Chapter 88 This gift could not be accepted
Three minutes later, the elevator stopped on the eighteenth floor. James followed Raymond and the others out, immediately feeling a sense of danger pressing down on him.
However, as he scanned the corridor, he found it empty, with only a row of statues of various figures on both sides.
His gaze fell upon the sculpture at the end of the hallway.
It was a life-sized statue, exuding an aura of menace, holding a large knife, and appearing extremely imposing.
Seeing James's hesitant steps, Raymond curiously asked, "James, what's wrong?"
James slowly withdrew his gaze and smiled. "Nothing, just a bit stunned since it's my first time here."
Seeing this, Claire snorted softly. "Inexperienced."
"James is just joking." Raymond laughed heartily, "With his expertise, he wouldn't be easily intimidated."
He then slightly tilted his head and led James and the others into the hall at the end.
As the door opened, James immediately felt the light brighten, and his field of vision expanded. He saw a dozen people gathered in the hall, both men and women, all dressed in fine clothes.
But the most striking figure was a woman sitting among them.
She was clad in black leather pants and a matching jacket, her hair a chaotic tumble of short locks, a few of which were dyed a striking burgundy. Her pallid complexion was accentuated by a black snake tattoo that slithered across her face.
Her eyes were narrow, with long eyelashes, and she seemed to squint, exuding a dangerous aura.
"Mr. Clark, good evening." Seeing Raymond and James enter, Bella Baker immediately stood up with a smile. "Long time no see."
Her smile was radiant, but James felt a chill.
Raymond's eyes turned cold as he saw Bella. "Bella? So it was you. I was wondering who dared to seize my goods and come to Rosewood City to negotiate."
"And it turned out to be you, the beautiful serpent." Raymond pulled over a chair and took a seat, "No matter who you are, I need an explanation from you tonight. And where is Jason Walker?"
Taylor and the bodyguards tensed up at his words.
"Mr. Clark, let's cut to the chase," Bella said, her smile beguiling. "Indeed, I commandeered the ship carrying your raw stones. Jason, who was in charge of the cargo, unfortunately, drowned in the river, and I've taken command of his fifty men. Now, the final 6 miles of the 31-mile journey from The Emerald Realm to the border are entirely under my jurisdiction. From this point forward, consider me a partner of the Thousand Treasures Corporation. To demonstrate my respect and goodwill towards you, Mr. Clark, I will not only return the goods but also slash the shipping cost by half. This way, your raw stone expenditure can be further reduced by ten percent."
She took a step forward and respectfully said, "Congratulations, Mr. Clark."
James glanced at the woman, sensing the evil intentions beneath her respectful demeanor.
Claire, on the other hand, relaxed, thinking Bella's gesture of goodwill made her a minor player.
"Dead?" Raymond's face showed no joy. Instead, he sneered. "Jason was young and strong, capable of swimming across the Mekong River. I don't believe he drowned."
"You killed him, didn't you?" As he spoke, Taylor and the others became even more vigilant.
Facing Raymond's accusation, Bella smiled indifferently. "Mr. Clark, discussing the dead is pointless."
"You killed my man and took control of half my route. What exactly do you want?" Raymond went straight to the point. "Revenge? Or extortion?"
James glanced around, noticing the twenty or so people around Bella, all dark-skinned, not tall, but exceptionally well-trained.
"Mr. Clark, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests." Bella maintained her courteous demeanor. "I believe I can bring benefits to Thousand Treasures Corporation."
She snapped her fingers, and several subordinates immediately came forward, placing four open boxes on the table.
A piece of jade, a golden statue, and a rare tonic.
James was astonished at the sight, realizing these were all top-quality items worth at least one billion and five thousand dollars. This woman was indeed generous.
However, in his astonishment, he also caught the playful glint in Bella's eyes and immediately knew that these things wouldn't be easy to get.
Raymond's eyelids twitched. "You're really going all out."
Raymond was not only an antique tycoon but also an expert in antique appraisal. A casual glance told him that these items were ninety-nine percent genuine.
And all of them were extremely valuable.
Bella said deferentially, "As long as it pleases Mr. Clark, it's worth it."
Claire looked down on Bella even more, thinking that Bella, who had seized the goods, was formidable, but now she was not only returning the goods but also offering gifts in apology, acting like a cowardly dog.
There was no risk tonight.
"Enough with the nonsense, state your purpose," Raymond waved his hand dismissively, "Don't give me that 'let's be friends' talk."
"Mr. Clark, you're a straight shooter," Bella giggled, her face radiating an irresistible charm. "Mr. Bennett hopes to make amends and return. He sincerely hopes that you, Mr. Calrk, could show some kindness."
"Bryan?" Raymond's emotions barely fluctuated. "I once thought that the Bell siblings' attack on Olivia was just an accident. It turns out that Bryan really wants to come back. He was doing fine wandering outside. Now he wants to stir up trouble again."
Raymond sighed. "Can't we just leave each other alone?"
"Mr. Bennett said his home is in Rosewood City. He's old now and always misses the locust tree at his doorstep and the Altar." Bella remained courteous. "Moreover, he fell in Rosewood City. If he doesn't come back and stand tall, he might die with regret. As for the attack on Olivia, it was a moment of impulse and will never happen again." Bella made a promise.
"I hope Mr. Clark can give him a chance."
James chuckled inwardly, thinking this woman probably didn't know that Barbie's attack on Jacob had failed. Otherwise, she wouldn't be lying with her eyes wide open.
"I'm not a fool," Raymond sneered, "I know Bryan's character all too well. If he had any shred of decency, he wouldn't have committed all those atrocities in the first place."
"Mr. Clark, people change," Bella asserted with sincerity. "And you must know, Mr. Bennett is now seriously ill. His grand ambitions are long gone. He truly wishes to spend his remaining days in peace in Rosewood City."
Claire scoffed. In her mind, she thought, 'A bunch of losers, if they want to come back, just come back. Why beg?'
"Bryan is a madman," Raymond scoffed. "If you don't give him an inch, he'll stay in line. But give him a leash, and he'll maul someone to death. Besides, even if I show mercy, he won't be able to return to Rosewood City. Aaron and Carl will never allow him to appear."
Raymond delivered his decision, "You might as well advise him to give up the idea. He should enjoy his twilight years abroad."
Bella smiled helplessly and said, "Mr. Clark."
"Stop!" Raymond interrupted Bella. "My stance is clear. Jason is dead. In three days, I will have someone else take over that river, including the goods lost by the Clark family. You have three days to leave that place. If you overstay, I will wipe you out."
Raymond issued his final request. "Don't take my words lightly. You should know about my relationship with Ethan."
Bella's face changed slightly, her eyes filled with anger, but she still spoke respectfully, "Understood."
"Good," Raymond said with his hands behind his back. "And leave Rosewood City before dawn, or you'll never leave."
"I will do as Mr. Clark says," Bella's eyelids twitched, her fists clenched slightly, but she finally bowed and smiled. "Mr. Clark, although tonight's negotiation failed, please accept these gifts. Mr. Bennett instructed me that these items mean nothing to him, but in Mr. Raymond's hands, they are priceless. And regarding Jason, we deeply apologize. Consider this a small compensation."
She earnestly requested Raymond to accept the three rare treasures.
At the same time, she glanced at James, who had somehow walked over and was touching each of the three treasures.
Raymond hesitated, not as decisive as before, his eyes fixed on the three treasures.
Tens of millions of dollars was a small change for him, but the three treasures were too tempting, hitting his weak spot.
"Fine, these items will be considered compensation for Jason," Raymond finally decided. "Taylor, take the items and send one billion and five thousand million dollars to Jason's family."
Taylor nodded. "Understood."
"Wait!" Just as Taylor was about to call someone to collect the items, James, who had been silent, shouted, "These gifts cannot be accepted."
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