The CEO Gets What He Wants

“Avery!” Cayden yelled hysterically, wild-eyed as fear coursed through his veins.

It might have been sheer dumb luck, but he was glad he had shot his hand out in the nick of time and grabbed Avery's ankle.

As a result, the latter hung upside down in the air, her hair flying wildly.

Needless to say, she was so frightened that her delicate face had turned ashen.

It also didn't help that she had acrophobia, and the more she looked at the hundreds of meters below her, the more lightheaded she felt.

What was surprising, though, was that despite quivering with fear, she never once loosened her grip on Anthony's arm.

“Hang in there, Avery! I'll get you guys up immediately!” Cayden shouted, hands trembling as he spoke.

His heart almost stopped when he saw Avery falling, and even his breathing became labored.

Thankfully, he managed to grab her ankle at that critical moment.

In an attempt to pull Avery back up, Trident Group's employees quickly jumped into action, with Xavier and Trevor clutching her other ankle while the rest of the male colleagues held onto her coat.

“Cayden Moore, you're an unscrupulous businessman! You're the reason my family's gone! Since I'm already prepared to die today, I don't think it'd be a bad idea to drag someone along with me! Hahaha...” Anthony bellowed, a crazed look in his eyes.

He continued to glare at Cayden, and it was evident he hated the latter with every fiber of his being.

Cayden could usually keep his cool under any circumstances, but this time round, Anthony's dumb actions had proven to be the last straw for him.

“How dare you, Anthony Xenakis! I felt sorry about the loss of your wife and child and wanted to compensate you as best as I could. Why, then, did you have to pull a stunt like this? Do you have any idea how foolish you are?”

Alas, those words only pushed Anthony over the edge.

Argh! It was never my intention to drag an innocent person to die with me, but what other choices do I have? Even though I'm a wealthy businessman, my experience and connections can never compare to Cayden's. It's just impossible to fight someone as rich and powerful as him. That's why I had to do something so drastic! I'm desperate!

Upon thinking of his late wife and child, Anthony became even more emotional. “If karma does exist, you'll get what you deserve sooner or later! In any case, I'm ready to sacrifice myself today and destroy your reputation!”

With that, Anthony began prying Avery's fingers off of his wrist. The latter was utterly powerless to stop him, and all she could do was watch wide-eyed as he started to slip out of her grasp.

As soon as Avery realized Anthony's intentions, she panicked even more.

“You have to hold on to me, Mr. Xenakis! Don't let go!” she pleaded. “Life is full of ups and downs, and we've all had our fair share of bad luck, haven't we? Choosing to die because of that is the most cowardly way to go. I know your wife and child died unjustly, but the murderer has yet to be tried. Don't you at least want to see her get the punishment she deserves?”

When Anthony didn't say anything, Avery added, “Do you think your death will solve all your problems? Think about your elderly parents and parents-in-law, for goodness' sake. They've been traumatized enough about what happened to your wife and child. Do you really want to end your life and put them through the same suffering again? Mr. Xenakis, as long as you're alive, there will always be a glimmer of hope. Only then can you seek justice for your loved ones. Please don't do anything foolish.”

Fortunately, Avery's words seemed to have moved Anthony, and Cayden immediately jumped at the opportunity.

“Mr. Xenakis, even though I don't like being threatened with death, I'll accept responsibility for your loss. After all, what happened to your family was indeed Trident Group's fault. Tell me anything that you want. As long as your request is reasonable, I promise to fulfill it!”

Anthony seemed to have been persuaded by Cayden and began pondering his options. He was still emotionally unstable, but at the very least, he had stopped prying Avery's fingers off his wrist.

Despite still feeling somewhat skeptical, he eventually looked up and stared Cayden in the eye. “Are you sure about that, Cayden? What if I want Jenna Doyle to die?”

“Fine. You have my word!” Cayden said firmly. “If you carry on living, I'll make sure the arsonist gets the death penalty!”

Now that he had gotten Cayden's assurance, Anthony no longer saw the need to end his life and gradually calmed down.

Without further ado, Cayden and his employees seized the chance and hurriedly pulled Avery and Anthony back to safety.

Avery had just escaped from the jaws of death and was still in shock when she found herself getting whisked away by a grim-faced Cayden.

Terrified, she shot a pleading look at Xavier and Cecelia, only to have them stare helplessly back at her.

Left with no other choice, Avery gave in to Cayden and let him pull her into a room on the top floor.

After seeing him slam the door behind them, Avery flinched.

Oh, no, he's angry. I know my near brush with death must have scared him...