The Rich Son-In-Law

chapter 8:Triumph.

"I can't believe you did that," Sarah said as she nervously paced the room. Her voice was tense, and she clearly wasn't pleased with Aaron's decision.

"See, honey, I told you he was good for nothing," Amanda chimed in, her tone dripping with disdain. "He's going to be the death of us. Just divorce him already."

"I'm going to lose my company—to James of all people! Why? What were you thinking?" Sarah said, her frustration boiling over.

Aaron took a deep breath and stepped closer. "Sarah," he began calmly, "can't you see the opportunity that has been given to us? If you can secure a partnership with Apex, Grandma will have no choice but to respect you. This is your chance to prove yourself."

Sarah crossed her arms. "Prove myself? Do you have any idea how much pressure you've put on me? What if I fail?"

Aaron's expression softened. "I trust you, Sarah. You're smart, capable, and more than up to the challenge. You just need to believe in yourself as much as I do."

Amanda scoffed loudly. "Trust her? Belief won't stop James from taking over her company when she messes this up." She shot Sarah a pointed look. "You're making a mistake even trying. Just admit defeat now and save yourself the embarrassment."

Aaron turned to Amanda, his tone firm but measured. "If Sarah were half as negative as you, she wouldn't have made it this far. Maybe show some support instead of tearing her down."

Amanda rolled her eyes but stayed silent. Sarah sighed, rubbing her temples. "I need to prepare for tomorrow," she said, heading toward her room. As she closed the door behind her, Aaron called out gently, "You've got this, Sarah. I believe in you."

The next day, Aaron drove Sarah to Apex Realty's offices. As they approached the towering building, he could tell Sarah was visibly nervous. Her fingers tapped restlessly against the car's armrest, and she avoided looking at him.

"Don't worry, Sarah. You'll do great," Aaron said, trying to reassure her.

Sarah remained silent, staring out the window. She was still angry at Aaron and had little hope she'd succeed. The stakes were too high, and failure seemed inevitable.

When they finally arrived, Sarah stepped out of the car and walked into the building without a word. Aaron watched her go, whispering a quiet, "Good luck."

Inside, Sarah was greeted by a bustling lobby packed with people. The scene was nearly identical to the day before, with business representatives eagerly waiting their turn. She hesitated, debating whether to join the line, but before she could move, a receptionist approached her.

"Good morning," the receptionist greeted her warmly. "Are you Mrs. Prescott?"

Sarah blinked in surprise. "Yes, I am," she replied cautiously.

"Please follow me, ma'am," the receptionist said, motioning for Sarah to accompany her.

Sarah's heart raced as she followed the woman. Being singled out only added to her anxiety. "Are they going to kick me out?" she wondered. Her mind spun with scenarios as they walked through the sleek corridors of Apex Realty. Finally, they reached a large door. The receptionist opened it and gestured for Sarah to enter.

Inside, Sarah found Natalie Stirling sitting at an impressive desk. Natalie stood quickly, smiling as she extended her hand to greet Sarah.

"Mrs. Prescott, my name is Natalie Stirling. I've heard so many wonderful things about you. It's an honor to finally meet you," Natalie said warmly.

Sarah was taken aback by the gesture. After all, this was the CEO of a major company, and her demeanor was completely different from how James and Jeremy had been treated. Of course she had no idea that her husband was the real CEO and that he had set this whole meeting up.

"It's nice to meet you too, Miss Stirling," Sarah replied awkwardly, still unsure of how to respond to the unexpected kindness.

The two women sat down, and Sarah began by apologizing for any offense the Prescotts might have caused. Natalie quickly waved off her concerns.

"There's no need for an apology," Natalie said. "We hold no grudge against your family."

Feeling slightly more at ease, Sarah proceeded to explain why a partnership with the Prescotts would be beneficial for Apex. She outlined their strengths and the value they could bring to the project. But just a few minutes into her pitch, Natalie raised a hand to stop her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Prescott, but I've heard enough," Natalie said.

Sarah's heart sank. She feared she'd made a mistake, but Natalie's next words left her speechless.

"We at Apex would be happy to work with you," Natalie said with a smile. She pulled out a set of documents and placed them on the table. "Here is a copy of the contract. Please take your time to review it and seek a second opinion to ensure the terms are favorable."

Sarah, still in shock, took the contract and placed it in her briefcase. She stood, shook Natalie's hand, and thanked her before leaving the office.

Meanwhile, Aaron waited in the car, idly playing Candy Crush on his phone. When he saw Sarah walk out, he quickly put his phone away. She got into the car without saying a word, her expression unreadable.

Aaron grew concerned. "How did it go?" he asked cautiously.

Sarah said nothing for a moment, then suddenly burst into joy. She bounced in her seat and hugged Aaron tightly.

"I can't believe it! I did it!" she exclaimed, her voice full of excitement.

Aaron smiled, his heart swelling with pride. "That's amazing, Sarah. I knew you could do it."

Sarah beamed, her earlier anger at Aaron forgotten. "Now it's time to share the news with everyone else," she said. When they arrived at the Prescott mansion, the tension in the air was palpable. The family sat in the grand living room, their faces marked with worry. Ever since Aaron's directive had caused businesses to sever ties with the Prescotts, their fortunes had been in free fall. Few believed Sarah would succeed, but they clung to a sliver of hope.

As Aaron and Sarah entered, they maintained neutral expressions, not wanting to reveal the outcome just yet. Before anyone could speak, James stood up.

"Oh, Sarah," he said mockingly. "I knew you couldn't handle such a simple matter. It's clear you bring no value to this family. This is why your company should go to more capable hands."

Aaron rolled his eyes. "The irony," he muttered under his breath.

Before James could continue, Sarah interrupted him. "Are you done yet, James? Because if you are, I'd like to share that I succeeded."

Audible gasps filled the room. No one had expected this outcome.

"Lies!" James shouted. "Show us the proof!"

Sarah calmly took the contract from her briefcase and slammed it onto the table. The document silenced some doubters, but others, like James, remained skeptical.

"It's fake," James declared. "There's no way you got a contract so quickly."

Eleanor banged the table, commanding silence. She grabbed the contract, put on her reading glasses, and examined the document carefully. To her surprise, it seemed legitimate. The terms were incredibly favorable to the Prescotts, including a 30% share in the project's profits—a deal worth billions over the years.

Eleanor sent a copy to the family's lawyers, who confirmed its authenticity within minutes. She leaned back in her chair, struggling to hide her amazement.

"Well, child, it seems you've outdone yourself this time," Eleanor said, reluctant to offer too much praise but unable to deny Sarah's success.

Aaron grinned and turned to James. "It's time to hold up your end of the bargain. Sarah will be taking your company, and you have to kneel down and call her master."

James's face turned red with rage. "I will do no such thing!" he spat.

Aaron shrugged. "A deal is a deal, James. You made the terms yourself."

The other family members murmured in agreement. Despite their resentment toward Aaron, they believed James had to honor his word.

Eleanor sighed. "Come on, James. You promised. Now keep your word."

Fuming, James slowly got down on his knees. "Master," he said softly, his voice dripping with humiliation.

"We can't hear you," Aaron teased. "Say it louder."

James gritted his teeth, his anger barely contained. "Master!" he shouted, the word echoing through the room.

Some family members chuckled, unable to hide their amusement at James's humiliation. Sarah also chuckled at the site, after all the trouble james had given her it was nice see him get what he derseved. Eleanor dismissed the meetinga and everyone left the room except james who was seething in Anger.

When Aaron and Sarah returned home that evening, Sarah couldn't stop smiling. It had been a spectacular day. She had signed a billion-dollar contract, secured leadership of the Crimson Valley project, and watched James be humbled.

Meanwhile, back at the Prescott mansion, James was seething. "Granny," he pleaded, "Sarah isn't qualified to run such a massive project. She might have gotten the contract, but that doesn't mean she has the ability. For all we know, she seduced the CEO. Please transfer the project back to me."

Eleanor fully agreed with James, she was. "Alright James you can have the project" James was happy to hear this. "And my company" he asked. Not yet, let Sarah run it for now but you will eventually get it back.