In the study, Gregory stood straight–backed and attentive, delivering his report with practiced respect.
“Mr. Fawkes, just as you predicted–Wellington & Co., our main competitor for the bid, failed with their strategy. They’ve declared bankruptcy. An hour ago, I followed your earlier instructions and approached them with an acquisition offer.”
He hesitated for a moment. “However, their CEO is asking if you’d consider raising the offer by another ten million.”
Soren lounged in his chair, thumbing through a dossier. He barely looked up, as if he’d anticipated this request all along.
“No.”
He snapped the folder shut. “Let them stew for another couple of days. They’ll come crawling back and beg us to take the deal.”
Gregory nodded immediately. He watched Soren–their ages weren’t far apart, yet Soren always seemed unfazed, perpetually in control, as if every move in the business world was nothing more than a game of chess.
Gregory had been personally recruited straight out of college to be Soren’s executive assistant at Fawkes Enterprises. Over the years, he’d witnessed Soren wage silent, bloodless wars for market share–more than a hundred battles, big and small. Time and again, Soren would pinpoint a rival’s fatal weakness, strike without mercy, and acquire the company for a sum that defied belief.
To call Soren a genius seemed like an understatement. In just three years since taking over the Fawkes family empire, he hadn’t merely stabilized the business–he’d tripled its reach. Gregory had never met anyone like him.
If Soren said the other side would come back, then that’s exactly what would happen.
“Anything else?”
Noticing Gregory lingering by the desk, Soren glanced up, a flicker of impatience in his eyes.
“There is one more thing,” Gregory began, hesitating.
He finally blurted out, “The Whitmore family called recently. They’re launching a new venture and are seeking investors.”
21:04
As the words left his mouth, Gregory saw Soren’s gaze turn cold, his dark eves clouding over.
Gregory’s stomach twisted with anxiety. Soren’s only real defeat in business had been investments with the Whitmore family. Every time he put money into their ventures, it was a disaster–within a year, the losses would be catastrophic.
But the Whitmores were Evangeline’s family–Fawkes in–laws. Whenever Soren tried to pull the plug on their projects, the Whitmores would maneuver behind the scenes and appeal to Old Mrs. Fawkes for help.
Everyone knew the Fawkes family didn’t care for Evangeline. Even Soren himself was indifferent to her. But the family matriarch adored Evangeline like her own daughter. So each time the Whitmores played that card, Old Mrs. Fawkes would call Soren and urge him to give them another chance. “It’s just a small investment, she’d say. “Even if we lose it all, it won’t hurt the family.”
Soren respected the old lady. So, reluctantly, he would give in–again and again, burning his fingers each time.
Now, with Soren sitting in silence, his
eyes darkening, Gregory hesitated, unsure if
he should give his boss a moment to process.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
Evangeline stood outside, waiting for Soren’s cool voice before pushing the door
open.
As she entered, she spotted Gregory, who greeted her with a polite nod and a warm
smile.
Evangeline returned the gesture. Of all the people around Soren, Gregory was
the few who treated her as Mrs. Fawkes.
among
“What is it?”
Once Gregory had left, Soreh didn’t even look up when he addressed her.
Evangeline stepped forward and placed a freshly drafted divorce agreement on his desk. “I’ve prepared the paperwork. I just need your signature.”
Soren arched a brow. “What paperwork?”
Before Evangeline could answer, Soren remembered Gregory’s earlier report about the Whitmore family seeking new investment. He let out a derisive laugh. “That fast?”
Chapter 1
It hadn’t even been an hour. Had the Whitmores already sent Evangeline to negotiate on their behalf?
Chapter 19
