I Called Off the Wedding, He and His Mistress Went Bankrupt Overnight Chapter 129: Unlucky in Love, Unlucky in Career

She had just been spouting nonsense to make Jude Sheridan give up and shut up.

Judging by his expression, he had clearly overheard.

Embarrassed, Cecilia Croft averted her gaze, avoiding the man standing in the doorway.

A corner of Sebastian Hawthorne’s lips curled up. He drew his gaze back and looked down at the dejected Jude Sheridan.

"I’m here to discuss business with President Sheridan. You haven’t forgotten, have you?"

Jude Sheridan froze for a mont. He rembered sending Sebastian Hawthorne a ssage before getting drunk the day before, saying he was willing to sell his Vantage shares in the hopes that Sebastian would stop making things difficult for the company.

But later, when he had called Cecilia Croft to tell her about it, he’d heard a man’s voice on her end saying sothing about going to sleep. The provocation had made him forget all about it.

Jude Sheridan silently took a deep breath, glanced at Cecilia Croft, and composed himself before making a gesture of invitation toward Sebastian Hawthorne.

"Mr. Hawthorne, please co with . We can negotiate in my office."

Sebastian Hawthorne nodded.

As Jude Sheridan walked ahead, Sebastian Hawthorne glanced into Cecilia Croft’s office. Seeing the woman in the chair deliberately avoiding his gaze, he smiled and took out his phone to send her a text.

[Did we do everything we should and shouldn’t have? And there’s a lot more on you? Hickeys? I don’t seem to rember any of that.]

He sent the ssage and pocketed his phone.

Only after the man had left her office area did Cecilia Croft finally pick up her phone to check it.

When she saw the ssage from Sebastian Hawthorne, her face instantly turned beet red.

She pounded the desk in frustration. It took her a while to compose herself before she replied.

[I was just making it up.]

Sebastian Hawthorne: [If you’ve been taken advantage of, don’t keep it to yourself. I’m not the kind of man who refuses to take responsibility.]

Cecilia Croft: "..."

Jude Sheridan led Sebastian Hawthorne into his office and invited him to sit. He then had his secretary brew a cup of tea for Sebastian and place it in front of him.

"Mr. Hawthorne, before we sign the contract, I have a small request."

Sebastian Hawthorne didn’t look up from his phone. "Let’s hear it."

Seeing this, Jude Sheridan didn’t bother with pleasantries and got straight to the point.

"I hope that if there are any personnel changes in Vantage’s managent, you will stand with , Mr. Hawthorne."

Sebastian Hawthorne didn’t respond.

Jude Sheridan silently took another deep breath and continued.

"Mr. Hawthorne, please believe . With my abilities, I can definitely make Vantage even better. From its founding until now, I have always been the one leading it toward a better future. Please trust my ability and be my ally."

Only then did Sebastian Hawthorne put away his phone, his gaze settling on him.

Although there was no discernible change in his eyes, Jude Sheridan inexplicably felt an oppressive aura that was hard to ignore.

He forced himself to et Sebastian Hawthorne’s gaze, but his tense deanor betrayed him.

Sebastian Hawthorne remained silent for a long ti. Jude Sheridan eventually broke eye contact and looked down at himself.

Only then did he notice how undignified he looked.

He opened his mouth, wanting to explain himself, but the words wouldn’t co.

Whatever the reason for his current state, it couldn’t excuse his lack of decorum.

Sebastian Hawthorne finally spoke, his voice low. "I only align myself with the strong. Whether President Sheridan is strong or not remains to be seen. I ca here today simply to purchase shares, not to team up with anyone."

"Soone who can’t accept the consequences of their mistakes, who argues irrationally and refuses to take responsibility for their errors... I do not consider such a person to be strong."

Jude Sheridan’s expression froze. He was so thoroughly chastised that he couldn’t lift his head. His hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into tight fists, his face a mask of strained composure.

Sebastian Hawthorne averted his gaze and simply raised a hand, signaling for the lawyer who had co with him to speak with Jude Sheridan.

The lawyer, all business, sat to the side, took a pre-drafted contract from his briefcase, and handed it to Jude Sheridan.

"President Sheridan, hello. This is the contract we have prepared. If you have no objections, please sign at the end."

Jude Sheridan reached for the agreent, then glanced at the secretary standing behind him.

The secretary took the hint, quickly left the office, and brought Attorney Cole in.

After Attorney Cole carefully reviewed the contract’s terms and confird there were no issues, he nodded at Jude Sheridan.

Before signing, Jude Sheridan looked at Sebastian Hawthorne, making one last plea in a low voice.

"Mr. Hawthorne, although I’ve had a montary lapse in composure due to personal matters, please believe that I can quickly get myself back on track and devote all my energy to my work."

Sebastian Hawthorne didn’t even glance at him as he replied coolly.

"Working diligently—isn’t that the expected attitude of any company manager?"

Jude Sheridan: "..."

Sebastian Hawthorne shot his lawyer a look.

"I’ll leave it to you."

The lawyer nodded respectfully. "Yes, Mr. Hawthorne."

Sebastian Hawthorne stood up and left Jude Sheridan’s office.

Seeing this, Jude Sheridan gritted his teeth and quickly signed his na on the contract.

The lawyer collected the contract and handed a copy to Jude Sheridan.

With a sullen face, Jude Sheridan did not reach out to take it.

"I’ll take it, Lawyer Gordon." Attorney Cole, knowing Jude Sheridan was fuming, quickly held out his hand.

’After all, they were alumni from the sa school, and Lawyer Gordon was his senior. He had to be polite. If his legal consulting gig with Vantage didn’t last long, maybe he could ride his senior alumnus’s coattails into the Hawthorne Group’s legal departnt.’

Lawyer Gordon wasn’t at all displeased by Jude Sheridan’s show of temper. He nodded and placed the contract in Attorney Cole’s hand.

"I’ve already scheduled the notarization. Will President Sheridan be going with this afternoon to handle it, or will Attorney Cole be acting as his representative?"

Hearing this, Attorney Cole looked at Jude Sheridan. He hadn’t been inford about this.

Jude Sheridan was in a particularly foul mood and had no desire to run around handling these procedures with a lawyer from the Hawthorne Group. He imdiately said to Attorney Cole,

"You go with him this afternoon and take care of it."

Attorney Cole nodded.

"Yes, President Sheridan."

Having received a clear answer, Lawyer Gordon rose from the sofa and picked up his briefcase.

"Since that’s settled, I’ll be on my way. I’ll contact you this afternoon, Attorney Cole."

Attorney Cole nodded.

After Lawyer Gordon left, Jude Sheridan leaned back on the sofa, cradled his head in his hands, and irritably raked his fingers through his hair. In a dull tone, he said to Attorney Cole,

"You can go, too."

Attorney Cole respectfully exited the office, closing the door behind him.

A mont later, the sound of sothing smashing ca from inside the room.

Lawyer Gordon was still waiting for the elevator. Hearing the commotion behind him, he raised an eyebrow. When he saw Attorney Cole erge, he comnted coolly,

"President Sheridan’s mood seems a bit... unstable."

’Unlucky in love and unlucky at work—it’d be a miracle if he were stable.’

Attorney Cole gave an awkward smile. When the elevator doors opened, he quickly gestured for his senior alumnus to enter.