Chapter 21 Contract
Securing the deal with Ydris Group would have doubled Nelson Group’s scale and profits. Not only that, but with Ydris Group’s support, they had already lined up a series of follow–up partnerships and suppliers.
Now, with the deal falling through, all their previous efforts had been for nothing. It was like being handed a treasure trove, only to have it snatched away again. To make matters worse, the company’s stock price had been affected, along with a wave of negative press. It was a blow they could hardly withstand.
Jonah couldn’t shake the feeling of disbelief. The sudden collapse of the Ydris deal was a complete shock. Rex had been so calm and collected during the negotiations, leading him to believe that a mutually agreeable solution was within reach.
So why had things changed overnight?
Milo stopped pacing abruptly, a thought striking him. “Wait a minute… could Charmaine be behind this? What if that Maybach we saw belonged to Rex?”
“That’s impossible,” Leah blurted out instinctively.
Everyone turned to look at her. Realizing how suspicious she sounded, Leah quickly softened her tone and explained, “I just don’t believe Chara would do something to sabotage Nelson Group like that.”
Milo scoffed, clearly unconvinced. “That’s not something we can be sure of.”
“It’s not Charmaine. She doesn’t have the connections or the ability,” Jonah said firmly. “Besides, Rex is famously devoted to his childhood sweetheart. Everyone in the industry knows how much they love each other.”
“Then what’s Rex’s problem?” Milo grumbled.
While the Nelson family struggled to make sense of the situation, Leah’s phone rang. After listening for a moment, her face lit up with surprise and excitement. “Ydris Group? The day after tomorrow? Alright, thank you so much.”
Hanging up, Leah looked up to see everyone staring at her with curiosity.
Barely containing her excitement, she explained with a shy smile, “Last month, Ydris Group announced that Rex was starting a private fashion studio and looking to hire designers. I submitted a few sketches, and they just told me I passed the second round of review. I’m invited to the final round in two days!”
“Rex is a lying jerk! Leah, don’t go,” Milo snapped, still fuming over the deal.
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“No, Leah should absolutely go. Since we can’t get through to Rex right now, we might be able to use this opportunity. If Leah is going to the final round, we should have her speak with him. Jonah, make sure you take advantage of this.”
Jonah nodded in agreement. “I’ll do my best.”
Finally, Valda let out a sigh of relief. “Leah’s the only one who can handle this. None of you have been as useful as she has.”
Olympia beamed with pride. “Leah has really helped the family when we needed her the most.”
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07:22 Thu, Jan To
Chapter 21 Contract
Charmaine’s shadow.
Now that Charmaine was out of the picture, her life was only going to get better.
Finished
But Willard, despite the brief moment of relief, remained tense. “Meeting Rex is one thing, but getting through this crisis is another matter entirely.”
Jonah’s voice was heavy with pressure. “There are too many rumors circulating. Aside from the project with Ydris Group, other companies that were interested in partnering with us have put their plans on hold. As for our stock…“.
He didn’t need to finish the sentence. The weight of the situation settled over the family once more, plunging them into silence.
Valda’s voice trembled with worry. “So what do we do now? If Rex refuses to budge after we meet with him, are we just supposed to swallow this loss without a fight?”
Olympia sighed. “If only we had signed the contract earlier, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Even if Rex backed out, the penalty clause would have at least cushioned the blow.”
Jonah pressed his lips together, saying nothing.
However, Willard scowled. “You don’t understand business. Contracts aren’t something you just sign in a hurry. We were trying to maximize our benefits. If we hadn’t, Nelson Group wouldn’t have grown to what it is today!”
Turning to Jonah, Willard added, “Get in touch with our long–term clients and the companies we’ve had good dealings with. See if we can split up the projects originally meant for Ydris Group and reduce our losses.”
Jonah exhaled heavily. “I spent the whole morning calling them. They all politely declined.”
Willard’s face darkened even further.
As silence fell over the room once again, Leah’s soft voice broke through. “What about trying The Crosses?”
Everyone turned to look at her in unison. Leah continued, “Last night, Emyr came to the birthday banquet. Since our families are linked by marriage, The Crosses wouldn’t just leave us to fend for ourselves, would they?”
Leah had met Emyr twice. He was handsome beyond belief, with an aura that was both devilish and dangerous. He was even more striking than the top celebrities known for their looks.
What a shame, though. If it weren’t for his disability and foul temper, the marriage alliance with The Crosses would never have fallen to Charmaine.
“You’re right!” Willard exclaimed, his face lighting up as though he had found a lifeline in the middle of a
storm.
“Other companies will take time, but The Crosses could handle the entire project in one go!”
Willard walked over and clapped Leah on the shoulder, his eyes glowing with hope.
