Rachel clenched her fists, but her eyes looked as calm as a deep pool of stagnant water.
“Are you so unwilling to stay by my side?” Justin recalled the night of their wedding when he first saw her. At the time, she looked so weak and serene with a pair of innocent and kind eyes. However, his extreme hatred for the Hudsons was so tangled up with his pity for her that it ultimately gave rise to a desire to imprison her by his side forever.
Meanwhile, Rachel clenched her fists without uttering a sound. Hans’ death was something she could never get over. Even if Justin didn’t kill him, he had indirectly caused his death by breaking his leg. Therefore, she couldn’t forgive the man before her. Of course, perhaps he didn’t need her forgiveness at all.
“Get out.”
As soon as the two words were uttered, Rachel turned around and left without hesitation.
The sound of the door being closed reverberated in the study. After several flicks of the lighter, smoke curled upward behind the desk, blurring the man’s stony and gloomy face as he knitted his brows tightly for a moment.
A week later, a batch of drugs sold overseas by Hudson Pharmaceuticals was inspected at the aviation transportation center, and it revealed serious issues regarding the drugs’ quality. This incident was instantly publicized in the news media, causing a public uproar. As a result, a large number of agents gathered at the entrance of Hudson Pharmaceuticals and condemned the company, demanding refunds and payments of liquidated damages.
“You must help me this time, Rachel! If Justin doesn’t help us, Hudson Pharmaceuticals will be finished once these agents make trouble!”
However, Rachel remained calm and composed as she poured a cup of tea and handed it to Jefferey. Don’t worry. No one wants such a thing to happen. Don’t you know someone in the Food and Drug Administration very well?
“When someone falls from power, those beneath him tend to run away. Who would dare to help me right now if the public outcry isn’t dealt with? What’s lacking isn’t people, but money!” Jefferey was so anxious that he broke out in a cold sweat. After all, the situation this time was much more serious than the previous one. “Rachel, you’re now Hudson Pharmaceuticals’ major shareholder, so you’re both responsible and obligated to help solve this. Otherwise, this won’t do you any good either!”
Are you threatening me?
Jefferey’s face froze at her question. “T-That’s not what I’m saying.”
Rachel turned around and took a document out of the cabinet.
“What is this?”
The solution to the problem. I thought about it as soon as the incident broke out. Now, it depends on whether you’re willing to do so.
Jefferey’s face gradually hardened as he opened the document and turned a few pages. “Do you want me to cede the land in the southern Suburbs of Riverdale? Is this what you want or what Justin wants?”
I don’t have the capability to ask Justin for help without you having to sacrifice anything. Rachel responded with a cold expression. By the way, isn’t Amber working at the Burton Group as well? If you think I can’t help you, you can ask her instead. Perhaps she can persuade Justin better than I can.
Jefferey’s face darkened. Would he have to go so far as to come here and ask for Rachel’s help if Amber could really persuade Justin? Justin is obviously coaxing her by spending money to buy her some presents, but she can’t see through this herself, he thought to himself. “I’ll take it back and think about it.”
All right then, goodbye and take care. Rachel rang the bell at hand. Soon after that, her secretary opened the
door and came in to escort Jefferey out of the office.
After Jefferey left, Rachel sat down with a text message from Justin displayed on her phone’s screen. It read, ‘Has he agreed to it?’
‘Not yet, but I think he’ll agree to it.
‘Add fuel to the fire then.’
Rachel slowly clutched her cell phone as she read the text message.
On Friday, Hudson Pharmaceuticals’ share price plummeted before the stock market was closed for the day, the company’s stocks even hit rock bottom once.
At the Hudson Residence, Jefferey threw the contract onto the table. “They’re forcing me to sign my own death warrant!”
Amber quickly advised by saying, “Take a sip of tea and calm down, Dad. I told you long ago that Rachel is unreliable. Right now, she can do anything just to please Justin.”
“That b*tch is living off me while secretly helping someone else!” When Jefferey recalled how Rachel had climbed her way up to her current position and how he had to do things according to her likes and dislikes these days, he felt that he had been tricked. He was so angry that he could hardly breathe.
“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll definitely find a way to kick Rachel out of the Burton Group.”
“I don’t need you.” Jefferey clenched his fists with a slight twitch in the corner of his eyes and his aged face covered with lines. “It’s time to let her know that it’s not that easy to stay by Justin’s side.”
“What do you want to do, Dad?”
Jefferey made a phone call. “Jeremy, have someone go to Somerset Mountain and pick up a person for me.”
After signing the land transfer agreement with Jefferey, Justin and Rachel came to the southern Suburbs of Riverdale together. Frankie pointed at a piece of land in the distance and said, “According to the development plan, a hot spring resort is to be built on that site. However, we can reduce the area covered by the hot spring resort and build a hotel instead. Meanwhile, this large piece of land is suitable for being made into a golf course.”
Justin nodded before glancing at Rachel. “What do you think?”
Rachel was startled for a moment before she answered him solemnly. I don’t think that a sole golf course built here will be competitive enough with the golf course in the western suburbs. People prefer quietness nowadays, and this place is very close to the temple. As a matter of fact, we can consider integrating Buddhist elements into the project and build a secluded holiday resort.
No one knew how much time passed in the mountains as the morning bell rang and the evening drum sounded every day. Since this place was near Briscola Mountain, one could clearly hear the sound of the monks ringing the bell on the mountain.
Justin looked thoughtful upon hearing Rachel’s words.
“Justin!” Just then, Gloria trotted over from a distance and held Justin’s arm. She asked excitedly, “I saw some horses being raised over there. Is a horse ranch going to be built here?”
“Do you wish to have a horse ranch built here?”
“Yeah! That way, I can come over to ride horses after its completion. This place would be huge! If a horse ranch is built, it’ll be the largest one in Riverdale!”
Justin shot a glance at Frankie and ordered, “Get it done.”
Frankie looked at Gloria in a stunned manner before he glanced at Rachel in amazement. In the end, he bit back what he wanted to say and sighed inwardly.
On the other hand, Rachel pursed her lips with a bitter taste in her mouth. Since he had never planned to accept my suggestion in the first place, why did he even ask for my opinion? she thought to herself.
Gloria, who was unaware of their previous conversation, cheered happily when she heard that a horse ranch would be built here. “Let’s go and take a look at the horses over there. It’s still early, so let’s ride a horse!” Then, she dragged Justin away.
Rachel stood where she was, whereas Frankie turned around and spoke to her after taking two steps. “Let’s go there and take a look together, Mrs. Burton.”
Okay.
“Actually, the horse ranch might not be built in the end. Building a horse ranch here is a huge investment with little profit and high risk. When a feasible plan comes out in the end, your plan would probably be more practical.”
I just mentioned it without thinking, so it has nothing to do with me. Rachel looked unperturbed as she followed the two talking and joking figures ahead of her toward the stable.
Meanwhile, Frankie caught up with her from behind. “Have you ever ridden a horse, Mrs. Burton?”
Rachel shook her head.
“In that case, I’ll choose a docile horse for you later to avoid any accidents.”
