Atlas and I chatted a little longer before finally hanging up. Although he was influential, we were in Martin’s territory. Still, I knew my chances of failure were nearly zero with Atlas’s support.With Atlas’s assurance, I felt relaxed and visited Ryan’s room. Indeed, Ryan was busy discussing contract matters with Adrian and the legal team. As expected, Ryan was cautious and meticulous regarding business.After a short while, Arthur called, and I hurried back to my room to give him a detailed report. Of course, he gave me a few instructions afterward. I realized he knew everything about Nelson’s misdeeds.When I ended the call with Arthur, someone knocked on my door. I thought it was Ryan and the others, but I was surprised to see Jeremiah instead. It seemed he was well-informed since he knew which room I was in.I asked arrogantly, “What brings you here?”He noticed my hand was still on the door, not intending to let him in. He felt uneasy and looked at my hand several times. I
Indeed, Jeremiah couldn't resist my assertive demeanor. He looked displeased, saying, “Mr. Martin Terrell, of course.”I scoffed and asked, “Do I know that person? Why would he extend an invitation to me? Mr. Jeremiah, you know I don’t attend random gatherings, right? There must be a reason for the invitation. Your cousin Chad knows it, too.”My attitude left Jeremiah at a loss as he glanced at me. “Ms. Chloe, I suggest you think twice before making a regretful decision.”I frowned at his words and retorted, “Are you threatening me?”I knew he was merely Martin’s middle-man. Jeremiah would fail if he couldn’t secure my attendance. As expected, he became apprehensive toward my displeasure. “Ms. Chloe, please don’t misunderstand me.“Mr. Marting doesn’t invite just anyone for a meal. If anyone else wishes to dine with him, they must have the right connections. He’s doing more than enough by taking the initiative, so I advise you not to be unappreciative.”I raised a brow and offere
Sure enough, Ryan asked, “What kind of dinner is it?”“Martin’s hosting it. Also, he’s Nelson’s son. Martin wants to discuss some project matters, so I thought it would be necessary to prepare for it,” I spoke casually but startled Adrian and Ryan.Ryan insisted, “I’ll come with you. You can’t deal with them alone. I’m the company’s general manager and have the right to participate in negotiations. You need me, especially since we’re in a foreign place.”Adrian agreed, “He’s right, Ms. Chloe. We don’t know how the people here, and safety is our priority.”I sneered and dismissed their concerns, “You’re overthinking it. Just because they’re crafty doesn’t mean I fear them. I think they want to negotiate the terms with me, so I’ll talk to them. You’re giving them too much credit. However, I still need to make preparations.”Ryan glared at me, saying, “You’re not allowed to be willful in this situation. We aren’t in Foswood. While we might feel reassured back home, you must ensure yo
Ryan immediately raised both hands in agreement. "Alright, it's settled then. Where did you arrange to meet?"Seeing Ryan's eager demeanor, I compromised.Well, it might work out for the best, and at least I now have a clue. It was better to be safe than sorry."They asked me to meet them at the Acacia Hall in the Feusaka Hotel at 6 p.m."Adrian clapped his hands. "Great! Let Aidan arrange for us to be at the Feusaka Hotel, too, closer to their private room."While we were planning for the evening, my phone rang again. Glancing down, I saw it was a call from Noah.I guessed it was related to dinner. Indeed, that was the matter he wanted to discuss.So, I explained my situation to Noah, being transparent about the invitation from Martin. I hid nothing, informing him I would be at the Feusaka Hotel.After hearing my explanation, Noah fell silent for a moment. Then he replied, "Ms. Chloe, in that case, you can go to the Feusaka Hotel. I'll arrange for someone to wait outside i
Jeremiah hurriedly walked over with a smile. "Oh! Ms. Chloe, you're punctual!"It seemed like he was in charge of hospitality today, just like when Chad took the lead in hosting me.It amused me. These so-called cousins had no shame in repeating the same mistakes. It looked like Jeremiah was going to follow in Chad's footsteps today.There was no way around it. What could I do when they just never learned?I looked closer. Four people were seated around a round table.In the main seat was Martin, and next to him was Chad. There was also someone I didn't recognize, but I figured he was one of their associates.Jeremiah was pleased to see that I was punctual. He had efficiently handled things and successfully invited me. Moreover, I had come alone."Ms. Chloe, I must introduce you to these people now that you're in Bourdamun." Jeremiah approached me, extending his hand.Without looking at him, I walked straight inside to the round table. I glanced at the people at the table and
I calmly replied, “Mr. Martin, do you have other intentions?”“Haha… I have no ill intentions, Ms. Chloe. I want to express my hospitality, especially since I’ve always had a soft spot for beautiful women like you.”“You’ve flattered me enough, Mr. Martin. What did you want to discuss?”“Jeremiah, tell them to serve the food. We can chat while dining,” Martin ordered. “Ms. Chloe, you’ve been discussing business all day, so you must be hungry. Let’s eat first and then talk later.”He had a gentle expression, as if he were my old friend.Jeremiah rushed to the door and signaled a waiter to bring the food. I took my bag, rummaged through it, and casually turned on my recording pen.I noticed Martin watching me, so I took a pack of wet wipes and placed it on the table to avoid suspicion. Immediately after, I calmly put my bag behind my chair.I pulled out a wet wipe and wiped my hands, but Jeremiah seemed dissatisfied. “What is the meaning of this, Ms. Chloe?”I looked at him and f
As their displeasure grew, I maintained my composure. "What's wrong? Did I say something inappropriate?"Martin’s face darkened. He was quite unpredictable.Jeremiah felt compelled to intervene. "Ms. Chloe, this is Bourdamun, not Foswood. Don't—"Before he could finish, Martin slammed the table. He yelled at Jeremiah, "Who do you think you are? Do you have the right to speak here? Don't pretend to be something you're not!"I shivered at his sudden outburst and involuntarily looked at Martin. I could tell that his words were actually aimed at me. Martin was quite arrogant.The room fell silent. The other three dared not breathe, and my heart raced.I chuckled, breaking the tension. Leaning back in my chair, I glanced casually at Martin and remarked, "Looks like you have quite the temper, Mr. Martin."He raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. He’s short-tempered."I forced a strained smile. "It seems dinner isn't coming." The unidentified man
Jake spoke again, "After signing the agreement with us, the contract for Bourdamun's new district will be handed over to you for construction, Ms. Chloe."My heart skipped a beat. He finally said it. I pretended to hesitate and said, "So, you mean I'll be signing the contract with Mr. Martin for this project?"Jake burst into laughter. "Martin, see? Ms. Chloe is a smart person."Martin chuckled, too. "I can assure you, Ms. Chloe, that there won't be any obstacles for you in Bourdamun. This collaboration can go smoothly.""So, if I don't sign this contract with Mr. Martin, I'll be stuck?" I smiled comfortably. "Mr. Martin, are you trying to scare me?"Jake grinned meaningfully. "Absolutely not!"I glared at him, silently cursing. He boldly treated this project as if it were theirs and treated me like a puppet.This time, I looked at Martin. "Does this mean I'm taking over a second-hand contract?" "You can't put it that way. This is your guarantee in Bourdamun, and..." Martin pa