Go Bust
Arielle was profoundly moved by the sincerity that was palpable upon Jared’s face.
She pursed her lips briefly before she replied, “Indeed, I do have another purpose for being here. I
need to locate one specific individual.”
“You’re trying to find someone?”
Arielle affirmed that with a nod. “I can’t tell you any more than that, as it could be somewhat dangerous.
But rest assured that I will not hesitate to approach if there’s anything that you may be able to help
with.”
Jared nodded in acknowledgment, but he still seemed apprehensive. “Does that have anything to do
with that call you just made?”
It might have been better if he did not mention it. The fact that he did elicited a chuckle from Arielle.
“No, it doesn’t,” said Arielle with a subtle smile. “Would you be keen to accompany me to a free meal
tomorrow, though?”
“A free meal?”
“You heard that right. Not only is it completely free, but it’ll also give us both who came in undeservedly
through our connections a chance to get even. Are you in?” said Arielle with an enigmatic smirk.
“Hell yeah, I’m in!” Jared agreed in a heartbeat.
“Good. Then I’ll let them know that we’re coming.”
With that, Arielle sent Selena a message, short and sweet, to inform her of her own willingness to
extend her aid.
Selena could immediately read between the lines. She did not reveal Arielle’s identity to Noah and
merely passed the former’s contact details along.
Across the shores in Horington.
In order to monopolize the supply chain in Horington and put pressure on Vinson, Trevor’s company
had accumulated for themselves a large stockpile of building materials.
A week had passed since, yet they still had not heard anything from the representatives on Vinson’s
end.
In the beginning, Trevor was of the opinion that Vinson was just holding back out of pride and believed
that it might take the latter a couple of days to respond. After grinding from dawn to dusk, day in, day
out, coupled with the grief Cecilia had given him, he was terribly worn out. There were several days on
the trot when he elected to put up at a hotel rather than go home.
Although he was willing to wait, his company could not afford to.
Turnaround for the construction supply company had always been slow, and this was only made worse
with this maneuver to sever Vinson’s supply chain. Not only had the company’s cash flow been
adversely compromised, but it had also led them to take on loans that landed them heavily in debt.
If its financial woes were not addressed soon, the company could find itself on the brink of insolvency.
“Mr. Larson,” the company’s chief financial officer said with his brow slick with sweat. “The latest
financial report released showed that the company cannot stay afloat for more than a couple of days.
You have to come up with something, or the other projects are going to be affected as well. If this is to
persist, the company’s going to go bust!”
“You think I don’t know that?” Trevor took a huge puff of tobacco and replied through the swirling spirals
of smoke. “Go over the accounts carefully again and make sure you get every single figure right. I need
to know exactly how long the company can hold out.”
“Understood!” The chief financial officer then exited with a considerable stack of charts in hand.
The unbearably flustered Trevor paced back and forth inside the office.
Past this many days since the commencement of the project, the existing batch of building materials in
Luke’s company should be close to running out. They ought to be looking to make new acquisitions by
now, so how is it then that they haven’t realized that I’ve already bought up all the available materials in
Horington?
Going through one cigarette after another, Trevor had the entire interior of the office saturated with its
effluvium.
An inopportune rapping then came upon his door.
“Enter.”
In came his assistant, Derek Sully, with some apparent glee. “We’ve received word that Vinson
Nightshire has arrived in Horington, Mr. Larson!”
Trevor’s face lit up. “Really?”
“Yes. He’s just left the airport and should be on his way to the branch office. If my estimations are
correct, he must have discovered that you’ve monopolized the supply chain in Horington and therefore
rushed down here to attend to it personally.”
“Splendid! This is just fantastic news! Our earlier effort has not gone to waste, after all.” Trevor was
shaking with exhilaration. “See to it that we’ve booked a table at the finest restaurant. Vinson will soon
come calling.”
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