Chapter 5 A billionaire's humiliation

The room fell into stunned silence as Alex's face turned to the side, his jaw tightening. He hadn't been slapped in years, let alone in front of an audience.

The unexpected sting of humiliation caused his anger to flare. He clenched his jaw, his eyes burning with fury.

"Stop," he growled, holding up a hand to stop his bodyguards, who had moved to intervene. "Stay back."

His mind raced. He couldn't remember the last time someone had dared touch him, let alone humiliate him in front of so many people. His gaze shifted from Rainee to her brother, who stood off to the side, watching anxiously.

Rainee stood her ground, her breathing slow but steady as she faced Alex, unflinching. "I'm not going anywhere until you apologize to my brother," she said firmly.

Alex, his expression now one of curiosity mixed with amusement, glanced at Sam. He recognized him as the same odd guy from the washroom earlier. Now everything seemed so much more absurd to him. A faint laugh escaped his lips, the situation becoming almost comical in his mind.

"So you're here to fight me just for your brother?" Alex asked, his voice dripping with condescension.

Rainee met his gaze without a trace of fear. "Apologize to him, and I'll apologize to you in front of everyone. If not, I'll make sure tomorrow's headlines will give you a headache."

Her words hung in the air, her confidence unshaken. She wasn't just making demands; she was putting a challenge before him, one he couldn't easily ignore. She didn't care about her image, but she knew Alex cared deeply about his. This was her leverage.

Alex studied her carefully, intrigued. No one had ever dared stand up to him like this. Everyone else cowered, whether out of fear or respect, but not her. There was something bold, almost dangerous, about her. Still, he couldn't let her see that she was getting to him.

He smirked, the amusement returning to his eyes. "Tell me the amount," he said, his tone cold and dismissive.

Rainee's expression faltered for just a moment, her disbelief turning into frustration. She couldn't understand how someone could be this detached from the emotions of others.

"I don't need your money," she replied, her voice calm but resolute. "You hurt my brother, and you've hurt his feelings. All I want is for you to apologize to him."

Alex glanced at the tiny scratch on Sam's elbow, barely worth noticing. He smirked again, clearly unfazed. "You don't need to pretend," he said with a scoff. "I know why you're so upset over a little scratch. Just tell me the amount, and I'll compensate you. Don't waste my time with your... presence."

He sighed theatrically before continuing. "I'm just being practical. You're negotiating, and I'm doing the same. When money can solve everything, why bother with an apology? Take the money, and apologize in front of the media. It's really that simple."

Rainee's blood boiled as Alex's words sliced through the air, each one more insulting than the last. She had been patient up until now, but the way he spoke like she was beneath him, like her anger was just a ploy for money pushed her past the edge. She stepped forward, her hands trembling with rage as she shoved him hard, making him stumble back, his eyes widening in shock.

Her brother, Sam, immediately grabbed her arms to stop her from doing something worse, but she jerked free, her voice a furious scream that resonated through the room.

"I'VE NEVER MET SOMEONE SO CHEAP IN MY LIFE! YOU THINK YOU CAN BUY EVERYTHING WITH YOUR INHERITED MONEY?? YOU THINK YOU CAN BUY MY APOLOGY??!"

Alex was caught off guard, his confusion mixing with irritation. He'd never been spoken to like this, never had someone so openly challenge him. Yet, somehow, he was still standing there, listening to her. His bodyguards and personal assistant looked on in stunned silence, unable to believe he was allowing this to happen.

With a scoff, Alex regained his composure. "Yes, you're absolutely right. I can buy anything I want. Apology?" He let out a mock laugh. "I could buy thousands of cheap personalities like you and your brother-"

Before he could finish, Rainee slapped him again, the sound cracking through the air like thunder. Her disgust was palpable, her hands shaking with the intensity of her emotions. She could no longer care about anything except making him realize the depths of his ignorance.

Alex's face turned red with anger, the sting of the slap still echoing, but he didn't react physically. Instead, he just stood there, fuming, his composure slowly slipping away. Rainee wasn't finished, though. The words spilled out before she could stop herself.

"I forgot... you can't even understand what it means to be human. Alex Fraser, listen to me very carefully. People like you don't deserve to be treated like humans. I don't care about my image, but I have dignity, self-respect values I hold above everything else. So mind your tone when speaking to someone like me. You want my apology? Well, guess what, now you'll never get it."

Alex's heart pounded in his chest as he heard her words. His face remained stoic, but the fire of fury in his eyes was undeniable. He clenched his fists, willing himself not to lash out. But inside, something inside him was stirring, something unfamiliar and unsettling.

"Do you really think I care about your apology?" His voice was colder now, laced with disdain. "You think I care about your pathetic, middle-class sensibilities? If I wanted, I could buy every news outlet in this city. I could make them sing your praises or destroy you with a single phone call. Do you really think your apology matters?"

Rainee shook her head, her disgust building again. "I know my place, Mr. Fraser I know I come from a family that's worth nothing in your eyes, but I'm thankful for it. At least I'm not like you, trapped in your own bubble of money and arrogance. Your wealth has bought you everything, but it's never bought you anything that actually matters. You have no real feelings nothing that could possibly compare to the human decency that I hold dear."

She grabbed her brother's hand, pulling him along as she turned to leave. "I feel sorry for you, Mr. Fraser. You will never understand me, just as I will never understand you. I hope you get all the money you want, but maybe you should try using it to buy some manners, if that's even possible."

To be continued