Chapter 34 That Damned Woman
As papers and coffee mugs were sent crashing to the floor by a swift swipe of Raymond's hand, Louis instinctively stepped back. However, he wasn't quick enough to avoid the hot coffee that splashed onto his pants.
An irritated scowl creased his face.
Louis had only meant to show polite respect by offering Raymond, his elder, the chair in front of his desk. What he didn't anticipate was his uncle's unceremonious claim upon it.
What had Charles shown Raymond to set off such a temper? Louis didn’t know. But now, with the sting of coffee on his leg, his annoyance was palpable.
Raymond was a major shareholder in Hawke Corporation, yet due to his health, he had spent much time abroad convalescing, rarely involving himself in company affairs.
But lately, not only had Raymond revived a project that had been dormant for years, today he even had the audacity to stroll into the CEO's office and practically usurp Louis's seat.
The gesture was crystal clear: a blatant challenge for his position.
But Louis wasn’t some greenhorn. Despite his annoyance, he sank down gracefully, picked up the documents strewn on the floor, shook off the coffee droplets, "Someone, clean this up, please." He said with no trace of anger at all.
A secretary arrived promptly to tackle the coffee spill. Once the office was in order again, Louis reorganized the documents on his desk and said to his uncle with measured calm, "If you're feeling unwell and agitated, perhaps you should head home to rest. You're not well-acquainted with the operations here, and with me in charge, you can rest assured that the company is in good hands."
Raymond's earlier outburst wasn't about company matters. Rather it was more personal. Through the footage on a tablet Charles had shown him, he watched as his seemingly demure and gentle wife effortlessly picked a lock with a hairpin to his room.
What did he really know about this woman, and what other secrets might she be hiding? Just this morning, she was still his unassuming wife, plying him with homemade dishes, simplicity embodied. She even cooked delicious meals that were a treat to all senses.
He was relishing the simple joys of marital bliss when, out of the blue, she revealed herself to be a skillful thief. The revelation left Raymond reeling with disbelief and consumed with the void of no answers to a burning question: Who was this woman he called his wife?
Raymond distinctly remembered giving Sean the explicit instruction to tell Paige that his room was strictly off-limits.
She was just a maid working in this house. His door was always locked, and yet she dared to tamper with it?
How could he not be furious?
But this anger seemed to give Louis the opening he'd been waiting for. He dared to imply that his health was deteriorating and that he was in a foul mood?
Raymond indifferently picked up a document from the desk, tapping it rhythmically as he adopted an imposing demeanor.
"Louis, if this is the best you can do, then you can imagine how pleased I am," he said, his voice laced with unwavering irony.
Louis blinked, caught off guard. Was Raymond bringing the heat to him now?
Stepping forward, Louis glanced at the project title on the document and asked, "What's this about, Raymond? Are you dissatisfied with this project?"
Raymond gave Charles a look, and, catching the cue, Charles promptly wheeled him over to the panoramic windows of this CEO's office at Hawke Corporation. It had to be said, the view from here was second to none, perhaps only rivaled by the Universe Group's building across the street.
Louis followed behind as Raymond gazed out the window.
"There's no need to beat around the bush, Raymond."
Louis wasn't truly worried that Raymond could threaten his position. Despite Raymond's qualifications and his shares, his health was a well-known liability. After all, a corporation's stable growth is highly dependent on its leader's well-being.
Only the two of them, uncle and nephew, were qualified for this prestigious seat in the Carnegie family. And Raymond's health was Louis's trump card.
Yet, looking into the distance, Raymond spoke with unwavering confidence, "Market profits have dropped by ten points, whereas other companies with similar projects are seeing gains."
As he spoke, Charles sent the supporting data straight to Louis's phone.
This wasn't mere conjecture from Raymond; he had the numbers to prove it. And those numbers were a stark embarrassment for Louis.
Louis's expression shifted ever so slightly as he glanced at the document that had just been delivered by his secretary that morning. There hadn't been a chance to review its contents before Raymond arrived.
After Raymond finished speaking, Louis quickly picked up the document to read through it. His brows furrowed almost immediately.
Meanwhile, Raymond, turning away in his wheelchair, casually remarked to Louis, "I suppose it's understandable. After all, your wedding with the Sacklers is just around the corner. It's only natural you'd concede a few points in this deal to ensure a smooth partnership."
With those words, the entire nature of the losses tied to Louis's current project seemed to shift; it was as if he had used his position for personal gain. Louis wasn't naive; he got the hint loud and clear.
However, he was hardly involved in the project since he had passed the lead over to the Sackler family a while back. It was a surprise how things had turned out.
Charles had just sent over the data on his phone, clearly showcasing the profitability of similar projects. What did this imply? That someone else's greed had spiked.
Without a moment's hesitation, Louis closed the file and stated firmly, "The fault is mine, and I am willing to face the consequences. From now on, I'll keep a close watch on this project myself. No need for you to worry, Raymond."
Raymond was far from worried; if it weren't for his earlier outburst, he wouldn't have even bothered to bring the matter up. But now that it was out in the open, he looked at Louis with a sly grin and asked, "You've been in this position for five years now, haven't you, Louis?"
The implication wasn't just the lost incurred by Louis. Raymond was using this incident as a pretext to push him out, wasn’t he?
Did Raymond really think such a trivial matter could take him down?
Louis stood his ground, "Yes, Raymond. Deeply entrenched, one might say. So, unless there's something else pressing, you might as well rest at home. Grandpa has always been concerned about your marital prospects, hasn't he? Now that you're back in the States, perhaps you should consider getting to know some of the eligible ladies from the Northwind elite."
Raymond gave Louis a piercing look.
Could it be that Louis was unaware he was already married?
Then, who else had been prying into his affairs through a supposed marriage investigation?
