Chapter 317 Mr. Forbes, Don't Be Impulsive
Tristan buried his face in her neck and took a deep breath, the familiar scent easing the longing he had felt for days.
Her body was pressed tightly against the office door, his burning chest against her, making it hard for her to breathe for a moment.
As she turned her head, her short hair brushed against his ear, sending a tingling sensation through him. He tilted his head and glanced at her, thinking she did it on purpose.
But he saw her turn her head away and push him with her hand.
He stood up and looked at her, asking, "Is it too much to just hug for a bit?"
"Let go!" She thought, 'What's the point of saying that after the hug is over?'
"Then can I kiss you again?" He lightly touched her lips with his fingertip, his deep eyes reflecting her embarrassed and annoyed expression.
"That's enough." She really couldn't handle him like this.
He knew when to stop. Seeing her displeasure, he let her go and even tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
He sat down at the desk, adjusted his suit, and prepared to discuss work.
His serious demeanor made Katniss feel like she was overthinking things; he just wanted a simple hug and kiss.
As soon as Katniss sat down, Benjamin came in with Samuel.
Hazel brought in a few cups of coffee and then left.
"Mr. Forbes, could you please share your assessment of The Astor Corporation's commercial value? Mr. Bennett has also done an evaluation, and we want to see if they align."
Benjamin gestured for Tristan to speak.
Samuel added, "I don't have the broad perspective that Mr. Forbes has, so if there are discrepancies, it's certainly because my analysis isn't thorough enough."
He was serious and didn't dare compare his evaluation to Tristan's.
"The Astor Corporation isn't as bad as you think." Tristan didn't bother with pleasantries, his gaze falling on Katniss. "I believe Ms. Grey has an estimate of its commercial value. The industries under The Astor Corporation are quite unique and have been steadily growing. Although slow, this is a good trend for a company focused on long-term development."
Its steady progress had kept it among the top in the country—an achievement in itself.
"The Astor Corporation is very valuable for acquisition. If managed well, the returns could be immeasurable." Tristan concluded.
Katniss agreed with Tristan's assessment, so she actually wanted to say that Samuel had undervalued The Astor Corporation.
But the difference wasn't significant, so she didn't mention it. The key point was that the acquisition was valuable.
"From the outside, it looks like The Astor Corporation is declining because of the scandal involving Michael, which led to many partners terminating contracts and causing a break in the cash flow. But The Astor Corporation has a solid foundation; it just lacks funds." Benjamin added, "I have to say, the person behind the investment in The Astor Corporation is quite formidable. They took this opportunity to gain control of The Astor Corporation quickly and decisively, clearly having an issue with Michael, causing internal chaos by trying to oust him, selling shares at a low price, and spreading rumors."
In short, the other party was targeting Michael.
Hearing this, Katniss was silent for a few seconds and then glanced at Tristan.
He happened to be looking at her too, his deep eyes flashing with a glint, and he smiled at her, a mischievous and captivating smile.
She calmly looked away.
"But I'm curious," Samuel interjected, "Mr. White, who do you plan to have manage The Astor Corporation after the acquisition? Have you found someone trustworthy?"
After all, Benjamin didn't have many reliable people, and careful management would be needed to make a profit after investing in The Astor Corporation.
Benjamin paused and said, "Actually, I plan to acquire The Astor Corporation in the names of you two. After repaying my acquisition costs, The Astor Corporation will have nothing to do with me. You two will co-manage The Astor Corporation. The positions of general manager and deputy general manager are not enough to show my gratitude to you."
The two of them had annual salaries of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Although their relationship with Benjamin was mutually beneficial, from the outside, Katniss and Samuel were still seen as employees.
If they acquired The Astor Corporation and divided the shares between Katniss and Samuel after recouping the costs, they would be the true power holders with a solid background.
Co-manage The Astor Corporation? Become partners?
Tristan frowned, looking up at Samuel and Katniss. He threw the document in his hand back on the table and said coldly, "It's not worth it."
"Mr. Forbes, what do you mean by that?" Benjamin asked.
"Exactly what I said. The Astor Corporation isn't worth acquiring. Don't waste your money." Tristan leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and looked out the window.
The sunlight was bright, enveloping him, but it couldn't drive away his deep, somber expression.
"But you just said The Astor Corporation is very valuable for acquisition." Benjamin's gaze lingered on Katniss for a moment, then he shook his head with a smile. "Mr. Forbes, don't be impulsive."
Tristan was indifferent. "Everyone makes mistakes. I misspoke earlier."
Katniss understood his meaning and felt a headache coming on. "Mr. White, Mr. Bennett, ignore him. Let's continue discussing the acquisition of The Astor Corporation."
"You can't afford it," Tristan said with a dark expression.
Katniss was so angry she laughed. "We've investigated The Astor Corporation. Based on its current market value, it's only a few hundred million dollars. White Corporation has a sufficient cash flow, and we've made a lot of profit from competing for Synergy Global Corporation's projects recently. White Corporation can afford this."
Was she saying that on purpose? Tristan took a deep breath and smiled. "The price has gone up. The shares are in the hands of the investors. They won't sell for a few hundred million dollars."
"No," Benjamin said, "Mr. Forbes, you're just joking, right? I did some research beforehand. The investor needs a sum of money to recoup their investment. They've established a Zenith Group and just need the final startup funds to go public, so they definitely won't hold onto the shares or deliberately raise the price."
Tristan replied sarcastically, "Then just wait and see if they raise the price!"
Benjamin fell silent.
Katniss had a thought but didn't want to delve deeper into it. She stared at Tristan with clear eyes.
He met her gaze for a few seconds before looking away. "Mr. White, you're so stingy, acquiring a company and splitting it between two people. If you're capable, why not acquire one for each of them?"
Benjamin felt the situation was suddenly directed at him. "Mr. Forbes, that's a big statement. A few hundred million dollars is already the limit for White Corporation. Although White Corporation has been doing well recently, it's not that wealthy yet!"
Investing a few hundred million dollars, even if the market was good and managed well, would take three to five years to recoup.
By then, giving it directly to Katniss and Samuel would already be his greatest sincerity.
"Then don't give them anything. Splitting a company between two people, what is that?" Tristan turned his head away in disdain.
Benjamin seemed to understand something and chuckled, "Mr. Forbes makes a good point. Let's acquire The Astor Corporation first, and we'll discuss how to divide it later."
Hearing this, Tristan pressed his lips together and said nothing more.
He needed to sell The Astor Corporation's shares; not selling wasn't an option.
One step at a time, but he couldn't let Katniss and Samuel co-manage The Astor Corporation.
"Alright, let's leave it at that for now." Benjamin stood up. "Thank you, Mr. Forbes, for your analysis today. Let's have lunch; it's on me."
Tristan didn't refuse. After all, it was hard to be alone with Katniss in public, and although there were two people interrupting them, it was better than not seeing her at all.
The four of them went to a high-end restaurant near White Corporation and discussed business matters in a private room.
Katniss sat next to Tristan, and he occasionally brushed against her foot or leg.
He looked serious, and she couldn't tell if it was intentional or not.
The lunch went smoothly. After eating, Katniss and Samuel went back to work on the acquisition of The Astor Corporation. By evening, they discovered that two hours earlier, they had become a trending topic.
Photos of Katniss, Tristan, Samuel, and Benjamin dining together were uploaded in high definition.
Nowadays, Benjamin was a rising star in the business world, having reclaimed White Corporation and returned to the White family, making headlines.
Wherever he went, the media followed, so being photographed was normal.
This was Katniss's oversight. She and Samuel were already aligned with Benjamin, so they weren't worried about being photographed. What was meant to happen would happen.
But Tristan suddenly appearing in the same trending news as Benjamin wasn't a good thing.
When Adelaide saw the news, she immediately became anxious, almost falling ill.
Fortunately, Royce was by her side. "Mrs. Forbes, don't worry. Mr. Forbes knows what he's doing."
"He knows what he's doing with work and business wars, but when it comes to emotions, he's not rational!" Adelaide's hand trembled on the armrest.
After resting for a long time, she waved to Royce. "I can't sit still. Go find a way to meet Katniss for me."
Royce sighed and nodded, "Alright, I'll take care of it."
At White Corporation, after much thought, Katniss called Tristan as soon as she got in the car after work.
"You must stop interfering with White Corporation's affairs and stay away from Benjamin."
She knew he came to White Corporation under the pretense of an evaluation just to see her.
"Then can I see you privately?" Tristan asked confidently.
Katniss suddenly felt less confident.
"If you get involved with me, you're getting involved with White Corporation. Can't you wait until White Corporation stabilizes?" she said helplessly.
"Wait until when? Until Benjamin buys The Astor Corporation and gives it to you and Samuel? You two co-manage The Astor Corporation and develop feelings over time?" Tristan said sarcastically. "If I wait any longer, you'll be having kids with someone else!"
Katniss laughed in exasperation, also feeling annoyed. "Don't worry, it's more likely that I'll be having kids with you first."
She had to admit, Tristan's relentless pursuit was making her feel sympathetic.
She couldn't stop him; he was very persistent.
"What do you mean?" Tristan's tone suddenly became serious. Could he interpret this as her wanting to come back to him?
"Exactly what I said," Katniss didn't explain further. "Don't interfere with the acquisition of The Astor Corporation."
She was very tempted by Benjamin's offer. Becoming the power holder of The Astor Corporation would mean she had her own empire and was truly at the top of the business world.
She would be considered a part of the elite.
But this path was difficult.
Their plan to acquire The Astor Corporation had somehow leaked, and Beau and his team found out.
The next day at work, Hazel came to Katniss in a panic, saying someone had approached her privately, asking her to betray Katniss.
"Weren't you planning to resign before? Don't be afraid, just go back and tell them you're resigning," Katniss said, trying to calm Hazel down.
Hazel paused and then said softly, "Can I not resign?"
Katniss was taken aback. "Why?"
"I need the money. This job pays well and can solve my immediate financial problems." She lowered her head, her long lashes covering her eyes.
It sounded like another case of someone jumping into danger for money, but Katniss knew Hazel was lying. Benjamin must have said something to her yesterday that changed her mind.
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