Chapter 305: Chapter 305

Chapter 305:

The person who came to meet Eileen was Wayne Murray, about forty years old.

The doubt in his eyes was obvious. He looked into Eileen’s sincere eyes for a few seconds before he shook her hand and led her into the company.

Before Eileen arrived, she had thoroughly investigated and learned about the company. So, when projects were mentioned, she jumped in, pointed out the problems, and quickly offered solutions. There were some urgent issues that needed fixing, so she stayed in the company lounge for a few days. She didn’t act like she was pregnant at all, which impressed Wayne.

But others remained skeptical and negative towards her.

“Since we started this, we’ve finished many small projects, but we haven’t landed any big ones. Now, our department’s R&D project looks promising, but we’re short on funds. The spare money from the Freguson Group is gone, and we need to find investors ourselves,” John Finch, the other person in charge of the branch, spoke up.

He wasn’t confident in Eileen and looked down on her a bit.

So, he quickly gave the tough job of finding an investor to Eileen.

“We need up to a billion dollars. Only venture capital can handle that, but they’re very picky. Our small company isn’t on their radar.”

“Then why did you send me to do this?” Eileen listened and asked. “Are you looking forward to them shutting me out?”

“I don’t mean that. I just think that since the Freguson Group sent you, you can solve tough problems. So, you can handle this one too,” John replied. “Don’t butter me up.”

Eileen looked over the project papers and said, “I was sent by the Group to help with cooperation, not to take the blame. If you want me to discuss a partnership, I’m in. But if you want me to take the fall for not finding an investor, sorry, I can’t do that.”

Feel the thrill at g aln ov el s . com After all, she wasn’t looking to freeload without pitching in.

If there was truly no other option, she would approach venture capital. If there was even a slight chance, she would give it a shot.

After John heard Eileen’s words, his face flushed, but he stood his ground. “In that case, go talk to them. We’ve got your back.”

Eileen glanced at him, narrowing her eyes slightly.

She headed back to her office with the project materials, and Wayne soon walked in.

“Eileen, don’t take it personally. Going to ZJ Venture Capital is just one strategy. If it falls through, we’ve got backup plans,” he said.

Eileen smiled politely. “Let’s go for the most challenging but promising route. I’m curious about venture capital.”

Wayne pulled up a web search on ZJ Venture Capital, and the screen was soon filled with information. It was a joint venture capital firm, set up about eight years ago, but it hadn’t seen significant growth yet.

However, in the last three years, it had made rapid strides and shot to the top of the venture capital scene.

Wayne said, “Both bosses are from your country. It’s a mystery; no one’s seen his face. Josue Payne runs the show here, overseeing operations from our shores. If we’re dealing with them, it’s Josue we’ll meet.”

Josue, thirty-five and divorced, was considered a golden bachelor by some, a genius by others, making his peers jealous. With sharp determination, all the projects Josue had pursued turned out to be resounding successes. But rumor had it that every project he fancied needed Z’s nod, showing his real power.

“Can you arrange a meeting with him?” Eileen queried.

Wayne shook his head. “He won’t even think about a small fry like us.”

After a pause, Eileen asked, “What’s his thing? Golf, racing, or chess?”

Wayne shrugged. “He’s into women. Couldn’t stick to one; divorced within a year.”

“Check where he hangs out. If you can’t get a meeting, we need to accidentally bump into him,” Eileen advised. With this tactic, Wayne had already tried to spark Josue’s interest and investigated him. He emailed Eileen the findings. Less than five minutes later, Eileen finished reading the information about Josue. Every 25th, Josue skipped his usual bar for a restaurant outing, hitting the spot to meet women outside of his usual haunt.

Coincidentally, today was the 25th.

Eileen left work early and found Ruby had dinner ready when she got home. In her advanced pregnancy, morning sickness was behind her, and she had a healthy appetite. Ruby kept complaining when she heard Eileen had to go out later that night.

After eating to satisfaction, Eileen felt her baby moving happily in her belly. She put on a jacket and went outside. The temperature here was much colder than in her hometown. Even though it was spring, she still needed a warm jacket.

She met Wayne at the restaurant entrance. Once inside, they sat in the lobby and waited.

Josue arrived promptly at ten every night. After waiting for about half an hour, Wayne gestured toward a man who had just walked in. He was good-looking and carefree, holding a beautiful woman close and eyeing the waiter suggestively—a flirt, but he knows how to do his job,” Wayne muttered.

Eileen replied with a smile, “He knows how to handle himself. This place has been calm since he got here; he’s not causing any trouble. You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

She followed Josue and watched him enter a second-floor room. She pondered whether she should walk in directly or start with a conversation first. Before she could decide, she saw different women entering Josue’s private room every few minutes.

Soon, about eight women had gone into his room. “I’ll check upstairs. Wait here,” Eileen said to Wayne before heading up.

A waiter stood at the second-floor stairs, but he didn’t stop Eileen as she headed straight to Josue’s room. Assuming she was just another one of Josue’s female companions, the waiter didn’t bother.

They never remembered the women’s faces. Josue brought a dozen every time. So, Eileen reached Josue’s private room door easily. Before she could knock, it swung open.

Josue had smooth skin, almost feminine, with dark, round eyes. His clear eyes and handsome looks were more apparent when he didn’t smile. And his mischievous smile gave him a bad-boy charm.

“Hello, Mr. Payne…” Eileen withdrew her hand that was about to knock and greeted him. She hadn’t noticed that Josue had a Bluetooth earbud in his left ear, like he was on the phone. Eileen suddenly interrupted, breaking his conversation with the person on the other end.

“Go away,” he said, walking to the end of the corridor with a gloomy expression. “Bryan, continue,” he said into the phone.

“Wait!” The man on the line, Bryan, suddenly asked, “Who were you talking to just now?”

Josue stopped and turned. The woman had her long hair tied neatly behind her head, wearing a loose black jacket. She looked beautiful but slightly overweight. Josue whispered, “This is a woman. She must’ve known I’d be here and wants my help.”

“Talk to her,” Bryan said firmly.

Josue was displeased. “She’s a bit overweight. I prefer thinner women.”

“Cut the crap,” Bryan said.

Sensing Bryan’s irritation, Josue turned back to approach Eileen. “Who are you?”

Eileen was surprised he had returned. “Hello, I’m Eileen Curbs, head of the foreign branch at Freguson Group.”

“What do you want?” Josue cut to the chase.

Eileen’s attempt to exchange pleasantries with Josue didn’t go as planned. “We have a new project at Freguson Group. Are you interested in investing?”

Seeing Eileen wasn’t trying to charm him, Josue frowned.

“I’m not interested.”

Then he turned and walked away.

“I’m interested. Invest in it,” a deep voice from the Bluetooth headset halted Josue in his tracks.

Josue quickly said, “I’m familiar with their project. It’ll cost a billion dollars!”

“I said, invest in it,” Bryan insisted.

Josue was shocked. “You pushed for me to invest hundreds of millions in the Warren family, and now you want to put money into Freguson Group? Are you trying to waste our funds? Don’t forget, you still have your grand plan to execute!”

“I don’t need that billion. If you don’t invest, then don’t bother returning.”

With that, Bryan ended the call.

It had been days since Eileen had left. Bryan was surprised to hear her voice on the phone today.

His fingers gently brushed the screen. She sounded like she had lived well.

He then messaged Josue, “Send photos.”

Josue had already escorted Eileen to another room. As they prepared to discuss investments, Eileen called Wayne to join them. Eileen and Wayne began to detail the project, flipping through documents.

Josue froze momentarily after receiving Bryan’s message, then sent a selfie and a reply:

Bryan, I’m straight. Fuck off. Send me Eileen’s photos.

Bryan replied.

Eileen?

Josue pondered for a moment. The name didn’t ring a bell. “Don’t know her,” he muttered, then suddenly remembered something. He looked up. “Is your name Eileen?”

“Yes,” Eileen paused and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.” Josue leaned back on the sofa, lost in thought.

He had heard of Eileen. During previous video calls with Bryan, she had interrupted multiple times. He knew she used to be Bryan’s special assistant, but he didn’t know what had transpired since then.

She had taken charge of the Freguson Group’s branch now. He suspected that she might have switched jobs and left things with Bryan on a sour note. Then why did Bryan want to assist her and invest in her company? Had Bryan possibly done something wrong to her previously?

After pondering briefly, Josue snapped a photo of Eileen and promptly forwarded it to Bryan. Then he put away his phone. When he looked up, both Eileen and Wayne were staring at him.

“Mr. Payne, your flashlight is bothering me,” Wayne joked with a hint of confusion.

.

.

.