George's voice echoed again from the end of the line.

"Chairman, about the negotiation, I assume you're prepared for CEO Faulkner and Mr. R to ask for something extravagant, don't you?"

Chairman Alvord scoffed in disdain, "Of course. Someone like that Faulkner brat plays the game for free. And Mr. R, if he truly exists and comes, perhaps asks for my blood."

Chairman Faulkner might not have raised Nathaniel since infancy, but the young man had learned enough from the former. He was a cunning businessman like his adoptive father.

There was a pause on George's side. Then, he hesitantly asked, "Forgive me for asking this, Chairman. Your eldest son is a good friend of CEO Faulkner. What if the CEO's condition is to get your son some shares or anything?"

George was aware of the strained, almost non-existent relationship Chairman Alvord had with his eldest son, Ruediger Alvord. He also knew about him being friends with Nathaniel Faulkner.

This was one of the risks he had thought of before calling the Chairman to relay the news.

Chairman Alvord's eyes darkened, clearly displeased at the mention of Ruediger.

"I've handled worse. That brat is useless. He can only leech off his friend. They can play tricks, but I'm still a seasoned player. I'll be prepared for everything."

No matter what, Chairman Alvord would teach Ruediger where power really sat. His estranged son might have someone powerful backing him, but he was still useless.

George hummed, "Understood, Chairman. Then, I won't bother you any longer. I'll await confirmation on the date. It'll likely be this Tuesday."

Chairman Alvord gave a satisfied grunt, "Great. Just in time before the next board meeting. Make sure it'll come through." Uploaded by the *) team.

"Yes, Chairman."

After hanging up, Chairman Alvord placed the phone down. He let out a dry laugh before muttering to himself, "Well, well... Faulkner and Mr. R. Let's see what kind of men you are."

And... that despicable son of his, he would know he was deemed to be someone without any worth.

Chairman Alvord didn't waste any time. He made several calls, instructing his assistants to prepare materials and financial statements, including ordering background checks on every executive in Faulkner Investment and Edenia Avenue.

Doing everything discreetly was his absolute demand.

His next order came soon.

"Schedule mock negotiations with the legal team. Have them simulate Faulkner's tactics. And get me everything you can find on Edenia Avenue's financials."

The assistant at the end of the line replied, "Yes, Chairman."

Once he ended the last call, Chairman Alvord sank into the couch again, clenching and unclenching his fingers.

He had weathered scandals before. The recently exposed bribery incident had rattled the board and invited far too much media scrutiny, but he could rely on his internal alliance.

Because George and a few other shareholders had stalled his removal, Chairman Alvord was able to buy time. When he thought no chance would appear before him, it did.

If he managed to get Faulkner Investment to come and inject capital, Chairman Alvord could paint himself as the savior of the company. Once the public turned back in his favor, he would ensure everything would be back in his hands.

He would not go down like this.

Never.

Chairman Alvord rose to his feet, intending to treat himself to some scotch despite the sun still high in the sky. He had more important strategy meetings to attend starting tomorrow.

"Nathaniel Faulkner... Mr. R..."

Murmuring to himself, a thought crossed his mind as he was reminded of the ghost owner of the luxury retail. But the conjecture appeared too fast and faded abruptly, making him unable to point it out again.

Anyway, nothing mattered.

He would come out as the ultimate winner.

As Chairman Alvord was immersed in his delusion, Ruediger had already woken up from his long sleep. He took a shower after seeing Lariette in the living room. She told him lunch would be ready soon.

The joy in her voice and her playful wink elicited laughter from him. He just let her be as she sprinted to the kitchen to make lunch.

After his shower, Ruediger checked his phone. He felt more refreshed after seeing the new messages from Nathaniel.

'The bait's taken.'

A smirk was drawn on his lips as the news fueled Ruediger's anticipation for next week. He had to reward Nathaniel and his executive for their assistance.

Putting the phone away, Ruediger emerged from the bedroom. His smirk softened into a gentle smile as he caught the scent of something in the air.

The clock had just hit two in the afternoon. He felt bad for waking up late and delaying lunch. He knew she hadn't eaten much because she was waiting for him.

Ruediger stepped into the sunlit kitchen, his hair still damp and tousled, dressed in a clean sweater and lounge pants. He smelled the buttery mushrooms, herbs and something warm and savory.

Lariette turned, holding a plate of pasta with the herb-crusted chicken breast. She said with a soft smile, "Just in time. Come and eat before it gets cold."

Fortunately, she had prepared everything well. The pasta and chicken were still hot, waiting to be savored.

Ruediger grinned, "Spinach and mushroom pasta, huh? The chicken looks yummy, sweetheart."

"Hehe, it's lunchtime~"

Ruediger brought two plates of pasta to the dining table while Lariette went to get the pot of chamomile citrus tea she had brewed. In a few minutes, they sat across one another.

Lariette watched as Ruediger took the first bite, his fork slicing through the chicken and the fusilli. He raised his brows.

"They're tasty," he muttered under his breath, his eyes curving, "Lettie, can I marry you again for this?"

Lariette clicked her tongue, pretending to nag at the man, "You've just woken up but you're already sweet-talking me?"

"I'm telling the truth," Ruediger laughed, "Not because I want you to cook more."

She scoffed, only making him laugh louder. She answered by feeding him some of the chicken and pasta from her plate.