Chapter 72 Enemies on a Narrow Road
The next day, Leo and Lydia sent Emilia to kindergarten and then they went to the International Commerce Center.
He would visit there often in the following days because, as Lydia said, he needed a job.
“Will you give it another thought?” Lydia said to him while driving, “You’d do well at Atlas Beauty.”
Leo smiled bitterly and said, “Do I look like a gigolo that needs your support?”
“I didn’t mean that… I’m trying to help you.” Lydia explained in a hurry.
“I know.” Leo stared at her and promised solemnly, “But believe me, I will prove to you on my own that you made the right choice. I’ll also make good on all the promises I’ve made to you.”
Lydia could not endure his fervent gaze, and looked away with blushed cheeks. She thought, “He has said so. How could I say no?”C0ntent © 2024 (N/ô)velDrama.Org.
Lydia only knew how Leo had spent the past five years but did not know that he was as rich as a country.
As soon as Leo got out of the car, he received a call from Nadine.
Her voice was as cold as ever. “Mr. Cohen, three big things happened yesterday. First, Chris was transferred to Lawson Group by Kate, and became her personal secretary.”
“Go on.” Leo was not surprised at all and believed that Kate was beginning to question Chris’ honesty.
“Second, Peter Lawson went to the Ford family yesterday and poached everyone, including Caroline and Rebecca. They all turned over to the Lawson family.”
Leo remained silent but the look in his eyes was darker.
If they behaved well, he would cut them some slack for old times’ sake. But his patience was wearing thin with what they had done.
“Which company of the Lawson’s will they go to?” he asked.
“Vesper Corporation, the one that just moved into the International Commerce Center,” Nadine replied.
“Is that so…” Killing intent flashed across Leo’s eyes as he said, “Since they’ve betrayed us, they can forget about coming back. What’s the last one?”
Nadine paused for a moment and said, “Commerce Maestro learned that you’ve returned to Emerdale, so he sent the head of the Kingston Chamber of Commerce to assist you. He should be here in two days or so.”
Leo smiled in satisfaction. “That guy surely knows how to butter me up.”
Leo hung up, then headed upstairs when a group of people he knew too well walked toward him.
These men and women were all wearing suits and ties and professional dresses today like a bunch of social elites. They walked into International Commerce Center, chatting and laughing.
They were the Ford’s.
They were bragging about which department they were assigned yesterday and how much they would make, looking like that they were very proud of working in this building.
“Isn’t that Leo?” Caroline caught sight of Leo suddenly. She immediately came over to him on her heels and said with her head held high, “This place is for business elites. What are you doing here?”
Rebecca, Samuel, Marla, and the others did not expect to bump into Leo here either. Very soon, contemptuous smiles flitted across their faces.
Leo asked Caroline to make coffee for him over and over again earlier. With her temper, she would never give up until he was thoroughly discredited.
“I work here,” said Leo calmly.
“What a coincidence. I work here too.” A cold smile appeared on her face. “Then, can you tell us which big company you work for?”
“Sorry, but I can’t.” Leo cast her a cold glance, then was about to bypass her and go to Justin’s office.
Caroline intercepted him again and said with menace in her voice, “Leo, you’d better show me some respect. I’m the HR manager of Vesper Corporation now. One word from me will see you thrown out of here.”
Her loud voice attracted the attention of many white-collars nearby.
The look in Leo’s eyes turned cold as well. “Since when could Vesper Corporation decide on matters of the International Commerce Center?”
“It’s true that we don’t make decisions on how it’s run, but you do know who the current chairman of Vesper Corporation is, right?” Caroline sneered.
“Peter Lawson, I assume?” Leo said with a stern face.
Caroline didn’t know why Leo looked so confident and calm, but she continued anyway, “Peter is the eldest son of the Lawson family. You must be tired of living to go up against them so often!”
Leo fell silent.
Caroline thought that Leo was scared, so she became more sarcastic. “Don’t I know that with your academic background, you would never be able to work here? But I’m now the HR manager of Vesper Corporation. Go and make me a cup of coffee or something. If I like it, you can be an office boy in Vesper Corporation. How about that?”
No one else tried to speak up for Leo, Instead, they were all gleefully smiling and him being berated.
This was Caroline’s revenge.
Leo was still expressionless, only that the look in his eyes became merciless.
“Slap yourself ten times in the face,” he ordered.
“What?” Caroline did not believe what she heard.
Rebecca, Samuel, and the others also looked at Leo in shock, thinking, “Is he out of his mind?”
“About our bet, I remember that you only fulfilled one promise, which was to serve that drink and apologize to me. You didn’t serve me as a maid for one day, did you?” Leo said indifferently.
“What… what do you want?” Caroline was intimated by his momentum. She took two steps back because she had a bad feeling.
Leo said lightly, “You can forget about serving me for a day because you don’t deserve it. But as a maid, you have to follow your master’s orders, right? I asked you to slap yourself 10 times, so do it.”
“You… you…” Caroline’s face turned red with anger. “In your dreams!”
“If so, I’ll do it myself then!” With that, Leo gave her a stinging slap.
“Smack!”
Instantly, her cheek swelled up.
Everyone was dumbfounded and couldn’t speak for a long time.
Caroline covered her face and finally came back to her senses. She screamed hysterically, “How dare you!”
“You still owe me nine more slaps.” He then gave the other members of the family a formidable look and said, “I’ve heard that you’re all Lawson family tools now. I hope you won’t regret that choice.”
With that, he walked toward an elevator of the International Commerce Center.
Caroline wanted to run after him but was stopped by her mother. “Caroline, stay calm. It’s our first day at work here. We can’t afford to make a scene.”
“Yeah, Caroline. There’s still plenty of time. As long as he’s in this building, you can do whatever to him later…” Marla spoke as well.
Caroline’s anger slowly cooled due to their persuasions.
On the other side, Leo sneered automatically when he heard them talking. He thought, “Do they really think that working in the International Commerce Center is like coming to heaven? Wrong! They’re going straight to hell instead.”
He dialed a number and said coldly, “Several individuals will join Vesper Corporation today. I don’t care what you do, but transfer them to the grassroots level, and make sure that they will never get promoted!”