Chapter 199 Bullying
Emma has been feeling down these past couple of days.
Freya noticed this, and remembering that the Collins family would be hosting a charity banquet on a cruise ship tonight, she called Herschel.
"Herschel, are you going to the banquet the Collins family is hosting tonight? If you're going, take Emma along to cheer her up. I heard they're auctioning off a painting by Master Riddick on the cruise tonight. Emma should be interested."
Herschel hadn't planned on going to the cruise banquet tonight, but taking Emma along would work. "Freya, I'll pick up Emma tonight."
Freya sighed. She talked to Herschel about Elizabeth. "Who would've thought Elizabeth was the woman who ruined Emma's life? She even has a child with Timothy. I wonder if Jane and the others will have issues about it when they grow up."
Herschel frowned. What a mess. Why would Jake marry a woman who had someone else's child?
He told Freya not to worry. "Emma has the Nightingale family protecting her now, so there's no need to worry about her being bullied."
Freya thought about it and agreed, though it still bothered her.
"The Collins family holds a charity banquet every three years. This time it's on a cruise ship."
Robbie was in charge of driving Elizabeth to the cruise today.
Elizabeth changed into her evening gown directly at the Sherman Group, had her hair simply styled, and left.
She looked down at her phone and sent Timothy a message: [I'm heading to the port now]
Timothy was helping Seraphina cut paper flowers. Seeing the message, he estimated the time: [I'll come half an hour later]
Timothy generally wasn't interested in these kinds of banquets, but Elizabeth had just taken over the Sherman Group, so naturally she needed to attend. It was a form of networking.
He took a photo of the flower he'd just cut and sent it to Elizabeth: [Pretty good at paper cutting, right?]
Elizabeth's lips curved up in a smile. She replied bluntly: [So ugly]
Timothy: [Humbly accepting criticism]
He chuckled softly.
Seraphina held the scissors in her small hands. Hearing Timothy laugh, she looked up. "Daddy."
Timothy said directly, "Seraphina did great, you cut it right."
Seraphina grinned.
Elizabeth had just gotten out of the car when she smelled the sea air.
She handed her invitation to the person in charge of welcoming guests.
She walked into the cruise ship. Inside, soft and comfortable music was playing, and several couples were dancing.
Elizabeth had just sat down when Mira came over with a wine glass. "Ms. Penrose, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come."
Mira took a glass of wine from a server and gave it to Elizabeth.
They both just touched the wine to their lips.
Emma walked into the cruise with her arm linked through Herschel's.
"Herschel, I'm going to the auction hall on the third floor. I'll call you when it's over."
"Don't you need me to come with you?"
"No need."
The cruise had three floors: the first was a ballroom, the second was an entertainment area, and the third was the auction area.
Emma went straight to the auction area on the third floor.
Herschel was on the first floor. He saw Mira, walked over to greet her, then looked at Elizabeth. "Ms. Penrose, I've looked at the materials you gave me last time. Let's talk in detail another day."
Elizabeth paused. She looked up at Herschel and smiled. "Thank you for giving the Sherman Group a chance."
Mira still had other guests to entertain, so she left with her wine glass.
Herschel looked down at Elizabeth. Thinking about why Emma had been so down these past few days, he and Elizabeth both fell silent with nothing to say.
Elizabeth raised her wrist to check the time. She was about to go to the entertainment area on the second floor.
Just then, Emma came down looking for Herschel. Emma's eyes swept past Elizabeth and looked at Herschel. "Herschel, come with me to the auction hall on the third floor. There's a pair of earrings I want to bid on as a gift for godmother."
At that moment, Elizabeth, who had walked ahead, was suddenly blocked by two bodyguards. "Ms. Penrose, our boss has something to discuss with you. Our boss's last name is Sherman."
Meaning someone from the Sherman family.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.
Herschel glanced at Elizabeth. These two looked a bit hostile.
Emma pulled on Herschel's arm. "Herschel, we need to hurry, or someone else will buy them."
Herschel nodded. After all, the Sherman family's business had nothing to do with the Nightingale family.
The Nightingale family wouldn't get involved.
Elizabeth watched Herschel and Emma's departing backs, then withdrew her gaze.
Something sharp pressed against the small of her back.
She had no choice but to go.
She wondered who had the nerve to approach her at a banquet hosted by the Collins family.
The second floor of the cruise also had private rooms.
Delbert invited Elizabeth to sit down.
The bodyguard put away the knife.
Elizabeth walked over and sat down, looking up calmly at Delbert Sherman. "What do you want?"
Jake had shown her information about the Sherman family members before she returned to the country.
Delbert held fifteen percent of the Sherman Group's shares.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Delbert Sherman. I've been traveling abroad recently." Delbert held a cigarette between his fingers. He took a drag and slowly exhaled the smoke. "Elizabeth, are you willing to sell your Sherman Group shares?"
He got straight to the point.
He clearly wasn't worried about her being able to resist.
Elizabeth smiled. She crossed her legs and tilted her head. "You're really joking. Why would I sell my shares for no reason?"
"You're not part of the Sherman family, and Jake is already dead. Don't you think holding onto the Sherman Group shares is pretty hot to handle?"
Delbert pushed a contract toward Elizabeth.
"The price will definitely satisfy Ms. Penrose."
Elizabeth opened the contract and glanced at it. Saying the price was reasonable was kind of funny.
She pushed the contract back. "I don't want to sell."
Delbert smiled. He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "Ms. Penrose, why bother? You're still young. You can find someone you love in the future, get married, have children."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Not selling my shares doesn't stop me from getting married and having children."
Delbert stood up and walked behind Elizabeth. He placed one hand on Elizabeth's shoulder, leaned down with his lips close to Elizabeth's ear. "People with short lives don't get to enjoy these things."
Elizabeth turned her head and chuckled softly, her slender neck looking so fragile. "Are you threatening me?"
Delbert was surprised that Elizabeth wasn't afraid. He carefully examined her expression.
She didn't look scared at all.
Delbert walked back to his original seat. He pushed the contract toward her again. "Are you sure you won't reconsider?"
A bodyguard walked over and opened the window.
Delbert looked outside. The cruise had already set sail.
The sound of waves hitting the cruise ship came into the room.
"Ms. Penrose, I wonder if you can swim? This window is just the right size for Ms. Penrose's slender body."
At that moment, at the port.
The cruise was already gone.
Timothy frowned. He took out his phone and called Elizabeth.
No one answered.
Timothy pressed his thin lips together. "Prepare a yacht and call Mira."
Joe called Mira. The call wouldn't go through.
Timothy looked at Joe and said in a low voice, "Send a helicopter to find out where the cruise went."
Elizabeth looked down at her phone. No signal.
No wonder Delbert was so confident and didn't take away her phone.
Delbert smiled. "I've installed a signal jammer. Elizabeth, want to make a call? Not possible."
Elizabeth looked up. It seemed Delbert was well prepared this time and determined to succeed.
She reached out and opened the contract in front of her.
Delbert smiled. "Ms. Penrose, good that you've come to your senses. Better to keep your life and enjoy the rest of it."
Elizabeth's finger pointed at the price section of the contract. She smiled faintly. "This price isn't very reasonable, is it? One dollar per share? You're really taking advantage."
She calmly negotiated the price.
Delbert raised an eyebrow. At this point, she still had the mood to negotiate price. He didn't know if Elizabeth was greedy or stupid. "One dollar is already generous."
The Sherman Group's current stock price was 140 dollars per share. This guy Delbert wanted to buy her shares at one dollar per share.
He was really dreaming.
Everyone in the room was Delbert's people, and her phone had no signal.
Elizabeth looked down and continued to stall for time. "I'm not very satisfied with this price."
Delbert had lost his patience. He sneered. "Ms. Penrose, it seems we don't need to waste any more time."
A bodyguard walked toward Elizabeth. He grabbed Elizabeth's wrist and shoved a pen into her palm.
They were going to force her to sign.
At the auction hall on the third floor.
Herschel saw Mira and was about to mention that Elizabeth might be in trouble.
After all, tonight's event was hosted by the Collins family. If something happened to Elizabeth, it wouldn't look good for the Collins family either.
Emma suddenly stood on her tiptoes and lowered her voice, leaning close to Herschel. "Herschel, now that we've got the earrings, can you come rest with me? My stomach hurts a little."
Herschel turned to look at Emma. Seeing that she looked a bit uncomfortable, he said, "There's a doctor on the cruise. I'll take you to see them."
Emma saw from the corner of her eye that Mira had already walked away. She held onto Herschel's arm and said embarrassedly, "No need to see a doctor. When girls have their, you know, monthly thing, some people's bodies make their stomachs hurt."