C263 Awkward Reunion

The simple question struck both parents like lightning. Lindsey's eyes instantly became red. Tears gathered before slowly rolling down her cheeks. "My child..." She wiped her tears. "Your father became too greedy." She glanced at Nicolas before lowering her head again. "Back then..." "The company was facing serious financial problems." "We were desperate."

She began crying openly. "Your father accepted the Wood family's proposal because he believed it would save the company." Her shoulders trembled. "We know..." "We know we hurt you." "We know we abandoned you after your marriage." Her voice cracked. "And for that..." "I'm truly sorry." Samantha quietly listened without interrupting. She had imagined hearing these words countless times over the past two years.

Now that they were finally being spoken... They no longer carried the comfort she had once wished for. After a long silence, she asked quietly, "So..." "You both decided to sacrifice me..." Her eyes became moist. "...and marry me to the same man I told you had violated me?" The office instantly became silent. Neither Nicolas nor Lindsey could answer. Both lowered their heads in shame.

After several painful seconds, Nicolas finally forced himself to speak. "My daughter..." "Please forgive us." "Everything we did..." "...was for your future." Before he could continue, Samantha interrupted him. "My future?" She laughed bitterly. "What future?" She slowly stood up. "My future was living in another family's house..." "My future was pretending everything was fine..." "My future was spending two years wondering whether my own parents still remembered I existed."

Her voice remained calm. Yet every word pierced their hearts. She slowly walked toward the large office window. Without turning around, she continued, "For the past two years..." "What exactly have you done as my parents?" No one answered. The silence itself became the answer. After several moments, Lindsey spoke through her tears. "My daughter..." "We never stopped worrying about you." "We always believed the Wood family was treating you well." "We never imagined..." "...that you felt like an orphan."

Samantha slowly closed her eyes. An orphan. That single word almost made her laugh. She turned around slowly. "Do you know..." "The funny thing is..." "I wasn't treated like an orphan by the Wood family." Her eyes met theirs. "I was treated like one..." "...by my own parents." Those words completely shattered Lindsey. She covered her mouth as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. Even Nicolas clenched his fists tightly, unable to argue. Deep inside... He knew she was right.

The office once again fell into complete silence. Finally, Nicolas took a deep breath. "My daughter..." "I know we've wronged you." "I know we've failed you." He lowered his head. "But today..." "We came here because we want to ask for your help." Samantha stared at him without saying a word. Nicolas swallowed nervously before continuing. "I know I made a terrible mistake." "I let my anger control me." "I insulted Director Sarah." "I threatened her." "I was completely wrong."

He bowed his head sincerely. "Please..." "Help me convince Director Sarah to reconsider her decision." "Our company..." "Our future..." "Everything depends on that partnership." Samantha remained completely expressionless. She looked at both of them for several long moments. Then, in a calm voice, she asked, "Is that all?" Nicolas slowly nodded. "Yes..." "That is why we came." Samantha lowered her gaze. A faint smile appeared on her lips.

It was not a warm smile. It was the smile of someone who had finally understood exactly where she stood in their hearts. Their visit... Had never really been about her. It had always been about the company. Samantha remained silent for several moments. She looked at the two people kneeling before her. Once upon a time, this was all she had ever wanted, to see her parents acknowledge her pain.

Yet now that the moment had finally arrived, her heart no longer felt the joy she had imagined. There was only disappointment. She slowly wiped away the tears on her face before speaking calmly. "I can help you..." Both Nicolas and Lindsey immediately looked up at her, hope returning to their eyes. "Really?" Lindsey asked excitedly. "My daughter, are you really willing to help us?" Samantha nodded slightly. "I said I can help you... but only on one condition."

The smiles on their faces slowly faded. Nicolas looked at her cautiously. "What condition?" Samantha leaned back in her chair and folded her hands on the desk. "My daughter..." She paused before continuing. "I want Monica to become one of the shareholders of Heaps Group." The office immediately fell silent. Neither Nicolas nor Lindsey had expected such a condition. Nicolas frowned. "What do you mean?"

Samantha looked straight into his eyes. "It means exactly what I said." "My daughter deserves security." "If one day something happens to me, I don't want her depending on anyone's kindness the way I had to." Lindsey hurriedly nodded. "My child, that's understandable. We can prepare a trust fund for her." Samantha slowly shook her head. "No." "I don't want a trust fund." "I want ownership." Nicolas' expression stiffened. "You mean... company shares?"

Samantha nodded. "Yes." She continued calmly. "You came here asking me to persuade Director Sarah to restore the partnership between Wood IT Company and Heaps Group." "If I do that, your company survives." "If I don't..." She paused. "...your company will lose one of its biggest partnerships." Neither Nicolas nor Lindsey spoke. They knew she was telling the truth. Samantha continued. "So naturally..." "There has to be something worth negotiating." Nicolas frowned deeply. "What exactly do you want?"

Samantha answered without hesitation. "You have two choices." She raised one finger. "First." "If all you want is financial assistance..." "I'll personally arrange for you to receive two hundred thousand dollars." "But in exchange..." "Five percent of Heaps Group's shares will immediately be transferred to Monica." Both parents widened their eyes. Then Samantha raised a second finger. "The second option..." "If what you truly want is for Wood IT Company to renew the partnership..." "Then I want Monica to own thirty percent of Heaps Group."

The office instantly became deathly quiet. Lindsey gasped softly. "N... thirty percent?" Even Nicolas stared at her in disbelief. "Samantha..." "Do you even know what thirty percent means?" She nodded calmly. "I do." "It means my daughter will never suffer the way I did." Nicolas immediately stood up in frustration. "Impossible!" "Do you know how hard I worked to build that company?" "If Monica takes thirty percent..." "I'll only be left with fifty percent." "The remaining twenty percent already belongs to other shareholders." "You're asking me to give away almost everything!"

Samantha's expression remained calm. "A few minutes ago..." "You said everything you ever did was for me." "You said every sacrifice was for my future." She smiled bitterly. "So..." "My daughter is your granddaughter." "If everything is truly for family..." "Why hesitate now?"