The sky was pouring rain, and only a few pedestrians dotted the world outside.
Jason Forrester stood in the hallway, his expression grim. He'd lost count of how many cigarettes he'd smoked.
He lifted his gaze slightly to look at Megan Kane, who was walking toward him.
Megan Kane frowned in disgust, waving a hand through the swirling smoke. "What's up? You needed to see me about something?"
'She just loved it when Jason Forrester had to lower his proud head and ask her for a favor.'
A smirk pulled at the corner of Jason Forrester's mouth. He had no idea where the woman in front of him got her confidence.
"Blair White is looking for you. She's in the room at the end of the hall."
His voice was low and deep, as if the matter was of no consequence to him.
He was just passing along the message, nothing more.
"Why's she looking for me? Is it something good? Or is there money in it for me?"
"You can tell her I don't have time for this. I'm going home."
Megan Kane was in no mood to argue with Blair White. She was a psycho, not an idiot.
Why ruin a perfectly good mood by getting into a fight with a dog?
"If you don't go, the White Family is preparing to sue you. They've already submitted all the relevant evidence to the court."
Jason Forrester stubbed out his cigarette. Megan Kane stood on her tiptoes and playfully smoothed out his furrowed brow.
"Don't always be frowning. It'll make you ugly, and then I won't want you anymore."
"Suing is their right. Besides, we have plenty of money. You think we can't win a countersuit against them?"
Megan Kane naturally considered Jason Forrester's money to be her own property as well.
How else could she justify all the nights she'd spent serving and tending to him?
Jason Forrester laughed in exasperation. "Who told you my money is your money?"
"Oh, Jason Forrester, you don't say that when we're in bed, do you?"
"The only things missing between us are a marriage certificate and a baby. Do you really think you can escape?"
Megan Kane pinched Jason Forrester's chin. He was handsome, with sharp brows and bright eyes, but his personality was just too unhinged.
'But it doesn't matter if there's something wrong with his head.'
Megan Kane had it all figured out. If Jason Forrester died young, she would naturally inherit the entire Forrester family fortune.
Before Jason Forrester could respond, a sudden voice interrupted their thoughts.
"Are either of you the patient's family? His heart rate is fluctuating wildly. Please, come in quickly."
A doctor came rushing out of the hospital room, nearly tripping and falling.
Mr. Forrester was a man of high status. If he died here, there would be no explaining it away tomorrow.
The hospital wanted no part of that responsibility.
Mr. Forrester's hands trembled as he tried to reach out. He'd been admitted to the hospital after a sudden heart attack.
As for the workers still causing trouble at the construction site, no solution had yet been found to appease them.
"Jason, the family has a lot of black money projects from when we were starting out. You have to launder it, quickly. If you can't, then leave the country."
"Whatever you do, don't stay here. This old life of mine... I don't think I'm going to make it."
Tears streamed from the corners of Mr. Forrester's eyes. He had never imagined the day their schemes would be exposed, nor that the family he'd built could collapse so suddenly.
With someone powerful targeting the Forrester Family, they were already teetering on the brink; a single person couldn't prop them up alone.
Megan Kane disliked sentimental scenes, so she waited outside instead of coming in.
Jason Forrester's expression didn't change. He didn't believe the old man hadn't prepared a backup plan.
This wasn't the behavior of a man who was supposed to be steering the ship.
But Mr. Forrester's words did, in fact, come to an abrupt halt.
The two of them stared at each other, neither waiting for the other to continue.
"Are you finished?" Jason Forrester's eyes were filled with disbelief. 'Is he really just going to dump this entire mess in my lap?'
Mr. Forrester nodded. He wracked his brain but couldn't think of anything else he'd left unsaid.
"Good. In that case, I'm sorry, but I can't handle what's happening with the company either. I'm planning to leave the country tomorrow."
Jason Forrester was no fool. He would never allow himself to get dragged into the mud. When it was time to go, you go. You had to live freely.
Mr. Forrester nodded, feeling no particular sadness. His grandson's words were always this shocking.
But this time, there really was no backup plan. If his grandson wanted to leave, he wouldn't try to stop him.
What's done is done. There was no turning back.
Megan Kane toyed with an unlit cigarette in her hand as she watched Jason Forrester slowly walk out.
"What's wrong? Say something, don't be so quiet."
Megan Kane figured if there was no way out, they could just go their separate ways. Splitting the family assets fifty-fifty would be fine.
Jason Forrester ignored her, simply tossing a hotel business card at her.
Before Megan Kane could chase after him, a woman suddenly appeared and blocked her path.
"You have the nerve to show your face? Let me tell you, you've ruined my life."
"Megan Kane, I'm telling you, what goes around comes around."
"If you don't apologize to me today, I will absolutely sue you tomorrow."
Blair White sat in her wheelchair, a pitiful expression on her face. Her fate was simply tragic to the extreme.
Lady Luck had never once smiled upon her.
"I'm sorry. Happy now? You're acting like a childish brat all day long. Go get your head checked."
Megan Kane didn't think it was a big deal. It was just an apology.
After saying her piece, she turned to leave.
Blair White sat there, her face ashen. She stammered, unable to find any words to criticize.
But that "I'm sorry" left a deeply uncomfortable feeling in her heart.
"I don't accept your apology! You get back here."
"With an attitude like that, I'm telling you, I'm still going to sue you tomorrow."
"And I've already reported the case to the proper authorities. Don't think you can get away with this."
"You think I don't know what you're thinking? I'll have you know, everyone knows about your filthy intentions."
"Don't you just want to get close to Jason Forrester so you can scheme your way into his family's fortune? It's not like I can't see it."
"Megan Kane, if you want money, I'll give it to you. Just don't get in the way of our true love, okay?"
"I think you should know that people who sow discord in other people's relationships never come to a good end."
"Go on, name your price. I'll meet your demand."
Tears were on Blair White's cheeks, but her words were resolute.
She believed the woman before her was only after money.
"I'm not one to be greedy. One billion. And you arrange for me to leave the country. Do we have a deal or not?"
Megan Kane had never thought the female lead would be smart enough to tailor-make an escape plan for her.
"Fine, I agree. I expect you to keep your word. As for your route out of the country, I'll plan everything."
"But I wonder if you can bring yourself to trust me!"
Blair White had expected a huge fight to break out between them, but she never imagined Megan Kane would still be so simple-minded and foolish, even if she was a bit of a smooth talker.