Chapter 224 In the Future, I Will Pursue You in a Different Way
The lawyer next to Leo was quick to hash out the compensation deal with the Silvercrest Group's lawyer.
Once they settled on the amount, the Silvercrest lawyer headed back to the office to fill Seb in on the outcome.
Seb's face was stone cold. "Can he really cough up billions?"
He'd done his homework on Leo, finding out he was just some researcher at a pharma company in Stellaria. No way could Leo have stashed away billions in just a few years.
The lawyer handed Seb the check and said, "Mr. Smith, this is from Leo."
Seb took the check, giving it a once-over, his eyes icy.
Clearly, he'd underestimated Leo. Anyone who could casually write a check for billions had to have some serious secrets.
"Got it. You can get back to work."
Handing the check back, Seb's face went back to its usual calm.
"Mr. Smith, should we still go ahead with the lawsuit against Leo?"
Seb's expression hardened, his voice dropping to a frosty tone. "Since he's already paid up, follow the procedure."
As the CEO of Silvercrest Group, he had to put the company's interests first.
But what Leo did to Sharon? That crossed a line, and Seb wasn't about to let it slide.
The lawyer nodded. "Alright, I get it. Pacific Wellness Institute also wants to settle with compensation."
"Then hammer out a fair price."
"Understood."
After the lawyer left, Seb picked up his phone, walked to the window, and dialed Sharon's number.
The phone rang five times before Sharon picked up.
"What is it?"
Seb looked down at the busy streets below and said in a low voice, "Leo's offered billions in compensation, so he might get out. I'm sorry."
There was a pause before Sharon's cold voice came through. "I see. So, the data leak isn't my problem anymore, right?"
"Yeah." Seb replied, his tone flat.
"Alright. I already finished my resignation paperwork before all this. I'll swing by the office tomorrow to grab my stuff. If you're free tomorrow night, I'd like to take you out to dinner."
Seb's grip on the phone tightened. After that dinner, he'd have no more excuses to see Sharon.
Even so, his voice was rough as he said, "Okay. Just let me know the time and place."
"I'll book the restaurant later. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now."
"Okay."
The busy tone echoed in the phone, and Seb's face turned bitter as he held the phone for a long time without moving.
Sharon was about to find a restaurant when she got a message from Ashley, asking if she was free to meet tomorrow.
Before Leo got hauled off by the cops, Ashley had already been released. If it weren't for Jacob's hospitalization, she would've reached out to Sharon as soon as she left the police station.
After thinking it over, Sharon agreed and set up a meeting at a café near Silvercrest Group.
When Sharon arrived, Ashley was already there, waiting.
She had on sunglasses, covering most of her face, clearly not wanting to be recognized.
Sharon sat across from her, her expression cold. "What do you want to say to me?"
Ashley took off her sunglasses, her eyes filled with guilt as she looked at Sharon.
"Sharon, I'm sorry."
Sharon's face stayed stone cold. "I didn't come here for your apology. I just wanna know why you teamed up with Leo against me. I don't remember ever doing anything to screw you over."
Ashley couldn't look her in the eye, glancing away with a bitter smile. "My mom was in his grip. If I didn't do what he said, my mom might've died."
"Why didn't you call the cops?"
"I was too scared, Sharon. No matter what, it's on me. I've already sent the $200,000 back to you. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I hope you don't hate me."
Seeing Ashley's guilty look and red eyes, Sharon pressed her lips together. "I don't hate you, and I get it. If I were in your shoes, I might've done the same. You don't need to feel guilty, but we can't be friends anymore."
Ashley was stunned, disbelief flashing in her eyes.
Before coming, she had braced herself for a tongue-lashing from Sharon, but she didn't expect Sharon to understand her.
Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she covered her face with her hands, sobbing. "Thank you."
Sharon handed her a couple of tissues, said nothing more, and got up to leave.
Walking out of the café, Sharon felt the weight of her friend's betrayal lift off her shoulders. At least she knew that Ashley had once genuinely considered her a friend.
Having had a period of genuine friendship was enough, even if the outcome wasn't ideal.
After packing her things at Silvercrest Group, Sharon took a deep breath and left the place she had worked for months.
In the evening, Sharon arrived at the restaurant early.
As she sat by the window waiting for Seb, a familiar figure suddenly caught her eye.
Sharon frowned, her eyes flashing with disgust as she looked at Leo without speaking.
Leo sat across from her, his eyes looking at her tenderly, an unsettling gaze that felt like a snake slithering over her skin, slimy and disgusting. Sharon couldn't help but speak up, "I didn't invite you to sit."
"Sharon, I messed up before. I get that now. From here on out, I'm gonna try a different way to win you over."
"Doesn't matter what you do, I'll never like you."
Now, she only felt that Leo was deeply scheming and didn't want any further contact with him.
Leo's smile twisted for a moment. "It's okay. I have plenty of time."
With that, he got up and left.
Seb walked in from the entrance, just in time to see Leo leaving, his face instantly turning cold.
Leo squinted his eyes, not hiding his hostility.
"Mr. Smith, what a coincidence to see you here."
Seb looked at him levelly, his eyes devoid of emotion. "Are we close?"
Leo raised an eyebrow. "We will be soon."
Their gazes clashed in the air, the tension thick, like the smell of gunpowder.
It wasn't until someone beside Leo reminded him that he smiled, looked away, and turned to leave.
Seb dialed Paul's number, instructing him to have someone follow Leo to keep track of his movements and protect Sharon if Leo approached her again.
Walking to the table, Seb saw Sharon staring out the window in a daze. He sat across from her, gently tapping the table with his knuckles.
Sharon snapped out of her thoughts, a smile tugging at her lips. "Mr. Smith, you're here. Let's order."
Seb took the menu, opened it, and ordered several dishes, all of which were Sharon's favorites.
Sharon lowered her gaze, took a sip of water, and suppressed the bitterness in her heart.
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