—
"Why are you calling me, Mr. Maxwell?" Vernon asked. "Surely you don't call me just to say good afternoon, right?"
"Not at all, Mr. Phoenix Gray. I'm here to report to you about something, but I'm not sure if you'd be happy with my report," Gregory Maxwell said.
"Is there any problem with the shipping of those metals to Europe?" Vernon guessed.
Gregory Maxwell was responsible for sending the metals needed to produce cans for his beverage. So far, all he got was quality products, and there was never a problem with the shipping.
But it was winter, and everything in winter was prone to accidents.
"N—Not at all! Everything went well!" Mr. Maxwell replied quickly. He got nervous because he didn't want to disappoint his boss. "This is about your brother, Mr. Gray."
"My brother?" Vernon frowned. He guessed that his Big bro finally made a move against him because Vincent had had enough of acting weak in front of Vincent. He daringly declared war against Vincent, not caring if that bastard wanted to attack him because Vernon knew he was more influential than Vincent.
"Do tell me more," Vernon requested.
"Uhh… Mr. Gray called me about fifteen minutes ago, Sir," Mr. Maxwell reported. "He told me to get a contract with you, and once I've done that, he told me to go to his office and report about the contract and the system that you apply to me and all of the business partners you have."
"And what do you say to him?" Vernon asked.
Naturally, he already knew the result. It'd be stupid for Gregory Maxwell to jump ship right now. Vernon was a much better boss and gave him even better profit without having to kiss his shoes, unlike Vincent.
But Vernon also wanted to hear what this old man was about to say.
"He threatened to cut off our cooperation. He said if I don't obey him, he will make me suffer by stopping all the remaining cooperation the Gray company and mine have," Gregory Maxwell cleared his throat as he wanted to boast in front of his new boss. "But I refused everything, Sir. I told him that he can cut off all of the ties between our company, because you offer me a much better business and you don't humiliate me like what he did!"
Vernon's lips perked up. That was definitely the answer he was expecting from this old man.
"Good, you made a wise choice of choosing my company over his," Vernon said. "Don't worry, I won't disappoint you and the rest of my new business partners."
"Y—Yes, Sir! You don't need to assure yourself. You already showed us that you're a great businessman, that's why we're following you without hesitation!" Gregory Maxwell praised. "Don't worry about the rest of my friends as well, we don't really care about the Gray family. Vincent is too overbearing, he's like a monster that wants to kill us over the smallest mistake!"
"We will focus our businesses with you instead, Sir! Our businesses are more lucrative, and we are willing to invest in any of your new businesses too if you want!"
Vernon knew that Gregory Maxwell liked to do some bootlicking. But it seemed he was genuinely excited to make money, which Vernon also wanted. He wanted to make money and business connections, not mingle with these old men.
After reuniting with Chloe, he didn't want to mix with some businessmen circle who'd bring women to their table just for a show. He just felt gross, thinking he had to touch another woman other than Chloe.
So he was well known in Gregory Maxwell's circle as the rich young man who was henpecked by his secret wife.
'And I actually like that title. I guess I am kind of henpecked,' Vernon thought.
"I will call you once I want to branch out," Vernon said. "For now, just focus on your work shipping those metals to my factory."
"Yes, Sir! Understood!"
Beep.
—
"Pfft—Hahaha!" Vernon couldn't help but laugh freely, knowing that his Big brother was in trouble right now.
He was attacked by countless rumors on the internet. Everyone was slandering him because of his case with Chelsea Davis and because everyone was rooting for the poor boys and Mrs. Gray, aka Chloe.
His major shareholders must've attacked him as well. So now, since he couldn't find Chloe and Maria was also nowhere to be found, he wanted to get a release by bullying Vernon.
"Well, too bad, Maria is dead. She'll be nothing but ashes soon, hahahah!" Vernon laughed heartily. "I know that you never have that kind of brotherly feeling to me, Big bro. You treat me well because I obey your words, like an obedient dog that will never fight back."
"That's why I never felt anything when you tried to treat me well when I was a child," Vernon said. He reminisced about his Big brother when he was a child.
Despite showing care to Vernon, Vincent never actually stopped their mother for beating him.
He'd watch Dorothea beat Vincent from aside in silence. But Vernon noticed that in his eyes, there was satisfaction, as if he couldn't wait for Vernon to get beaten even harder.
He also noticed that Vincent sometimes deliberately tried to stress Dorothea out, knowing he was the golden child. Thus, whenever Dorothea was stressed out by Vincent and got physically abused by Vaughn at the same time, she'd unleash her frustration at Vernon at night.
"You just treat me like a dog…" Vernon murmured. "It was only her. All this time, only Chloe ever showed me genuine care. She knows she can't fight Dorothea, so to lessen my beating, Chloe would try to stay in the Gray family mansion as much as possible, even going as far as having a sleepover in my room, just to make sure that I won't get beaten while she's not there."
Vernon leaned on his executive chair, staring at the ceiling as he reminisced, "Maybe… just maybe… if you treat me like a human being, things won't end this badly, Big bro."
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