Chapter 30
Chapter 30
“What are you two doing here?” Kristina asked, her tone both cold.
Lisa stepped forward with an air of confidence. “We’ve got a few projects we want to discuss with the McClain family
“Oh?” Kristina raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What kind of projects?”
“Our family recently launched some high–end lighting projects. We haven’t decided on the distribution channels yet. I brought the proposal. Want to take a look?” Lisa asked.
She pulled a document from her bag, her eyes gleaming with ambition. She was here to exploit the situation, hoping Trenton’s naivety would work in her favor.
Kristina saw right through Lisa’s game instantly. She didn’t even need to read the sloppy proposal to spot its problems. Her eyes barely glanced over the document. “Fine,” she said, “since you’re asking for my help, I’ll give you a small way in
“Oh Kristina, you’re such a sensible child; all my efforts have paid off,” Lisa exclaimed joyfully, eager for Kristina to sign the document.
But to her surprise, Kristina passed the document to Trenton and asked, “Could you review this?”
Lisa’s face fell. ‘What could a guy like Trenton possibly understand?”
Trenton took the document, pulled out a tablet, and started swiping through the screen with surprising confidence.
Lisa and Tessa exchanged glances, their patience wearing thin. “Are you done yet?” they muttered impatiently. “How long is this going to take? We’ve got places to be.” Under her breath, Tessa added, “I thought he was supposed to be clueless. What’s
up to?”
he
“No, we can’t go ahead with this deal,” Trenton spoke coldly. He thought even with basic math skills, he could see the offer was grossly below market value; it was a complete loss.
Lisa was momentarily speechless. She turned to Kristina, bewildered. “Didn’t you say you’d give us a small way in?”
Kristina responded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Yeah, I did help you. How else do you think your document landed in front of Trenton?
“I saved you the hassle of the company’s lengthy selection process, shaving off at least a month. That’s quite a big favor.”
Lisa’s temper flared, her voice rising in ire. “You little brat, you’re messing with me, aren’t you?”
Kristina smiled slightly, feigning innocence. “What, are you thinking of hitting me now?”
Lisa froze, the threat of retaliation faltering as frustration bubbled inside her. Without another wo her heel and stormed off.
Tessa, however, lingered, her expression conflicted.
Kristina glanced over at her. “Anything else?”
he turned sharply on
“Don’t get too worked up, Kristina. Mom is just anxious because of business stuff,” Tessa replied, sounding earnest.
‘Well, that’s a first–Tessa actually makes sense!’ Kristina couldn’t help but snicker. “Don’t worry, I’m not taking it personally.”
Tessa was momentarily thrown, but she recovered quickly. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Have you heard from Stanley recently? I haven’t seen him in ages, and I thought you might know something.”
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“He’s not doing great at the moment,” Kristina said with a smile. “If you want to see him, head to Central Hospital’s VIP ward.”
Then she leaned in closer and whispered, “When you visit, dress up a bit. The top–floor VIP ward is super private–perfect for you two to have some alone time.
“If you can win him over this time, you’ll become the lady of the McClain family. Then I will be right there to take care of
you.
“One more thing: Stanley has a bit of a quirk–he really likes the smell of insect repellent. Just don’t go overboard; a little splash behind your ears will do. You don’t want to come on too strong.”
“Thanks. “Tessa looked at Kristina, her eyes full of appreciation.
“Go ahead,” Kristina said with a smirk. She watched Tessa rush off, a sly smile spreading across her face. She hoped they’d have a night to remember.
At the hospital, Tessa, dressed in a black coat, stepped into Stanley’s room. He was lying in bed, one leg propped up. The swelling on his face had gone down completely, but he looked restless after so much time stuck in bed.
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