Chapter 3 Asking For His Help

"So you still remember that you actually have parents?" Corynn's father, Erick Harper, shot her an angry glare and all but yelled at her.

Shirley Harper, his wife, gave him a reproachful look and walked over to their daughter. "Corynn," she said, taking the young woman's hand. "It's good to have you back. Come in and sit down."

Her parents had been keeping up with the news regarding Elliot, so they were well aware that he was getting married. Erick took one look at his daughter's devastated state and got riled up all over again. "I kept telling you not to get involved with that kind of man, you never listened! Well, are you happy now?"

"What on earth are you saying, Erick? Can't you see how upset she already is?"

"Do you even know what people are saying about our family? They call us delusional and shameless for thinking we could ever attach ourselves to the prominent Andrews family!"

Shirley knew this, of course, but she saw no reason to blame it all on Corynn.

"I do realize how wrong I was," Corynn said in a hushed voice. She lowered her head to show how much she regretted her past actions.

Erick huffed and snorted. He wanted to say more, but his phone started to ring.

"What did you say?" Erick exclaimed as soon as he answered the call. He shot up to his feet, his face etched with worry.

"What happened?" Both Shirley and Corynn looked over at him with concern.

"There's a problem with the company," Erick explained when he finally hung up. "The Mason family breached the contract and pulled out of the project before its completion."

Such collaborations often entailed a number of contracts to secure a smooth operation. In this case, the Mason family would have to pay a penalty fee. That was well and good, but Erick's company had used all of its remaining funds to purchase the materials needed for the project. If it fell through, all those materials would go to waste, and the company would never get their money back.

"What are we going to do?" Shirley asked anxiously. "Do they know that it will cost them a penalty to pull out?"

"Oh, I'm sure they do. But those fees are nothing compared to the losses we will incur. I need to set up an appointment with the Mason family and have a proper talk with them."

If Erick failed to keep them on board, then he would have no choice but to declare bankruptcy.

Corynn watched as her father made several calls, listened to his humble pleas and resigned sighs, and realized for herself that the Mason family was not going to change their minds.

Shirley clasped her daughter's hand as they waited for the verdict. "How did it go?" she asked after almost an hour of Erick pacing back and forth.

He just shook his head in defeat.

A heavy silence fell over them, broken only by Shirley's sobs. Even then, she remembered to comfort her daughter. "It's all right, Corynn. We will get through this together."

Corynn nodded, not wanting to burden her parents further with her own problems.

Later that evening, Corynn went out.

She had sent Elliot a message, but he never replied. So she decided to go and seek him out herself.

She waited at the Lark Villa for hours, but there was no sign of the man she wanted to see.

Corynn belatedly realized that he must be with his fiancee. Of course. What reason would he have to come back here?

She was already at the door, intending to leave, when it opened from the outside.

The first thing Elliot said to her was, "What are you still doing here?"

His words were like daggers stabbing into her heart. Did he hate her that much?

"I need to talk to you."

"The check and the property deed are on the table over there. Feel free to have them if you have changed your mind." Elliot walked past her with a blank and dismissive expression.

Corynn forced a smile. "I didn't come here for money."

"What brings you here, then?"

"My family's company is in trouble. I need your help to convince the Mason family not to pull out of their deal, at least until the project is finished."

"Corynn, you do understand that this isn't something I can interfere with? The person backing up the Mason family is Amanda's father, Jeremy."

Corynn inhaled sharply. Jeremy Willis... Elliot's future father-in-law. It all made sense now. It was no wonder that Elliot refused to help her. His fiancee's family was targeting hers, and he was just watching from the sidelines.

Incredible.

"So instead of waiting for your family to go bankrupt, Corynn, I suggest that you take the money and the property I am offering you, and use them to provide for your parents."

Corynn could barely believe what she was hearing. She blinked at Elliot as if she was meeting him for the first time. It suddenly struck her that she never knew him at all.

"You knew all along, didn't you?" she whispered, her lips curled into a self-deprecating smile.

For three years, she thought she held a special place in his heart, however tiny. But now, she was getting slapped with the harsh reality of her position.

"Look, Corynn, you shouldn't get involved in this matter. Take my advice. Accept the compensation and leave."

They could set the sheets on fire all night, but when they were out of bed, Elliot was still as cold and unfeeling as ever.

Corynn instinctively took two steps back. Only then did she truly understand what it meant to have her heart broken.

How did she ever make herself believe that she could warm a heart that never existed?

"What if I'm pregnant?" she asked in a trembling voice. "Are you still not going to help me?"

"I thought I made it clear yesterday-I don't want an illegitimate child." Elliot's tone was patient at first, but then he paused and narrowed his eyes. "Are you pregnant?"

Corynn scoffed. "You always made sure that I take the pills, how could I possibly be pregnant?"

She was completely disillusioned. She should have never given her heart to Elliot.

"If you can't help me, I'll leave. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I hope you... I hope you live happily ever after."

Corynn was never a spiteful person, so she never imagined that a day would come when giving someone her well wishes would be so difficult.

The words almost got stuck in her throat, but she stifled her grievances and told herself to soldier through the pain.

"I hope for your happiness as well," Elliot replied lightly.

Corynn opened the door, but just before she stepped out, she said softly, "If I had a chance to return to the past, I wouldn't want to love you again, Elliot."