Heir to an Indispensable Family

Chapter 9

At that moment Sarah felt like her whole world was crashing down around her. She couldn't believe her eyes the Ross Group was walking away after promising her they would make a sweet offer today. This couldn't be happening.

Mr. Andrea stopped and turned to look at Sarah. For just a split second, his eyes flashed with something that looked almost deadly, but then he controlled himself and his face went back to being completely professional.

“Your product?” He said the words like they left a bad taste in his mouth.

“I don't think so, Sarah. Fashion Icon will stay on hold until we decide what to do with it.”

Sarah's mind was spinning. She couldn't understand what he meant by that.

“But what if I get offers from other people? Other investors?” Her voice was getting more desperate by the second.

Mr. Andrea looked at her like she was a child who didn't understand how the world worked.

“You won't get any offers from anybody.” His voice was flat and final, indirectly telling her that the Ross Group had told everyone else to back away from her company.

The realization hit Sarah like a truck. Her heart started beating so fast she thought it might explode in her chest. The Ross Group had scared away all the other investors. They had that much power.

“What's the likelihood that the Ross Group will invest sometime in the upcoming week?”

Mr. Andrea finally stopped walking completely. He turned around one last time to look at Sarah with cold, emotionless eyes.

“The chances of the Ross Group investing in Fashion Icon for the entire existence of your company is one percent.” His voice was like ice. “One percent.”

With that final statement, he walked away and didn't look back.

The words made Sarah stood there like a statue, completely dumbstruck. She couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't breathe properly. What could possibly be the reason for the Ross Group to suddenly be this angry? Why were they not only refusing to invest, but also making sure nobody else could either?

James was furious inside his head, cursing the Ross Group with every bad word he could think of, but he didn't dare say any of it out loud. What was he going to tell his parents now? That the deal fell through? They desperately needed this money to save their business.

Sarah felt like she was drowning. She had been so confident this would work out that she'd spent most of her savings showing off around the neighborhood, buying expensive clothes and throwing parties to celebrate early. Now everything was on hold indefinitely.

She turned to James, opening her mouth to say something, when suddenly somebody's voice rang out loud and clear from the crowd.

“The Ross family is moving the announcement of their 25 million dollar lottery to Crown High University! According to this announcement, somebody from our school has won the lottery!”

Sarah and James couldn't believe what they just heard. Their hands moved like lightning as they both pulled out their phones to check the school forum.

There it was, posted just minutes ago - an official announcement about a Crown High University student winning the Ross family's 25 million dollar lottery.

Sarah's heart started pounding so hard she thought it might burst out of her chest.

“It's Hector!” she screamed.

Without another word, she turned and ran toward the exit as fast as her heels would carry her.

“Sarah! Wait! Sarah!” James called after her, but she didn't even turn around. She just kept running like her life depended on it.

As Sarah burst through the doors of the hall, her mind was racing faster than her feet. She had never asked Hector exactly how much money he won from his lottery. And now, thinking back to everything that happened, Hector had probably lied to her about donating all those expensive gifts to charity.

She couldn't believe it. Hector had 25 million dollars. Twenty-five million! And she had called him a poor rat and chosen James instead.

The thought was eating her alive, especially now that the Ross Group and every other investment company had abandoned her completely, making Fashion Icon look like nothing more than a pathetic joke.

Sarah rushed to everywhere she thought Hector might be, but he was nowhere to be found. Her desperation growing by the minute, she pulled out her phone and started calling him.

The phone rang and rang, but Hector didn't pick up.

She called again. Still nothing.

By the seventh call, she heard the automated message that made her blood run cold - “The number you have dialed is not available.”

Hector had blocked her.

Sarah felt a flash of anger, but she pushed it down. She couldn't afford to be emotional right now. She had to think smart.

She quickly pulled up the announcement on her phone again, reading every detail carefully. The lottery presentation was scheduled for 8pm at the school football pitch - still two hours away.

That gave her time to prepare.

Sarah practically sprinted back to her residence, her mind already planning her next move. She was sweating from running around in her current dress, and she needed to change anyway.

As she threw open her closet doors, she had only one goal in mind. She was going to pick the sexiest, most stunning outfit she owned. When Hector saw her tonight, she wanted him to realize exactly what he was about to miss if he didn't take her back.

There was no way she was going to let Hector and his 25 million dollars slip away from her.

Sarah arrived at the football pitch at exactly 8pm, wearing the most seductive outfit she could find in her closet. The entire place was already packed with students - it looked like half the university had shown up for this announcement.

The moment Sarah stepped into the crowd, she spotted James pushing through people, looking completely frantic and restless.

“Sarah!” James called out desperately as he rushed toward her.

“You can't do this to me! You're not seriously thinking of breaking up with me because of a scumbag like Hector, are you?”

Sarah looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language.

“I don't know what you're talking about, James.” Her voice was cold and distant.

“As far as I can remember, I never actually dated you before.”

Without waiting for his response, Sarah turned away and started pushing deeper into the crowd, scanning every face for any sign of Hector.

James followed behind her like a lost puppy, grabbing at her arm and trying to get her attention.

“Sarah, please! Don't do this! We had something special!” he pleaded, but Sarah kept moving forward, completely focused on her mission.

She had to find Hector before this lottery announcement was over, and James was just getting in her way of reuniting with her real target.