Free Web NovelChapter 416: My Dear Brother, What’s Up?
Michael handed the letter to Teigen and said, "Mr. Teigen, please take a look at this."
Teigen warily eyed at the envelope that Michael handed over before taking it. His gaze fell upon Michael, then onto the envelope again. He extracted the letter from the envelope, still feeling doubtful.
"Since you’re on good terms with Corrine Swift, you should be able to recognize the handwriting on the letter," said Michael.
The handwriting indeed looked familiar to Teigen. It was signed off by Corrine. On top of her signature, there was a stamp with her seal. Was this letter really from Corrine? Teigen started reading after examining her signature.
<Greetings, this is Corrine Swift.
I should be on my way to meet with you as you read this letter, which should be presented to you by someone from MC Enterprise. I hope you can seriously consider working with MC, because I will be joining their design team in the near future.
If you choose to sign a deal with MC, your company will receive priority rights to supplies for my new designs for the next three years in whichever country you are based in. You have my word.
I am sincerely sorry that I am unable to sign a contract with you openly right now, but if you trust me, please place your trust in MC.
Yours faithfully, Corrine> Teigen’s brows furrowed deeper after reading the letter. He waved the letter at Michael and asked, "What’s going on?"
"I think you should know that Corrine Swift is actually my wife, Wendy Stewart," Michael pursed his lips and continued, "She is currently my ex-wife on the surface.
Corrine will indeed be joining MC soon. In fact, I don’t know if you remember, but Corrine was actually working with MC at the beginning.
"As for the twists and turns in these developments, it is nothing more than a business competition. This should be clear to you, Mr. Teigen, since we are in the same field. There won’t be many people seeing this letter, because we must ensure that those who see this will be working with us. I hope you get what I’m driving at."
Teigen nodded. To prevent information leakage, not many would have access to a letter like this. Otherwise, Wendy would be seen as a traitor to HG, or even a commercial spy.
They would definitely not present this letter readily, unless it was someone Wendy had a close relationship with, or someone whose interests were aligned with them and would definitely agree to working together. Teigen happened to fit both criteria.
The reason Teigen was able to hold the top position in apparel sales in Havenview City was largely due to HG’s apparel line. In recent years, the best-selling apparels of HG were all designed by Wendy. So there was no reason for Teigen to turn them down. In addition, he had a good personal relationship with Wendy.
"Mr. Lucas, handwritings can be forged. Not to mention that it is even easier for you to forge Corrine’s handwriting as her ex-husband," Teigen looked solemn as he replied. "You can’t expect me to believe you just based on this letter."
"I understand your concerns. It is good to be cautious. However, it is not convenient for Corrine to speak to you directly on this matter, or I wouldn’t be here in the first place," Michael said. "If you want to verify the truth, it’s easy. Isn’t Corrine meeting you later? Find a chance and ask her a question."
Teigen didn’t speak. He waited for Michael to continue. He did have some faith in Michael’s words. Handwritings can indeed be forged, but Michael was the CEO of MC Enterprise, and the focus of his business was not fashion apparel. There was no need for such a powerful and influential person to forge such a letter just to deceive him.
...
Besides, if Michael had done all of this just to deceive Teigen, his lies would be exposed sooner or later. When it came to that, Teigen could find opportunities to apologize and continue to work with HG Enterprise, while Michael’s reputation would be tarnished.
Too much was at stake for Michael to spin such an elaborate lie. The returns did not justify the risks involved. It was highly possible that Michael was telling the truth.
"Ask her what she’d like to drink. If she answers that she’ll have orange juice with crushed ice as it is a little hot, you’ll know I am speaking the truth," said Michael.
Wendy had planned for everything. It was not convenient for her to discuss this openly, but others might not believe Michael since they had no prior dealings with him. That was her secret code.
If she answered as Michael had described when Teigen posed the question, it would prove that she had indeed written that letter. Otherwise, that letter would definitely be a fake.
"I will verify this," Teigen nodded solemnly. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
In reality, it was Wendy that he needed to work with, not HG Enterprise. Without Wendy, HG would not be able to maintain their international position as the best-selling apparel company. In that case, HG would be useless to Teigen.
"Well then, I won’t take up any more of your time, Mr. Teigen," Michael stood up and said. "I think we will meet again very soon." This would be true if they were going to work together in future.
"I won’t hold you back too," Teigen said and took the initiative to return the letter to Michael. He knew that Michael would need to present the letter at his next appointment as well. Moreover, Michael would not leave such an important letter in the hands of others anyway.
"Goodbye," Michael took the letter and nodded, then left the meeting lounge with Mr. York.
There were seven names on the list that Wendy handed to him. Among them, she had particularly good relations with four of them. Michael had to close the deals with these four clients at all costs. He would not be presenting this letter to the other three clients.
Christian Lucas was bound to know his whereabouts. It would definitely raise Christian’s suspicion if he managed to clinch the deal for every client he meets with.
Ideally, he should manage to secure half the number of clients he was going to meet with. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Michael had to reach these four clients before Wendy got to them. He would have to be on the road throughout the day regardless of the time.
As for the remaining clients, he would meet with them at the same time that Wendy would be meeting with other clients. If all his appointments were set before Wendy’s, then it would be too coincidental and could arouse suspicions.
Michael heaved a sigh of relief upon exiting from the hotel. He had completed the first step of their plan smoothly.
Mr. York was also more at ease. He said, "Next, we are going to Felize City. Mrs.
Lucas is really impressive now. Her plan is seamless."
"Of course, look who her husband is," Michael felt both proud and distressed as he said this. As much as he was proud of his wife, he was also distressed over the thought of how much hardship she had to go through to get to where she was now.
As someone who had climbed the corporate ladder one step at a time to be what he was today, Michael had been through hardships that only he himself could understand. Wendy had grown to be as competent as he was, perhaps even better.
This meant that the hardship she had suffered in the last six years was beyond one’s imagination.
Taking a deep breath, Michael swore in his heart that he had to take good care of Wendy and their children.
...
<Christian Lucas’s office, Lake City.> Christian stood before the large bay window with a glass of red wine, the veins in his hand bulging. In his other hand was his cellphone.
Timothy Woods was on the other end of the line, "Corrine Swift has already met with three clients and is currently on her way to meet with the fourth. I sent one of our people to go with her. Regardless of whether she has anything to do with HG’s current crisis at hand, she will do her best to redeem HG, at least on the surface."
"I know," Christian said calmly. He was trying his best to rein in his emotions.
Timothy knew that Christian had arranged for Zen Tanner to watch over Wendy, so it was not surprising that Christian knew about it. He continued with his update, "The negotiations with two major clients in Rheinsville were successful. The third one was unsuccessful because the client’s demands for compensation were too much and Corrine did not agree to it."
"Just tell me how many clients can be retained based on HG’s current situation," Christian said. That was his priority.
"Optimistically, we should be able to retain at least two-thirds of our bigger clients," said Timothy. "It’s impossible to retain all of them. I hope you will be mentally prepared for this."
"And in the worst-case scenario?" Christian took a deep breath, his grip tightening on the cellphone.
"The worst..." Timothy sighed and hesitated for a while, but did not continue.
Christian could tell that the situation was dire from Timothy’s silence.
"But don’t worry. Many clients are still willing to give HG a chance on account of HG’s and Corrine’s reputation. It just depends on how Corrine can strike a deal with them," Timothy continued. "Based on Rosa’s report on the current situation, Corrine is indeed trying her best to retain clients for HG. Moreover, she did not even use up our budget."
"Corrine Swift is doing that?" Christian swirled his wine glass and raised his head to take a sip. He muttered her name under his breath, although it slowly changed to ’Wendy Stewart’ instead.
"Mr. Woods, do you think Corrine has something to do with this?" asked Christian.
Wendy was the first person that he had doubted. However, Wendy seemed uninvolved based on their current assessment, so Christian could not be sure.
"I was the one who personally nurtured and trained Corrine, so I do understand her to a certain extent. Personally, I hope that this has nothing to do with her, " Timothy replied. "But the relationship between Corrine, Michael, and you is quite complicated after all.
"I dare not conclude who she stands with, or who she is helping. I hope you don’t doubt her too much before we find any reason to. After all, HG still needs her help now. We would really be done if she were not dealing with all these clients.
"Furthermore, Corrine has indeed been toiling hard for HG for the past two days. If she was involved in this incident, she could have just taken advantage of the opportunity to leave HG in the lurch."
That was also what Christian could not fathom. However, as long as he discovered anything dubious, he would clamp down on her right away.
"Do you think..." a thought crossed Christian’s mind and stopped him in his tracks.
His expression was extremely solemn as he continued, "Is it possible that she knowsabout us? I mean, other than about our partnership in HG."
...
Timothy turned solemn in an instant because of what Christian had said. His hand was restless upon the tabletop, tapping gently and rhythmically.
"The odds are low. I don’t think we did anything to give ourselves away," Timothy replied.
"You have yet to uncover who’s the one who trespassed into your office the last time. And now with this incident, do you really not doubt her?" Christian’s suspicion of Wendy was growing deeper by the moment.
"I had thoroughly investigated the trespassing incident, and it really had nothing to do with Corrine and Todd. I haven’t had the time to investigate this time round," said Timothy. "Now, our priority is to salvage our reputation and retain our clients, and we need Corrine for both of that.
"I will continue the investigations, for both this incident and the last. If I find any evidence linking either to Corrine or Todd, I will let you know at once."
"When that happens, I hope you won’t insist on protecting your apprentices anymore," Christian set the wine glass upon the desk heavily. Clenching his hand into a fist, he brought it down hard on the table.
The ruckus on the other end of the line made Timothy’s heart skip a beat. Christian’s intention was clear. Once he had evidence, he would act on it. Timothy wanted to say more, but he heard someone else’s voice on the other end of the line, "Mr.
Lucas..." Then, Christian cut the line.
Looking at his cellphone, Timothy sighed. Just how did things turn out this way? He was having a premonition, a bad one.
Christian’s assistant entered and stood behind him with his eyes lowered slightly, "Mr. Lucas, Michael Lucas is in Havenview now. He was spotted near the premises of Teigen’s company.
"Havenview? Teigen?" Christian turned around, agitated. His expression was somber as he continued, "You mean he went to see Teigen?" His meeting with Teigen could not merely be coincidental at a time like this. Was Michael trying to poach his clients?
"Yes," his assistant answered as he lowered his head further. He was afraid to even meet Christian’s eyes. Christian looked menacing. Christian’s assistant could feel his anger even though Christian did not say a word.
"Mr... Mr. Lucas, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave," his assistant quickly left the office after finishing his sentence. He was afraid of receiving Christian’s wrath if he stayed any longer.
"Ha!" Christian slammed a tightly clenched fist against the window. He then proceeded to call Michael.
Michael was on his way to the airport. He was not surprised to receive a call from Christian. He smirked and took the call, putting on a deliberately chirpy voice, "My dear brother, what’s up?"
It was the first time Michael had addressed Christian as ’his dear brother’. But these three words did not sound endearing to Christian at all.
"Michael Lucas, were you in Havenview?" Christian asked through gritted teeth.
"You’re well informed," Michael said. "But aren’t you busy with the bidding project at the moment? Why do you still have time to track my whereabouts?"
"Cut the crap. Are you trying to take the opportunity to increase your market share?"
Michael asked with a smile, "My market share in which field? Where I go and who I meet with has nothing to do with you. Besides, even if I am trying to increase my market share, it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with you. You’re not in the same industry anyway."
