When someone suddenly comes into a fortune, those around them often become green with envy.
The closer the relationship, the more they feel entitled to take a piece of the pie.
At the First Hospital, in a standard ward, Anna Rivera lay in bed, scrolling through old chat records with clenched teeth.
She was furious that her loyal "dog" had ditched her the moment he got rich.
Even though they'd never officially dated, she felt that the years she'd spent chatting with James, letting him fantasize about her, warranted some sort of compensation.
In her mind, James owed her for wasting her youth.
And it wasn't like she was asking for much. He had won ninety millionâwhat was two million to him?
If James refused to pay up, she planned to go straight to his parents and accuse their son of leading her on and abandoning her.
She'd sit in front of James's house and make a scene if she had to.
And if that didn't work, she'd release their chat history to everyone James knew, letting them see just how pathetic and low he had been in the past.
"Is it that same woman from before?"
Amanda noticed James's troubled expression and asked with concern.
"Yeah," James replied, frowning and nodding.
"Want me to handle it for you?" Amanda asked with a slight smile.
"How would you handle it?" James asked curiously.
"You don't need to know. Just trust meâshe'll never bother you again," Amanda replied with a calm and faint smile.
She'd already thought about how to "teach" this woman a lesson when she first saw her, but out of respect for James, she hadn't acted.
Now that the woman had come back for more, Amanda saw no reason to hold back.
When dealing with such disgusting people, any means was fair game.
James looked at Amanda's serene smile and felt a chill run down his spine.
It was only now that he realized that this seemingly gentle and virtuous woman had once been the partner of a powerful man. She undoubtedly had her share of tricks up her sleeve.
After a moment of contemplation, James decided to refuse her offer.
It wasn't because he was softhearted but because he was worried about Amanda's safety.
Some things, if pursued too deeply, could lead to unexpected and dangerous consequences.
James was a law-abiding citizen. He couldn't just do whatever he wanted.
Besides, a woman like Anna Rivera didn't seem like the cleanest of people. There were probably skeletons in her closet. He figured it might be better to dig into her past first.
James picked up his phone, thinking about who could help him with this.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Winnie Morgan had arrived.
James quickly went to open the door.
"Good morning, boss," Winnie Morgan greeted politely, bowing slightly with her hands clasped in front of her. She was dressed in a professional outfit, looking every bit the competent housekeeper.
"Good morning, Winnie. Come in and have a seat. I actually have something I need to discuss with you," James said with a smile.
Winnie carefully changed into indoor slippers and stepped into the modest home.
She glanced around subtly. The place wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy, with clear traces of a woman's touch. It was obvious someone frequently cleaned and organized the space.
Her eyes quickly landed on the stunning woman sitting on the couch and the little girl beside her.
In that instant, Winnie pieced it together.
This must be the boss's "hidden treasure"âanother one of his women.
Winnie immediately bent slightly and smiled. "Good morning, Mrs. King. I'm Mr. King's housekeeper. Please take care of me in the future."
It didn't matter if she was wrong; a little flattery never hurt. If she was right, it would leave a good impression.
"Hello," Amanda replied warmly, glancing at the well-dressed, middle-aged woman before her.
She then waved at Timmy. "Timmy, come say hello to Auntie."
"Hello, Auntie," Timmy said sweetly, staring at Winnie with her big, curious eyes, completely unafraid of strangers.
After briefly introducing them, James invited Winnie to sit.
"There's no need, Mr. King. I'm used to standing. Please go ahead and tell me what you need," Winnie replied with a polite smile.
"Alright then, I'll get straight to the point," James said. "You've been in sales for a long time. You probably know some professional private investigators, right?"
"Who does Mr. King want investigated?" Winnie asked curiously.
"A woman who's trying to extort money from me," James said bluntly.
"Got it. How do you want to proceed?" Winnie understood immediately.
She was no stranger to this. In her years dealing with wealthy clients, she'd seen plenty of shameless people trying to extort money.
"Timmy, go play in your room," Amanda said, not wanting the little girl to hear what was about to be discussed.
"Okay," Timmy replied obediently, taking her book and heading to her room.
Once the door was closed, James explained, "From what I know, this woman has probably been involved with multiple men before. I want to hire a private investigator to dig up any illegal activities she might have been involved in. Then I want to hand the evidence to her current boyfriend and have him report her to the police. Do you understand what I mean?"
Winnie's expression turned serious. She nodded firmly and replied, "I understand. If she's really done anything illegal, I'll make sure someone finds the evidence and brings her to justice."
As a supervisor with many connections, Winnie knew plenty of people who could handle this kind of situation.
For women like Anna, who lacked discretion, there was bound to be dirt on them. Even if there wasn't evidence right now, it wouldn't be long before she slipped up again.
As long as the target wasn't some high-society socialite or noble heiress, investigating her would be straightforward.
"Good. Then I'll leave this matter to you. Can you get it done in three days?" James asked calmly.
"Three days is a bit tight. It might be tricky to pull off," Winnie said, looking slightly troubled.
Investigating wasn't hard, but if nothing turned up, they'd have to start over from scratch.
"How long do you think it'll take?" James asked.
"About a week," Winnie replied.
"I don't want to wait that long. Is there a way to speed things up?"
"If the budget is sufficient, I can motivate people to work overtime and expedite the process," Winnie hinted cautiously.
James understood immediately. Money talks. Without proper compensation, no one would be eager to work.
"How much are we talking?" he asked with a smile.
"If everything goes smoothly, ten grand should be enough. Private investigators aren't expensive, and gathering some information shouldn't cost much. But..."
Winnie explained patiently, "If something unexpected happens, the cost could go up to tens or even hundreds of thousands because there will be more expenses involved."
James held up two fingers and asked calmly, "Two hundred thousand. Can it be done in three days?"
"Absolutely!" Winnie replied without hesitation.
Two hundred grand was more than enough. With that kind of money, plenty of people would be willing to work overtime.
"Good. I'll send you the money and her details now. Get started right away," James said with a smile.
"Thank you for your trust, Mr. King."
Though she knew someone who could afford a Rolls-Royce wouldn't be stingy, Winnie still felt excited to have such a generous and trusting employer.
Sometimes, being loyal to the right person was more important than working hard.
James transferred the money and added casually, "I won't check your expenses, and I don't need a receipt. Just get the job done. If it falls through... well, let's just say I hope it doesn't."
"Don't worry, Mr. King. I've worked with wealthy clients for years and take my responsibilities seriously. Every penny you've given me will be spent on your task. I won't pocket a cent," Winnie said confidently.
She liked money, sure, but at her age, she wasn't desperate for it anymore.
She just wanted to work a few more years, save enough for retirement, and live the rest of her life in peace.
"Good. I trust you. If you do a good job, there'll be a big bonus in it for you," James said, sending over the details.
"Thank you, Mr. King. I'll get to work right away and update you on the progress tonight," Winnie said, glancing at her phone before leaving with a smile.