Chapter 272 Self-respect
Kelsey had never felt so speechless in her life.
The sample girl looked at Kelsey with tearful eyes, as if she were about to break into pieces.
"Hey, babe, did you get the cake?" Michael sauntered over, reaching out to put his arm around Kelsey's shoulders with a smug grin.
Kelsey swatted his hand away and shot him an irritated look. "Who's your 'babe'?"
She thought, 'Michael's mouth seems to have a mind of its own—who exactly does he think is his girlfriend?'
Kelsey glared at him, but Michael just chuckled and shrugged with an exaggerated look of innocence. "I wasn't flirting. It's just her being overly emotional."
His words cut deep, and nearby customers turned to cast sharp, judgmental glances at the sample girl.
"Um," Kelsey stepped forward, about to explain, but the girl, clearly overwhelmed, ran off in tears.
Kelsey was at a loss for words.
Unfazed, Michael picked out two items from the display case and handed them to Kelsey. "Can you pay for these?"
Before Kelsey could respond, Michael had already dragged her to the cashier, handing the items over for scanning.
Without cash or a phone to pay with, Michael left Kelsey to foot the bill, leaving her simmering with frustration.
Once they were back in the car, Kelsey couldn't hold it in any longer. "Michael, get out!
"You're filthy. Don't sit in my car!"
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Is this about what just happened? I told you, she was the one imagining things. I didn't do anything."
"Michael, are you really this clueless, or are you just pretending? Have you ever heard of 'self-respect'?"
"Self-respect," Michael repeated, chewing over the phrase with a serious expression. "First time hearing it."
Kelsey flung open the car door. "Get out!"
Michael frowned, clearly irritated. He actually got out of the car and stood by the roadside.
Kelsey slammed the car door shut and drove off.
Michael watched her drive away with a smirk. "What a cold-hearted woman."
For the next three days, Isabella was busy handling Seb's work.
What started as small tasks quickly escalated to matters requiring Seb's signature and official stamp, which Isabella managed with growing ease.
She also learned about Nathaniel from Seb. It turned out Nathaniel and Seb were alumni, and Nathaniel came from a humble background, hailing from a poor, remote area.
In the beginning, Nathaniel was just another ordinary guy, going through the motions of a routine job.
His life took a turn when he met Ophelia Murphy.
Ophelia's family was involved in import-export trade, and as their only child, she was pampered.
Perhaps it was fate, or maybe just a stroke of luck, but Ophelia fell for Nathaniel and, without a second thought, married him.
At that time, Nathaniel's investment in the Landon Group was driven by his urgent need to prove himself to Ophelia's family.
It was both an investment and a gamble.
Clearly, Nathaniel won the bet. The Landon Group soared to prominence within a few short years, and Nathaniel's profits were through the roof. With money came power, and with power, he earned respect in Ophelia's family.
However, success often led to arrogance. Nathaniel, at his peak, let his ego get the best of him and took a mistress.
When Ophelia found out, she cut him off completely, and Nathaniel never strayed again.
This episode earned him the reputation of a "henpecked husband."
Seb remarked, "Nathaniel's actually quite superficial. I suspect Charles offered him something lucrative to persuade him to sell his shares. What that might be, I can't say."
Isabella thought that in the business world, deals are typically about money and status. Charles could offer what they could match.
Seb shook his head. "Nathaniel's a tough nut to crack. Bella, don't go behind my back and deal with him."
Still concerned, Isabella asked, "But if we don't approach him, what if he sells his shares?"
"I've already spoken to him. We discussed the terms and what's on the table, but he seems set on selling. I'm starting to suspect Charles might be holding something over him."
Otherwise, Nathaniel's stubborn nature would make him reluctant to let Charles dictate terms.
Isabella felt the situation was shrouded in mystery.
Although Seb's eyes had improved, he still couldn't overwork them and needed Marvin to come by for acupuncture regularly.
As a result, more and more of the company's responsibilities were shifting to Isabella.
Three days later was Charles' birthday party, and the media was already buzzing about it. Reports suggested Charles was hosting a grand celebration at his home, complete with a fireworks display planned for the evening.
The scale of these preparations made Isabella uneasy, as she suspected Charles was planning something significant.
As the day approached, her anxiety grew.
After much consideration, Isabella decided she needed to meet with Nathaniel. However, she had promised Seb that she wouldn't act on anything without consulting him first.
So, she called Seb, but Jack answered the phone.
"Mr. Landon is currently getting acupuncture. Is there something I can help you with?" Jack's voice was curt.
Isabella replied, "I need to speak with Nathaniel."
Jack was momentarily silent.
"Jack, just put me through to Seb. I need to talk to him directly."
After a brief pause, Jack's voice came through again, "He'll be done in a few minutes. I'll let Mr. Landon know what you need."
Isabella agreed and ended the call.
A couple of minutes later, her phone buzzed with a text message, not a call, but rather a location pin. Along with it was a brief note from Seb: [Be careful.]
Just as Isabella was wondering why Seb hadn't called her back, Jack's number appeared on her phone.
"Isabella, Mr. Landon has an important meeting this afternoon. I've already informed him about your need to see Nathaniel. Do you need Nathaniel's address?"
"No thanks. Seb already sent it to me."
"Alright," Jack's tone was nonchalant. "Well, good luck. If you can get Nathaniel on board, it'll make things easier for Mr. Landon. Thanks for stepping up."
"It's my responsibility," Isabella responded.
Jack added, "Is Laura with you? Let her go with you. If you run into any issues, call me right away."
"Will do."
After hanging up, Jack stood quietly by the glass window for a moment.
The door to the waiting room opened, and Seb and Marvin walked out.
"Who was that on the phone?" Seb asked, looking weary.
Jack hesitated for a second before answering, "It was a call from a client, urging us to hurry."
"Got it."
