Chapter 458 Don't Tarnish the Wedding Dress
As soon as Samuel stepped into Nicholas's office, he wrinkled his nose and gave the old-fashioned decor a once-over. "Man, this place is a disaster," he muttered.
Before Nicholas took over as president of the Ramsey Group, his dad, Wyatt Ramsey, was in charge, and the office still had his old-school vibe all over it.
Ignoring Samuel's jab, Nicholas said, "I heard you're here to talk about a financial deal, Mr. Anderson?"
His voice had a strange, out-of-town twang to it. Samuel narrowed his eyes, studying Nicholas's face closely.
Back in the day, Samuel and Zachary were practically brothers, growing up next door to each other. They shared meals, hung out all the time, and knew each other inside out. Samuel was more familiar with Zachary than even his own wife, Winona. He also had a pretty good handle on the Bailey family's inner workings.
Zachary was an only child, no siblings. For Nicholas to look this much like him, they had to be identical twins.
With that in mind, Samuel asked, "Did Wyatt pull you out of the ocean?"
Wyatt was obsessed with sea fishing, going every week without fail. Even when the Ramsey Group was in deep trouble—selling off homes and cars to pay debts, and even marrying off his daughter to some old guy for financial support—Wyatt couldn't give up his fishing gear.
Wyatt claimed it was all voluntary, and since his daughter didn't complain, and the couple seemed happy at events, outsiders thought they were genuinely in love.
Samuel knew better because Wyatt's daughter had gone to Julia for a wedding dress. While waiting in Julia's office, Samuel overheard her crying to Julia, finally breaking down. With no one else to talk to, she spilled all her frustrations.
But she was bound to be let down. Julia, known for her cold demeanor, wasn't one to offer comfort.
Thinking of Julia made Samuel smile. He remembered how Julia had listened to Wyatt's daughter cry for five minutes before coldly saying, "If you don't want to marry, cut ties with your family and support yourself. If you can't give up the wealth and status but still want control, overthrow your father and take charge. If you can't do that, then you might as well be reborn into another family. But please, don't ruin the wedding dress. I tell people it symbolizes happiness. Wearing it means you're a cherished princess."
Wyatt's daughter was instantly furious. "How many people getting married today are truly in love forever?" she snapped.
She expected Julia to argue, but Julia just said, "You can pretend, and I can look the other way, but saying it out loud tarnishes my reputation."
Thinking of this, Samuel snapped back to the present and looked at Nicholas. "How about we buy out the Bailey Group and slap the Ramsey Group logo on it?" he suggested.
Nicholas frowned. "Mr. Anderson, if you're here to talk business, great. But if you're here to insult my father, don't expect me to be polite. I'll show you the door."Hearing this, Samuel glanced at Nicholas. The guy's cold and angry look seemed pretty genuine. Just then, the assistant walked in with coffee, and both men went quiet for a moment.
Nicholas broke the silence, "I know I look a lot like the former president of the Bailey Group, and since you two grew up together, it's natural you might get emotional. But I'm Nicholas. Mr. Anderson, you can verify that..."
Samuel just rolled his eyes, not even trying to be polite.
He thought, 'I'm not getting emotional, and I don't need to be.'
He couldn't be sure if Nicholas was actually Zachary. The world was big; maybe there really were two people who looked exactly alike.
But whether Nicholas was Zachary or not, Samuel still wouldn't show respect. The Ramsey family, who sold their daughter for status, didn't deserve it.
Samuel then said, "Sorry, I'm not a fan of trouble."
Since he had a long flight ahead, he dressed casually and left his cufflinks undone. Now, he slowly unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves.
Nicholas frowned at Samuel's actions and took a sip of his coffee.
Samuel noticed Nicholas's grip on the cup and smirked. He added, "I've been fighting with Zachary since we were kids. I know his moves inside out. Mr. Ramsey, how about we have a fight?"
Nicholas was taken aback.
"Mr. Anderson, this isn't appropriate. Aren't you here to discuss cooperation?" he said.
Samuel replied, "Yeah, but I need to know who I'm dealing with. Otherwise, what if I get deceived?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Samuel threw a punch at Nicholas. The speed and force were so intense that the wind from the punch blew Nicholas's hair back.
Nicholas had been ready when Samuel stood up, so the punch only grazed him.
The two started grappling, knocking over the pen holder on the desk and scattering its contents. Hearing the commotion, Richard rushed in. "Mr. Ramsey, I'll call security!" he shouted before dashing out.
Samuel released Nicholas, who was pinned on the desk, and said disdainfully, "Such poor skills, definitely a fake."
He dusted off his clothes and continued, "Sorry, I didn't expect you to be so weak. I might have hit a bit too hard. It seems Mr. Ramsey isn't in the mood for business today. I'll find another time to discuss the financing."
As soon as Samuel left, the door to the lounge opened, and Timothy, with a cast on his leg, hobbled out. "Is Mr. Anderson crazy? He started a fight as soon as he arrived," he said.
He looked at the red mark on Nicholas's face and continued, "I told you, the Bailey family and their friends are all bullies. Do you believe me now?"
He wanted to touch Nicholas's face but couldn't move his hand, still trapped in a cast.
He wasn't supposed to be discharged yet, but he was so bored in the hospital that he had asked the nurse to bring him to the Ramsey Group.
Nicholas clenched his jaw, holding his stomach as if in pain. "Yeah."
Timothy looked at Nicholas and tentatively asked, "With so many people mistaking you for Zachary, do you ever feel like you might actually be Zachary?"
Hearing this, Nicholas turned to look at Timothy, his eyes deep and intense. But Timothy's face showed no guilt, and he calmly met Nicholas's gaze.
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