THE AWAKEN RAYMOND WEST STRIKE BACK

Chapter 4

Megan continued, her tone firm and unwavering.  

“According to the calculations and projections, everyone is going to make more money this way. Simon already assured me that they’ll use premium, high‑quality materials for the vehicles. That alone will increase the overall value and profit margin.”  

She lifted her chin slightly. 

“I discussed it with my family. We sat down and looked at everything carefully. And we all agreed that giving the contract to Simon was the smartest decision.”  

She gave a small shrug. 

“So yes, I did it. And instead of standing there acting proud like your pride alone is going to take you somewhere greater you should be grateful.”  

At that moment, Simon adjusted himself in his seat, sitting upright with quiet confidence. He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. The faint smile on his face said enough. It was a smile of victory, of ownership, of someone who knew he had already won.  

Megan’s parents remained silent, watching Raymond as though his outrage was nothing more than an inconvenience.  

Raymond stood there, utterly stunned. The shock rooted him to the floor. He couldn’t speak. He couldn’t even process the words properly.  

He tried to make sense of it in his head. Tried to justify it somehow. Maybe she was being pressured. Maybe her parents had blackmailed her. 

Maybe Simon had forced her into it. Maybe there was something he didn’t know. Maybe she was protecting him in some twisted way.  

He wanted to hear that. He expected her to say she had no choice. That she had been manipulated. That she was threatened.  

But instead, she stood there boldly, telling him to his face that his company wasn’t good enough that they had all made a decision behind his back and handed over the very thing he had worked tirelessly for to Simon.  

That was what he couldn’t comprehend.  

For Megan’s sake, he had pushed himself beyond exhaustion. He had sacrificed sleep, pride, comfort everything just to build a future where she would never lack anything.  

He couldn’t believe it.

At that moment Raymond finally spoke, his voice low and hollow, as though the strength had been drained from it.  

“I thought you were being blackmailed,” he said, looking at Megan. 

“I told myself there had to be a reason. I kept thinking maybe someone threatened you, maybe you were forced to do it. That was the only way I could explain why you would give my idea to someone else.”  

He let out a bitter breath. “I kept making excuses for you in my head. I wanted to hear that there was something anything that made this make sense. But what you’re saying now… these excuses… I can’t accept them. Not like this.”  

Before Megan could respond, her father cut in sharply.  

“Enough. Keep your mouth shut, Raymond,” he said coldly. “This is exactly who you are always prideful, always trying to prove a point, always acting like you’re some kind of savior. You pretend not to care about your ideas, yet you cling to them like they’re your entire identity.”  

He stepped forward, his voice rising. “Yes, we saw that your idea was good. It was for the benefit of everyone. That’s why we took it without telling you. You’re part of this family, and that means we can make decisions for you without your consent. It’s not a big deal.”  

Immediately his eyes hardened.

 “What have you ever done for this family? You’ve been making decisions for yourself all these years, and no one interfered. No one stopped you. But the first time we make a decision on your behalf, look at the result. Success is finally coming our way.”  

He scoffed. 

“Ever since you married into this family, it has been one disgrace after another. Now we finally have a chance to move forward. The York family has been declining for years ever since you became part of it over three years ago.”  

He shook his head in disgust.

 “All the people we used to associate with have moved on. They don’t want anything to do with us anymore. I can’t even go out with my friends they’ve outgrown me, because their daughters married into respectable, successful families.”  

He paused, letting his words sink in.  

“And you Raymond, in the past three years what have you done? You’ve done nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

Megan’s father wasn’t finished. He let out a dry laugh and shook his head.  

“Didn’t you hear what Megan just said?” he continued.

 “Simon is going to double the money. Double it. So what exactly is the problem? Why are you so angry? Why are you acting like the sky is falling simply because your idea was used?”  

He spread his hands mockingly. 

“An idea you probably wouldn’t even be able to execute. An idea that might have collapsed under your own limitations. Who knows? You might have lost the contract halfway through and embarrassed all of us in the process.”  

His tone turned sharper, almost taunting. 

“If you weren’t so blinded by pride, you would see the opportunity in front of you. Instead of shouting here, you should be thanking Simon. In fact, you should swallow that pride of yours and beg him for a position in his company.”  

Simon’s smirk deepened, but he remained silent.  

“Yes,” Megan’s father pressed on. “You could work under him. At least that way your so‑called brain would finally be put to use. You have ideas, but you don’t know how to turn them into anything profitable. You create concepts you cannot sustain. So why not hand them over to someone who actually knows how to maximize them?”  

Them he leaned in slightly, his words cutting like glass.  

“Maybe it’s time you accepted that your ideas are only valuable in someone else’s hands and you're born to follow others.”