“Stop,” Sampson interrupted her.
He found himself in a quandary. He had no choice but to admit that Maria’s words had struck a chord in his heart.
It was true that he had never contributed anything to the family business. Warner was the one handling all the affairs.
He had enjoyed the privileged social status bestowed upon him by his family, but he had done nothing for them in return.
“Let me think about it,” Sampson said, his head lowered.
“Okay, I’ll wait to hear your good news then,” Maria didn’t press him further.
If he agreed to think about it, there was a chance that it could work out.
After all, he had explicitly rejected her before.
“But don’t take too long. It won’t be good for either of us.”
Sampson remained silent and left.
Dolores closed the chat application and finalized the style and material of the fabric with the customer. The fabric would be made into a custom-made dress or bridal gown in Country A, as the local store was not yet ready.
She closed her laptop and rubbed her forehead. She had been thinking about how Jessica would face difficulties when going out with the children. That’s why she wanted to buy a car. With that in mind, she took out the piece of paper with Terry’s phone number from her pocket.
She dialed the number and the call connected quickly.
“Hello,” Terry’s voice came through.
“Hello, it’s Dolores.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Are you free?”
“Yes.”
“I want to buy a car, but I haven’t been in China for many years, so I’m not familiar with the process. If you’re available, could you come and accompany me?”
“Okay, I’ll be at your residential area in half an hour.”
“Great, I’ll wait for you.”
After ending the call, Dolores saved his number.
Since he needed half an hour, she still had some time. She went to take a shower and changed into pants and a T-shirt, as it would be inconvenient to get in and out of the car wearing a dress if there was a demo car for a test drive.
Once she finished packing her things, Terry arrived.
She locked the door and went downstairs.
Terry waited at the entrance of her residential area. When he saw her, he got out of the car and helped her open the back door.
“Thanks,” Dolores smiled. “I could have done it myself.”
“It’s okay,” Terry smiled back. He walked to the driver’s seat and glanced back at Dolores. “What’s your budget for the car?”
Dolores pondered for a moment. “I’m looking for a car with decent safety features, priced between 300, 000 and 500, 000 yuan.”
Terry pursed his lips. “You’re quite well off.”
Dolores coughed lightly. “Not really.”
Over the years, she had saved some money, and she also owned property abroad. She had sold the car she used when she was overseas.
Terry wanted to ask if she had thought it through, but he decided against it. If she had made up her mind, she would let him know. He didn’t want to annoy her by constantly asking.
Dolores noticed his hesitation.
When she didn’t see Maria, she had considered putting the whole thing behind her for Sampson’s sake. But after encountering Maria, she knew that Maria would never let her go, even if she wanted to move on.
The animosity and malice between them had deep roots.
It was impossible for them to reconcile.
“Terry, is it okay if I call you that?” Dolores asked.
“Sure, that’s my name.”
Whenever someone learned that he was named Terry, they would be slightly surprised and say, “You’re a man, why are you called Terry?”
He had no choice. His parents had given him that name.
“Do you know about the background of the woman who harmed your older brother?” Dolores asked.
Terry shook his head.
“Have you heard of the Herbert family in City B?”
Terry nodded. “Yes, they made their fortune in the jewelry business. The family has a hundred years of history and is considered one of the wealthiest in City B.”
“If I tell you that the person who harmed your older brother is from the Herbert family, do you still want to seek justice for your brother?” Reversing a case from many years ago would be challenging, especially when the person involved came from a powerful background.
It would be an uphill battle.
Terry paused for a moment, not expecting the woman to have such a strong background.
He gripped the steering wheel tightly. “I can’t give up just because she comes from a wealthy family. A murderer must pay with their life.”
He spoke with unwavering determination.
His older brother was indeed guilty, but whether he should live or die should be determined by the law.
“Good, let’s work together.” Dolores knew this was what she expected.
Since he had been so consumed by this case for years, Dolores could sense his unwavering determination. His strong commitment was evident.
Terry smiled wryly, “If I don’t care about my own family member, I wouldn’t deserve to be called a human being.”
As they conversed, the car came to a stop at the car dealership.
“Car dealerships of various brands are scattered around this area. You can find almost any brand you want here,” Dolores explained, stepping out of the car and pointing to the first dealership. “I’ll start by checking out this one.”
“Alright. Even someone like me, who can’t afford to buy a car, can still visit car shops,” Terry replied self-deprecatingly.
Dolores glanced at him and teased, “So, you’re saying that the vehicle you’re driving isn’t a car?”
“Well, technically it is. I drive it every day,” Terry responded, albeit it being a taxi.
The glass door of the dealership had a sensor, automatically opening as they approached. A salesperson approached Dolores, ready to assist her. “What type of car are you interested in? We have a new coupe model available. Would you like to take a look?”
Dolores shook her head, stating, “I’m looking for a 7-seater car.”
She preferred a spacious car that would provide comfort. When going on trips with her two children, she would have more space for their belongings.
“I would suggest this model,” the salesperson recommended, guiding Dolores towards a business-type 7-seater SUV. “It offers ample space, and there’s currently a promotional offer. The price is discounted by over ten thousand yuan, making it a great deal.”
Terry discreetly approached Dolores and whispered in her ear, “There have been several cases of oil leaks with this brand of car. Its reputation isn’t the best. I think you should consider another brand.”
Dolores turned to look at him, and he nodded resolutely.
Understanding his concern, Dolores smiled at the salesperson and said, “I’m sorry, but this car’s style doesn’t quite appeal to me.”
Upon hearing that Dolores was dissatisfied and not interested in purchasing, the salesperson’s face turned cold. “If you can’t afford it, just say so directly. Don’t make up excuses about not liking the style. Is it because you think it’s too expensive?”
As the salesperson spoke, she sized up Dolores, noting her jeans and T-shirt, deeming her outfit outdated.
Terry, furious, intervened. “Hey, why are you speaking like that?”
He couldn’t understand why there were so many snobbish people who looked down on others.
Dolores grabbed his hand, shaking her head. There was no need to engage with such individuals.
They could simply go to another car dealership.
As they left the car dealership, Terry remained upset. “Indeed, mean-spirited people who look down on others are everywhere these days.”
Dolores looked at him and questioned, “If you already know they’re mean-spirited, why let it bother you?”
Terry pondered for a moment. “You’re right, it shouldn’t bother me.”
Pointing at another brand’s car dealership, Terry remarked, “Those cars have a good reputation. Their safety performance is also top-notch, but they are relatively more expensive.”
Dolores contemplated for a moment. “That’s fine. As long as I can purchase the model I like, that’s all that matters.”
Her car would not be used by strangers but rather by the most important people in her life. Therefore, safety performance was her top priority.
The two of them entered the dealership. Unlike the previous one, here, the salespeople returned to their seats instead of rushing to assist Dolores and Terry upon seeing them enter.
It seemed that the salespeople assumed Dolores and Terry couldn’t afford to buy a car.
Dolores raised an eyebrow.
Terry pursed his lips. “This dealership is even worse than the previous one.”
Dolores smiled. “Perhaps it’s because the cars at this dealership are highly sought-after, so the salespeople don’t need to worry about selling them. Hence, their indifferent attitude. It doesn’t really affect them.”
Terry admitted, “The cars from this brand are truly exceptional, but they come with a hefty price tag.”
Each one cost over a million yuan.
The office door swung open. Abbott led the way, accompanied by the manager. “I’ll arrange for someone to bring your car over now.”