Chapter 86: Debt
Chapter 86: Debt
Jack didn't expect Rachel to suddenly show up.He was stunned for a moment, a weird expression on his face.
"I… You know nothing.When you were born and your mother was in the hospital, I had to take charge of the Bennet Group.You have no idea how much work that was.I was working around the clock, so I…"
Rachel had enough of his excuses.
"You were so busy that you didn't have time to visit my dying mother.Is that what you're saying?" She took a seat on the sofa, crossed her legs and leaned back, looking straight into Jack's eyes.
His face pale visibly.
The last thing he wanted to talk about was his ex-wife, Elisa.
Just the mention of her name reminded him of his choice to marry into her family and move in her home.
He couldn't handle the humiliation.
Even though Elisa had been dead for twenty-four years, no matter how hard he tried to forget, he was still living under the shadow of being a kept man.
"Rachel! Is this how you talk to your father? I thought you were raised better than that! There were several matters that needed my attention at that time, and that's why I wasn't with your mother when she breathed her last.Is that so hard to believe?" Jack snapped at his daughter.
"Matters that needed your attention…"
Rachel' sneered, her eyes flashing with anger.
"Perhaps I have been too harsh with you.Running a company is indeed time-consuming! I have a question, though.Since you were so busy at the time, Mr.Jenkins, where did you find the time to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau for a marriage license? You know, to get married to Caroline.And that was less than a week after my mother's death."
Jack stammered, looking like a flopping fish..
Rachel looked at him through narrowed eyes.
"My mother waited for you three whole days.And you're complaining that you had to wait two hours for me? Trust me, it can never make up to what you have done."
Jack shivered under her hard stare.Andy poured a glass of water for Rachel and walked forward.
"Here.You must be parched after all that talking."
Rachel seemed genuinely confused for a second.She didn't understand what came over Andy, until she saw Jack's livid face.
And it hit her! Andy wanted to back Rachel up after hearing what Jack said.
So, he deliberately poured water for her while completely ignoring her father and the empty tea cup before him.
Jack had never been treated like this before.He was used to Caroline sweet-talking him and his servants bending over backwards to please him.
Now he was looking at Andy furiously, that insignificant lawyer who would dare ignore him like he was nothing! Jack's face had turned a deep crimson.
"You are an ungrateful little brat.I raised you and supported you…"
Jack shouted, spittle flying from his mouth, but Rachel cut in.
"If you came here today just to tell me how much money my upbringing cost you, then be my guest.Perhaps we can also figure out where did all my mother's money go.The Bennet family's fortune, I mean."
Jack's anger was off the charts now, but he couldn't ignore the guilt gnawing on his insides.
Every single penny he had spent these last years, had actually belonged to the Bennet family.He didn't have a dime to his name.
"Andy, could you please fetch me a pen, a piece of paper and a calculator? I need to run some numbers," Rachel said, turning to face Andy in an attempt to hide the smile that tugged the corners of her mouth at the sight of the guilty look on Jack's face.
"That's not why I'm here today," Jack hurriedly said, unable to conceal his uneasiness.
Rachel raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything.She just took a sip of water, waiting for her father to continue.He regained his composure and sat back down, clearing his throat.
"You know what happened to your sister, right?"
"My sister?"
Rachel shot back casually, "Mr.Jenkins, You must be mistaken.I have no siblings.My mother passed away not long after she gave birth to me, and since I'm her only child… So, you see, I don't have a sister."
At Rachel's sarcastic reply, Jack was enraged, mostly at the sound of the sarcastic words on his daughter's lips.
He snapped.
"Rachel! I'm your father and I demand that you show some respect! Calling me Mr.Jenkins as if I am a stranger? I raised you better than that! Remember your manners." Rachel smiled.
"My manners? You have such a poor memory, Mr.Jenkins.I never really knew my mother and my father… Well, you were always working! And when you had some time, you chose to spend it with your new wife and her daughter.There was never any time for me.So you see, no one ever taught me manners."
Jack looked like a cornered animal and tried to change the subject, "As I was saying, your sister, Alice, was fired.And you were there when it all happened.That's why I came here today."
"Oh, I see." Rachel pretended to look surprised, blinking innocently.
"Indeed, I was there and yet did nothing.Did Alice tell you she lost her job because of me? Is this why you came here today? To blame me?"
"Alice didn't say anything like that.She is not that kind of person," Jack spat back smugly.
Rachel was smiling, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"I'm here because I hope you can persuade Victor to change his mind and hire Alice again," Jack said, as if it was a sure thing that Rachel would help Alice.
Rachel had always known that her father was a useless, pathetic scumbag, but she didn't expect that he could also be so shameless.
Rachel burst into laughter, "Help Alice get her job back?"
"Yes.No matter what happened between you two, remember she is your sister.You may not like it, but it's the truth.And now your sister needs your help," Jack said, trying to sound like a good father, breaking up a fight between his naughty children.
"First of all, Victor fired Alice, not me.Second, he and I are divorced, so he won't be doing me any favors.What makes you think I can change his mind? Things have been pretty bad between us lately," Rachel said coldly, her eyes full of disdain.
"I can't help Alice.Find someone else.Andy, please, see him out."
Jack frowned at her blunt refusal.
"Nonsense!"
Rachel narrowed her eyes and stared at her father silently, which seemed to make him really uncomfortable.
He licked his dry lips and went on.
"Well, some of it seems about right.Victor won't change his mind easily.But your mother saved his grandmother's life! He owes you a life debt.He agreed to marry you because of it and you were together for two years even after his grandmother died.Such a debt can't be paid so easily.If you beg him to take Alice back for your mother's sake, he will."
Bringing up the debt, that was low, even for Jack.
Looking at his face, Shelia felt disgusted.
She had known clearly what kind of person he was, but still she didn't completely cut ties with him because he was Rachel's biological father.
And now she regretted that decision.
"Alice is a brilliant girl.She graduated from one of the best universities in the country.She worked hard for a long time before she got the chance to join the Sullivan Group.She was fired not because of the quality of her work, but due to personal issues.I think it's really unfair.And if the Sullivan Group announces that they'll never hire her again, her future will be ruined.You can help her; you can't just sit and do nothing…"
"Fatherly love! So touching,"
Rachel interrupted, not even trying to conceal her sarcasm.NôvelDrama.Org owns all content.