Chapter 120: A Lesson In Respect

If anyone asked Jasmine why she was doing this, she’d say it was a perfectly normal thing to do.

If you then asked her why she had to go this far, she’d tell you that this wasn’t far at all.

If you then ask her if she wasn’t confident she could win without doing all these, she’d tell you it’s a competition. Even if you already are the winner, there’s nothing more satisfying than crushing your opponent into the ground.

Objectively, most would agree with her. Subjectively, they probably would too. But even if no one agreed with her, Jasmine wasn’t one to stop even if the whole world was rallying against her. She was too driven for that.

She’d done a lot of things to ensure that she was where she is today and she didn’t regret a thing.

Most people would think that she was perfectly innocent but if they knew of the things she’d done, they’d probably not want to associate with her anymore. She hadn’t done anything as bad as kill someone but she’d done things.

Things like hiring a guy to seduce her sister so that their mother could catch them having sex. Making sure information doesn’t get to Jenny when it concerns their mother. Things like that.

She’d spent years doing her best to alienate her mother and Jenny and it had worked. Jenny had been cast out and she was the only candidate to take over the company. She’d been looking forward to inheriting her mother’s $30 billion+ fortune and using it as a stepping stone to her father’s fortune.

But like always, her elder sister had come back to stand in the ways of her ambition. Something had to be done about it.

Which brought her to where she is today.

She entered the office and its owner, Charles Harrington, stood to greet her with a faint smile on his lips. Even though there was a smile, no matter how faint, on his lips, his blue eyes remained cold, not showing an iota of warmth.

Standing in his suit, he was one of the symbols of old money in the city. He was what some people would call the embodiment of traditional power and Jasmine knew how to speak his language.

"Jasmine." He greeted, extending his hand. "It’s been far too long."

"It has." Jasmine replied with a charming smile as she shook his hand. "And as always, Charles, you’ve managed to make this place even more impressive."

He nodded, gesturing for her to sit. "Flattery will get you everywhere. Now, what brings you to my humble office?"

Jasmine sat across from him, crossing her legs elegantly. "Business, Charles. And just a little bit of retribution."

Charles raised an eyebrow at her choice of words. "Retribution? Against whom?"

"Nico Voss." She said, her smile growing. "And his puppet, Jenny."

"Ah. I see." Charles leaned back in his chair and Jasmine could tell of what was running inside his head.

Nico and Jenny had thought she’d only pointed them at Harrington & Co to only distract them while she acquired NovaGen and had thought themselves clever by coming here but that wasn’t her only reason.

She’d set a trap at Harrington & Co because she knew they’d do indepth research on the company but not the CEO. And that… is their mistake.

"I must admit," Charles said, "the deal Nico proposed, only to walk away from, left a sour taste in my mouth. As I’m sure you know, Harrington & Co doesn’t take kindly to time-wasters."

"Exactly." Jasmine nodded in agreement. "Nico and Jenny think they can toy with powerful institutions like yours."

"Proposing deals, wasting your time, then backing out? It’s insulting. And it sets a dangerous precedent for someone like you, Charles. People might think Harrington & Co is a stepping stone and not a powerhouse."

Charles tapped his fingers on the armrest, his expression thoughtful. There was no doubt that he knew she was here to use him in a scheme of hers. "So, what are you proposing?"

"Teach them a lesson." Jasmine said, leaning forward, her voice dropping. "FleetForward Logistics is their next big play. They’re banking on it to elevate Jenny’s position and gain traction with the Apex board."

"If you swoop in and take it, not only do you secure a lucrative investment, but you also send a message that they’d never forget. Harrington & Co doesn’t tolerate disrespect."

Charles tilted his head and asked the question that she’d been sure he’d ask. "And what about you, Jasmine? What punishment do you get?"

Jasmine leaned back in her chair. She had been the one to start negotiations but had broken things off early in secret. "I thought we’d discussed this. I brought them to you to give you a deal and they wasted your time. Isn’t it right that they should be punished?"

Charles said nothing, studying her before he finally spoke. "And what do you get out of this, Jasmine? You’ve never been one to act purely out of altruism."

She smiled at his question. "It’s quite simple, really. Jenny’s loss is my gain. If FleetForward becomes part of your portfolio, it puts a stop to their momentum and strengthens my position at Apex."

"But beyond that, Charles, this is about respect. Nico and Jenny are both reckless and arrogant. They need to learn there are consequences."

Charles leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. "Are you certain that this investment is worth pursuing? I’ll be the one taking the gamble with my money, young lady."

"I’ve done my homework." Jenny answered. "FleetForward’s growth trajectory is solid and its leadership is competent. With the right backing, your backing, it could become a major player in logistics. It’s a smart investment, and you know it."

"I see." Charles stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, you’ve always brought me solid investments, Jasmine. So, I’ll put my cards on you one more time. Let’s hope for your sake that nothing goes wrong."

"It won’t." Jasmine smiled confidently. That, she was sure of.@@novelbin@@