10

Richard stood in front of Sonia with a smug grin, his arms crossed, clearly trying to intimidate her. Lucia, his partner in crime, stood beside him, her eyes gleaming with greed. It wasn’t the first time they had tried to manipulate situations for their benefit, and this time, Sonia seemed like an easy target.

"You know, Sonia," Richard started smoothly, "we could help each other out here. Sign this, and we’ll make sure everything goes your way. We could all benefit from this… if you play along."

Lucia chimed in, her voice sickly sweet. "Yes, dear, it’s just business. Nothing personal. It would be in your best interest to listen to Richard. He’s experienced in these things."

Sonia frowned, her stomach churning at their obvious attempt to take advantage of her. She took a deep breath, summoning her courage. "No," she said firmly. "I’m not interested in whatever scheme you two are planning. I refuse to be part of something underhanded."

Richard’s grin faded, replaced by a sneer. "You really think you can turn down our offer? Do you know how many people would kill for this opportunity?"

"I don’t care," Sonia shot back, her voice steady. "I’ll find a way without you."

At that moment, Tyler, who had been standing nearby, casually watching the interaction, stepped forward. His calm, unwavering presence was enough to make Richard’s confidence waver. "Don’t waste your breath on them," Tyler said, his voice low but authoritative. "They’re not worth your time, Sonia. Let’s go find Jude."

Richard’s face turned red with anger. "Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?" he spat. "You think you’re better than us?"

Tyler turned to face Richard fully, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "I don’t have time for small people like you," Tyler replied coldly. "Leave before you embarrass yourself further."

Lucia tugged at Richard’s sleeve, her voice trembling. "Richard, let’s go. This isn’t worth it."

But Richard wasn’t ready to back down. He stepped closer to Tyler, trying to assert his dominance. "You think you can just dismiss me? You’ll regret this!"

Tyler didn’t even flinch. "I said leave."

Before the situation could escalate further, a familiar voice broke the tension.

"Sonia!" Jude called out, rushing over. He had been waiting upstairs but came down after noticing the commotion. "What’s going on here?"

Richard and Lucia’s faces drained of color as they saw Jude approaching. Their confidence evaporated in an instant.

"Jude," Richard stammered, his bravado gone. "We were just discussing business… trying to work something out."

Jude narrowed his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Is that so? From what I’ve witnessed, it doesn’t seem like a ‘business discussion’ to me." He glanced at Tyler, who nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"Richard, Lucia," Jude said sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument, "you’re both fired. Effective immediately."

Lucia gasped. "Fired? But sir, we were just—"

"I don’t care what you were just doing," Jude interrupted. "I don’t tolerate manipulation or dishonesty. Leave before I call security."

Defeated, Richard and Lucia exchanged a glance before turning and walking away, their heads hung low in humiliation. Once they were out of sight, Jude turned to Sonia, his expression softening. "I’m sorry you had to deal with that. Come, let’s discuss the contract."

Sonia felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Thank you." she said gratefully, following him to his office.

Inside Jude’s spacious office, the atmosphere was entirely different. It was warm, inviting, and professional. Sonia felt a little nervous as she took a seat across from Jude. She had prepared a detailed pitch for the partnership, but her mind was racing, trying to figure out how to begin.

Before she could even start, Jude smiled warmly at her. "Sonia, there’s no need to be nervous. I’ve heard great things about your work and the Walters family business. Let’s cut to the chase."

Sonia blinked, surprised by his straightforwardness. "I was hoping to discuss the details of the partnership," she began, trying to regain her composure.

But Jude held up a hand, stopping her. "I’ve already made up my mind. I’m prepared to invest one billion dollars in this partnership. The Walters family’s herbal processing business has a reputation for excellence, and I believe we can make great strides together."

Sonia stared at him in disbelief. "One billion dollars?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. She had expected a negotiation, a back-and-forth, but this was beyond anything she could have imagined.

Jude nodded. "Yes, one billion. I trust that you and your team will handle everything with the utmost professionalism."

Sonia felt like she was dreaming. "Thank you," she said, still in shock. "I’ll make sure we don’t disappoint you."

"I have no doubt," Jude replied with a smile. "You’ve earned this opportunity."

As they left Jude’s office, Sonia couldn’t shake the feeling that something extraordinary had just happened. The entire interaction felt surreal, as though she had stepped into someone else’s life for a moment.

She walked toward the car, her mind swirling with thoughts. One billion dollars. A deal of this magnitude was something she had never even dared to hope for.

"Is this really happening?" she murmured to herself, her fingers brushing against the car door handle.

Tyler, who had been silently walking beside her, finally spoke. "You seem surprised," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Sonia looked up at him, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Of course, I’m surprised. Jude just offered a one billion dollar partnership like it was nothing. This doesn’t happen every day."

Tyler leaned against the car casually, his arms crossed. "You’re capable of more than you realize, Sonia. Jude sees that, just like I do."

Sonia blushed, her heart racing slightly at his words. She glanced at him suspiciously. "I can’t help but feel like you had something to do with this."

Tyler shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "I might have put in a good word. But the deal was all yours."

Sonia sighed, shaking her head. "I don’t know whether to thank you or be more confused."

"Thank me," Tyler said, his grin widening. "Definitely thank me."

Sonia laughed, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "Alright, thank you, Tyler."

Tyler opened the car door for her, and as she slid into the seat, he added, "This is only the beginning, Sonia. Get ready for more."