Chapter 39: Chapter 39: This Is Awkward!
Chloe Thorne didn’t understand the hidden meaning in Arabella Donovan’s words. "Then what should I do?" she asked nervously.
"Avoid confined, dark, or secluded places, especially at night. If you absolutely have to go somewhere like that, make sure you’re with a group. Don’t go by yourself."
’Bring a few friends along. That way, even if you do run into the murderer, you won’t be completely helpless. If you’re lucky, you might even save that poor ex-girlfriend.’
Caspian Rhodes’s eyes flickered. A preliminary plan was already forming in his mind.
Chloe Thorne breathed a sigh of relief. For her, following these instructions wouldn’t be difficult.
"And this flower..."
"You can dispose of it as you see fit. However, since it’s been on your desk for a while, the karmic link has already been formed. Getting rid of it now only means it won’t cause you any more harm in the future, but it doesn’t mean the pre-existing karma will just disappear. So, you’d best take what I said to heart and be careful. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable."
Chloe Thorne had indeed been thinking just that. ’Since this all started with this pot of flowers, won’t I be safe if I just throw it away?’
She hadn’t expected to be called out before she could even act on it. She rubbed her nose in embarrassment, no longer daring to tempt fate.
With Chloe Thorne as a cautionary tale, everyone’s attitude toward Arabella Donovan became much more cautious.
Fortunately, after Arabella made her rounds, no second Chloe Thorne appeared. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief; at least they no longer had to worry about suddenly dropping dead for no reason.
After touring the main area of the public relations department, Arabella Donovan finally followed Zane Lynch to the final destination of their visit.
At Radiant Entertainment, every department head had a private office. It wasn’t very big, but at least they didn’t have to be crammed in with the large crowd outside.
The moment she stepped into the office, Arabella’s eyes darted around like a scanner, rapidly sweeping over every object, large and small. She wondered how she could warn Zane Lynch that his public relations minister’s loyalties already lay elsewhere.
And as she looked, she really did spot a problem.
’Tsk, tsk, tsk. You can tell this Minister Holt is desperate for wealth. A money tree, a lucky bamboo, a fortune cat, a golden leopard... he’s maxed out all the metaphysical buffs. Too bad the people at the gambling table don’t care about metaphysics. They care about what’s called *skill*!’
Eloise Donovan and Caspian Rhodes: "..." ’You sure know a lot!’
’Huh, there’s even a Qing dynasty Peacock Blue Glaze Porcelain vase here. But it’s a fake.’
Arabella had just finished examining the vase when Zane Lynch spoke up first. "Isn’t that Sean Ellison’s vase? I completely forgot about it, and he probably did too. Put it away in a bit, and I’ll have someone send it over to him."
As soon as he finished speaking, the room plunged into a dead silence.
Zane Lynch turned to Seth Holt in confusion. "Is something wrong?"
Seth Holt suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and forced a smile. "N-No... nothing’s wrong. This is indeed the vase Mr. Ellison left here the other day. I’ll find a box for it right away and have it sent to your office."
Arabella’s expression went blank for a moment, then she seemed to recall something and grew thoughtful.
’...Well, this is awkward! But from Zane Lynch’s attitude, it really doesn’t seem like he knows the vase is a fake. Could it be... the original was real, but after passing through this minister’s hands, it became a fake? Pfft... If this gets sent back to the original owner and he finds out, who’s going to take the blame?’
Hearing this, Caspian Rhodes immediately shot his cousin another sharp glare. This idiot could get scammed and probably wouldn’t even know where things went wrong.
Completely unaware of what he had done wrong this time, Zane Lynch: "..." ’Did my cousin eat dynamite for breakfast today?’
Feeling thoroughly wronged, Mr. Lynch could only turn and ask Arabella, "Master, do you see any problems here? If not, we can head to the next location."
"There aren’t any major problems with this office, it’s just..."
The sudden turn of phrase had everyone hanging on her every word.
"It’s just?"
"Minister Holt, are you very fond of plants? I see you have quite a few of them in your office."
Seth Holt wasn’t sure what Arabella was getting at, so he could only give a dry laugh and nod. "Yes, yes, I’m very fond of these lush, potted plants. I feel they’re full of life. Glancing at them once in a while at work always puts me in a better mood."
"Besides, don’t they say that having more plants improves the air quality? For people like us who spend years cooped up in an office, we rarely get a chance to go out and breathe fresh air, so I just decided to keep more plants in here."
Arabella first nodded in agreement, then said earnestly, "That’s not wrong, but anything in excess is a vice. Too much is as bad as too little. It’s good to have some plants in the office to improve the air, but you can’t have too many. An excess of plants can lead to insufficient oxygen indoors, which is harmful to your health. It can also create a ’plant siege,’ affecting your wealth and well-being."
The smile on Seth Holt’s face stiffened slightly. "I-Is that so?"
"Yes. In addition to that, the placement of the plants on your desk is also somewhat problematic, Minister Holt."
"What’s the problem?"
"A money tree is a plant that symbolizes adding wealth, and it’s fine that many people like to keep one. However, the position where you’ve placed your money tree happens to not be in the wealth position, but in an inauspicious one. Conversely, your cactus is placed right between the wealth position and the romance luck position. In Feng Shui, a cactus is considered an ominous object, detrimental to family harmony and wealth. Placing it there not only fails to ward off evil and bad energy, but it also ’adds thorns.’ In the long run, this will very easily lead to financial loss and attract heartache."
Seth Holt froze. Thinking of his gambling luck, which had been in a steady decline for the past few months, and his wife, who was demanding a divorce after he had beaten her badly enough to land her in the hospital a few days ago, a cold sweat instantly broke out on his brow.
"The money tree and the cactus are positioned on opposite sides, facing each other and creating a cyclical power struggle. The ultimate result is that the wealth-seeker loses their money, and the broke man seeks more money, on and on in a cycle of eternal ruin."
’My hints are obvious enough, right? The wealth-seeker losing wealth = losing big at gambling. The broke man seeking wealth = selling secrets to make money. Whether it’s gambling or selling secrets, both are a one-way street. Once you step on that path, there’s no getting out. Isn’t that just eternal ruin?’
Seth Holt was already fearful and guilt-ridden. When he heard Arabella’s conclusion, his legs went so weak he nearly dropped to his knees right then and there.
"This..." Zane Lynch didn’t think too much of the situation and even felt a pang of sympathy for Seth Holt. "Is there any way to break it?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Caspian Rhodes’s dagger-like gaze swept over him once again.
’This guy is about to sell you out, and you’re sympathizing with him? How have I never realized before what an incorrigible fool my little brother is?’
Even Eloise Donovan couldn’t help but shoot him a couple of extra glances, her expression screaming, ’Whose idiot is this? Can I please not be associated with him, lest he lower my IQ?’
Zane Lynch, who had inexplicably been hit by two more arrows: "???" ’Enough! If you have something to say, can’t you just say it? I’m about to be turned into a pincushion after this whole day! Can we please just stop?!’
