Chapter 431

Chapter 431

Melvin adjusted his glasses. "I'll check it out. Shouldn't take long."

"Great, the more details, the better."

"I'll send it along with the industry reports from each company."

"Cool, once you're done, come over ASAP."

There were tons of coastal affairs to handle and plenty of acquisition opportunities. She couldn't manage it all by herself.

She ended the call just as the door opened.

A smile spread across her face as she quickly walked over.

Meanwhile, Garrett was surveying the room in front of him.

Luxurious and opulent, but the most striking thing was the pair of nude high heels on the floor.

Garrett's face turned cold at the sight.

This wasn't just a room for him; someone had sent him a person.

When he first arrived on the coast, people had tried this trick before. He thought he had made it clear that such tactics wouldn't work, but apparently, they hadn't learned their lesson.

He scoffed and slammed the door shut.

Penelope, who had just turned the corner, was puzzled.

Where was the man she was expecting?

The manager waiting at the door looked like he was about to cry. "Why did you come out?"

"There's someone inside."

"Yes, isn't that your boss?"

Garrett's face darkened further as he stared coldly at the manager. "Who told you to send someone to me?"

The manager remained silent.

He couldn't say anything! His boss had specifically instructed him not to mention it when handing over the room key. Speaking up now would be a death sentence.

Garrett's expression grew even colder. "If you don't talk, there are ways to make you."

At that moment, two men in black appeared at the end of the hallway.

The manager's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't done anything wrong! He was just following orders!

As the men in black approached, the manager's legs trembled, and he couldn't utter a word.

Suddenly, the door behind him opened, and a familiar voice called out, "What are you doing?"

Garrett froze, thinking he had misheard. But the next moment, a familiar embrace from behind dispelled his uncertainty.

Penelope took one look and understood the situation.

She sighed softly and whispered, "Stop scaring my manager. I asked him to send you someone. Is that not okay?"

Garrett waved his hand, and the men in black left. The manager leaned against the wall, nearly collapsing in relief.

What a mess!

Once the door closed, the manager slowly walked away.

Inside the room, Garrett eagerly embraced Penelope.

Days of separation had intensified his longing, especially under the influence of alcohol. He stared at Penelope with a fierce intensity.

Penelope chuckled softly and leaned into him.

Time passed, and the passion finally subsided.

Garrett held Penelope tightly, kissing her repeatedly, as if he wanted to merge her into his very being.

Penelope, exhausted, could only pat Garrett's muscular arm to express her displeasure.

Her gentle taps were like a kitten's scratch, eliciting tenderness.

Garrett kissed her fingertips again and again until Penelope couldn't take it anymore. "Are you done yet?"

"Just a couple more kisses."

Garrett leaned in, but Penelope pushed him away. "Enough, we have serious matters to discuss."

"You came here to talk business?"

Seeing Garrett's incredulous expression, Penelope couldn't help but laugh. "Half and half. But yes, there's something important."

She reached for a tablet on the bedside table and handed it to Garrett. "Look at this."

Garrett flipped through a couple of pages and widened his eyes. "Is this a coastal project proposal?"

"Yep, the inland market is pretty much tapped out. Why not explore here? There's a lot of potential."

Garrett looked at the business map Penelope had drawn and the names of key figures marked with crosses. It felt almost like a heist.

He had never seen a business plan that included taking over someone else's territory so blatantly.

His expression was so obvious that Penelope didn't need to ask to know what he was thinking.

"Don't give me that look. There's a reason I included them."

Garrett's tone was cautious. "Because of the Murphy family's strength?"

"Not exactly. It's because I trust that Lewis and you can handle things cleanly," Penelope said with a slow smile. "These people have dirty hands. If you want, you could not only bankrupt them but also send them to prison."

She flipped to the last few pages of the report. "These are the shady dealings we uncovered while investigating their industries. If you need it, I'll send you a separate copy."

The report detailed the illicit activities of those individuals.

Garrett was impressed and couldn't help but kiss Penelope again. "You've really helped me out."

With this information, he wouldn't need a year. Three months, tops, and he could take over the entire area!

Outside, the moon hung darkly in the night sky, unaware of the impending upheaval on the coast.

...

Imperial City.

It had snowed again.

Tomorrow was New Year's Eve, but the Windsor Mansion was eerily quiet.

Well, not completely empty. Leroy was there, playing video games.

Aria finished her online work and stretched, her bones cracking from the long hours of sitting.

Linda was startled and quickly retracted the document she was about to hand over. "You've done enough for today. You should rest."

She hadn't forgotten that Aria was pregnant and needed to avoid overexertion.

Aria didn't mind. "Just a few more documents to sign, and then we can enjoy New Year's Eve."

She looked at Linda. "Make sure you and Justin come early."

Linda smiled and agreed.

She didn't have many family members left, just a few distant relatives. Going home was more trouble than it was worth, so she preferred staying at the Windsor Mansion.

As for Justin, he had grown up in an orphanage. Though the orphanage had treated him well, it lacked the warmth of a real home. He hadn't returned there in years.

Aria glanced at the documents and smiled. "It'll be lively this year."

Footsteps approached from the doorway. It was Lewis.

Lewis, wrapped in the cold, stood at the door, warming up. "It will be quite lively."