Chapter 96 A Price for Everything
“Mom, what are you talking about?”
He was already planning to break off the engagement with Naomi. Besides, they were still in high school- given everything going on, how could she be thinking about something so disgusting right now?
“I’m doing this for your sake. You know what kind of situation our family’s in. If we can’t get help from the Rivers family, things are only going to get harder…”
“But didn’t you say the Rivers family offended the Foster family and they were doomed?”
“That’s for later!”
Grace said sternly, “Right now, the Rivers family still has money. We take what we can while we can! Son, it hasn’t been easy for us, just the two of us åll these years. You have to side with your mother.”
As she spoke, Grace gripped Zayden’s hand. “Son, if we don’t get any money within the next three months… we’re going bankrupt.”
The word “bankrupt” made Zayden freeze.
Grace continued, “I’ve been trying to find investors this whole time, but with the flu, no one knows how long this will last. No one wants to help us. All our business partnerships have been put on hold. Do you know how much debt we’ll be in if we go under? Fifty million! We’ll have to sell the house, sell the cars… and that still might not cover it!”
Hearing that, Zayden fell silent.
He knew the company was in trouble, but he didn’t realize it was this serious.
ت
Seeing him waver, Grace quickly added, “Son, I’m not asking you to make some huge sacrifice for the company. You already like Naomi, and even if you don’t, once we get through this, we can pay her off and divorce. It’s not that complicated.”
“…I understand.”
Grace finally let out a breath of relief.
As long as the Rivers family backed them, maybe the Holt family could still survive this storm.
Zayden drove toward the suburbs.
Grace’s words kept echoing in his mind.
Did he really have to get engaged to Naomi just to make it through this?
If that was truly the only option…
Then what about Eliza…
An hour later.
1/3
Zayden arrived at the suburban villa.
As soon as he opened the iron gate, Naomi came running toward him. Just like she used to, she threw herself into his arms, crying, “Zayden, I spent so much money this month, and they all turned on me! Thank god I still have you…”
Naomi looked up at him, eyes full of tears and mist.
Zayden hadn’t replied to a single one of her messages this whole time.
But in the end, at least he still came for her.
“I’ll take you home,” he said.
“Wait!”
Suddenly, Naomi grabbed his arm. Biting her lip, she said, “I already paid for tonight… Why don’t we just leave tomorrow morning? Otherwise it’s such a waste.”
Zayden glanced at her hand on his arm, his brow furrowing.
In his memory, Naomi had always been a self–respecting, proper girl. But what she just said now… it was clearly an invitation.
“Then get some rest here tonight. I’ll come back first thing in the morning.”
Zayden turned to leave.
But Naomi grabbed his arm again. This time, her voice was timid, hesitant. “Zayden, I’m really scared being here alone. Could you just stay with me tonight? We’ll leave together in the morning.”
Seeing him still hesitate, Naomi pressed again, “There are lots of rooms here. You can stay wherever you want–I promise I won’t bother you.”
Zayden was quiet for a moment.
This villa was halfway up a mountain. For a girl to stay here alone really was risky.
He didn’t object again.
When he nodded, Naomi’s whole face lit up with joy.
Just the two of them under one roof. There’s no way Zayden can hold back.
She couldn’t go abroad anymore. Her classmates had already cut her off.
Zayden was the only person who still made her feel safe.
Besides, if she didn’t get into a good university after graduation, she could just marry into the Holt family and be the young madam.
She’d still live a life of luxury.
2/3
Chapter 96 A Price for Everything
That was all Naomi could think about. She had no idea what kind of shape the Holt family was really in.
Meanwhile-
Eliza glanced at the day’s earnings. She had made several million in just one day. Orders were moving faster than she could track.
In just one month, she could pay back most of the money she borrowed from Nolan.
She crunched the numbers.
She had stocked up on 75 million dollars worth of goods. The selling price had gone up by at least ten
times.
After deducting labor and logistics, if she sold everything, her profit would be in the billions.
If she remembered correctly-
This was peak flu season. It would likely last for another six months.
And for those six months, medicine and masks would be in constant, desperate demand.
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