Panickily, she gestured for her assistant to leave and immediately called Shawn. After briefing him about the situation, she asked, “Lucian and Roxanne aren’t planning anything, are they?”
Shawn remained silent for a while. I didn’t expect this to happen. Usually, companies would express strong resistance when their suppliers suddenly raise the price. Then, they’ll renegotiate their deal. So, what’s going on?
Despite his thoughts, he reassured, “No need to panic. You’ve received the money, and these companies are now firmly in your grasp. There’s nothing for you to be afraid of.” “Okay. I’ll meet you at the mansion tonight.” Frieda missed him.
“Okay.” Upon hanging up the call, Shawn kept thinking about his enemies’ plans. Not long after, he suddenly realized something. Looking like a deflated balloon, he muttered, “It seems like I’ve lost this round.”
During the afternoon, Jonathan carried out the plan Roxanne and Lucian had cooked up. Since Frieda maliciously hiked the price, they opted to launch a price war. Their plan was simple and brutal. They would offer higher prices than Frieda did to everyone.
With that, the Queen family’s original suppliers were elated. They stopped having crooked thoughts and started supplying a colossal number of medicinal herbs en masse. Within minutes, all of Frieda’s efforts to gain the trust of those company owners were wiped away.
During that evening, ten of the fourteen medicinal herbs company the Damaris family left behind requested to work with Jonathan. By dinnertime, another three approached him. He accepted and signed a contract with all of them to adjust the price according to each quarter’s market.
After all, the price would only continue to rise for the latest quarter. When those bosses saw Jonathan’s proposed price, they immediately signed the contract without reading it.
After Lucian had dinner with his family, Jonathan called him to report the situation. “All fourteen companies under my sister’s control have signed a contract with me. Based on my estimates, we’ll lose around two to three hundred million this quarter.
However, they’re bound to expand production next quarter. Thus, the prices will drop back down. As for the medicinal herb farmers, they won’t make too less money. It’s my fault for letting this happen, which is why the Queen family will bear the losses.”
Lucian smiled when he heard that. Because his phone was in loudspeaker mode, Roxanne heard what Jonathan said, too.
Hence, she replied, “The Queen family doesn’t need to make up for the losses. I can license one of my research institute’s patents to pharmaceutical companies in Epea for around a billion. Once that deal goes through, I can allocate two hundred million from that earnings. to cover the losses.”
Once Roxanne ended her sentence, she hung up, denying Jonathan a chance to refuse. Worried that Lucian would be dissatisfied, she explained, “I’m content with the scheme you’ve devised for me. Lucian. However, if the Queen family bears the losses, it’ll be the same as you do it. This whole scheme will be meaningless in that case.”
However, Lucian chuckled. “Your methods are very befitting of a businessman’s now!” “Really? That’s great! As long as Jonathan can control the prices, he’ll help me save a lot of money. I’d say two hundred million is a fitting price to pay to settle this matter.”
Then Roxanne turned around to boil water and prepare Lucian’s favorite coffee. The fragrance of coffee filled the air.
As she enjoyed the coffee, he carefully observed her expression and said, “Accompany me to the middle school tomorrow, Roxanne. I promised Elektra to visit our old principal since he’s sick.”
She grinned. “Since this is a promise between you and Ms. Lane, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to join you two. It’s fine. I won’t get jealous. I know you two are only former classmates.”
The current Roxanne was a lot franker and better at expressing her thoughts. I don’t need to be jealous since he has done so much to prove his love for me. Besides, I’m sure he mentioned he would bring me along when he talked to Elektra. In that case, I don’t have anything to be upset about.
“That’s not exactly why I’m asking you to join me. Did you forget you’re the legendary Dr. Jarvis? I want you to come along because you may be able to treat his condition.”
“I see. In that case, I’ll gladly join you. When the time comes, pick me up at the research institute. I need to be there very early in the morning tomorrow.”
Elektra was groggily woken up by her alarm clock at nine in the morning. As she was dead drunk last night, she couldn’t recall why she was woken up by the alarm clock. Hence, she turned it off and went back to sleep, not wanting to deal with anything else.
Then she suddenly recalled her promise with Lucian to meet with their old principal. She opened her eyes, ignored her headache, and rapidly dressed up. There was only an hour left until her time of meeting at ten.
Swiftly, she bathed, changed into a lovely attire, put on makeup to conceal her despondent appearance, and washed her mouth multiple times to remove the smell of alcohol.
As Elektra stood before the gates of her middle school, she reminisced about her time there. It’s been more than a decade, but I still remember how Lucian and I always do things together. I’d sit on his bicycle as he rode around the school while the students talked about us. Eventually, our homeroom teacher would tell us not to fall in love when we were still young. It would’ve been nice if we did.
In a daze, a smile surfaced on her countenance before vanishing a few seconds later. It was because she saw Lucian and Roxanne stepping out of a Rolls-Royce.
So, he still brought her along. I feel somewhat uncomfortable, but then again, I know it’s going to happen. Elektra tried to convince herself to accept reality. Moments later, Lucian approached her with Roxanne. “Did you wait for long, Elektra?”
His voice always mesmerizes me. Nodding, Elektra stared at Roxanne. “Our old principal, Mr. Valentine, is really ill, Ms. Jarvis. He’s in a lot of pain. I hope you’ll be able to treat him!”
In response, Roxanne nodded. I can see she’s still captivated by Lucian, but I’m okay with it. He’s an excellent man, after all, so it’s only natural he’ll constantly attract the attention of countless women. It’s not like I can do anything about it. It’s his attitude that matters.
The old middle school building was renovated into an elderly activity center after the school moved elsewhere. Nearby elderly would often spend time there.
Many retired teachers were still living in the dorm building within the school grounds. As the three of them couldn’t drive their cars inside, they reached the dorm building on foot. It was a decrepit building. On each of the five floors, there were a series of rooms resembling classrooms.
Judging from the clothes hanging in front of the doors, it was evident not many teachers lived there anymore. Elektra made a call before a middle-aged woman welcomed them inside. She was Jennifer Valentine, the daughter of the old principal, Nicholas Valentine.
“Greetings. My father had just woken up, so feel free to talk with him.” There were tear marks on her countenance. Clearly, she had been crying.
Lucian and Roxanne followed Elektra into the room before he asked, “What did the hospital say about Mr. Valentine’s condition? He should have a medical record, right?”
“Thank you for visiting my father, Mr. Farwell. However, my father… They say he has no hope for recovery.” A sorrowful expression was set on Jennifer’s countenance again.
Lucian’s and Elektra’s expressions turned grim when they saw how thin and feeble Nicholas, who was lying on a bed, had become.
Even Roxanne couldn’t help but sigh in her mind when she saw the old man’s condition. What people are most often afraid of when they’ve grown old is that they’ll be riddled with ailments, drain their family fortune, leaving none for their descendants, and pass away agonizingly in an unsightly manner. In the past, I bet his eyes were filled with light as he dedicated his life to education. Now, however, his eyes have turned cloudy.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.