Jada sneered. "It's either all or nothing, huh? Ms. Quill really wants to flex on us, it seems!"While they were not Frank or Donnie Ingram, they were still bigwigs in this town… and in this town only, as basically no one outside would know them.That was why none of them cared about appearances as they promptly approached Sayna, fawning all over her.Even if they were shameless, one still should not look a gift horse in the mouth. That was why they did not even throw insults, and instead, appeared perfectly respectful.Only Sayna was behaving like everyone owed her money, completely cold-shouldering them as she made a beeline for Frank."Long time no see, Mr. Frankton!" she greeted him, offering a handshake.It was a sight that left the crowd stunned—even if one must never mess with a lion in its own den, was Sayna not being too humble, even if she was paying respects to the local giant?Moreover, Frank's right-hand woman Jada had made an example of Uran Wal in full view of th
And for business people, scouting meant investing!Since Frankton Group and the Ingrams would definitely not accept out-of-state investors, those goodies would naturally fall to the other local bigwigs! Even if those investors ultimately decided to pull out, that still meant that they had already made money!Donnie nodded in turn. "Judging from the looks on your faces, I'm sure everyone is now aware of the purpose of this convention. Feel free to mingle with Ms. Quill and everyone else—should there be issues, you can ask yours truly to mediate."So, let's not waste time and get started!"As soon as Donnie finished, the local bigwigs eagerly approached the people Sayna brought, introducing their respective businesses and advantages.The Quills' entourage was quite happy to mingle too, as this town was basically a new frontier. Most industries were still a blank slate, and with the government working as a buffer, they were certainly eager to try, as neither Donnie nor Frank were int
Nonetheless, seeing that Frank was silent, Nadia pressed, "Shall we?""Sure," Frank replied.He did not like Sayna, and they were sisters, but they were each different people, and Nadia could not be faulted for that.Moreover, Sayna had yet to actually do anything out of line, aside from running her mouth. Even if Frank was ruthless and determined, he did not kill on a whim."Great! I'm taking part in a dirt bike rally tour in the afternoon. Would you like to come and watch?"As she asked, Nadia moved closer to Frank, while Sayna tactfully made way for her.Despite her generosity, Sayna was actually a little jealous—if it was not for her father stubbornly insisting on her engagement with Uran before, she would be the one here flirting with Frank!There was no helping it in this case, as fate could be a cruel mistress… though if she could not marry Frank, they were all young and energetic. Chastity be damned—fooling around was acceptable too.Still, Frank shook his head. "I'm bu
Donnie suddenly showed up, asking, "What's got everyone so cheerful here? Anyone going to fill me in?""Oh, Mr. Ingram. There's a dirt bike rally to be held here in town. Would you like to join us?" Sayna asked, though it was a rhetorical question.After all, Donnie would definitely not waste his time on something so trivial, not to mention that his presence would just affect the Quills' plans to latch on to Frank."Oh, now that you mention it, I quite enjoy motorraces. And since you've so kindly offered, I definitely have to come!"Donnie, however, was clearly not having it—his daughter Alda could be dumb all she wanted, but he refused to be the same. And all his plans would go up in smoke if Nadia managed to claim Frank!"Shame." Sayna sighed. "The race isn't open, and I can't extend invitations. But don't worry, we can watch it together next time.""I see. You kids carry on." Donnie nodded. He was a local giant anyway, and he really did not need to pester Sayna just to get h
And with those words, Nadia put on her helmet and ignored anyone who tried to reason with her.With everyone ready, the siren that signaled the start of the race soon blared, and all the bikes shot forward."Nadia took the lead!" Alda exclaimed, at once surprised and thrilled.Indeed, Nadia pulled away despite the bumpy track, holding her Kawasaki steady between her legs like it was flat ground.On the other hand, Donnie was being the contrarian. "Better bikes wouldn't survive such a harsh track. She'd be falling behind soon.""Then why don't we make a bet, Mr. Ingram?" Sayna sneered. "If my sister wins, you will annul your daughter's engagement with Mr. Frankton.""Dream on!"Donnie's instinct was to refuse—even if he was dead sure Nadia would not win, his style was to go all out and make sure there was no chance of losing to Sayna."What a coward!" Sayna rolled her eyes.Alda suddenly said, "I'll take that bet!"Even if Donnie could endure Sayna's diss, Alda could not, desp
The last stretch was a road that cut through the middle of a forest. Not only were there collapsed trees, but it had just rained, and the ground was basically all mud.In fact, Nadia was soon covered in mud as soon as she rode down the track, but she was experienced enough and switched tires beforehand.Even so, she was barely able to cross the muddy track, and things were naturally a lot worse for the others.They would not have raced on a troublesome track like this one if Nadia did not suddenly decide on it. In fact, the riders right after Nadia were thrown from their own bikes just as they reached the mud!The ones further behind naturally slowed down, rightfully worried that the same would happen to them.Nonetheless, Nadia glanced at her speedometer just then, intent on going even faster.She revved her bike, which was a fatal mistake, as her tires hit a puddle and splattered mud all over her helmet.Losing all vision, her bike shot straight toward a towering tree.The au
After the race ended, Donnie approached Frank. "Mr. Frankton, now that the race is over, why don't you drop by at my humble abode? The place could use your cheer!"Frank smiled. "Thanks for the invite, but I have work to do back at the office. Next time, perhaps."Donnie did not press the issue despite Frank's refusal—if anything, his visit was inconsequential. As long as his daughter remained glued to Frank, there was always hope.-As Frank returned to his office half an hour later, Jada was calmly working while teasing him. "I really thought that the people keen to obtain the Shagan spiritron vein would try to challenge you like Rudy Himmel did. Imagine my surprise to see someone like Sayna Quill using strategic marriages to her advantage!"Frank smiled in wry amusement, but Jada's words actually made sense when he thought about it.Sayna was herself a businesswoman and would really not care for death battles—her priority was building win-win partnerships instead!"I'm sorry,
"Good afternoon, Mr. Caffee," Jada greeted him. "What are you up to at the moment?"Billy chuckled. "Oh, don't tease me, Ms. Turin. You don't have to get so formal with me."He was certainly glib as befit a businessman, and Jada would really not have contacted him if he was not useful right now. "Haven't you heard? Someone just sabotaged my projects!""Really? I swear it has nothing to do with me, Ms. Turin," Billy swore, quick to assert his loyalty. "Find the person responsible—don't throw away the entire basket now!"While Jada had yet to investigate, she could tell that Billy was at least innocent.After all, he was a shrewd businessman and your stereotypical fence sitter. Even if some offstate investors had expressed interest in expanding into this town, the situation was still opaque—a man like Billy would be standing aside to watch everything unfold without risking anyone's wrath.Still, Jada threatened him, "It had better not be you, or I'll tear you a new one!""Don't