Chapter 165 You Can’t Afford the Price
One slip of <b>the </b>finger, and she identally picked up the call. “Ste.”
It was Ethan’s voice–low, seething with restrained rage.
Ste’s breath caught. “What are you, a ghost? Can’t you stay dead and buried?”
So all those missed calls earlier. they were his!
A whole list of unfamiliar numbers–he must’ve used every single employee in the Keene Group to call her.
“That man–<b>is </b>he the owner of Verdant Vi<b>?</b>”
Ethan bit out each word like he was grinding ss between his teeth.
Ste snapped fully awake. “What’s <b>that </b>supposed to mean?”
“Tell him to sell it to me. Name the price–anything”
Ste was speechless.
From the tension in Ethan’s voice, she could tell he’d spent the whole afternoon going insane trying to reach her.
Now that he finally got through, he wasn’t even trying to sound polite. He wasing in hot, direct, and utterly overbearing.
“Sell it to you?” Ste repeated<b>. </b>
“Yes. Name your price!” he said <b>again</b><b>. </b>
Ste scoffed. “And who gave you the ego? The man bought up the entire Seats Cove. You think he needs your chump change?”
On the other end, <b>Ethan’s </b>face turned green<b>. </b>
“What did you just say?”
Chump change? Was she mocking the Keene family?
Ste said slowly, “Let’s not y coy. Sure, the Keene family is the top in Rivermount. But how much can you personally put on the table?”
Ethan said nothing.
The silence spoke volumes.
Ste’s voice turned mocking. “Everyone says you’re the Keene family’s most <b>outstanding </b>heir–but that’s only because <b>your </b>mom only gave birth to one son. No <b>options</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
“People kiss up to you, and you actually believe it?”
Blunt Brutal And true
Ethan almost cked <b>out </b>from sheer rage “You–1”
You’re technically the CEO of Keene Group, sure. But do you really want me to remind you who actually runs the ce
“Shut up!”
4:40 PM c
Chapter 165 You Can’t Afford the Price
Each sentence was a dagger. Each word, a carefully ced de.
<b>Ethan’s </b>skull felt like it was going to explode.
+8 Pearls
At this point, he almost hoped she’d just beat him up again–anything to shut her up. Her mouth was too damn vicious.
But the worst part? She wasn’t wrong.
After Lillian <b>came </b>back, thepany’s <b>financial </b>approval system <b>had </b>changed.
Big–ticket expenses now required not only the acting CEO’s signature, but also the chairman’s
What Ste <b>had </b>said was <b>spot</b>–on. Not a hundred million. Ten <b>million </b>and up required Judson’s direct <b>approval</b>.
Ethan growled through gritted teeth. Then name your price.
Ste replied coolly, “Didn’t I just <b>say </b>you couldn’t afford it? Still asking like you’re gonna snatch it?”
That hit him like a punch to the gut.
Ethan wanted to hang up, needed to hang up–but it had taken him all day just <b>to </b>get through. He clenched his teeth and endured.
“In my face? And you think I’d let you get away with it?” Ste scoffed.
“I’m not trying to
“Can you even afford it? Scats Cove alone is worth at least five hundred million, no?”
Five hundred million.
The number nearly made Ethan’s face fall off. He wanted to yell You’re crazy! But deep down, he knew–it was a fair valuation. Verdant <b>Vi </b><b>was </b>worth that much.
Ethan exhaled sharply. “I <b>can’t </b>get <b>that </b>kind of money <b>right </b>now.
This woman. How had lie never realized she was this shrewd?
She’d dissected the Keene Group’s structure <b>as </b>if <b>she </b>had the blueprints.
She wasn’t wrong. Judson had once promised to pass down control. But <b>ever </b>since Lillian returned, most of that power had been wed <b>back</b>–masked as <b>policy </b><b>changes</b>, but in <b>truth</b>, a total rollback.
Ste <b>said </bzily, “Oh. No money? <b>So </b>you’re begging, then? With that tone?”
Ethan was speechless.
Begging? That word hit <b>like </b><b>a </b><b>p</b>.
Beg Ste? Who did she think she was?
“I’m just <b>asking </b>you to help me make an introduction to <b>him</b><b>.</b>”
He’d already run into the man twice–and both times, things ended badly.
But right now, he had to meet him.
Ste’s voice curled with mockery. “Still sounds like begging to me. Is that your begging voice?”
440 PM ?