Vengeance of the Reborn Villain: This Time, I Defy Destiny

Ch 4: Consequences!

Damien decided to step back for the moment and wait for an opportunity in the future to teach Ethan a lesson.

Sitting on the sofa, Ethan saw the protagonist's inner turmoil.

He knew exactly why Damien was holding back, and it was precisely because of this that he was using this opportunity to suppress him.

Once Damien backed down, Ethan ignored the guy entirely for the moment and shifted his attention to the woman.

"Since President Veronica is so desperate to pursue 'freedom' and 'pure love,' the Ashford Family naturally cannot be the wicked villain standing in your way."

Ethan leaned back into the sofa and ordered his secretary, Isabella, to bring the lawyers.

Since he always had a team of lawyers on standby in the company, the team arrived in no time.

"Richard."

Ethan called out to the most senior lawyer, who was also the leader of the team, and ordered.

"Read out the list. I want President Veronica to hear exactly how many resources the Ashford Family has bled into the Harrington Group over the past two years just to maintain this 'marriage without an emotional foundation.'"

"Very well, President Ethan."

Richard opened his briefcase, took out a thick stack of documents, pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, and spoke in a mechanical, cold voice, like a judge reading out a death sentence.

"Two years ago, the Harrington Group's capital chain ruptured, leaving it on the verge of total bankruptcy. DJI Finance, a subsidiary of the Ashford Corporation, injected thirty million dollars in life-saving funds at zero interest to plug the deficit."

At the very first sentence, Veronica's knees trembled slightly. All the blood drained from her face, making her red lips lose color.

Richard didn't pause for her comfort. He flipped the page.

"Shortly after, the Harrington Group attempted to expand its overseas channels but repeatedly hit a wall. The Ashford Family stepped in as guarantor, surrendering a 5% share of our Northeastern market, equivalent to a market value of roughly 45 million USD, solely to pave the way for the Harrington Group."

"One year ago, the Harrington Group's new materials R&D center hit critical technical bottlenecks. The Ashford Corporation mobilized top-tier researchers from the Boing Academy of Science, providing free technical support alongside an additional capital investment of twenty million. Furthermore, over the last twenty-four months, by leveraging President Veronica’s status as the 'future young mistress of the Ashford family,' the Harrington Group secured inspection-free regulatory approvals, green-lit municipal projects, and various unsecured bank loans across the capital, involving a total sum of 100 million."

Each number was like a heavy hammer, slamming hard against Veronica's heart.

Richard closed the file, looked up, and fixed his sharp gaze on Veronica.

"Miss Veronica, as per Article 5 of the 'Pre-marital Commercial Supplementary Agreement' signed by both family heads, should the female party unilaterally move to terminate the engagement, she is legally obligated to return all direct capital investments, forfeit all channel shares, and pay an additional 40% penalty on the total sum. This is payable within three working days."

A suffocating silence fell upon the room, and only the slight rustling of Richard flipping through the documents could be heard.

Ethan picked up his teacup and gently blew off the steam and spoke.

"So, the principal of 95 million, plus the cash equivalent of the invisible resources and the breach-of-contract penalty... let's be generous and round it up to a flat 250 million USD."

He lifted his eyelids, and his gaze pierced straight through Veronica's bravado like a blade.

"Tell me, President Harrington. Do you intend to pay by card or by check?"

This time, Veronica was completely panicked. Her proud, iceberg-like face was now covered in cold sweat, and she could barely stand.

250 million USD.

Let alone 250 million, the Harrington Group couldn't even come up with 25 million in liquid capital right now.

Having always presented herself as an independent woman, believing that the Harrington Group's current glory was entirely due to her own hard work day and night and her exceptional business talent, she hated it when people saw her as Ethan's accessory, and she hated this marriage.

Until this moment, when that veil of decency was ruthlessly torn away by Ethan, and the bloody reality was laid bare before her.

Without the towering tree of the Ashford Family supporting her from behind, she, Veronica, and her proud Harrington Group were nothing more than an empty shell that could collapse at any moment.

"Eth... Ethan..."

Veronica's voice trembled, losing its usual aloofness and confidence, carrying an undeniable hint of pleading.

"You know very well what the Harrington family's current financial situation is. All the funds are tied up in that big project in the northern suburbs. 250 million... I can't come up with that. You... you are forcing the Harrington family onto a dead end!"

"Forcing you?"

Ethan laughed, as if he had heard some huge joke.

He set down the teacup, the porcelain making a crisp sound as it collided.

"Veronica, are you overestimating yourself? Without my Ashford family, your Harrington family could have gone bankrupt long ago. But do you really think the Ashford family runs a charity? My Ashford family poured hundreds of millions of dollars in real money, only to have you bring some wild man here today to slap me in the face?"

The smile on Ethan's face faded bit by bit, replaced by absolute coldness and boiling rage.

"You pursue your freedom, and I take back my investment. It's a fair and reasonable transaction, so how did it become me forcing you? As an adult, once you make a choice, you must have the awareness to bear the consequences."

Veronica felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

She looked at Ethan sitting on the sofa, only to find the man in front of her was completely unfamiliar.

Where had the eldest son of the Ashford family gone, the one who was always obedient and fawning toward her?

Panic, regret, helplessness—all these emotions merged and almost swallowed Veronica whole. But perhaps she was so unaccustomed to these emotions that even after fully understanding the reality, she couldn't accept it.

And seeing that even after her pleading like a pitiful woman, Ethan refused to back down, she became furious.

She, Veronica, had already lowered herself enough to speak humiliatingly to him and told him she couldn't come up with such a huge amount.

Was this not enough for him?

"Hmph! You dare to refuse me? Ethan, I order you to kneel and ask for forgiveness right now, or else I won't ever see your face again!"