Chapter 140: Ethan's Plan
A powerhouse in West State's coal sector, Baytown, is renowned for its coal mining and was given the name Coal Town.
Here, the coal industry sustained 80 percent of the local economy and gave birth to the famous group of coal magnates!
Following lunchtime at the Harris residence, Ethan and Sarah hopped into the BMW X6 that Clarence had reserved and headed for Baytown.
By the time they arrived to the town's center area in the evening, it was already dark.
"I'm starving! It's nearly eight, and we still haven't had dinner. Could we get something to eat first?" As they pulled up in front of the motel they'd booked, Sarah grumbled and rubbed her stomach.
"Haven't we arrived at the hotel? Aren't you worried they might not have food around here?" Ethan asked, puzzled.
"I've heard that Baytown's pies are amazing, and I'm sick of hotel cuisine. Would you mind buying some?" Sarah pulled at his arm in pleading.
"Fine, meet me in the hotel lobby later. I'll check to see if there's a pie shop nearby." Ethan surrendered in, trapped between laughter and frustration.
He had accompanied her to the hotel, just about to leave when suddenly got a call from Alexander.
"How's it going?"
As soon as he answered the phone, Ethan got right to the point.
Alexander said over the phone, "Mr. Wilson, I've progressed a little bit with the research you requested. The Baytown Coal Authority primarily controls the coal business in the town Although WL Group and SQ Group are two of the largest local coal companies, they're all governed by this organization. Any corporation of a significant scale in Baytown's coal business must register with the Coal Authority and conform with their development plans."
"Don't worry. Start with the smaller, distributed companies. Money has no boundaries." Ethan gave an unwavering command, intent to control Baytown's coal business, "I need you to find all the relevant minor coal mines and companies as fast as possible."
"At any cost?" asked Alexander, surprised by the scale of Ethan's ambition.
"Yes, at any cost!" Ethan calmly replied, "What I really need is the resources; I'm not expecting these businesses to earn substantial profit."
In certain ways, coal and state control were inseparable, making it a valuable national strategic asset.
Consequently, being involved in such an industry was equivalent to possessing intangible capital!
For Ethan, money wasn't a concern. With RP Investments already priced in the billions, he was well-suited to manage the initial purchases of the minor coal merchants in Baytown.
It was necessary to carry out all of this discreetly, without leaving any evidence for his competitors.
Houston was his stepping stone and foundation. It was crucial that he got a spot there, since it gave him the authority to face off against some of the most powerful families.
He couldn't legitimately claim to be able to compete with the Ethan Family unless he had a strong grip on Houston.
With Sarah at his side, he didn't worry about anyone finding out where he was.
Sarah had reserved the hotel room, and the car wasn't his. There would be no hint of his existence in Houston, unless he ran into someone he knew.
Ethan picked up some freshly-made apple pies from a neighboring food alley and walked back to the hotel.
But the moment he stepped into the lobby, his expression changed.
"How dare you turn me down, Sweetheart? Do you even know who I am? It's your lucky day because I, Tommy, am interested in you! Don't pass up this opportunity!"
Standing in front of Sarah in the lounge of the lobby was a lavishly-dressed man, flaunting his power with a large gold chain around his neck.
"Whoever you are, it's not my problem! My boyfriend will return at any moment. When he arrives, he'll knock you off if you leave immediately!"
Her attractive face was a mixture of warmth and rage, clearly showing that she had been tormented by this man.
It hadn't occurred to Ethan that she would soon be harassed by the spoiled brats who were notorious for harassing girls all over Houston!
9 times out of 10, the bold young men people would meet here were usually the children of local magnates.
"Boyfriend? Where is he? I can't find him anywhere. Even if he exists, he'll have no option but to leave after seeing me! He's going to turn into a pig the moment he says a word!"
Tommy chuckled arrogantly, confident of his own superiority. He had no fear of other Houstonians, except from those he knew and could not upset.
"I don't think so! Show me how you plan on attacking me!"
From behind Tommy, a chilly voice spoke out, catching Sarah's attention.
"What took you so long? I was going to be harassed by this idiot if you hadn't returned!"
Sarah was unhappy and complained to Ethan, her anxiety vanishing entirely.
For her, Ethan stood as her safest harbor, her shield against any storm. She had total faith in this man.
"Nobody can bother you as long as I'm here. I just went to get you some baked pies. Eat while they're still piping hot; I'll take care of this guy."
After handing the freshly-bought pies into Sarah's hands, Ethan turned to face Tommy.
Tommy turned to face Ethan, a look of tremendous anger on his face. "Do you know who I am? Based on your accents, you two must be from different places. In Baytown, it's easy to go into serious problems for being arrogant. You just can't offend some people!"
"Oh, I see. You wouldn't, by chance, be one of those people you're talking about, right? After all, you don't seem like you've got some sort of magical power. If you don't leave right now, I'm happy to teach you what rude behavior really means!"
Ethan sneered, disdainful ridiculing covered on his face.
"Tommy, it seems like you've just been boasting. Her boyfriend has arrived, and he doesn't even respect you!"
"That's right... You said 5 million, right? If you can't snag this girl, you'll lose. Hand over the money to us now!"
As they talked, four boys who were clearly from wealthy backgrounds had joined in.
These wealthy men had apparently wagered five million dollars on Sarah!
They were really wasting their wealth recklessly!
"Back off, I'm not done yet! I don't think there exists a woman who can't be won over with money! I can buy her myself with that 5 million, so why should I let you guys have it?"
Tommy was upset with Ethan after hearing the remarks, feeling embarrassed.
"What sort of loser are you? Am I only worth 5 million dollars in your eyes?"
Surprising everyone, Sarah got up from her chair, throwing a half-eaten pie onto the coffee table and giving Tommy a furious look.
How could she, the respected Miss Harris from a wealthy Novaria family be purchased and sold for cash?
"Then how much do you want?" Tommy mumbled, unintentionally asking after Sarah's retort.
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