AWAKENED INTO GODLIKE

Chapter 5: Who is he?

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Margaret jerked up from the chair so fast it scraped the marble and left marks.

Her eyes darkned in anger.

"This is an insult!" Her voice cut through the room like a whip. "Get on your knees right now and apologize to Mr. Blackthorn maybe I'll he'll let this embarrassment slide and forgive you!!"

Zane exhaled softly and allowed the torn cheque to fall to the ground like it was mere trash.

His expression was calm and unbothered despite the anger on Margaret's face that promised to consume anything. Not Zane. Never him.

"Knee?" He scoffed, Shaking his head gently.

'What is it with you and kneeling. You're so worked up because I refuse his petty offer. Is it because you're you won't have the benefits from your cheap buyer?"

His voice was maddeningly calm and in an inexplicable way, it infuriated Margaret even more.

His finger curled so tight at the side, trembling with anger that was visible in her expression.

"You either knee and apologize to Mr. Blackthorn or I'll throw to you out of this house!"

She threatened, aware Zane and Tara had nowhere to go.

Jackson Blackthorn sat silent in his seat, anger burning inside him. He'd never been embarrassed like this. He'd always buy his way out through anything and he had never been rejected. The rejected felt like a slap. Not only to his face but also to the pride his money gave him.

Zane rose to his feet, holding Tara's wrist.

"You don't have to say it, Margaret," Zane said, his voice still calm and firm. "We're not staying where we're not wanted either. You and your husband insulted us."

Zane moved, holding Tara's hand. Together, they walked out of the house. The door clicked shut behind them.

Silence fell in the room.

Margaret stared at the door through which they left, her expression dropped in shock mixed with disbelief like what she just witnessed was something out of a dream he never for once imagined. Mr. Sterling's expression mirrored her's.

"What just happened, Margaret, Sterling." Jackson Blackthorn finally spoke up, his voice tight with restrained anger. "I thought you told me you concluded our discussion. Did you put up this act with your useless son-in-law to embarrass me?" His voice rose angrily with every word.

Margaret walked up to him quickly, apologetic words tumbling out from his mouth.

"Mr. Blackthorn please..we are sorry about this embarrassment.. the deal was already concluded. We accept you as our son-in-law. That bastard suddenly veered from what we discussed. Please, we'll handle this at our end."

"Handle this?" He scoffed, casting them a disdainful gaze. "How will that make up for this embarrassment from you and your son-in-law. I'm out of here!!"

He started walking out.

Margaret stood in his path, holding his hand and stuttering apology and begging for another chance to make things right.

"Please, Mr. Blackthorn. This fell through from our own end. It is not entirely our fault. Please give me us a second chance to make things up to you."

"You don't deserve it! Not after watching that useless son-in-law insult me!" He yanked free from her.

"What about the money?? The $30 million contract with the Blackthorn cooperation.."

Jackson spun back just when he reached the door, his eyes blazing inferno.

His gaze alone was enough to indicate that all his promises for the Sterlings family was severed.

Without any other words, he turned away and walked out, the door slammed shut behind him.

"Oh, God...that bastard has put this family in trouble. Everything we planned has just fallen apart because of him."

"He is going to come back." Mr. Sterling said with a confident voice. "He has nowhere to go. He's just playing tough. Zane is just a gambler greedy for more. He's come back begging for what he threw away."

He said with the conviction of his own reasoning.

Margaret exhaled sharply, his mind calming under his husband's words but her face still carried worry.

"Mr. Blackthorn is angry. How do we appease? The $30 million contract is on the line. That investment is going to make this family business skyrocket. We can't loose it. We can't afford to."

"You're right, honey." Mr. Sterlings said, trying to sound calm like he had the situation under control. Since the previous night, Zane's characters had been surprising to him and it was just inexplicable for a man who had always lick their boots and swallowed the dirt. "You know..I think he's only trying to make himself feel important for once. $10 million is a huge amount he won't afford to lose."

A thought suddenly struck Margaret's mind. Her head snapped up.

"Don't you think Zane is trying to play smart with us," she said thoughtfully. "He is not someone to just reject a huge amount of money. He'd licked out boot for lesser. He's going to go behind our back and gets all the benefits!!"

The thought took form in her mind and it makes sense.

Mr. Sterlings nodded, his mind opening up to the new thought.

"You're right." He said. " We need to inform Mr. Blackthorn about this quickly." He snatched his phone from the table to dail Mr. Blackthorn's number.

Outside, Jackson Blackthorn stepped his luxurious car and slammed the door shut. His knuckles whitened around the Steering wheel, anger flooding through him like a living thing. He'd never been humiliated like this, never been rejected for once. Yet, a nobody, the useless son-in-law of the Sterling family had just humiliated him.

As a man who was used to influence and power, he recognize when people have something hidden in their cupboard that gives them such confidence.

"Who is he? " He croaked. "That apparent nobody humiliated me." His jaw tightened, his inner being bitter as bile merely recalling Zane's rejection.

He pulled out his phone. His finger jabbed on the screen frantically as he pulled up a contact.

"I need you to look into someone. Everything little details about him. He's useless outwardly so dig deeper and find me something different."