C265 Can't Avoid Each Other Forever

Samantha left her office and made her way toward Sarah's office. Her thoughts were still occupied with everything that had just happened. Seeing her parents kneel before her had not brought her the satisfaction she had imagined. Instead, it had left a bitter taste in her heart. Although she had finally stood up for herself, the pain of the past could not disappear in a single conversation.

When she reached the office, she knocked gently on the door twice. "Come in," Sarah's cheerful voice came from inside. Samantha slowly pushed the door open. The moment she stepped inside, she froze. Chris and Sarah were sitting together on the sofa with lunch spread across the coffee table. The atmosphere between the husband and wife was warm and relaxed, completely different from the tense meeting she had just left. Chris looked up while holding his chopsticks. Sarah smiled brightly. "I've been waiting for you," she said with a laugh. "What took you so long, Sister?"

Samantha looked between the two of them before smiling awkwardly. "Am I disturbing something?" Sarah immediately shook her head. "Not at all." She stood up and pulled Samantha toward the sofa. "Come and sit." After Samantha sat down, Sarah smiled warmly. "You are my best friend. Eating lunch together every day is perfectly normal." She glanced at Chris before teasing him. "Besides, you and my husband can't keep living in the past forever." Chris blinked in confusion.

Sarah continued with a grin. "You two are supposed to become my right-hand man and my left-hand woman. The company is going to rely on both of you, so you'd better get used to eating together." Chris almost choked on the water he had just taken. He coughed several times before looking at Samantha. For some reason, an old memory resurfaced. He smiled helplessly. "How can that be?" Both women turned toward him. Chris continued, "Samantha, have you forgotten? Back in then you called my brother and me low-born people. You said we were nothing compared to your world."

Samantha immediately covered her face in embarrassment. "Oh, please don't remind me." Chris added. "But it's true." Samantha sighed helplessly. "I've already apologized for that." She looked directly at Chris. "Besides, it wasn't really my fault that you misunderstood me." Chris raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" "There was a hidden message in those words." Chris looked even more confused. "What message?" Samantha leaned back slightly before explaining. "I was trying to push Mike away because I didn't want him to get dragged into my family's problems."

She smiled bitterly. "I thought he would understand after I left." Chris immediately burst into laughter. "You're wrong." Samantha blinked. "What do you mean?" Chris shook his head. "Mike understood absolutely nothing." Both Sarah and Samantha stared at him. "He believed exactly what I believed." "He thought you had betrayed him." Samantha's eyes widened. "What?" Chris nodded. "We both thought you had chosen money and status over friendship."

Samantha remained silent. She had always believed Mike had understood her intentions. Chris smiled. "The person who finally made us realize the truth from your point of view wasn't Mike.". "It was Alicia." Both women looked at him. Chris continued, "When Mike told Alicia everything, She analysed everything differently." Chris laughed. "She practically forced him to think from your perspective."

Samantha looked at Sarah in disbelief. "You mean..." Chris nodded. "Yes." "Alicia was the one who explained your point of view to both of us." Samantha slowly lowered her head. For a long moment she said nothing. Many memories flashed through her mind. She had always believed Alicia hated her because of Mike. And she hated Alicia as well. She had prepared herself for revenge against her. Yet the person she had viewed as an enemy had actually been the one who made them understand her.

She smiled bitterly and whispered to herself. "So..." "I was fighting an enemy who never existed." Chris smiled. Seeing her complicated look, "You women understand each other far better than we men do." Sarah couldn't help laughing. "My dear husband, are you admitting that men are slow?" Chris immediately nodded. "I admit it." The heavy atmosphere instantly disappeared. Sarah clapped her hands together. "Enough." "We're not here to reopen old wounds."

She pointed toward the food. "The food is getting cold." "Let's eat." Everyone nodded. The three of them enjoyed lunch while chatting casually about work, occasionally teasing one another. The comfortable atmosphere was something Samantha had never imagined she would experience years ago. After they had almost finished eating, Sarah wiped her hands before looking at Samantha. "Now tell us." "What delayed you?" "You've never been this late before."

Samantha's smile faded slightly. "My parents came to see me." Sarah immediately understood. "They came because of the partnership, didn't they?" Samantha nodded. "Yes." Before she could continue, Chris suddenly looked between the two women. "Wait..." "What partnership?" Sarah looked at him. "The partnership that forced Samantha to marry Ben." Chris nearly dropped his glass. "What?" He looked at Samantha in disbelief. "You mean that marriage was actually part of a business agreement?"

Samantha nodded quietly. Chris frowned. "I always thought there was something strange about it, but I never imagined..." Sarah gently interrupted him. "Chris." "Let Samantha finish first." Chris nodded apologetically. "Sorry." Samantha took a deep breath before continuing. "They begged me to convince you to renew the partnership." Sarah folded her arms. "And?" A faint smile appeared on Samantha's face. "I gave them a condition."

Both Sarah and Chris became curious. "What condition?" "I told them that if they wanted me to help them..." "...then Monica had to become a shareholder in Heaps Group." Chris's eyes widened. Sarah, however, simply smiled. "I knew you wouldn't let them off easily." Samantha nodded. "I gave them two options." "If they only wanted financial assistance, then Monica would receive five percent of the company's shares." "But if they wanted the partnership with Wood IT Company restored..."

She paused before smiling confidently. "Then Monica must receive thirty percent of Heaps Group." Chris almost jumped from his seat. "Thirty percent?" "That's huge!" Samantha nodded calmly. "It is." "But if they truly believe everything they do is for me and my daughter..." "Then they should be willing to prove it." Sarah couldn't stop smiling. "Brilliant." Chris was still trying to process everything. "So..." "They actually agreed?"

Samantha nodded. "They had no choice." "I told them to prepare the legal documents and transfer agreement." "Once everything is ready, I'll sign them." She then looked at Sarah. "After that..." "You will do me a favour and renew the partnership." Sarah immediately laughed. "What favour?" "I would've renewed it anyway." Samantha looked at her in surprise. "You would?" Sarah nodded. "Of course."

She turned toward Samantha with a gentle smile. "I never intended to destroy Heaps Group completely." "I only wanted you to finally stand up for self." She continued, "If I had renewed the partnership immediately, nothing would've changed." "They would've continued treating you like a bargaining chip." "But now..." "They understand that you're no longer the frightened girl they could manipulate." Samantha felt her eyes become slightly moist. "Thank you, Sister."

Sarah reached over and squeezed her hand. "There is no need to thank me." "We're family." "We protect each other." Chris smiled as he watched the two women. The friendship between the two women had been built through misunderstanding, pain, forgiveness, and finally mutual respect. Chris suddenly smiled. Sarah looked at the clock before standing up. "Enough resting." "The afternoon's work won't finish itself."

She looked at Samantha. "Vice Director." Samantha stood up with a smile. "Yes, Director." Chris quickly stood as well. "And what about me?" Sarah laughed. "You too." "My right-hand man." Chris laughed but soon he looked at Samantha. "We are more like a family now but if you dare harm my brother again I won't be merciful. I will find you myself." Everyone laughed as Chris and Samantha left.