CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: THE TREASURE IN HIS PALM

"10:00 to 12:00, City Hall tender and bidding conference."

"Lunch at 12:30 with Director Quincy, at The Gloriana Restaurant near City Hall."

"2:00 in the afternoon..."

The car sped towards City Hall.

In the back seat, Chloe Lynch was reporting today’s schedule to Adrian Lockwood while holding a tablet.

Her mood was a puddle of bitterness.

She felt vindicated yesterday morning.

Today, she felt regretful.

Thinking she had finally squeezed out Ian Young, she naturally became Adrian Lockwood’s right-hand person.

From then on, it would be husband and wife singing in harmony, flying side by side.

But Chloe Lynch didn’t expect the cost of flying together to be so high.

This is just the beginning, and she’s already a bit... overwhelmed.

Previously, she thought Ian Young was adept, just moving his mouth, and he had the whole secretarial department running circles.

And he only needed to report verbally to Adrian Lockwood.

But when it came to her, everyone seemed like a walnut waiting for her to crack.

She had to grasp the project dynamics of each department.

She had to reasonably allocate tasks to each member of the secretarial department.

She had to follow up in time and then summarize to Adrian Lockwood.

Just yesterday afternoon, Chloe Lynch was as busy as a spinning top, feeling slightly strained.

The worst part was at 5:00, she had to hurry to the kindergarten to pick up Miles Lockwood.

After wearing high heels all day, her soles were sore, not to mention her waist and legs.

After barely putting Miles Lockwood to sleep, Chloe Lynch took a shower and almost fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow.

The next second, Adrian Lockwood leaned over from behind.

If the night before was madness.

Then last night could only be considered perfunctory.

Halfway through, Chloe Lynch was too sleepy to open her eyes, but she could clearly feel Adrian Lockwood’s fading interest.

Hastily finishing up, Adrian Lockwood released her and went to the bathroom.

The sound of running water started, akin to perfect white noise, and Chloe Lynch fell into a deep sleep.

It felt like she had just closed her eyes when the alarm rang.

Yesterday was Chloe Lynch’s most exhausting and frustrating day over the years.

But this... was just the beginning!

Reporting while dozing off.

She met Adrian Lockwood’s gaze.

Chloe Lynch felt wronged, her eyes instantly reddened.

Adrian Lockwood said, "Ian Young ranked the secretarial department based on work ability and seniority. If you can’t handle it, then..."

"I can!"

Chloe Lynch hurriedly interrupted Adrian Lockwood.

Ian Young’s work handover list was a thick stack.

Very clear.

Who the contact person for each project was, who was responsible.

At which stage the progress was, and which person from which department to connect with next.

The list also included his evaluation of each person’s ability.

Whether Ian Young accidentally omitted.

Or if he did it deliberately.

Chloe Lynch wasn’t on that list.

Top of the ability evaluation list was Julia Dalton.

A graduate from an overseas prestigious school, proficient in four foreign languages, working in the secretarial department for two years.

Young and beautiful, with good work abilities.

Yet unfortunately, she was Chloe Lynch’s nemesis in the secretarial department.

Even if it killed her, she couldn’t let Julia Dalton, that pretentious vixen, benefit.

"Adrian, no, President Lockwood..."

Quickly correcting herself, Chloe Lynch nodded heavily, "President Lockwood, I can do it."

Adrian Lockwood furrowed his brows and lowered his head again.

His attention was drawn to the stock trends on the tablet.

At 9:00, the stock of The Lockwood Group slightly declined.

Completely unreasonable!

Today’s bidding conference, The Lockwood Group was determined to win that piece of land.

The initial publicity push was well executed, with stocks surging lately.

How could there be a huge sell-off early in the morning?

Too illogical!

Thinking privately in disbelief, the car slowly stopped at the destination.

Adrian Lockwood got out of the car, his gaze paused.

His face immediately darkened.

Among the group from Hawthorne Corporation, he not only saw Serena Sinclair but also Ian Young.

These two simultaneously stabbed him in the back and went to Hawthorne Corporation one after another?

Or had they actually planned this long ago?

"Serena Sinclair..."

Adrian Lockwood roared.

Serena Sinclair’s footsteps paused.

Chloe Lynch quickly linked her arm with Adrian Lockwood’s.

Looking back, she seemed to see a stranger.

Serena Sinclair calmly withdrew her gaze and turned away.

...

Block No.3 in the east attracted many famous real estate companies including Hawthorne Corporation to participate in bidding.

The bidding was excessively fierce, as if the bidding unit wasn’t billions but millions.

Starting price was 1.5 billion.

Over an hour, nearly a hundred rounds of bidding.

Barely over 3 billion, Adrian Lockwood put down his paddle.

Ultimately, Hawthorne Corporation successfully acquired the land for 3.6 billion.

The conference ended close to noon, with the venue bustling.

When Adrian Lockwood turned around, he saw Serena Sinclair and Wyatt Hawthorne by her side.

Municipal leaders approached, Wyatt Hawthorne nodded and shook hands.

Peers approached, Wyatt Hawthorne introduced the other party to Serena Sinclair.

At a glance, someone unfamiliar might think Serena Sinclair was someone important to Wyatt Hawthorne.

Adrian Lockwood approached while holding his wine glass.

"Congratulations, President Hawthorne!"

Raising his glass in congratulation, his gaze slid past Serena Sinclair and Ian Young.

Adrian Lockwood looked at Wyatt Hawthorne again, his eyes revealing a cold smile, "I just didn’t expect that the dignified President Hawthorne would also enjoy picking up trash."

The smile on Serena Sinclair’s face vanished as soon as she saw Adrian Lockwood approach.

Beside her, Ian Young observed with calm indifference, as if he hadn’t wronged anyone, and no one in the field could feel more awkward than him.

Clink!

Wyatt Hawthorne clinked glasses with Adrian Lockwood, smiling playfully, "President Lockwood is sure I’m picking up trash?"

Adrian Lockwood was taken aback.

Wyatt Hawthorne leisurely spoke, "Perhaps what others consider trash, once in my hands, might one day turn into a treasure held in my palm."

"Not everyone can transform decay into marvels, nor is everyone as..."

Seemed to ponder which word would be appropriate.

Wyatt Hawthorne paused for a moment, then spoke leisurely, "blind as President Lockwood... Wouldn’t you agree, President Lockwood?"

This statement was almost a slap to Adrian Lockwood’s face.

Yet, he was Wyatt Hawthorne.

Among the grand families in The Capital Circle, none could speak against him.

Wyatt Hawthorne could.

Adrian Lockwood’s face looked unsightly.

Wyatt Hawthorne didn’t bother to look again.

He drank the champagne in his glass and gestured to Adrian Lockwood.

Wyatt Hawthorne turned around, "Let’s go..."

With those light words, Serena Sinclair, Ian Young, Clara Lynch, Claire Carson, and Ryan Rhodes followed along.

In front, a swath of space cleared.

Someone shouted "President Hawthorne," chasing after him.

Some gathered around shouting "President Lockwood," wanting to know what he said to Wyatt Hawthorne, why it looked like he had offended Wyatt Hawthorne.

Leaving City Hall, countless microphones approached, chattering away.

Some asked his thoughts on the failed bidding.

Others questioned if the rumors of his marriage crisis were true.

Scornful gaze sweeping around, Adrian Lockwood turned and walked away.

"President Lockwood, President Lockwood..."

Walked to the parking lot and sat in the car.

The clatter of Chloe Lynch’s high heels chased all the way behind him.

The car sped out of City Hall.

Chloe Lynch handed over the tablet with a pale face, "President Lockwood, major problem..."