“Who knows, it’s just a coincidence,” Aunt Sandy said dismissively. “How did I not know fully well about your son-in-law Leo? If he really knows the Chairman of Azure Cloud Group, then I must know the President of the United States!”
“Exactly, Mom. They didn’t want to help earlier, but now that things are getting serious, they’re all trying to take credit. Shameless!” Lynn chimed in.
“Sophia, show them that photo from your phone!” Jessica demanded, clearly irritated.
Sophia opened WhatsApp and found the photo Leo had sent her, the one with him and the Chairman of Azure Cloud Group.
Jessica took the phone and displayed the photo in front of Aunt Sandy. “Look for yourself, Aunt.”
Seeing the picture of Leo and an older man arm in arm, Aunt Sandy burst into laughter. “You guys really know how to put on a show. Who is that old man?”
“He’s August Browne, the Chairman of Azure Cloud Group!” Jessica stated firmly.
“A likely story, keep trying to fool me!” Aunt Sandy remained skeptical.
Lynn suddenly tugged at Aunt Sandy’s sleeve and whispered, “Mom, I’ve seen photos of the Chairman of Azure Cloud Group online, and he really looks like August Browne.”
Aunt Sandy’s expression stiffened for a moment, then she scoffed, “This photo is clearly photoshopped. Nice try. Anyway, today my daughter received a call for an interview. I’m happy about that, so I won’t argue with you about this anymore. If you insist that Leo helped, then so be it. Just be happy. Jessica, I won’t bother you anymore. Today your family treated me like I didn’t exist. Maybe one day, you’ll regret not having connections with me! Lynn, let’s go!” With her head held high, Aunt Sandy walked out, pulling Lynn with her.
Once outside, Lynn couldn’t help but ask, “Mom, did you really submit my resume to Azure Financial?”
Aunt Sandy pondered for a moment. “I submitted your resume to several major financial companies in Langstel, probably including Azure Financial. Lynn, go home and prepare for tomorrow’s interview. Mom has faith in you.”
Her sister’s departure left Jessica feeling unsettled.
“Mom, don’t be angry. Aunt went too far.” Sophia tried to console her.
Jessica turned to Leo. “Leo, were you the one who called the Chairman of Azure Cloud Group, August Browne?”
Leo nodded.
Seeing Leo’s sincerity, Jessica decided to drop the matter. She instructed, “Leo, clean up the table. Daughter, come with me to the sofa. There’s something I want to discuss.”
Leo started clearing the dishes from the table, and Jessica and Sophia moved to the sofa.
“Sophia, with the company facing such a big problem, don’t you think you should talk to Mom about it?” Jessica expressed her concern.
Leo’s ears perked up upon hearing this.
“Mom, you already know?” Sophia asked.
“I saw the news. What’s going on with the factory in Chiville?” Jessica looked worried.
Sophia shook her head. “I’m not entirely sure, but I think the factory director got into some trouble. After an investigation, they declared bankruptcy yesterday.”
“What are we going to do? That cosmetics factory there is our biggest supplier. Now that it’s bankrupt, how do we address the gap in domestically produced cosmetics? The profit margin on imported products is just too low…” Jessica was familiar with the situation of Sophia’s company and was getting anxious.
Sophia reassured her mother, “Mom, I’m already looking for new partners. I’m confident we can resolve the supply issue soon.”
“Daughter, just make sure you don’t partner with those unknown small factories. I wouldn’t trust their products,” Jessica advised.
“I understand, Mom.”
Leo overheard the conversation between Jessica and Sophia as he washed the dishes in the kitchen. An idea began to take shape in his mind.
The next day, after dropping Sophia off at the company, Leo made a call to Renee. He shared his idea with her, and she arranged a meeting with him at Azure Financial in the afternoon.
On his way back to the Henley family mansion, Leo noticed a car that seemed to be following him. Suspecting something, he changed directions and headed towards the outskirts of the city.
He stopped at a half-finished building construction site, and the car following him, a BMW, stopped as well.
Leo stepped out of his car and calmly observed the BMW behind him. As expected, the BMW’s door opened, revealing a slender leg of a woman, who was dressed in light purple casual attire, and wearing large sunglasses.
She approached slowly, causing Leo to squint.
“Why are you following me?” Leo asked.
“I find you intriguing,” the woman replied.
“But I’m not interested in you,” Leo’s face displayed a wary expression. He could sense the distinct aura of a martial artist emanating from her. “I won’t let you take advantage of me.”
The woman’s lips curled into a charming curve. “Is that so? Then let’s see if you can back up those words with your life.”
As she spoke, her right hand, concealed behind her, lifted, revealing a curved blade that gleamed with a metallic sheen.
“Who are you?”
“A dead person doesn’t need to know.”
With those words, her figure blurred, and the curved blade traced an arc through the air, aimed directly at Leo’s throat.
Her attack was truly ruthless.
Leo swiftly retreated, his right hand flicking out, releasing a blade of energy.
The woman swung her curved blade, producing a metallic clang. She shattered the energy blade and continued her assault toward Leo.
This time, Leo simultaneously flicked both hands, sending two energy blades hurtling toward the woman.
With a graceful motion, the woman’s slender body lifted off the ground, narrowly avoiding the two energy blades Leo had unleashed.
A strand of hair fluttered down from the air – a strand of the woman’s hair.
Anticipating Leo’s next move, the woman suddenly halted and spoke with a cold voice, “No wonder Eden Dunbar had his tendons snapped by you. You do have some skill.”
“You’re from the Flying Dragon Business Association!?” Leo exclaimed.
The woman neither confirmed nor denied, tossing out a lure, “Now I’ll give you a chance. Join the Flying Dragon Business Association, and we can pretend nothing happened before.”
Leo’s eyebrow twitched, and he responded, “If you want me to join, you have to agree to a condition.”
“Speak!”
“You have to let me take the position of the leader in the Flying Dragon Business Association,” Leo grinned.
“Go to hell!”
The woman realized Leo was playing with her. She shouted and lunged toward him again with an eerie agility.
In the span of two breaths, she was already in front of Leo, her curved blade slicing toward his neck.