Chapter 292

She had been bragging to her agent about him for days. Now, Clifford was telling her he was no longer the CEO of Lambert Group. Hadn't she just made a complete fool of herself?

Yesenia forced a smile. "You're kidding, right?"

Clifford chuckled dryly. "If I were, would you be giving me money?"

Yesenia fell silent, her mind racing. His words were like a thunderbolt, shattering her cheerful mood. She was materialistic, there was no denying it, but her feelings for Clifford were real. But if he wouldn't marry her and now had no money or power, what was the point of staying with him?

Perhaps her silence stretched too long, because Clifford shot her a sidelong glance. "What is it?"

Yesenia snapped back to reality, struggling to maintain her smile. "No, it's nothing. I'm just surprised. Why would you resign all of a sudden?"

Clifford's voice remained flat. "I lost the company tens of billions."

Yesenia's eyes widened again. "Tens of billions?"

"That's right."

She nearly slid out of her seat. Tens of billions? She couldn't even fathom such an amount; she'd certainly never seen that much money in her life. "So... you're in debt now?"

"You could say that."

Yesenia was speechless again, her thoughts in even greater turmoil. Not only had he resigned, but he was also in debt. In her mind, his image instantly plummeted. "Why have you gone quiet again?" Clifford's voice held a hint of amusement, which was completely out of place for someone supposedly billions in debt.

It made Yesenia wonder. Maybe he was testing her.

"What am I supposed to say? Are you going to divorce her?"

"No," he answered bluntly, without a hint of hesitation.

Now Yesenia was genuinely angry. “Then what do you want me to say?”

Realizing her agent was in the back, she bit back the rest of her words, deciding to wait until they were home.

Her mind was a mess. If Clifford

were willing to divorce his wife and marry her she might have been able to accept his new circumstances, A man as proud as him wouldn't actually let her pay off his debts would be? Besides, a fallen grant is still a giant. Marrying hin wouldn't be a total loss.

But his flat refusal to get a divorce left her with nothing to hope for. Was she supposed to follow him without a title, suffer with him, and be scorned by everyone?

As she considered this, a sliver of resolve began to form in her heart. Soon, the car pulled up to her apartment complex. Yesenia told her agent to take a cab home.

Once the agent was gone and they were alone in the car, Yesenia turned to Clifford, her expression serious.

"Clifford, are you really not lying to me?"

He met her gaze, his own just as serious. "I'm not lying."

His response made her heart sink again. She forced a smile, struggling to find the right words. After a moment, she reached out and took his arm. "Clifford, I'm not looking

Somme

down on you, but there are

things I have to say.”

Clifford pulled out a cigarette and lit it, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel. "Go on."

"I really like you. I don't care if you're a CEO or if you have money. But the one condition for me staying with

you is that you marry me. If

you

wont marry me and you can't Support me, then then whatam even doing with you?"

Hearing this, the corner of Clifford's mouth lifted into a playful smirk.