Theodore’s expression shifted from confusion to disbelief, his jaw tightening in frustration. How could this be happening? Why hadn’t Skyler caught this issue earlier? He had trusted him to ensure everything was in order before even arranging this meeting.
It was infuriating and a waste of time.
While Theodore was fuming in anger, O’Neil’s face drained of color. The sudden revelation had struck him with fear, and his mind raced to find a way out of the impending disaster. He knew the game was up, and there was no longer any point in trying to deceive them. The thought of what Theodore might do to him chilled the blood in his veins.
Skyler’s eyes burned with fury as he locked onto O’Neil. "He lied to us," he spat. "He tried to sell the property that’s already mortgaged."
Theodore’s gaze shifted to O’Neil, who was now visibly trembling. First, he would deal with him, then he would talk to Skyler.
"Explain!" he hissed coldly.
O’Neil’s composure crumbled entirely. He dropped to his knees; desperation etched across his face. "Please, forgive me," he begged. "I was wrong. I lied to you. But... I do want to sell the property."
He swallowed the lump in his throat and added, "Two years ago, I mortgaged the property to pay off my debts. But now the interest is too high. I don’t have enough money to pay it back. If I can’t pay him back, the lender will take the property. I thought... if I sold it for a high price, I could pay off the mortgage and then hand over the property to you."
Theodore’s expression hardened as he listened to O’Neil’s words. The anger that had been simmering within him began to boil over. This man had tried to pull a fast one on him, to trick him into a deal that would have caused nothing but trouble.
"You tried to sell a property that isn’t even yours!" Theodore roared, his eyes blazing with anger. "This is a scam. Do you have any idea what the legal penalties for this could be?" His face twisted in fury as he loomed over O’Neil.
O’Neil cowered before Theodore, his entire body trembling. "Please, don’t report me to the police. If you still want this property, I’m willing to make a deal. Help me repay the debts, and I’ll sell it to you for a minimum amount. Just—just don’t turn me in."
The arrogance and confidence he had shown earlier had completely evaporated, leaving behind only a man on the brink of ruin, clinging to whatever sliver of hope he could find.
Hearing his words, a glimmer of hope flickered in Skyler’s eyes. They could get the property in that location at a much lower price. He slightly leaned over to Theodore and murmured in his ear, "Sir, we could get that property for a much lower price. We should consider it."
Before Theodore could respond, Bella’s sharp bark pierced the air. "Why would we buy disputed land?" Her gaze, laser-like, drilled into O’Neil. "We don’t know who the lender is or what kind of contract you’ve signed with him. We won’t get involved in your mess. If you need money, we can lend it to you at a high interest rate. But we won’t buy the property until you clear the documents."
Skyler’s patience snapped. "Can you please keep your mouth shut for a moment? We’re talking to him, aren’t we?"
Theodore held up his hand and silenced him. "Get out," he roared at O’Neil. "We don’t need you here."
"But..." O’Neil was stunned. He hadn’t anticipated that Theodore would agree with his secretary so readily without considering his offer.
Theodore’s command was final. "Leave," he repeated, not allowing O’Neil to continue.
Defeated, O’Neil scrambled to his feet and dashed out the door.
Skyler was surprised too. "Why did you ask him to leave?" he questioned, bewildered. "We could have talked to him."
"If you had done your research properly, we wouldn’t be in this situation," Theodore growled. "That man was clearly trying to scam us. He would have succeeded if it weren’t for Bella."
Skyler’s face flushed with embarrassment, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to form a response. He had underestimated the situation, and now Theodore was furious with him as well.
Skyler’s gaze flickered towards Bella, his heart heavy with guilt and shame. "I’m sorry, sir," he apologized, his head bowed. "It’s my fault for not checking it properly. As soon as I got the information, I rushed here."
He sneakily glanced at Bella, wondering how she knew about the land dispute. "I’m glad you didn’t fall for his trap," he added. "If not, I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself."
Skyler’s apology did nothing to quell Theodore’s disappointment. "I was about to sign the documents," he hissed with displeasure. "But Bella warned me. I don’t know how she learned about the dispute."
Not only Theodore but Skyler also turned to her curiously, their minds filled with the same question: How did she know?
Bella understood their thoughts. "I overheard someone discussing the land at work," she replied, avoiding mentioning Zack’s name as she feared Theodore would get mad and misunderstand her.
"But we could have gotten this property at a much cheaper price," Skyler interjected, still confused about Theodore’s decision to send the man away.
"Why are you so fixated on this land?" Bella asked sternly. "You can find a better property."
"This property is in a prime location, ideal for the plaza project," Skyler argued with a hint of annoyance. Bella clearly didn’t understand business. Why was she interfering in this matter?
Bella, however, had a different perspective. "Why invest in disputed land when we can get a better place?" she countered. Turning to her husband, she requested, "Theodore, I have a bad feeling about this land. Don’t buy it, even if it’s cheaper."
"Bella, you don’t know about the project, so keep your opinions to yourself," Skyler interjected.
Bella, unfazed, responded with a calm smile. "You’re right. I don’t know much about the business side of things. But I do know how important this project is to Theodore. It’s not just any project; it’s something his father envisioned before he passed away. If that’s the case, it deserves the best effort. Don’t just settle on this location because it’s in the center of the city. Consider the long-term growth potential."
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