant?" Her anger now gave way to tears, the full weight of his decision crashing down on her.

"I thought you loved me. I thought we were a team, that we made decisions together. But clearly, I was wrong. Clearly, you don't trust me enough to even ask for my input on something so important."

“What are you going to do now, Jeremy? Why did you have to do this to me, to us?" Avery's voice trembled as her tears continued to fall.