Karen could tell that, for some reason, money appeared to be a big motivator for the group. Even though they were already plenty wealthy, wealthy enough to own the current building and to invest and save the Curts family.
Which to everyone else was practically burning money, but she didn’t care why this group wanted money. It was her lifeline to save everything she had built.
Max placed both of his hands together and started to dangle his fingers as he was thinking, thinking about how to respond to this entire situation. He had thought that this might happen.
The Gilt Rats had clearly targeted Karen for a reason, and when thinking about how to go against them in what they were doing, Max had come up with a simple answer , one that Karen didn’t want to hear.
The Billion Bloodline group did not have the same influence as a business or as a criminal organization to go against the Gilt Rats, at least not fighting the same way they were. The Gilt Rats were using connections, pressure, inspections, legal traps, and influence. That wasn’t a battlefield you could simply storm.
"You told me before that the ones behind this are the Gilt Rats," Max claimed. "You should know that with everything they have done, it means they have incredibly strong connections."
"And I am afraid to say that they are even stronger than mine. The only way we could even try to resolve this is if we were to try and eliminate them, but we are a company that provides services. We are not a gang, and I would be reluctant to go into a fight that would put my people’s lives on the line, regardless of how much it costs."
Na, who was in the room and standing by Max’s side, was surprised. Didn’t Max need money for his Vow? And wasn’t Karen desperate? This would have been the perfect chance to take advantage of her situation. So why was he basically declining her offer so calmly?
"Millions. I’ll pay you five times what I’m paying you to guard the department store. Your men are strong, and you have plenty of them. I’ve seen them in the building. Surely you can take out the Gilt Rats!" Karen pleaded. "And since you’ve already gotten in a few scuffles with them, with how they are, there is a good chance that they could be after you as well."
Karen was trying to get the Chairman to act out of fear. If he was going to fight them anyway, shouldn’t he at least do it for money? If they were going to become targets either way, then why not profit from it?
"I’m sorry, it’s too risky. We will continue to protect your department stores from real attacks until our contract is up, and if you want to extend, then extend it. But I believe you will come to another decision." The Chairman said, and then swiveled his chair so it was now facing away from Karen.
That simple movement said everything.
She couldn’t take it anymore. The feelings welling up inside her caused tears to fall down her face, even in a stranger’s office. Twice in one day she had been rejected by the two men she believed had the power to help her.
First her father.
Now this.
And just like with Dennis, the Chairman of the group had given a clear sign that the conversation was over.
With that, Karen left the office. She got in her vehicle and finally headed home. She didn’t even reach the bed. Instead, she lay there on the sofa with her hands on her head, staring at nothing.
"If I spend every penny, I won’t be able to save that place. I’ll lose all of my money and have nothing to show for it. I don’t mind having some money left and saving my whole life’s work... but this is a risk I can’t even take. I’m just going to have to sell it."
Karen had decided, even though she knew that this was perhaps exactly what the person behind all of this wanted.
But what choice did she really have?
The fines would stack up. The repairs would drain her accounts. Even if she fought legally, the damage would already be done. Vendors would leave. Customers would lose confidence. The longer she dragged it out, the more she would bleed.
Selling now, even at a loss, would at least allow her to keep part of what she had built.
At the same time, as Max had taken off the helmet and placed it on the desk, Na couldn’t help but ask.
"Why did you decline her offer? Didn’t you need the money? Wasn’t that the perfect chance?" Na asked.
Max leaned back in his chair, no longer wearing the mask, but still carrying the same calm expression.
"It was, if you were looking at the smaller picture. But for me, I’m looking at the much bigger picture," Max claimed. "With her back up against the wall, the truth is there is only one thing she can do."
Na stayed silent, listening carefully.
"Now she has no choice but to sell the business, and she will need to do it at quite a loss. That building had originally gone up in value with the land on it, nearly twice as much as what she paid for it."
He tapped his fingers lightly against the desk.
"But with all of the issues she’s facing, it will sell for half of what she paid now. Half. And when something is sold under pressure, it doesn’t attract bidders , it attracts vultures."
Na slowly understood.
"Buit with all of the issues she’s facing, it will sell for half of what she paid now, and we are going to buy that department store for ourselves," Max claimed.
***
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