Chapter 51
I woke up a bit early, and when I looked toward the floor, Oscar was gone again.
Was he really that busy?
Still, it was better that he wasn't home—it gave me a chance to do what I needed to do.
I changed into casual business attire, put on some light makeup, and walked out the door, running into Gregory, who was just coming out of his room.
"Morning." I smiled at him first, then turned to head downstairs.
I could feel him staring at my back in a daze. At the stairway landing, I looked back with a gentle, harmless smile. "Aren't you coming down for breakfast?"
Gregory quickly looked away, flustered, and could only give me an awkward smile. He followed me down somewhat uncertainly. "Breakfast? I actually haven't eaten yet either. Where's Uncle Oscar? Isn't he joining us?"
I walked down the stairs slowly, saying casually, "He probably had something to take care of and left early. What time did you get back last night?"
Gregory's face reddened a bit, as if afraid of being misunderstood. "I came back right after dropping her off at home yesterday. We... we don't actually have that kind of relationship. I've always..."
I smiled and finished his sentence for him. "You've always seen her as a little sister? That's nice."
Anyone who can sweet-talk a girl into bed is no ordinary guy, but someone who sleeps with her, then acts as if nothing happened? That's a whole different level of scumbag.
The butler quickly came over and had the kitchen bring out the prepared breakfast. "Ms. Wilson, Mr. Oscar Lopez left early this morning. He asked me to tell you he's busy today. You were still sleeping when he left, so he didn't wake you. Mr. Robert Lopez went out for a walk and said whoever comes down first can start eating, no need to wait."
I picked up a piece of bread and took small bites. "Got it, thanks. I'll also be busy after breakfast and might come home late tonight."
Gregory cut in somewhat abruptly. "I heard your office building is almost done with renovations. Nina designed it for you, right? How do you know her?"
His eyes held a hopeful look, as if wanting to hear a specific answer from me.
"A friend introduced us," I answered vaguely while drinking my milk.
Gregory paused, his face showing a smile. "Then your friend must be pretty close with Nina, right?"
I looked at him with confusion. "Are you that interested in Nina too?"
Gregory quickly waved his hands. "No, actually, Nina and I kind of know each other. Her reputation has been growing these past few years. I know she has great insights into fashion design, but I didn't know she was also skilled in interior design. I mean, you're probably the only interior design client she's taken on, so your friend must have an unusual relationship with her."
I continued eating my bread in small bites, raising an eyebrow casually. "Who says this is her only project? She also took on your uncle's landscape design."
Gregory's face showed confusion. "Is she... short on money?"
I felt like laughing. Sure, let's say Nina was short on money.
"You all seem pretty interested in my collaboration with Nina. I'm curious—does Nina have some kind of secret?" I asked with feigned ignorance.
Gregory wasn't going to spill, obviously, but I could tell that Nina wouldn't have been doing all this for me if I hadn't been Emma—or if Emma and I hadn't been tied together somehow.
"Alright, I'm full. Take your time." I wiped my hands with a napkin and didn't wait for his answer. I stood up, grabbed my bag, and left. Today I had interviews to conduct—I needed to pick the right work partners.
When I saw the office building renovations, I was impressed once again. One small conference room was already set up, and the rest of the partitioned spaces just needed office supplies before they'd be ready to use. The largest lab was built exactly to my specifications, perfectly replicating the design model that had been revised twice.
The HR person Oscar introduced me to was already waiting at the door. "Hello, I'm Bianca, the one you've been talking to on the phone. The interviews start in half an hour. Here are all the candidates' files. Would you like to review them again, Ms. Wilson?"
I took the files. "I've already looked through them. I'll just meet with a few key people. You can handle the rest. Also, I'll send you a list of names. Contact them today or tomorrow—these are all tech people. Keep it confidential. Don't discuss salary—I've already worked that out with them."
Bianca nodded with a smile. "Got it, Ms. Wilson. Also, the office building is basically ready. Is there anything you need help with regarding the factory?"
I hadn't even told Oscar about the factory. "No rush on that. Once the office is running, the factory can follow anytime."
Bianca looked puzzled, and I could understand why she'd ask that. Everyone knows I haven't bought any land or built any factories—just got this one office building. It probably sounds like some kind of shell company.
She quickly smiled. "I checked and saw that SoftGlow Biotech used to be in Solstice. The tariffs aren't cheap now. If we could find a manufacturer here to do contract production, that might work well. Ms. Wilson, if you need me to, I can help contact some processing plants. With the economy being tough, they'd definitely be willing to work with us."
I waved my hand. "No need. Finding a processing plant is easy. What's important is getting the right people first. People are the biggest asset."
The interviews went smoothly. The few I selected were generally young. I already had people with work experience—what I needed now were employees with innovative thinking and drive.
After the interviews, I went to the empty office next door. It had been over two months since I came back, and in those two months, I'd had enough time to settle some scores slowly.
Stock charts glowed on the screen. Watching my positions close out, I couldn't suppress a rather pleased smile.
I dialed an unfamiliar number. "Mr. Hill, I'll need the fully executed Brown Group agreement. We'll go together."
Aaron Hill's voice on the other end was calm and reserved. "Yes, Ms. Wilson. Everything is ready here, and the money has been transferred to their account. Should I send someone to pick you up?"
"No need. I'll drive there myself. Let's meet at the factory entrance." After giving instructions, my smile grew wider.
Yes, Charles and Jasper would never imagine that the partner they couldn't negotiate with was someone I had arranged.
After forcing their exit, they're struggling to restore credibility and maintain operations. They've progressively compromised their principles, essentially hitting rock bottom. While they saw this as their chance to turn things around, the decision rests entirely with me.
They probably couldn't imagine that when Aaron said needing the chairman's signature to be valid meant they had to wait for me to come and sign before it would take effect.