Chapter 106: Leaving No Stone Unturned

The timeless truth is that the closer one is to a leader, the more power and influence they can wield.

Audrey was well aware of this.

Her current position in New York, where she appeared to be in charge, was all thanks to the minor manipulations she had done for Zoe between Ethan and Claire. It was because of this that Zoe trusted her.

Moreover, Zoe was not a woman to sit still; such situations were bound to arise again.

If someone else were to seize the opportunity, wouldn't that put Audrey in a subordinate position, stripping her of Zoe's trust?

So while she might seem successful on the outside, in the long run, it was better to stay close to Zoe. After this real estate project, Audrey truly did not want to be in charge alone anymore.

Zoe was delighted by Audrey's flattery and, of course, knew it was a way to ingratiate herself.

Anyone who took bonuses seriously was a fool. "The way you talk, it's as if I'm stingy and mistreating you all," Zoe remarked.

Audrey quickly responded, "Really, I still have so much to learn from you. After we finish this project, I want to stay by your side and be your secretary."

Zoe examined Audrey, finding her more and more likable. She had observed Audrey's capabilities over this period and was truly impressed. Now that Audrey wanted to be her secretary and was so humble, it gave Zoe the illusion of being able to command the loyalty of all heroes.

Moreover, Audrey had done a good job with Claire's matters and was someone who could be trusted with secrets. So Zoe laughed and said, "Alright, I accept. The position of secretary is yours. You may go back to work now."

When it came time for the official launch, the sales office opened its doors and customers began to stream in. In the blink of an eye, the sales office was packed with people.

After watching for a while, Zoe returned to her office to wait for good news.

"Zoe, someone has paid! The first unit is sold!"

"Another payment has been made. They signed the contract directly!"

"How many units have we sold now? I didn't expect the houses to sell so well!"

People kept coming to Zoe's office to bring her good news. Zoe responded nonchalantly, "This is just the beginning. Keep up the good work. I think our sales today will definitely exceed five million dollars!"

At that time, the housing prices in New York did not exceed two thousand dollars, mostly around one thousand seven or eight hundred dollars.

A one-hundred-square-meter house, paid in full, would cost less than two hundred thousand dollars. Of course, wages were also low back then.

But upon hearing about a five-million-dollar sales target, the saleswomen were almost ecstatic. Zoe had set a commission rate of two percent for them. With a five-million-dollar sales target, the commission alone would amount to one hundred thousand dollars.

There were about ten of them, which meant each person could earn six or seven thousand dollars. That was equivalent to an average person's annual salary!

And this was just the first day. Sales were incredibly lucrative. The saleswomen became even more enthusiastic, not minding being taken slight advantage of, and business improved even more.

By the end of the day, six units were sold in the morning. The peak came at noon when eleven units were sold in just two hours. In the afternoon, there were fewer people, with only a few coming to view the houses.

Without anyone to boost their willingness to pay, sales slowed down. It wasn't until the evening that another peak occurred.

From six to eight in the evening, fourteen more units were sold. The saleswomen were so busy that they didn't want to leave work. The office didn't close until ten o'clock at night when no more customers came.

More than thirty units were sold that day, with a total sales amount of over six million dollars. Zoe had a clear understanding. Developing a housing complex in New York was no easy feat. With the right timing, location, and people, how could it not make money?

Judging by the current situation, if all the units in this complex were sold, it would fetch close to one hundred million dollars, which would cover half of what she owed Andy!

Real estate was truly profitable. Zoe sighed, regretting that the real estate market in Bucks County was not as promising. Otherwise, with Hunter's help, she wouldn't have needed to develop in New York.

Although selling houses was good, it was not a long-term plan for her.

That evening, she held a celebration dinner for the saleswomen. The next day, Zoe returned to Bucks County.

……

She had initially agreed with Ethan to give him two weeks' time. However, plans never keep pace with changes. Her trip to New York took much longer than expected. Now, more than half a month had passed. If Ethan was still incompetent, Zoe had no intention of wasting any more time with him.

Rare items are hard to find, while common things are everywhere.

Zoe arrived at the company at noon. As soon as she entered, Ethan glanced over at her with an indescribable look in his eyes. If Zoe had to describe it, it seemed as if he were about to devour her.

That day, Zoe was dressed in a very casual and youthful style: a miniskirt paired with a T-shirt, topped with a cardigan, her legs covered in black stockings, and her feet in high-top white canvas shoes. Although her figure was not prominently displayed, she exuded a unique charm.

Seeing Ethan's expression, Zoe wondered if the young man had finally come to his senses and started to act responsibly.

So she beckoned him into her office. As soon as the door closed, Ethan eagerly embraced her, roughly grabbing her buttocks through her denim miniskirt and panting, "You're finally back. I've been waiting for you for days!"

Zoe pushed him away after letting him touch her for a few moments: "Don't tell me you still haven't accomplished anything."

On Jason's birthday, Ethan and Zoe had truly indulged in an affair. This time was completely different from before. Perhaps it was because they had become accustomed to it, but after he left, Ethan surprisingly did not feel much guilt towards Claire.

As soon as he returned, he called Claire out and had sex with her, but he was still quite disappointed. The thrill Claire gave him was far less than what Zoe provided. For some reason, he blurted out the request to have sex from behind.

As expected, he was scolded by Claire, who called him a pervert.

However, once he began to fantasize about the pleasure of being with Zoe and decided to actually go through with it, his mindset changed instantly.

It might be an exaggeration to say he was reckless, but the phrase "leaving no stone unturned" was definitely applicable.

In the following days, although to outsiders he seemed no different from before and even maintained his usual relationship with Jason, with no one bringing up the birthday incident again, he and Claire had already started to argue privately.

It was always the same issue: he insisted on having sex from behind, while Claire firmly refused.

Ethan had never considered using force, but with limited time and having already transferred some of his shares to Claire's family, he was a bit upset that Claire wouldn't agree to such a simple request.

Claire soon realized the situation. She genuinely liked Ethan, and now that he was angry, she felt weak. With no other choice, she reluctantly agreed, but with the condition that if it hurt too much, they would stop.

Three days ago, the two of them, following some tips they found online, embarked on their journey of having sex from behind. Ethan even secretly recorded it.

At that moment, hearing Zoe's question, Ethan carefully took out a USB drive from his wallet: "It's all here. I've done everything just as you said!"