Chapter 521 How Does It Sound
Move out of the shop? The whole company?
James stopped in his tracks, looking at Hestia with mild surprise. He hadn't expected her to say something like that.
After a moment, he gave her a faint smile. "You're really kicking me out, Hestia?"
"I don't want to be this harsh, James." She fidgeted with her necklace. "But what choice do I have? You won't compromise. You refuse to settle things peacefully with the Garcia family."
Hestia's eyelid twitched, but she squared her shoulders defiantly. "What am I supposed to do? Allan is my boyfriend. The Garcia family is going to be my family someday. How can I help you fight against them?"
She softened her tone. "Look, it's not too late to change your mind. If you give Allan that recipe, I can personally guarantee they'll pay ten times more. If the Garcia family won't pay, I'll cover it myself."
Her face showed genuine regret. "I really don't want us to end things like this. You saved my mom and me. We're friends."
"James, Hestia's bending over backward for you. What more do you want?" Allan cupped his bruised face and snapped, "One hundred million dollars. Your family could never earn that much in a lifetime."
"This isn't just about the Garcia family owing my parents justice," James stepped closer to Hestia. "The recipe itself... do you honestly think it's only worth a hundred million?"
Hestia fell silent.
"The Garcia family dominates the national market with just their Level Five tea recipe. They're worth billions." James gave a bitter laugh. "And you think a hundred million for the Level Eight recipe is doing me a favor?"
He'd thought Hestia would be reasonable, but love for Allan had clouded her judgment. She was cutting out his heart while pretending it was for his own good.
The disappointment showed in his eyes.
"I understand what you're saying, James. I know what the recipe is worth," Hestia replied, her face hardening under his criticism. "But the Garcia family controls the market and distribution channels. All the major retailers respect them."
She gestured emphatically. "If they decide to crush you, your tea won't succeed no matter how good it is. You'd be lucky to open a few small shops."
"Forget becoming a billion-dollar tea company—you'd struggle to make even a fraction of that. Besides, your recipe is just an improvement on the Garcia family's Level Six formula."
"Give them the Level Eight recipe and you'll save yourself years of struggle. You'll get a hundred million in cash, and the Garcia family will welcome you back. We can stay friends. Isn't that worth it?"
She was trying her hardest to convince him. "James, please think about it."
"Kid, this is the real world," Allan sneered. "Money and power are everything."
He stepped closer to James. "You think having one recipe will make you successful? What a joke."
"Without Hestia backing you, you wouldn't have even made it out of the police station, let alone stood a chance against the Garcia family."
"If you don't take this opportunity, you can get the hell out of Golden Tower tomorrow. Let's see how long you last in Sovereign City without Hestia's support."
Genevieve, Asher, and the others exchanged knowing glances. They all thought the same thing—without Hestia as his sugar mama, James wouldn't survive in Sovereign City any better than a stray dog.
"Sorry, but I don't need anyone's support," James said, scanning the group coldly. "I'm my own backbone."
"Fine. If you're going to be this stubborn, we're done talking." Hestia's face turned to ice. "Get everything out by tomorrow. I'm giving the space to the Garcia family for their experience store."
"Fine," James said, the single word hanging in the air as he turned and walked away.
No drama. No begging. Just gone.
Hestia stood there, stunned.
She'd expected James to yell or argue—after all, losing the shop space would derail his grand opening. But he'd just... left.
His decisive exit bothered her. It felt like she was losing something important, but she couldn't quite place what.
"Don't feel bad, Hestia. That loser isn't worth keeping as a friend anyway," Allan slipped his arm around her waist. "All that tough talk was just an act."
He leaned in closer. "He's probably dreaming about having a perfect girlfriend like you. He's furious and jealous that you came back to me."
"He's just putting on a show to save face, trying to look dignified so you'll respect him. I guarantee the first thing he did after leaving was find a corner to cry in."
Allan smirked confidently. "Without your support, he'll never amount to anything, no matter how hard he tries."
Genevieve and the others nodded in agreement. They all believed James was just putting up a front.
Hestia's expression softened as she gently touched Allan's bruised face. "I'm sorry you got hurt."
"It's nothing, just a scratch." Allan's smile turned cold. "I won't go after James out of respect for you, but the Ultimate Martial Arts Academy might not be so forgiving..."
"I'm practically a Mystic Alliance member. James attacked me in their gym. That's not just disrespecting me—it's challenging the Mystic Alliance."
"Nicolette won't let him get away with it."
Genevieve and Asher's eyes lit up with excitement.
While Allan and Hestia were getting cozy, James returned to the Grandma's Black Tea shop where his parents and Samantha were polishing the windows.
"Mom, Dad, Samantha, you can stop cleaning," James said with an apologetic expression. "We're moving out tomorrow. But don't worry, I'll find another place for our tea shop."
"What? Moving out?" Virgil and the others exclaimed in shock. "Why?"
Although Hestia had handled most of the preparations, they'd put their hopes and dreams into this place. The sudden news was hard to accept.
James explained directly, "Hestia and I had a falling out. She's angry and wants the shop back." He briefly summarized what had happened.
Virgil and the others were stunned. How could a simple trip to a gym change everything so drastically?
"Well, it's her shop. If she wants it back, we'll return it," Virgil said reasonably. "We'll find another location. As long as we have the recipe, we'll be fine."
He shrugged. "If worst comes to worst, we can go back to Rosewood City."
Michelle felt downcast. After learning about the family's betrayal, she'd been determined to challenge the Garcia family. Now their plans were derailed before they'd even begun. Still, she knew James must feel even worse—he'd lost not just a tea shop, but a friend.
"Your dad is right," Michelle forced a smile. "Losing the shop space isn't the end of the world. Grandma's Black Tea will open eventually."
James sighed softly. "Mom, don't worry. I'll find a way to get back at the Garcia family for you."
Michelle nodded gratefully.
Samantha pointed at the plants she'd bought. "Should I move these to the villa?"
"Why move them to a villa?" a booming voice called from the doorway. "Move them to my shop!"
James turned to see Idris tossing a key, which landed in his palm.
"James, how does a 180-square-foot tea shop sound to you?"
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