?Chapter 889:


    Despite his soothing reassurances, his visitors left with lingering concern clearly etched on their faces. Richard, on the other hand, maintained aposed and detached air, seemingly unperturbed.


    But then, one unexpected day arrived.


    “Mr. Bet, a gentleman is at the door iming to be the president of the National Commerce Association. He wishes to speak with you. He introduced himself as Mr. Perry.”


    Richard lounged in the warm embrace of the sunlight, hisughter booming when he heard those words. Dani certainly had a knack for stirring things up.


    Even the president of the National Commerce Association had been rmed. The National Commerce Association was a prestigious coalition, voluntarily established by the nation’s elite enterprises. Onlypanies with assets exceeding ten billion dors could im membership, and its ranks wereposed of the finest and most powerful business giants. To put it bluntly, anyone from the association was a heavyweight in the business world.


    The association served as a powerhouse for these giants, constantly abuzz with thetest and most lucrative market insights. In essence, these were the individuals dominating the market, skimming the cream off the top. By the time they had their fill, even the leftovers were enough to enrich those on the periphery.


    Previously, when the Bet family had been desperate to join this association, Alexander had leveraged every connection and pulled every possible string, pouring immense resources into the effort. The reception expenses had run into the tens of millions. Yet, after all that, the association’s president had brushed them off with mere words. “The Bet family has only recently soared past the ten-billion-dor mark. Who can say whether their fortunes will hold? It’s premature to let them into our ranks so easily. Is the National Commerce Association a club that can simply be bought into?”


    Following this incident, Bet Group became the butt of every joke in the industry for the better part of a year.


    Now, the president of the association making a personal visit surely had to be linked to Dani’s aggressive acquisitions.


    Richard quirked an eyebrow, slowly rose from his seat, and took a leisurely stroll through the garden, circling it four times. It took him a full half-hour before he meandered back into the vi.


    “Ah, Mr. Perry,” Richard said, his voice dripping with theatrically courteous tone as he entered. He shed a sardonic smile. “This is an unexpected honor! I had almost resigned myself to the idea that we would never see you grace our ce in my lifetime.”


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    Previously, Richard had only seen Hackett Perry through the filtered lens of the media. Now, meeting him in person, Richard quickly assessed him.


    Hackett was on the shorter side, barely reaching five feet three, with a build that suggested too manyvish dinners. He wore a polo shirt that was a bit too tight across his plump belly, his gleaming forehead reflecting the light as he greeted Richard with a broad, beaming smile.


    Upon meeting, Hackett presented Richard with a golf club valued in the millions. Ignoring the sarcasm in Richard’s tone, Hackett shed a warm smile and handed him a badge signifying membership in the association. “There was just a bit of confusion earlier. Today, I have no agenda other than to resolve our previous misunderstandings. The error was purely on my staff’s part, and I’m here personally to set things right. This badge represents the pinnacle of status in our business circle.”


    Hackett, ever the persuasive speaker, handed over the badge and rose to his feet. “I’ll keep my visit brief today, but Richard, in a few days, our association will host a gathering. It’s crucial that you attend.”


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