Supreme Mars novel Chapter 69

"Mr. Cruz?" Marie was still in shock. "What are you doing here?"

As soon as those words left her mouth, it hit her.

This must be what Leo was talking about earlier? When he told her that they were waiting for someone, he must be referring to Mr. Cruz.

"Please come back to school, Marie," Mr. Cruz pleaded. "I'm begging you."

Mr. Cruz placed the bag on the floor and bowed his head slightly. For a moment, Marie thought the man was about to prostrate himself before her, but seconds later, he began pleading with her again.

"I admit that we've made a mistake by expelling you," Mr. Cruz said. "We're aware of our mistake now, and it'll never happen again. Now, please. Will you do us the honor of returning?"

Marie was just about to agree, but then something stopped her. It was a wave of anger, of rage. Why should she agree to their request now? Why should she allow herself to be bossed around by these people? "Oh, so now you want me back?" Marie rolled her eyes. "You were the one who expelled me." Marie glared down at the man. "Why should I listen to you people? When you asked me to leave, I left! And now you think I'm going to come crawling back to you just because you asked me to return? Well, guess what? I'm done! I've had enough of you people jerking me around."

Gordon Cruz was on the verge of tears at that point. "What do you want from me, Marie?" Gordon sighed. "I'm down on my knees, begging for your return. What more do you want?"

Leo's voice rang out before Marie could speak. "Mr. Guerrero sent you here, didn't he?" When Marie turned around, she saw that Leo was smiling.

Gordon's heart stilled. Mr. Cohen was right. Mr. Guerrero did send him here.

That morning, Gordon was summoned into the office of a furious Darren Guerrero. Mr. Guerrero then showed Gordon today's paper.

That was how Gordon found out about the arrest of Shawn Harris and Cedric’s "interesting" sexual preferences. Both had made the front page of today's paper.

To everyone else, those two events seemed unconnected; but Darren Guerrero knew better. Those two events were linked, and the connection between them was none other than Marie Henderson. Both had happened right after they all tried to mess with Miss Henderson.

What Darren couldn't figure out was how anyone in the city could fuck Cedric Reyes up in just one day.

Regardless, Darren sent Gordon Cruz on a mission after he found out what happened to Cedric and Shawn. He told Gordon to bring Marie Henderson back to the university at all costs. To give Gordon a little extra "incentive," Darren even threatened Gordon's job. Darren told Gordon that he'd be fired if he failed to convince Miss Henderson to return to the university.

That was why Gordon had shown up in front of the villa, why he was down on his knees before Marie Henderson, begging for forgiveness.

"Go back and tell Darren Guerrero that we'll discuss Miss Henderson's return to university at a much later date," Leo said coolly. "Also..." Leo flicked a glance at the kneeling man. "Emerdale University will no longer be her first choice even if she does decide to return to her studies."

Gordon went into a panic. "Please don't, Mr. Cohen!" Gorden sighed and hung his head. "Please tell us if you have any demands. We'll try our best to accommodate—"

"Don't you get it yet, Mr. Cruz?" Leo snapped. "You think you can settle this matter with an apology and some groveling? After everything you people have done, you think you can get off the hook that easily?"

Gordon froze.

"Tell Darren that if he wants forgiveness, he should show up here himself," Leo said coldly. "Tell him to kneel in front of this house for an entire afternoon. Then we'll talk."

Gordon opened his mouth to protest, but was once again silenced by the dangerous look in Leo's eyes. In the end, Gordon got up to his feet and slunk away.

After Gordon left, Marie went back into the house and sat down beside Leo. "How did you know the university will send someone to beg me to return?" she asked anxiously.

"Oh, that's simple." Leo smiled. "It all begins with Shawn Harris' arrest."

Marie stared at Leo blankly. "Okay?"

Leo chuckled. "There was nothing wrong with your prescription, Marie." Leo regarded Marie with serious eyes. "Your prescription was accurate. The problem, however, was the herbs." Leo smirked. " And guess who the supplier is?"

Marie's eyes widened. "Julton Pharmaceutical."

Leo nodded. "Indeed. And only your herbs were problematic." Leo's eyes slid to Marie's face. "This means that the university was in on the whole thing. Shawn Harris, the university, and Julton Pharmaceutical. They were all part of the scheme. The moment one them got into trouble, the other two will start to squirm. That's exactly what happened here, by the way. The school panicked when they found out what happened to their two accomplices. They thought they'd be next, so they sent someone to get you back." Leo snorted. "Cedric Reyes came up with the whole scheme, if you ask me. I bet the university is willing to do anything to obtain more funding from Julton Pharmaceutical. That alone is enough to get Darren Guerrero to do Cedric's bidding. They probably worship Cedric like some kind of god at the university."

"Cunning bastards," Marie growled. All of a sudden, Marie's anger disappeared and she peered up at Leo. "Are you really going to make the chancellor knee in front of the house?"

Leo stood up and stared out the window with a faraway look in his eyes. "Criminals should be punished for their sins. Otherwise, the world will be without order."

***

When Darren Guerrero showed up in front of the villa, the gates were closed.

He looked past the gates towards the front door of the house. What he saw brought a scowl to his face, but he kneeled in front of the gates nonetheless.

The scorching sun hung high above his head. Soon, his forehead was beaded with perspiration.

Cars had slowed as they drove past the villa. A few passers-by had gawked at him.

It was a mortifying experience, but Darren had no choice but to yield to Mr. Cohen's demands.

He was pretty sure he'd lose his job if he didn't, especially if Shawn Harris spilled his guts to the police.

Darren had spent ten years to climb to his position today, so he was damn well going to do everything he could to keep it.

Dignity was nothing compared to status and power.

He was going to keep kneeling no matter how angry and humiliated he felt.

A moment later, a car pulled up in front of the villa.

Cedric got out of the car and went down on his knees beside Darren.

Inside the villa, Marie was starting to pity the two men who had been kneeling in front of the house for two hours now. She stole a glance at her brother-in-law, whose expression remained firm and unyielding.

"Hey, Leo... Don't you think that's enough? They've been kneeling for two hours..."

"So what? This is their punishment. Let them kneel." Leo regarded Marie seriously. "Otherwise, they'll never learn."

Marie looked like she had more to say, so Leo cut her off before she could begin.

"Listen, Marie. There's something you need to understand." Leo waited until he knew he had Marie's full attention before continuing. "This is a cruel world, Marie. A world where scumbags thrive and good people either die, or turn bad themselves. If someone hurt you, hurt them back. Do not pity them, or they'll come back and hurt you even more than they already did. You need to punish them, and punish them severely. That's the only way to let them know that you're not someone to be messed with."

"O- Okay..."

Marie continued to nod, even though she found Leo utterly intimidating right now.

A further two hours later at dusk, the gates opened and Leo emerged from the villa.

"Stand up," Leo said.

Darren and Cedric stood up on wobbly knees only to crash into the ground again seconds later. They'd both been kneeling for so long that their legs had gone numb from lack of use.

Leo stared down at the two men. "Do you realize your mistake?"

"Y- Yes, sir."

Leo didn't hear a single ounce of remorse from those words, which sounded as though they'd been uttered through gritted teeth.

"Will you do it again?"

"No."

Leo studied the faces of the two men before him. They both looked like they'd been forced to swallow a mouthful of wasps.

"I know you must hate my guts right now," Leo continued, "But that's okay. I don't give a damn what you think of me. To me, you are both nothing but pests." Leo smiled. "If you want revenge, you're more than welcome to try. My name is Leo Cohen; remember that."

Leo pulled out his phone and deleted the video right in front of Cedric.

"Now get out of my sight. Both of you."

Moments later, Teresa Collins appeared and helped Cedric into the car.

***

Teresa Collins answered her phone the moment it rang.

"Did you manage to get Shawn Harris out?"

Admittedly, Teresa was panicking. This matter concerned the survival of Julton Pharmaceutical, after all.

"We got him out, Miss Collins... But..."

Teresa's blood ran cold. "What is it?"

There was a sigh. "He already confessed everything when we got there."

"What?" Teresa shouted into the phone.

Later on, when Teresa reported to Chairman Reyes what she'd just been told, the chairman was so furious that he nearly passed out. "Teresa! Tell that useless piece of trash that he's been disowned! From now on, he's no longer a Reyes. And he has nothing to do with Julton Pharmaceutical!"

"Yes, sir."

"Just you wait, Cohen!" Chairman Reyes roared. "I'll destroy you, and I won’t rest until you're dead and buried!"