Chapter 8 Menu The evidence was undeniable. Jacob was clearly at fault. Calling the police would only land Bertha, the legal guardian, in jail. What would happen to her children then? "That car is worth 8 million dollars?" Bertha's voice trembled. "Yes. That's its current market value." Bertha took the receipt handed over by Axell and looked at it, her mouth twitching. "I-I'm not refusing to settle! I'll pay, but I don't have that kind of money. Can we ... lower the amount?" Axell glanced at Marcus, deferring to him. Marcus eyed Bertha coldly. "How much can you pay?" E-Eight hundred?" she stammered. Marcus was speechless. Axell was even more so. 3 million was reduced to 800 dollars. Call the police! Let them handle it!" Marcus stood up and left, clearly unwilling to waste more time on Bertha. Bertha panicked."Wait!" He didn't stop. Gritting her teeth, she blurted out, "Fine! I'll pay, but only if you take your clothes off first!" Marcus froze mid-step and turned slowly."What?" Strip your jacket and your shirt!" Marcus stared at her, baffled. Axell and the others gaped in shock. Countless women had tried to seduce the CEO, but none had ever been so brazen as to outright demand he strip naked, especially not in front of an audience! This woman was not only stunningly beautiful but audaciously bold. Marcus's thin lips pressed into a tight line, his face dark with fury. He glared at Bertha."Do you have any idea what you're talking about?" Bertha swallowed hard under his murderous gaze but stood her ground. "I said if you want money, you'll have to take off your clothes first." There was no way she could cough up 8 million dollars, but jail wasn't an option either. She needed to confirm if he was the man from years ago. If he were, she'd use that one night to offset the debt. 16.09 1.1% < Chapter 8 Menu Back then, he'd promised to make her the most revered and cherished woman in the world. She didn't want his devotion, just to resolve this crisis. Besides, he didn't know she'd had his children, so he wouldn't snatch them away yet. Once this was settled, she'd divorce Marcus, take the kids, and vanish from Los Angeles before he could track them down. But Marcus misinterpreted her entirely. To him, this was a brazen public seduction. "Shameless! How ridiculous!" Bertha's eyes widened. He'd completely misunderstood! She hurried to explain, "You've got it wrong. I just need to see your shoulder!" That night, she'd blacked out from the pain, only to wake up and sink her teeth into his shoulder in a fury. A bite that hard would've left a scar on anyone. If his shoulder bore her mark, it'd prove he was that man. But before she could finish, Marcus' phone rang. He snatched it up."Talk." Whatever the caller said made his expression shift rapidly. "I'm on my way." Hanging up, Marcus strode out, all composure gone, replaced by palpable agitation. Axell knew instantly: This was about Casper. Only two people could rattle his boss like this: his son Casper and that woman from six years ago. Casper was Marcus's biological child. That woman was the mother he'd never found. Axell paled and rushed after him."Marcus, what about Ms. Estrada?" Without turning, Marcus snapped, "Hand her to the police!" Bertha panicked. Without even stopping to verify his identity, she immediately rushed after him. "You can't call the police! I have three kids at home. They have no father. If I'm arrested, they'll have no one! "I admit my kids were wrong to scratch your car. I'm sorry. I apologize. But they're only five years old. They can't lose their mother!" Marcus turned to look at Bertha. More than anyone, he knew how pitiful children were without a mother, just like Casper. A flicker of compassion crossed his face, but he had no intention of letting her off easily. "Lock her up here for now. We'll deal with her later." Menu Chapter 9