Chapter 203: Last chance
Third person pov
As soon as he separated from his sister, Leo and his parents went to another luxury room, where they were supposed to meet Shin Huang.
He was a middle-aged man, one of the most important advisors of a major Chinese company.
They had made a point of arriving early. Leo was usually a calm person, but that day he was slightly nervous.
This contract would be truly important. If he could secure it, it would be the first step toward building a real business empire.
Leo had always been someone with somewhat megalomaniac dreams, though he rarely showed that to others.
He had a fascination, almost an obsession, with power and money.
Because of that, he always did everything he could to be more important, more influential, and richer.
That day, however, he would have to wait longer than expected. Even half an hour later, Shin Huang had still not arrived.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his father was already getting impatient. Alfred was a competent man, but he became irritated far too easily and had little emotional intelligence.
That was exactly why he was so easy to control...
Leo sighed softly and turned to speak with his father. He knew which jokes would lighten his mood and prevent him from causing trouble during the meeting.
But before he could say a word, the doorknob turned and the door swung open.
A beautiful woman stepped inside, her high heels echoing with every step. She had a truly arrogant gaze and wore expensive clothes and even more expensive jewelry, making it clear she was someone important.
Right behind her appeared a mountain of a man, a fat bodyguard over two meters tall with a sharp, watchful stare.
"Forgive my lateness," Lee Hua said with a tone so arrogant it didn’t sound like an apology at all. "I’m here in place of Shin Huang."
Alfred shot her an irritated look but said nothing. His wife, on the other hand, greeted Lee Hua politely, quickly realizing the woman was someone of high standing.
"Don’t worry," Leo greeted her respectfully.
He was determined not to cause trouble with this woman, after all he wasn’t stupid. That said, his lips curved ever so slightly into an almost imperceptible smile.
Lee Hua was a beautiful young woman, and Leo was confident in the power his charm held over women like her. He was almost certain he could turn this into a great success.
"My name is Leo Henry," he introduced himself with a charming smile. "May I have the honor of knowing your name?"
Lee Hua looked him up and down. He didn’t seem so bad, but there was something in his eyes she didn’t like.
"You can call me Chi-lee," she replied, giving him a random fake name.
She only ever shared her real name with people she truly had an interest in. It was a strange habit she had.
ⵔⵔⵔ
"Just enjoy this trip and relax. After I lose, I hope my brother will finally leave me alone," Vanessa said with a resigned tone after finishing her story.
"No!" Liam responded firmly, clenching his fists so tightly that a drop of blood dripped onto the floor. "I can’t accept that."
The boy stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
"I’ll put an end to him, and you’ll be the heir."
Vanessa’s eyes widened at his words. She couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face, and her chest warmed.
Knowing she had someone else on her side was deeply comforting.
For so long she had been afraid to share her story, especially with people who knew her brother, fearing they wouldn’t take her side.
After all, when she was younger, the only one who had believed her was Seraphina.
But things weren’t like that anymore...
Still, there was a small problem with Liam’s idea. There was no way she could win that inheritance competition, and truthfully, she didn’t even care that much.
"I deeply appreciate your support," she answered honestly, placing her hand over her chest. "But don’t try the impossible, we don’t even have a chance anymore."
"Don’t give up so soon," Liam argued back, though without much confidence.
Vanessa smirked ironically. "The problem is that all the meetings about this matter already happened today. I’m sure they’ll make the final decision soon."
"After that, my brother will rub his victories in my face, but I honestly don’t care anymore." She stretched with a carefree attitude.
Still smiling, she stepped closer to Liam.
"I think it’ll be much more worthwhile to just ignore that idiot. Why don’t we enjoy the cruise instead?"
Before the boy could answer, the moment was interrupted by the ringing of Vanessa’s phone.
She hesitated for a moment but finally sighed and tore her gaze away from Liam, focusing on the device.
"You can answer it," Liam said with a sly smile.
He knew that for a businesswoman, ignoring calls wasn’t really an option.
"Alright," Vanessa muttered, reaching for the phone.
When she saw who was calling, her expression changed. Her eyes sharpened, and her face twisted into a grimace.
Liam noticed immediately and moved closer to see who it was. Peeking at the screen, he discovered it was Leo.
"If you want, I can talk to him," Liam offered, extending his hand toward his boss.
She hesitated, but after he insisted, she relented.
"Hello," he answered. "Vanessa just stepped into the bathroom. Do you need something?"
"Yes," Leo replied cheerfully.
He quickly explained that there would be one last meeting she absolutely had to attend. He emphasized its importance, which surprised Liam.
Apparently, it was with the substitute of Shin Huang, the representative of a major Chinese company, and they would be signing a huge contract.
"Looks like we still have a chance in the competition," Liam said after hanging up. He then explained the situation to Vanessa.
"If you want to try, feel free," Vanessa replied, her expression tinged with worry. "I just don’t want my brother to hurt you."
Liam answered with a confident smile. "Don’t worry, he’s the one who should be worried about me."
"I’m serious, don’t put yourself in danger," Vanessa warned again.
Leo had said they only needed to show up at the meeting place the next day, so the two enjoyed the rest of the time together.
That night, Liam even visited Harper and Alice and was surprised at the luxurious room they had gotten. Alice had mentioned it before, but seeing it in person was another story.
That said, the two girls were far too exhausted for any fun.
So the next day, he put on his best suit and left with Vanessa for the meeting point. He was ready for ’war.’