Fateful Contract with the Devilish CEO

Merrily Rodrigo left the hospital, her face drawn with fatigue and despair, haunted by the doctor's words...

"Miss Rodrigo, your mother's condition is dire. We strongly recommend she undergo surgery soon. We have a willing kidney donor, and if you can gather $200,000 within the next two days to cover the surgery expenses, we'll prioritize your mother's treatment. If not, we'll have to attend to other patients."

$200,000?

Where would she find such an amount?

Her mother had been ill for two years, and all the money she took when leaving their home was spent on medical bills. Should she return? To save her mother, she had to, but every time she did, she faced taunts and provocations from that man. Her father seemingly turned a blind eye!

But for her mother's sake, she had to try again!

She quickly entered a public phone booth and made a call: "It's me..."

"What is it?" Fried Rodrigo responded impatiently.

"It's my mother. She's not doing well," Merrily said, anger evident in her voice. "You abandoned us and didn’t care about her life or death? Have you no conscience? We only need twenty thousand. Can't you spare that much?"

"Merrily, calm down..." Fried Rodrigo stiffly replied. It wasn't that he had forsaken them, but he remembered his wife every time he thought of bringing them home. How could he dare give her money? Moreover, his company faced financial troubles. Even two thousand was beyond his means now...

"How can I stay calm when she might die?!" Merrily shouted back. "If she dies, I'll follow her; even in death, we'll never forgive you!"

"Fine, come to the office now," Fried Rodrigo said.

Merrily hung up and hurried to the company. Upon arrival, she learned Fried Rodrigo was in a meeting, so she had to wait outside.

Merrily waited for half an hour, and just as she began to feel that she might have been deceived, the office door swung open. She quickly stood up, walking forward, only to realize that the person emerging was not Fried Rodrigo.

But it was too late; she had already bumped into him.

"..." The collision was painfully solid, like bumping into an iron wall.

"What do you think you're doing?!" A voice snapped beside her.

Before she could react, she felt a sharp pain in her wrist as she was abruptly pulled aside. Raising her head, she realized that Fried Rodrigo, her biological father, had yanked her away.

Ignoring her presence, Fried addressed the man she had bumped into, "I sincerely apologize, Director Sullivan. Are you alright?"

Merrily's heart raced as she saw the fearful respect in her father's demeanor. The man she had inadvertently run into was a person of significant stature, given Fried’s reaction.

Lifting her gaze, she found herself looking into the eyes of a young man. He was dressed in a custom-made Italian suit, tall and imposing with a cold demeanor that emitted an air of authority, radiating power and a sense of dominance. His gaze was fixed on her, predatory and intense as if a hunter had spotted his prey. The intensity of his gaze caused her to step back instinctively.

The man gave her a fleeting glance, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

Fried Rodrigo followed closely behind him, his entire demeanor deferential, head bowed in reverence, treating the man like a god.

Reaching the elevator doors, the young man turned around, speaking with an icy tone, "Director Rodrigo, please head back. No need for farewells."

"Yes..." Fried Rodrigo nodded with his head bowed.

The man stepped into the elevator. As its doors closed, he instructed his subordinate, "Find out who that woman was earlier."

Merrily Rodrigo and Fried Rodrigo entered an office, immediately addressing the pressing issue.

Fried Rodrigo pulled out a checkbook, asking, "How much?"

"The surgery alone costs at least $200,000, not counting post-operative treatment... Decide on the amount and proceed." Merrily responded.

Fried glanced at her, reluctantly writing a check for fifty thousand, "This should suffice for now. The company has faced issues recently; I don't have much more to spare. If you face problems later on, call me directly; don't call the house phone, your mother gets very upset."

Merrily snatched the check, "I will pay you back!" She declared before storming out.

Fried Rodrigo's desk phone rang only half an hour after she left.

"Hello?"

"Director Rodrigo." A deep male voice echoed from the other end.

"Director Sullivan!" Fried Rodrigo responded, his voice shaking, his body tensing up. Even separated by the phone, the intimidating aura of the man on the other line was palpable. The caller was none other than the renowned leader of DRM Corporation - the current CEO, Zachary Sullivan!

In a casual tone, Zachary asked, "Director Rodrigo, are you eager to sign that contract with me?"

"Of course." Fried Rodrigo admitted without hesitation. He had been working tirelessly for months on this deal. With no investors, his company was on the brink of bankruptcy. He silently thought of Zachary as his potential lifeline.

"Let's have dinner together tonight and discuss things further."

"Yes... yes... yes..." Fried Rodrigo could hardly believe his ears. Zachary Sullivan had been previously hesitant, so why the sudden change? Whether it meant sealing the deal, Fried didn't care what had transpired!

Zachary Sullivan chuckled, changing the topic abruptly, "I heard that apart from your eldest daughter Alana Rodrigo, you also have a daughter named Merrily Rodrigo?"

Fried Rodrigo was taken aback and instantly realized what was happening, responding, "Yes, she was the one who bumped into Director Sullivan earlier."

It seemed Zachary Sullivan had done his homework, or he wouldn't have asked such a question. To uncover this in just half an hour showcased the formidable reach of the Sullivan family.

"Bring her along tonight." Zachary Sullivan commanded, "I took quite a liking to her."

Fried Rodrigo trembled in fear, hastily agreeing.

Zachary Sullivan's 'liking' had a different undertone. Being a businessman, having thrived in the corporate world for years, how could he not understand the implications?

In the past, he had introduced Alana to Zachary Sullivan. Zachary didn't show much interest in her, but who would have thought he'd take such an interest in Merrily after just one encounter? In such a situation, everyone knew Zachary's claim was probably fleeting and born out of curiosity.

Was he truly going to sacrifice Merrily?

After hanging up, Fried Rodrigo sat in contemplation, eventually making a heart-wrenching decision.

Since Merrily didn't have a mobile phone, he couldn't contact her directly. His only option was to make her come to him. He called the bank to cancel the earlier issued check.

Merrily was queuing up at the bank, but when her turn came, she was informed that the check was invalid. She was stunned, taken aback for a few seconds, then promptly called Fried Rodrigo: "I can't cash the check..."

"Really?" Fried Rodrigo feigned surprise, "There might be some issues with my account. I've been dealing with urgent financial matters recently so that such situations can arise."

"What should I do now?" Merrily, looking at the check, began to feel despondent. How had it become so complicated when it seemed so simple earlier? What about her mother's situation now...

Fried Rodrigo suggested, "How about this? Let's have dinner together tonight. You give me your bank details, and I'll transfer the funds directly."

Merrily pondered for a moment and replied, "Okay."

After hanging up, she returned to the hospital to care for her mother. At six o'clock, she called Fried Rodrigo again: "Where are we having dinner?"

"I'll send a driver to pick you up," Fried Rodrigo replied.

"I'll wait at the hospital."

Fried Rodrigo paused briefly, then hung up the phone.