Chapter 202: Do Your Best
Wendy glanced at Zen and said smilingly, "If there isn’t an appearance of a competing company, I wouldn’t have taken such measures. Mr. Thompson, you should actually ask Ms. Tanner if she could really make the decision for the extra three percent profit that she promised."
Zen was no match to Wendy.
Although Zen was the person in charge of the design department in DR, the three percent profit she offered was above hundreds of millions of dollars.
In actual fact, Zen was not certain of her promise without getting Christian’s approval.
She definitely couldn’t make her own decision about a gambling contract like Wendy did earlier.
Forget about her identity and authority, she couldn’t guarantee that she could bring Mr. Thompson’s company a billion dollar profit within a year. Only Wendy had such confidence and capability.
Zen closed her eyes. She was certain that she really lost. There was no turning back. Not only did she lose the collaboration, but she also lost her friendship with Wendy.
Mr. Thompson stole a glance at Zen. Then, he smiled, stretching his hand to Wendy.
He said, "Let’s go into details about our actual collaboration then."
Wendy nodded. She then took the seat opposite Mr. Thompson.
Jill who followed behind her took out the prepared contract and handed it to Wendy.
Wendy accepted it and placed it before Mr. Thompson, saying, "This contract is written according to our previous agreement. Please take a look. You can sign it if there’s no problem. As for the gambling contract, it would take some time for us to draft the contract as it is an agreement that we just came up with. So, let me write you a deed of commitment. We can then schedule another appointment to sign the gambling contract."
Zen saw that they were signing the contract. So, she picked up the document on the table and conscientiously turned to leave the private room.
Wendy let out a breath of relief after she settled everything with Mr. Thompson.
What surprised Wendy was that she saw Zen after she walked out of the private room. Zen didn’t leave. It seemed that she had been waiting for Wendy.
Zen saw that Wendy came out and she said apologetically, "Wendy, I’m sorry."
"There’s nothing to be sorry about. It is merely a business competition," Wendy replied. As Zen didn’t take their personal relationship into consideration, Wendy could only deal with it like a business.
Zen actually felt tormented.
She didn’t want her opponent to be Wendy.
However, the world was cruel to her. Everyone thought Wendy was dead but she came back after five years.
Then, she was forced to become Wendy’s enemy.
Wendy couldn’t help but let out a heavy sigh. She patted Zen’s shoulder, saying, "Do your best."
The memory of her hospital stay replayed in her head.
Zen took time to visit her at the hospital and kept her company every day after work.
Every time Wendy chatted with Zen, it reminded her of the beautiful times when they were studying.
It had only been two weeks and their relationship had transitioned into business opponents.
Wendy smiled bitterly, shaking her head helplessly.
Christian would definitely penalize Zen for losing the client.
Wendy counted the days and realized that it was almost time for Christian to be released.
Wendy cared about their friendship after all.
She stopped and turned to tell Zen, "Christian is not a good person. If you want to join MC, you are more than welcome to."
Wendy had once tried to poach Zen before she lost her memory. But Zen knew that she couldn’t return to MC anymore. She couldn’t return in person. Nor could she return at heart.
Wendy’s invitation made Zen feel even guiltier. She clenched her fists so hard that her nails nearly leave a blood mark on her palms.
***
Zen Tanner had intended to win Mr. Thompson over as a client before bringing the signed contract to the detention center when she went to pick up Christian Lucas.
Now that she had failed at what she set out to do, Zen felt guilty towards Wendy Stewart and too ashamed to meet Christian.
As she stood at the door of the detention center, Zen felt so uneasy that she could only hear the loud thumping of her heart.
Christian had been locked up in there for a month and lost a considerable amount of weight as his stay at the detention center wore him down.
The only part of him that remained unchanged was the sharp and cunning look in his eyes.
Christian was not at all surprised when he saw that Zen had come to pick him up.
In fact, Zen was the only person who knew the details of when he would be released.
He did not tell Lily Yates or Anthony Lucas since they would overreact if they came.
"Did you get Mr. Thompson to agree to the details of the contract?" asked Christian, who despite being at the detention center, kept up to date with the ins and outs of what was happening outside. After all, the police were not going to restrict his access to information.
Knowing exactly what was happening, he knew that his brother had seized this opportunity to hollow out the company.
"No," responded Zen to Christian’s question.
"No?" Christian’s face fell visibly at that single word from Zen’s lips.
Zen paled.
"Wendy’s eyes have just recovered and she is suffering from amnesia again. Under those circumstances, did you fail to snatch her client over? Zen Tanner, was I wrong about how persuasive you usually are? Why does it seem like you can’t do things properly when it has something to do with Wendy?" roared Christian, relentlessly attacking Zen as though he was conducting an interrogation.
"Wendy had submitted two sets of designs at her usual quality standards," Zen responded with her voice quivering audibly. "Moreover, she agreed to place a bet against Mr. Thompson that they could gain a net profit of 15 million dollars within a year. I- I- I just had no other choice."
Hearing this, Christian broke out in laughter.
"That is Wendy for you! Even in such circumstances, she would be able to submit quality designs as she always does!" Christian’s voice seemed to ease up somewhat and showed a sense of admiration. "Six years ago, when I first met her, I knew that this sister-in-law of mine would not be an ordinary figure. It was my brother’s misfortune to have treated her in such a lackadaisical manner. It’s just a pity that she isn’t on my side. She escaped death and now I have gained a strong competitor as a result!"
"Christian, we are still at the door of the detention center. Do watch your words,"
cautioned Zen who was now plagued with fear and disappointment.
If Christian could only be described as one who liked Wendy Stewart in the past, he now admired her.
Christian adjusted his suit as though nothing had happened and took confident strides forward.
"To the office," he uttered coldly as he left Zen hurrying to keep up with him.
She had driven to the detention center alone as she did not want to draw any attention.
Entering the detention center was not something one would want to publicize. Nonetheless, in the blink of an eye, a swarm of reporters thronged the pair, pressing them with a tsunami of questions.
"Mr. Lucas, what crime did you commit for you to have been locked up at the detention center for a month?"
"It is said that your elder brother had personally reported a crime against you, is that true? What did you do for him to have treated you in this way?"
"During your stay at the detention center in the past month, did you come to terms with your mistake?"
"DR Group’s shares have been plunging over the past month. What are your thoughts about this?"
.
.
.
Cameras flashed, lighting up Christian’s face intermittently. As he instinctively reached out to hide his face from the camera flashes, his face grew grim.
For these reporters to have known when he was leaving the detention center, it had to be the work of Michael Lucas.
He would not have allowed the media to miss out on such an opportunity.
