Chapter 15: He Should At Least Get On His Knees

It was one of those rare moments when Jamie swallowed his pride, and Georgia never thought she'd see the day he’d speak to her with such humility.

Elizabeth, quick to seize the moment, chimed in, "Georgia, you see, Jamie’s young and foolish, but he’s apologizing now. As his sister, don’t you think you could forgive him? Please?"

Before Georgia could respond, Kayden stepped out of the room, his presence commanding enough to make everyone pause. "Not good enough," he said, his voice calm but firm. "A simple ‘sorry’ doesn’t cut it. If he’s truly sorry, he should at least be on his knees."

His words hit like a thunderclap. The air in the room thickened as three pairs of shocked eyes turned to him. But Kayden’s expression remained unreadable, his tone unshaken.

Jamie’s face darkened. He snapped, "You idiot, who do you think you are? Stay out of this before I—"

Kayden cut him off with an icy glare. "I’ll say it once more: I am not an idiot."

Each word landed like a hammer, silencing Jamie mid-rant.

The room grew colder, and even the typically unflappable Elizabeth seemed to shrink under the sudden tension. Jamie, for all his bravado, looked away, unable to hold Kayden’s gaze.

Sensing the situation spiraling, Georgia tried to intervene. "Kayden, let’s just—"

Kayden raised a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. His voice was steady, but his words carried a weight that couldn’t be ignored. "He must kneel. If he doesn’t, you won’t sign the contract. If you let this slide, you’ll never have any standing in this family again. My wife," he added with quiet resolve, "will not be bullied by a good-for-nothing."

Each word seemed to strike like a hammer on steel, leaving Jamie speechless.

Elizabeth glanced between them, her mind clearly racing. Kayden’s newfound authority was unsettling, but the contract was too important to lose. Clenching her fists, she turned to Jamie. "Well? Aren’t you going to kneel?"

Jamie’s jaw dropped. "Grandma? You can’t be serious!"

Her voice cracked like a whip. "Kneel!"

For a moment, Jamie’s pride held firm. But then, with a soundless snarl, he dropped to his knees, the thud echoing through the room.

"Georgia, do you forgive him now?" Elizabeth asked, her tone sharp with impatience.

Georgia hesitated, her eyes flicking to Kayden as if seeking his approval. He gave a subtle nod, and only then did she say, "Alright. I forgive him."

Elizabeth wasted no time moving on. "And the contract? When will you sign it?"

Georgia looked at Kayden again, as though he had become her guiding star. Seeing no objection from him, she replied, "I’ll speak to Mr. Robinson about it."

"Good." Elizabeth softened, her sternness melting into a smile. "Once the contract is signed, we’ll celebrate at the Royal Oaks." With that, she and Jamie left.

The moment they stepped outside, Jamie let out an angry snort. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. "One day," he muttered through gritted teeth, "I’ll make them pay. Both of them."

---

Inside, Georgia turned to Kayden, her brow furrowed. "How did you know I’m the only one who can sign this contract? Do you know Mr. Robinson from the Atkinson Group?"

Kayden shook his head. "I don’t know him. But I know the head of the Atkinson family."

Georgia froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. "The head of the Atkinson family?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "He’s one of the most powerful men in the Southwest! How could you possibly know someone like that?"

Kayden’s face didn’t so much as twitch. "He used to be my subordinate."

For a moment, Georgia was too stunned to speak. Then, just as quickly, her expression shifted to one of disbelief. "Kayden, please," she said, shaking her head. "You’re talking nonsense again. You clearly haven’t fully regained your memories."

Kayden remained calm, unbothered by her doubt. "The gift you received earlier? It was from one of my subordinates too. A belated present."

Georgia waved him off, exasperated. "Kayden, I don’t care where the gift came from, but please don’t say things like this in front of others. It’s fine to joke with me, but people might take you seriously."

Kayden didn’t respond. He knew arguing would only make things worse. In time, the truth would speak for itself.

---

The next morning, Georgia arrived at the Atkinson Group headquarters to finalize the contract. As she approached the entrance, she was startled to see a long line of employees standing in two neat rows, all smiling warmly. Above them, a massive banner arched over the door: "Welcome, Ms. Georgia Admas."

She blinked, unsure if she was seeing things. Surely there must be another Georgia Adamas, right?

Before she could process what was happening, a man stepped forward. It was Beckett Robinson himself, the very man she was supposed to meet. He bowed deeply—so deeply it almost seemed theatrical. "Ma'am," he said, his voice full of sincerity, "please accept my deepest apologies for my behavior last time. I failed to recognize your importance."

Georgia’s breath hitched. This was Beckett Robinson, one of the most powerful figures in Hiphia. And he was bowing to her?

"Mr. Robinson," she stammered, "I don’t understand. What’s going on?"

Beckett straightened, his tone light but deferential. "I’ve got the contract ready. Please, come inside."

Still reeling, Georgia followed him into the building. The employees bowed as she passed, their smiles unwavering. Inside, Beckett personally offered her coffee before placing the contract in front of her.

"Ma'am," he said, "please take your time to have a look at it. If anything needs to be changed, feel free to make corrections."

Georgia opened the document, her hands trembling slightly. As she read through it, her confusion only deepened. The terms overwhelmingly favored her interest, leaving almost nothing for the Atkinson Group.

"Mr. Robinson," she said hesitantly, "isn’t this contract… a bit too one-sided? It doesn’t seem fair to your company."

Beckett smiled, his tone almost reverent. "Ma'am," he said, "collaborating with you is an honor for the Atkinson Group."