Chapter 596 Temporary
Seeing this, Harold reached out and gave the young guy who cut in line a tap on the shoulder. "Hey, buddy, mind getting in line?"
He was polite but firm. The young guy, rocking flip-flops, turned around with an annoyed look. "What's it to you? Why do you care?"
Desiree tugged on Harold's arm, shaking her head. "Let it go, Harold. It's not worth it."
Harold replied, "Don't worry, I got this."
He stepped in front of the young guy. Desiree, a bit nervous, clutched her phone, ready to dial 911 if things got ugly.
The guy looked like trouble, and she wasn't sure if Harold could handle him.
The young guy's view was suddenly blocked. He looked up, annoyed. "Hey, you..."
Before he could finish, Harold cut him off, his voice polite but icy. "Watch your mouth."
As he spoke, he flexed his wrists and neck, showing off some serious muscles. The young guy's words got stuck in his throat.
He took one look at Harold and backed off.
Desiree was shocked. She always thought Harold was kind of scrawny, not expecting him to be so ripped under that suit. She couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to touch those muscles.
Her face turned red at the thought. Harold noticed and asked, "What's on your mind?"
Desiree quickly composed herself, coughing a bit. "Nothing, just you're pretty impressive."
It was rare for Desiree to give such a compliment. Harold raised an eyebrow, feeling pleased but trying to stay cool. "Alright, let's grab some food. We have a meeting to get to."
Desiree slapped her forehead. "Right, let's hurry."
They bought some local snacks. After eating, Harold wiped his mouth with a napkin, checked his watch, and said, "Time to go."
Desiree still had a few sliders left. She looked up, surprised. "Already?"
She quickly stuffed the sliders into her mouth, cheeks puffed out.
After finishing, she wiped her mouth with a napkin, acting like she hadn't just inhaled her food.
Harold chuckled, "Let's roll."
They drove towards a remote area.
Desiree turned to Harold. "If I didn't know we had a meeting at a factory, I would have thought you were taking me somewhere for a different reason."
Harold rubbed his temples, exasperated. "Do I look like I'm up to no good?"
"Who knows," Desiree teased, looking cheeky.
But to Harold, her cheekiness was kind of cute.
When they arrived, they got out and saw a working factory with several men in their thirties or forties waiting outside.
One man stepped forward, shook Harold's hand, and smiled. "You must be Mr. Lewis?"
Harold gave a slight nod. Noticing that the group was completely ignoring Desiree, he pulled her forward. "This is Desiree Sandvik, Mr. Brown's secretary. She's here with me to represent Mr. Brown for this inspection."
The men glanced at Desiree, and when they realized she was a looker, their faces lit up with knowing smiles.
"Miss Sandvik, nice to meet you. So young and already Mr. Brown's trusted aide? You must have some special talents."
Desiree's face stayed neutral. She'd heard this kind of talk a million times before. If she got mad every time, she'd have lost her cool ages ago.
Harold's eyes turned icy. "Desiree's Mr. Brown's secretary because she's incredibly skilled, even more capable than me. Mr. Brown thinks very highly of her."
Desiree turned, surprised. She didn't expect Harold to stand up for her, let alone compare himself to elevate her.
The men got the hint. One of them, still smiling, said, "Yes, for sure. Seems like Mr. Lewis has a soft spot for Miss Sandvik."
Desiree's eyes flashed with coldness. She didn't want to argue, but these guys were still making assumptions about her.
Harold had already spoken up. If she stayed silent, she'd seem weak.
She lifted her head. "Let's stay on topic. I'm here to represent Mr. Brown in this inspection. Whether you get the investment and whether we choose your products, that's what matters, right?"
Talking business finally shut them up.
They got serious and smiled. "Miss Sandvik is right. We won't disappoint you. Our factory has a complete production chain..."one of them began to introduce their products.
He led Desiree and Harold through the workshop, showing them around. Both of them took mental notes.
No wonder Oscar sent them here; the factory's overall conditions were impressive.
Desiree looked up and exchanged a glance with Harold. They were on the same page.
After the tour, the factory manager smiled and asked, "Mr. Lewis, what do you think of our place?"
Harold's voice was calm. "Overall, it looks pretty good."
The manager's smile widened. Getting a positive comment from Harold was a good sign.
Thinking of their own plans, the manager continued, "Mr. Lewis, we've invested a lot. As you can see, with our product quality, the initial quote doesn't make a profit."
Harold caught the hint.
His face turned cold. They had agreed on terms, and now these guys wanted to change the deal?
That was disrespectful.
He raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "So, you're saying you want to raise the price?"
The manager's smile didn't falter. "Mr. Lewis, we've got our own hurdles to jump. This partnership works in your favor too. Let me sweeten the deal for you."
Harold's face grew even colder. He felt insulted. What made these people think he could be bribed?
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