Love Her to No End
Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Chapter 48 Crises And Disappointments

The atmosphere within Jacob Real Estate had dropped to freezing point, but the caller on the other endhad no way of knowing. Despite being hung up on repeatedly, she kept up her stubborn persistence indialing.

When he could not bear it anymore, Jacob finally picked up. “Hello!” he barked, trying to suppress theanger in his voice.

“I can’t replace Zack, Dad!”

After leaving Shappiray Mansion, Lucille searched almost everywhere for where Zack might appear butdid not manage to replace anything.

After ignoring her calls, he eventually turned off his phone. It was as if Zack’s appearance the nightbefore had been a hallucination.

I had everything planned. What went wrong?

Intuition told Lucille that something must have happened.

Calling her father in desperation, Lucille did not expect Jacob to be overwhelmed at that moment.

After hearing Lucille’s voice, Jacob became even angrier. “What good are you if you can’t even keep aneye on your own man, Lucille? Let me be clear. I applaud you for successfully marrying into the Xanderfamily. But if Zack doesn’t want you, never show yourself before me again. Do you know that it was

because of you that I have even managed to offend Jonathan? Do you want the entire Lingard family tobe ruined because of you?”

“Can’t you see, Dad? I’m the only one who makes sacrifices for the Lingards! Michaela only plays thevictim to gain sympathy. Earlier, if I hadn’t managed to get out of the way in time, Mr. Xander’s car wouldhave run me over. I am your true heir, Dad!”

Upon recalling her earlier encounter, Lucille’s pulse quickened with fear. Originally intending to obtain asliver of sympathy from her father, she was dismayed to discover that the voice on the other end wasnothing but livid. “Shut your mouth! Didn’t I warn you yesterday? Never provoke Michaela again. Did yourbrain fall out? You might as well die and spare us all the trouble of having you around!”

Jacob was happy to see Lucille and Zack make things work as he aspired to curry favor with the Xanderfamily.

He would never have imagined that Jonathan would protect Michaela to such a degree. It only tookseveral misplaced words of anger to have the entire company plunged into peril.

Despite having rushed back to the company in the middle of the night to deal with the matter, it wasalready too late.

By that point, self-preservation was a higher priority than his unrealistic endeavors.

Though she always knew of her father’s distance, Lucille’s eyes screwed up at the cruel words from hismouth. “Dad!” she cried in disbelief.

“I’ll tell you again – Michaela is now being protected by Jonathan. You will not provoke her anymore.Also, I will not offend Jonathan for you. I expect you to think for yourself and never bother me again!”

After hanging up, Jacob threw the phone on the ground in a rage just as his secretary knocked on thedoor and came in. She froze in her approach upon witnessing the scene.

With the sudden predicament the company was placed in, every employee was equally susceptible.There were rumors that Jacob had offended somebody he could not afford to offend and that Jacob RealEstate may go bankrupt at any time.

Despite Jacob pulling an all-nighter to resolve the issue, there was nothing he could do.

If it was not for the emergency, the secretary did not want to be in Jacob’s vicinity at that moment.

“What is it?” Jacob asked coldly.

“The survey report for the plot of land has come out, Mr. Lingard. Nothing can be built on it. Thefoundation cannot be penetrated from being full of hard stones and dense rock. The businessman whosold the piece of land to us has run away. The reports he provided were also false.”

The secretary observed Jacob’s expression cautiously as she delivered her report.

As the final syllable rang from her lips, Jacob suddenly stood up and swept everything off his desk to thefloor. “Godd*mn it!”

Since the cancellation of Michaela and Zack’s wedding, Jacob Real Estate had lost several projects oneafter another. Even the partnerships that had been successfully secured prior were suddenly backingout.

It was then that the businessman appeared with the plot of land.

Being originally untempted, Jacob later heard that several real estate companies in the city were activelyexpressing their interest and gathering preliminary research. Sensing an opportunity, Jacob brought aprofessional team to the site for an inspection before making contact with the businessman.

After smashing its way through countless obstacles and breaking through the siege of its competitor’spressure by spending almost everything it had, all Jacob Real Estate got in return was a plot of

wasteland.

Jacob’s mood at that moment was easy to predict. With his hands on his waist, he panted heavily withanger for a long while before speaking again. “If we keep the media quiet now, what are the chances offlipping this piece of land?”

“Almost none!” the secretary said bluntly.

If it were not for the urgent news they received about the land the night before, they would not havethought that there would be problems with the plot of land.

As the news was already leaked, it was easier said than done to stop tongues from wagging.

“What do you think we should we do now?”

Hardly built as a businessman, Jacob had only managed to make some money from following the trendas the past couple of years had been good. On top of the special privileges of being Old Mr. Simmons’sson-in-law, he naturally received much attention and recommendations.

Ever since Adrian’s demise, the pressure exerted by his competitors had been steadily increasing yearby year. The emergence of many young people who had better brains, ideas, and capabilities than himrevealed the extent of Jacob’s actual potential.

Surprised that her boss had sought her opinion, the secretary took her time to consider the matter beforeanswering cautiously. “Call the police!”

In the best-case scenario, the businessman would be apprehended before he spends all the money. Ifthat happens, Jacob Real Estate would still be able to recover some compensation which would spareme from having to lose everything as I have now.

“I’ll keep it under advisement!” Jacob could not hide the tiredness on his face.

Once the matter became a police case, it would be as good as announcing to the public that Jacob RealEstate had been deceived. By then, it would be hard to imagine anybody willing to do business with himas the joke of Quakersville.

But if the police was not alerted, the businessman would get away scot-free. The loss alone would beunbearable for Jacob Real Estate which would make the company’s demise only a matter of time.

Although everything that was happening seemed to have nothing to do with Jonathan, Jacob had thevague suspicion that it was he who was orchestrating everything from the shadows.

“One more thing!” The secretary put the list of accounts sorted in her hand on the desk before remindinghim. “Our cash flow at this juncture can only keep us afloat for another three months, Mr. Lingard. Youmust make a decision as soon as possible!”

“I am aware of it. You may leave!”

Recognizing Jacob’s gesture of dismissal, the secretary turned and walked out of the office.

At that exact moment, Lucille dragged her tired body back to Zack’s apartment.

From the time she was sent to the orphanage, she knew that she would have nowhere to turn to and relyon. She had long since seen through her father’s indifference toward her.

Zack was the only lifeline she had that she could not afford to lose.

Still lost in thought about where Zack might be, it took her several moments to notice the pair of men’sleather shoes at the door of the apartment when she walked in. Joyous surprise flashed in her eyes.

“Zack!”

Lucille was about to remove her shoes when she froze in her movement at the sight of the briefcase.

Lucille raised her head at the sound of footsteps approaching and saw Zack coming out. He appearedhungover the night before and reeked of alcohol.

There was stubble on his cheeks. His collar was undone and his sleeves were rolled up, revealing hisstrong and powerful forearms. When he saw Lucille, the love and affection of the past were no longerthere. Only coldness and indifference remained in his eyes.

“How much did you drink, Zack? You didn’t come back all night. I spent an entire day looking for you.What happened? Did your uncle teach you another lesson?”

Lucille was about to step forward but Zack took a step back to avoid her touch. “Go away,” he saidplainly. “Never show yourself before me again.”