Chapter 491 Deal
Catherine’s slender arm rested casually on the sofa’s armrest, tapping rhythmically.
“Answer it,” she commanded.
A single word containing an order.
Withal immediately answered the phone and switched it to speaker mode. The voice on the other end of the line was impatient, belonging to the chief attendant.
“Mr. Withal, is the doctor available? Could you please put the doctor on the line?”
The chief attendant’s tone was extremely polite when saying this, quite different from the impression Withal had of him when they had first met at the palace.
Withal responded irritably, “Don’t bother trying to reach the doctor. She’s made it clear he won’t take any more contracts from Ravenloth. Give up on this idea.”
Following the principle of money talking, after their initial refusal, the chief attendant didn’t hesitate to sweeten the offer.
“Mr. Withal, the king is willing to add another 100 million dollars to the previous offer as a goodwill gesture.”
Withal looked at Catherine for her opinion. Catherine continued tapping her armrest, with her other hand resting under her chin, moving back and forth.
Time ticked away, and the person on the other end of the phone was growing increasingly anxious.
They could afford to wait, but the crown prince couldn’t. Every second of delay meant another second of agony for the crown prince. With no other options, the chief attendant continued to sweeten the deal.
“200 million dollars. Will that be acceptable?”
Catherine didn’t like haggling. Instead, she preferred to get straight to the point.
“One billion dollars.”
Hearing Catherine’s answer, let alone the chief attendant, even Withal himself was momentarily stunned.
Catherine sure knew how to ask for a lot.
She had said all that needed to be said, and the rest was left to Withal. Catherine slowly stood up and walked over to the dining table.
There were still some after-meal fruits prepared for her by Branden, and she hadn’t had a chance to eat them yet. Shortly after, Withal returned, wearing an elated smile on his face.
“Catherine, it’s done!”
“Moreover, this time, I’ve had them deposit half of the agreed sum in advance. When you depart, it will be ready for you!”
When they had approached Ravenloth Palace with sincerity in the past, the royal family hadn’t taken them seriously. They sought their services, so they shouldn’t be surprised by the high price.
Catherine was not someone who could be easily hired.
When Catherine heard Withal’s report, her expression remained unchanged, as if she had already been certain that the royal family would agree.
After all, Prince Levi, the future king and a cherished child of Queen Lina, would probably make the Ravenloth king part with half his wealth willingly.
Soon, Withal received a message from the Bank of Nospines. He looked at the string of numbers on the screen, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Quite fast!”
He grinned at Catherine, showing her the phone screen.
“Catherine, it’s in!”
Catherine was not one to fuss. She handled the money matters efficiently.
“Get ready. I’ll go change,” she said as she headed upstairs.
She ran into Branden as he was coming down from the upper floor.
The man had just gone upstairs to work.
Whenever Catherine was present, his gaze would naturally fall on her.
“Going out?
“To the royal palace?”
“Yup,” Catherine confirmed.
The man raised an eyebrow, a soft, affectionate smile in his charming eyes as he gazed at Catherine.
“Come on, how much did you squeeze out of them?” he asked.
Catherine rebuked him with a side-eye.
“It’s a mutually beneficial deal. How can you call it squeezing? The Ravenloth Palace is renowned for its wealth worldwide. Even an extra billion is just a drop in the bucket for them.”
“Indeed,” the man responded, nodding approvingly after Catherine’s bold statement.
“You’re right. Looking at it that way, a billion seems a bit modest.”
Catherine took Branden’s hand and said, “You stay here to work. I’m going to the royal palace.”
A mere trip to the Ravenloth Palace with so many people, Catherine thought it was a losing proposition. Her man wasn’t someone you could easily call for, and she preferred not to engage in such unprofitable dealings.
After discussing it with Branden, Catherine followed Withal to the royal palace. They encountered Harry at the entrance, and by his appearance, he’d been waiting there for quite some time.
Withal parked the car next to Harry.
As the car window slowly lowered, Harry saw Catherine inside.
Despite Catherine wearing sunglasses and a large cap that concealed most of her face, Harry remained convinced that she must be exceptionally beautiful.
“Doctor, are you going to the palace?” Harry asked. Catherine turned her head to look at him, her sharp eyes glinting with coldness.
“You seem to know my whereabouts quite well.”
Harry realized the sarcasm in Catherine’s words.
He hastily explained, “Doctor, please don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t trying to spy on you. I’ve been waiting here since dawn, and now I’ve finally found you.
“As for how I knew your destination, it’s because I thought that for the sake of saving the crown prince, the royal family would do everything to invite you to help again.”
Catherine didn’t need an investigation to believe that at least half of Harry’s words were true.
The entire estate was under surveillance, and if he lied, it would easily be exposed. He wasn’t stupid enough to utter such words.
“So, what’s your purpose in waiting for me?” Catherine inquired.
She raised an eyebrow with a meaningful look.
“So, tell me. Why were you waiting for me?”
“Doctor, Queen Lina always seeks retribution. People who offend her have never had good endings. You must be cautious, especially when leaving the palace,” Harry earnestly warned. His gaze held seriousness and unwavering determination.
“Haha!” Catherine scoffed and closed the car window.
At that moment, Withal also stepped on the gas pedal. Harry stood in place, watching the car gradually disappear. A strange and greedy smile appeared on his face.
He extended a hand and gently touched his lips, giving a deep, passionate kiss. Unbeknownst to him, someone was watching him from a window upstairs.
The man exuded a profound, deathly aura, and his oppressive presence felt like a powerful low-pressure system that stole the very air.
Paxton, standing nearby, quietly wiped away his sweat.
Some people were just asking for trouble, and he wondered why he had to be involved. The oppressive atmosphere made him tremble all over, and even breathing felt difficult.
It left Paxton trembling, head down, with his collar pulled tight. Harry, that fool, was playing with fire, daring to covet someone who had captured Mr. Duncan’s heart.
What a way to seek death!
