My Beloved

In the evening, Han Luo came back home. She found her team members in the living room.

"Good evening, Miss Han. How was your day?" Thomas greeted her.

"Good evening, Miss Han." Others also greeted him. 

She smiled at them. "Good evening, everyone. You must be tired after work. Please relax. I'll be joining you soon."

After freshening up, Han Luo went to the living room with a file.

Johnathan enthusiastically asked, "What's the news? Did you buy the shop?"

"Did they take the original price or much higher? Did you bargain?" Nancy questioned her.

Thomas inquired, "I thought you said the shop is a bit suspicious. Did you still buy it despite feeling this way?'

"What? Did you have a second thought about this? Why didn't you tell us?" Nancy asked. She was furious.

Han Luo shrugged. "I thought I was overthinking it, so I didn't want to add more worry."

"So, did you find anything?" Johnathan asked.

"You didn't hire a private investigator to dig more information, did you?" Nancy snapped at her. "I can't believe you wasted money from our limited budget because of your false speculation."

Han Luo quietly stated, "I didn't even say anything and you are accusing me of things I didn't do."

Nancy frowned. She demanded an answer, "Are you saying that you didn't spend budget money? Then where did you get money to hire an investigator?"

"If it's her private money, we have nothing to say in that matter," Thomas added. "So, did you find anything?"

Han Luo told them, "My private investigator did find something but that's not important anymore because the shop is already bought…"

Nancy retorted, "What? You bought the shop despite it having some problems? Why did you do that?"

"Nancy, please zip your lips and listen to me first. I haven't finished talking." Han Luo reprimanded her. Seeing that she was offended, Nancy shut up.

After shutting her up, Han Luo spilled the beans, "Well, there was a problem but I had requested President Smith to take care of it. He even offered to sell the shop for five thousand pounds instead of seven hundred and twenty five thousand pounds. Additionally, he is so generous that he promised me that he would renovate the whole shop just the way Isla designed it."

!!!

Everyone was speechless. They couldn't believe that President Smith was so generous.

Thomas fixed his glasses and said, "That can't be happening. He is more like a ruthless businessman I've ever known."

Han Luo gave a sweet smile. "Well, he had to do it for our sake. Since we are a good team, he wanted to support us."

"How can that be…" even Johannes was dumbfounded.

Something definitely happened for President Smith to be so generous.

What actually happened?"

A few hours ago –

Han Luo smiled and shook hands with him. "Good evening, President Smith. It's an honor to meet you. Thank you for your and Larry's generous offer about the shop we would like to buy. Shall we discuss the contract?"

"Of course, please sit down." President Luther Smith smiled. He sat down and so did Han Luo. He said, "I believe you already know the price of the shop. I think my son Larry told you that he is going to offer you this shop instead of giving it to Alexander Smith."

Han Luo nodded and spoke in a formal manner, "I know it and I thank you and Larry for your generosity. The price is 725,000 pounds and there is no doubt that it's reasonable. However," her eyes narrowed as she continued, "when you think about the shop's actual value, it's not worth more than 5000 pounds."

President Luther Smith's eyebrows creased at her words. "What do you mean? Are you trying to get back your words?"

Without a word, Han Luo gave him the file she was carrying. President Luther Smith took the file and opened it. After reading the documents, he threw the file on the table. "What is the meaning of this?" His white face turned red in anger.

Han Luo calmly spoke, "It is as you see. President Smith is an extraordinary man who achieved so many things with his hard work and intelligence. Unfortunately, he couldn't become a good father. His second son is involved with the drug. Not only did he drown himself in drug addiction, he even included his friends with him. Moreover, they were doing it in a shop that is under the Smith Corporation."

"Where do you want to go with this?" he asked. Blue veins already popped in his forehead.

Han Luo innocently shook her head. "Nowhere. I just want to buy the shop with five thousand pounds."

"That's preposterous!" President Luther Smith slammed the table.

Han Luo tilted her head. "Is it? If other company Presidents find out that their children are being ruined by your son, will it be good for you, your company, and your son?"

President Luther Smith gritted his teeth and glared at her. "Young lady, are you threatening me?"

It wasn't that he didn't know about his son's wrongdoing. He just ignored whatever he did. He had money and power. He could easily hide his track.

When Han Luo came up with the project, his son told him that he would sell it to her. He thought that his son had some devilish plans in his sleeves but he put a blind eye on him.

Who would have thought that she would turn the table and try to blackmail him?

He promised that he would never get fooled by her innocent look.

Han Luo smiled professionally. She learned it from Johnathan who was a salesman. "I'm just giving you an offer. You are a wise man, president Smith. I know you know what is best for you, your family, and your company. A little shop won't be worth than your reputation, will it?"

"You…" President Luther Smith's eyebrows twitched. He took those pictured and tore them apart.

"I still have the negative and original documents. The ones I gave you are copies." Han Luo told him.

Seeing his cold eyes, she said, "Please don't be mad at me, President Smith. It wasn't me who was shoving a bad rumored shop to someone innocent. If words went out after we bought this shop, I would be the one be in jail and you know full well how bad my relationship with your son is. I hope he will stay away from me and my family in the future." Han Luo's tone was sweeter than honey and words were more poisonous than the snake. "Now, please sign these papers before reading them thoroughly." She gave him another file with a smile.

When President Smith snatched the file and started reading, she said, "Don't take it into your heart, President Smith. We are all businessmen. We have to think about profit and loss."

As per the contract, he would have to take care of the drug mess and renovate the shop just as Han Luo told him to. All the expenses will be bear by the Smith Corporation.

President Luther Smith signed a devil's contract. There was no doubt about it.

Han Luo didn't tell them the details but they weren't ignorant. They realized what could happen.

"Thus, we have nothing to worry about. I want Thomas and Isla to supervise the shop while they renovate," Han Luo instructed.

"Okay!" Isla nodded.

"Leave it to us," Thomas assured her.

Han Luo looked at the clock and changed the subject, "I think the dinner has been served. Let me check."

After she left, Isla whispered, "I think she blackmailed President Smith."

"Just what could it be that President Smith agreed to help us this much? What did Miss Han gather against him?" Nancy bit her nail.

"It must be something illegal and it's related to the shop." Thomas commented, "I never expected Miss Han to take this opportunity to get such a huge profit. I underestimated her."

"Same goes for me. I didn't think that she would do such a thing." Nancy smiled. "I'm glad my extra work paid off. I thought I had done it unnecessarily."

"She is a remarkable woman already," Johannes stated. "I'm already thrilled with this project."

"However, we still have to hire a patisserie," Isla reminded them.

"She did so much, this time, we should lend a hand," Johannes proposed.

"Sorry to say but I'm not good at baking," Nancy said.

"Likewise," Thomas added.

Isla mentioned, "Me neither but I love pastry."

Johannes said, "You are only good at eating. We can't let you wander around when the pastries will be baked or you will finish them all."

"Hmph!" Isla pouted.

Han Luo came back and told them, "Everyone, the dinner has been served. Come this way."

They dined together. Han Sheng Ming, Zheng Mian, and Mo Yuan would eat later. Chef Sophia served the meal and they dug in.

"Oh, I never had such a delicious meal at home!" Isla sang.

Han Luo mentioned, "She is good at making pastries too."

"Then I must eat them before leaving." Isla's eyes were sparkling.

Han Luo declared, "You have to because I've decided that Sophia will make the pastries. Her skills are top notch. However, we need to have William's recipe. Nancy-"

"No, I won't hand over Will's recipe to a stranger!"