Chapter 308 Dead End
Edward bringing up the topic made me feel pretty uneasy.
I pretended not to hear him, glanced at my watch, and gently reminded Skylar, "Sweetie, it's getting late. I need to take you home and then head back to the office to work overtime. We should get going."
Skylar, however, was completely absorbed in her own world of fun and showed no signs of wanting to leave. She rushed into the play area, quickly scaled the slide, and with a big smile said, "No, Mum, I haven't played enough yet. I don't want to go home."
I was anxious, desperate to rush back to the office to handle urgent matters, but seeing Skylar's innocent face, I couldn't bring myself to be harsh. Despite my growing impatience, I had to suppress my emotions and gently coax her over and over again.
At that moment, my new assistant, Maeve Harrington, burst into the restaurant in a panic. She was out of breath and, without even catching it, urgently said, "Ms. Cooper, there's a big problem! We shipped an overseas order a while ago, but the payment hasn't come through. I've been trying to contact the buyer all day, but they won't answer calls or messages. Worse, the goods are now stuck at customs, and we can't get either the money or the shipment released!"
Hearing this, I frowned deeply and quickly asked, "What about Theo? Isn't he in charge of handling overseas business?"
Maeve shook her head helplessly and sighed, "Theo can't reach them either, so everyone is looking to you for a solution. Your phone was unreachable, and I saw your social media post this afternoon, which showed you were at this restaurant, so I rushed over."
I hesitated, but reason told me I had to go back with Maeve to handle the company's urgent situation. Turning to Skylar again, I said more urgently, "Skylar, I really need to head back now. We can play again next time."
"But, Mom..." Skylar's eyes filled with tears of disappointment as she mumbled, "I haven't played enough yet."
Just then, Edward, who had been quietly watching Skylar, spoke up, "Diana, why don't you go handle your work? I can stay with Skylar."
I hesitated, still not fully trusting Edward. Edward picked up on my hesitation and adopted a noticeably more serious tone. "Your bodyguard is still here, right? Wilmer is excellent at what he does. With him around, what are you worried about?"
I glanced over at Wilmer, who was sitting nearby, and thought to myself: If I want to handle both sides, this might be my only option. Turning to Skylar for her opinion, I was surprised when she instantly chimed in, mimicking an adult's tone, "Mom, you can go to work. I can play with Mr. Howard, and Wilmer will keep an eye on me. Don't worry."
Her little grown-up act was incredibly cute. I then instructed Wilmer, "Wilmer, I'm counting on you. Make sure to bring Skylar home by 9 PM."
Wilmer nodded firmly. "Got it, ma'am. I guarantee it."
As I stood up, Edward offered some advice, "Diana, regarding the overseas order, in my experience, you might be able to resolve the customs issue through a reputable local customs broker."I suddenly remembered that Edward had once been one of the most powerful figures in Wind City's business world. How could he not understand issues related to international trade?
He added, "And as for not being able to reach the buyer, you could try contacting the International Chamber of Commerce or industry associations. They might help you find alternative contact information for the buyer."
Edward's suggestions were something I hadn't considered. I felt a surge of hope and eagerly asked, "Edward, are these methods really feasible? I hadn't thought of them at all."
Edward looked at me and nodded seriously. "These channels often work wonders in the trade world. I've faced similar situations before and resolved them using these methods. You should give it a try."
I was impressed by Edward's professional advice and felt a growing trust in him. "Thank you for the suggestions. I'll get on it as soon as I get back."
With everything arranged, I hurriedly left with Maeve. What happened in the restaurant after I left, I had no idea. But when I saw Skylar again, everyone's life paths had been completely rewritten.
At that time, I rushed back to the office, and as soon as I stepped in, Theo shouted, "Everyone, emergency meeting now!"
Once everyone had gathered in the conference room, I spoke with a serious expression, "You all know the situation we're facing. We must work together to get both the money and the goods back. This is a matter of the company's survival!"
The room buzzed with murmurs and discussions.
"We've never faced such a tough situation before."
"Yeah, not being able to reach the buyer and having the goods stuck at customs is pushing us to the brink."
As the discussions died down, I continued, "A friend of mine suggested a way forward."
Everyone quieted down, listening intently. I remarked, "Theo, contact the customs brokers we've worked with before and those with good reputations in the industry. Explain our situation in detail and get their solutions and quotes. We need to get the goods out of customs as quickly as possible!"
Then I turned to Maeve. "Maeve, contact the International Chamber of Commerce and relevant industry associations immediately. Explain our predicament and ask for help in finding alternative contact information for the buyer. Whether it's email, phone, or any other means, we can't leave any stone unturned. Got it?"
"Yes, Ms. Cooper, I'll get on it right away," Maeve said, hurrying out of the conference room.
After the meeting, everyone quickly got to work on their tasks. I sat at my desk, eyes glued to the computer screen, reviewing past records of handling overseas orders, hoping to find some breakthrough.
Time ticked by with no substantial progress. Just as I was feeling overwhelmed, the office door burst open, and Wilmer rushed in, his face full of panic. He was breathing heavily, his voice trembling, "Ms. Cooper, something's happened. Skylar is missing!"
Hearing this, I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. I froze, and the documents in my hand fell to the floor.
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