Chapter 329 Five Million for One Leg, How Many Do You Want?
"What are you looking at?"
"The Lowe Group's financial reports?"
"What's wrong? Something off?"
William glanced sideways at Thalia. "You can read these?"
"What's so hard about that? My mom made sure I had tutors teach me from a young age so I wouldn't get fooled by my dad when I grew up, or get screwed over by them."
William believed this was totally something Thalia's mom would do. Who told her to have such an unreliable father?
"Didn't the Lowe Group already fall into your hands? Why are you looking at financial reports now? Looking for problems?"
"There are problems to begin with."
"And after you find them?"
"Let Kurt deal with them. I'm not paying for his mess." If it weren't for all that stuff with Zephyrine, he would've let it go, but she just had to be so clueless. Since she's being so clueless, she'll have to be dealt with accordingly.
.......
At the hospital, Zephyrine lay in bed, covered in injuries, the IV needle in the back of her hand never removed from the start. Her hand was swollen from the constant IV drips.
When the hospital room door opened, a flash of irritation crossed Zephyrine's face, thinking it was Kurt again. "Didn't I tell you not to come?"
"Tell who not to come?" The old lady's strong voice rang out, startling Zephyrine.
She lifted her eyelids and looked at the old lady standing before her. "Mom, what are you doing here?"
"I heard you were hurt, so I came to check on you." Penelope Carter didn't wait for an invitation, pulled out a chair, and sat right by the bed, her whole presence commanding.
"You didn't need to come all this way."
Penelope wore a well-tailored suit, a pearl necklace around her neck, gleaming - you could tell from a distance it was worth a fortune.
"The Lowe Group got bought out?" Penelope didn't bother with small talk, getting straight to the point. The tiny spark of family warmth that had just started in Zephyrine's heart was half extinguished.
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"Money problems."
"Money problems can't be solved? You had to sell the company?"
"Couldn't be solved." Zephyrine's face fell, her tone cooling a few degrees.
Penelope realized her words might have been too harsh and reined in her emotions.
After all, the Carter family had been losing ground in Regal City these past few years. If the family needed to work connections, it required loads of money.
Without the Lowe Group's financial support, it wasn't good news for them.
Right now, the Carter family members all had achievements in their respective fields, but these achievements - you could see the fame but not the profit.
The profit could only come from Zephyrine.
"Rest up well. Times are changing, there are plenty of opportunities. With just you and Kurt's abilities, diving into a new industry and starting over isn't that hard."
"We want to retire."
"What did you say?" Penelope's tone rose slightly. "Retire?"
"Are you crazy? So many people want to get ahead, but don't have what it takes. You have resources and connections now, and instead of moving up, you want to retire? What are you two thinking?"
Zephyrine knew Penelope coming here wasn't just to care about her.
In the thirty years she'd been married in Emerald City, Penelope's visits could be counted on one hand.
And each time, she had a clear agenda.
"I'm tired."
"Who in prominent families isn't tired? Zephyrine, don't be so clueless."
Zephyrine didn't want to keep going back and forth with Penelope.
"I'm tired, I want to rest."
"You..." Zephyrine had never been this powerless in front of Penelope before. This was the first time. Penelope's first reaction was that she couldn't accept it, but thinking about how she needed something from her today, she held back.
"Rest well. I'll come see you again in a few days. If you're tired, go home and rest. The Carter family welcomes you back anytime."
"Welcome me back, or welcome the money I bring back?"
"Zephyrine, don't be ungrateful."
Penelope was furious, her gaze carrying pressure as she stared at her. "Fine then, rest well!"
Penelope left, and Kurt came in right after, looking at Zephyrine with some sympathy.
"You heard all that?"
"Yeah. I thought you wouldn't talk back."
"I didn't want to, but I couldn't stand it."
...
"Mrs. Carter, where are we going now?"
"To find Raymond. I want to see what kind of trouble that boy has stirred up for me in Emerald City."
"Hasn't Ms. Carter been in Emerald City all along? Why hasn't she thought about keeping Mr. Carter in line?"
Hearing Zephyrine's name, Penelope let out a cold laugh. "Her? She's gotten too big for her boots now, can't control her anymore."
When Raymond got back to the hotel, he had just asked the hotel for a first aid kit. After showering, he was treating his wounds.
The injuries on his body clearly showed he'd been beaten up, and the person who arranged all this was his fiancée.
That's why they say Elowen is ruthless.
She had people corner him and beat him up, nearly killed him.
"Who is it?" He was treating his wounds, grimacing in pain, when there was a knock at the door. What timing.
Bearing his injuries, he went to open the door, only to see Penelope.
"Grandma, what are you doing here?"
"If I didn't come, how long were you planning to party it up in Emerald City? Things you couldn't get away with in Regal City, now that no one's watching you in Emerald City, right?"
"Someone's watching me. Look at my body."
"Who did this?"
"Elowen. Every time I go out partying, every time I go to a bar, she has people beat me up." Raymond said this with tears welling up in his eyes, looking pitiful.
Penelope was speechless.
She'd heard long ago that the Mitchell family's younger daughter was fierce, nothing like Eleanor, but she didn't expect it would really open her eyes like this.
Penelope said coldly, "You think playing the victim will get you out of this marriage?"
"Why would I play the victim with you? I really am miserable!" Raymond said, not caring that Penelope was still at the door, turning back inside to continue treating his wounds.
Penelope looked at the bruises all over his body, unable to bear the sight.
"Since you're in Emerald City, I won't drag you back. When you have time, spend more time with your aunt, build up that relationship."
"Okay, Grandma." Raymond agreed right away.
Seeing that he was being cooperative, Penelope didn't stay long and left.
As soon as the door closed, Raymond tossed the cotton swab on the coffee table and pulled out his phone to make a call. "You take money, you do the job?"
"Do it. You name it, I price it."
"Emerald City license plate BMW, ending in 099. There's a seventy-something old lady inside. I want you to take half her life."
"Half?" The other person raised an eyebrow. In all the jobs they'd taken, they'd never heard someone ask for just half a life. "That's hard to measure. Just tell me straight - you want an arm or a leg?"
Raymond thought for a moment. "A leg."
"No point keeping it anyway." So she wouldn't have the free time to come manage his business.
"One leg, five million dollars. How many do you want?" The other person was straightforward.
"One."
"Send the money."