Ch. 851..860
Life at the Top Chapter 851
“So what you’re saying is, the company’s actual finances differ from its funds in the books by 2.8 billion dollars, is that right?” Raymond asked calmly.
Mr. Wesley hurriedly answered, “Yes, that’s it.”
“That has to do with the company itself. Why should we work ourselves up into a frenzy when the company hasn’t even said anything?” Raymond replied as he smiled.
Mr. Wesley looked stunned for a moment before he hurriedly said, “But we should request Cloud Rider to submit a report and file a registration with the Bureau of Industry and Commerce regarding their financial shortage.”
“Wesley,” Raymond said as he smiled, “The higher-ups ordered this to happen.”
Raymond pointed upward as he spoke.
“So you don’t need to think about this so much. Don’t worry, nothing’s going to happen.”
Still not convinced, Wesley said, “President Lovell, this is going directly against the rules. Are we really not going to do anything?”
“Wesley, this is why you’re still a manager after so many years. I heard that you went to argue with the province branch after you failed to get the position of vice president at one of the branches last year?”
Raymond patted Wesley meaningfully on the shoulder. “That’s why we say the higher-ups can see through every person. As a manager, you should know better.”
…
“Alright, everything has been signed now.”
Jasper passed the supervisors of the state-owned enterprises a copy of the signed memorandum each as he said, “It’s finally over.”
The two supervisors gripped the memorandum in their hands and exchanged a look with each other before saying.
“Mr. Laine, we’re going to head back soon. After all, this matter is too big for us and we’ll have to report it to the higher-ups. However, we won’t be able to hide anything the minute we file a report. Will you be able to deal with things here?”
“Deal with what?”
Jasper spread out his hands and laughed as he said, “The 2.5 billion dollars lying in the company’s account came directly from Conrad’s bank loan.
“The minute he’s exposed, you can file a lawsuit against Conrad and hold him responsible for contractual fraud.
“But it’s alright if you don’t have any concrete plans to calculate your losses, I don’t really mind. After all, I haven’t transferred a single cent of mine into Cloud Rider Mining Company.”
The two supervisors said in surprise, “You’re so good at this, Mr. Laine. I was already shaken to my core as I watched and I’m only someone who’s partially involved in this. You could have lost everything if you made one wrong move!”
“It’s fun to fight with people,” Jasper said as he smiled slightly.
Then, Jasper stood and shook their hands. “I won’t be sending the two of you off.”
The two supervisors nodded and said sincerely, “Our flight is this evening, and we’ll probably arrive late at night. We’ll immediately report to our superiors the minute we arrive.”
“We’ll probably be in emergency meetings all night long trying to come up with strategies. At the very latest, the news will be made public tomorrow afternoon.”
Jasper nodded when he heard that and said, “Alright, thank you for that clear explanation. I have an idea of what’s going to happen now.”
The two of them were doing him a favor by giving him a deadline so he could finish everything he needed to do before then. Naturally, Jasper understood what they meant by that.
Laughing, the two supervisors said to Jasper in unison, “Mr. Laine, we hope we’ll get the chance to work with you in the future. We think that it’ll be a great experience for us all.”
As Jasper thought of the huge mines located overseas, he said meaningfully, “That day will definitely arrive!”
Life at the Top Chapter 852
It was late at night when Jasper returned home. Wendy was sitting on the couch and watching television as she waited for him.
“Didn’t I ask you to head to bed first? You didn’t need to wait for me.”
Jasper bent down and spoke gently to Wendy who had a bleary expression on her face as she curled up on the couch.
A smile appeared on Wendy’s face when she saw Jasper’s face in front of her. Taking her hands out from under the blanket, she encircled Jasper’s neck as she said, “I can’t fall asleep if you’re not home. Are you hungry? Do you want supper?”
“It’s okay, I’ll just make myself some instant ramen,” Jasper said.
“That stuff is so unhealthy,” Wendy said as she glared at him. She got up and walked to the kitchen as she said, “Wait for me. I’ll make you some pasta.”
Jasper smiled as he watched Wendy’s retreating figure and inhaled her pleasant scent before turning to walk into his study.
A sheet of paper was lying on his fax machine.
John had sent over Cloud Rider Mining Company’s assets list.
Question marks were listed in every column, indicating that the amount was unknown, except the column for cash assets. That one was stated with a hefty 2,500,000,000—a string of numbers that would cause one’s heart rate to increase.
However, such numbers had long since lost their appeal to Jasper.
Jasper was still staring at the sheet of paper when Wendy entered with a steaming plate of pasta.
“What are you thinking about?”
Wendy placed the plate in front of Jasper and leaned forward to take a look before she said jokingly, “Why, are you thinking of taking this money away?”
Jasper shook his head and said, “I wouldn’t have left it in the company’s account if I wanted it for myself. 2.5 billion is not a small amount, and it’s also the country’s money. No matter who you are, you’ll find yourself in hot water if you touch it. I’m not that irrational. If not, wouldn’t I have walked right into Conrad’s trap?
“So this money must not be touched and should remain in here. When the scheme is exposed, it’ll return to where it came from.”
“So what are you thinking about?” Wendy asked curiously.
“I’m thinking about what Conrad is planning.” Jasper frowned slightly as he picked up his fork and began eating his pasta distractedly.
“Based on my estimations, he must have learned that the money is in the company’s account and can’t be transferred out without my signature.
“I initially thought he would try and swindle the money away from me by saying he wanted to invest it into the mine site, pay salaries, purchase equipment, or anything of the sort. There were so many excuses he could use, and I had even prepared for the scenario in which he would confront me.
“The only thing I did not imagine was for him to let the day pass as if nothing had happened.”
Jasper’s eyebrows knitted themselves tightly as his voice turned even more serious.
“This makes me think that Conrad still has other people working for him, and they might be experienced people who we’ve never heard or thought about.”
Wendy followed Jasper’s train of thought and realized that it was indeed creepy Conrad had stayed put. However, no matter how much she thought about it, she could not come up with a logical explanation.
It seemed as if the whole plan had been laid out fully, and all the connections could be seen clearly.
The only abnormality was the way Conrad reacted.
However, none of the clues could support the reasons for Conrad’s actions.
“Alright, stop thinking about it,” Wendy said gently.
“The more you think about something, the less likely you’ll be to make a conclusion. It’s already happened, and you’ve done what you were supposed to do. At this rate, neither you nor Conrad can stop things from progressing.
“Maybe we should wait for a while longer. Perhaps Conrad will reveal something himself?”
When he heard what Wendy said, Jasper gave a wide smile and said, “Not bad. What you said makes sense. I’m overthinking things.
“I’m not a god, how could I predict Conrad’s every thought?”
“It’s good that you know that. You’ve always demanded so much from yourself,” Wendy said.
…
Jasper had Wendy to prepare pasta for him, but Conrad did not receive such great treatment.
His eyes were bloodshot, but he was oddly energetic.
There was no way he would be falling asleep tonight because he had decided to start his plan ahead of time.
“I can’t wait any longer. The more we wait, the more passive we’ll become. We can’t let Jasper have any time to catch his breath if we want to attack him!” Conrad said determinedly.
Valentine had a solemn expression on his face. Naturally, he had to accompany Conrad as well if the man was not going to sleep.
“What time is it in the United States now?” Conrad asked.
“It should be one in the afternoon now,” Valentine answered.
“Alright, it’s almost time. Tell our traders to come online now,” Conrad said.
Valentine immediately set off to make preparations when he heard that. In about ten minutes, which was the time Conrad took to smoke two cigarettes, everything had already been set in place.
As he sat in front of his computer and watched the lead trader through the video call, Conrad said in a low voice, “I’ve put my life savings of ten billion US dollars into this battle!
“At the same time, this battle will be the one that leads you into fame. If you succeed, you’ll become one of the best trading teams in the country. If you lose, well, we don’t need to say anything more. We’ll just have to jump off the nearest tall building.”
The plain-looking middle-aged man on the other end of the line said in a low voice, “Don’t worry, Mr. Monty. We’ve been preparing for this day for a long time.”
“We found out that although Sena has a solid share price with no premiums and wonderful company performance, it also possesses two critical drawbacks.
“Firstly is how there’s a majority shareholder. Jasper’s grip on power is too tight, and he’s the only major shareholder in the group, holding direct control over more than 67% of the shares.”
“Secondly, and most importantly, at the end of the day, Sena is still a Somerland company. Americans don’t trust companies from Somerland at all, which is why Sena’s shares are priced at this range instead of higher.
“You could say we wouldn’t have stood a chance at all if Sena were listed in the country. But things are different now. Sena can’t change these drawbacks of theirs, and we can use this opportunity to make our killing strike.”
Conrad nodded continuously as he listened to the man speak.
“Very well.”
Conrad sighed softly and said, “So we’ll begin moving according to the pace you’ve set. I won’t interfere too much with what you’re doing, but I do have one request. Be quick.
“We don’t have much time left.”
The man said solemnly, “Mr. Monty, we already have quite a lot of shares with us after several days of purchasing, but we still need time if we want to secure a win.”
“So start now!”
Life at the Top Chapter 853
The next day, many people were still discussing the news about the establishment of Cloud Rider Mining Company when they received a fresh new piece of gossip.
The two state-owned enterprises that had just signed contracts with Cloud Rider Mining Company found out that the so-called aluminum mine at Hill County had all been a set-up!
The sales contract they had signed was also fraudulent!
Once the two state-owned enterprises found out, they immediately halted the upfront payments they were supposed to make to Cloud Rider Mining Company. That helped prevent any major losses for the two enterprises.
However, the two state-owned enterprises would take legal action against Cloud Rider Mining Company for the fraudulent contract.
Everyone’s initial reaction was to laugh when they first heard the news.
They had just signed the contract yesterday, but they were claiming it was all a hoax today? Everything sounded ridiculous. It must have been some guy with a death wish who was spreading the rumors about.
However, as more and more detailed news was released, everyone achieved an understanding.
Some even claimed to have seen with their own eyes the huge aluminum mine at Hill County. Except for that one layer on the surface, it was just soil and rocks all around without even a trace of aluminum ore.
In an instant, everyone felt a wave of shock ripple through them.
Jasper and Conrad’s collaboration had always smelled fishy. Now, the basis of the whole collaboration, the mine, was said to be fake.
Who was the one who had been tricked?
What would Jasper and Conrad do after this?
Everyone stared intently at Cloud Rider Mining Company, which had only been established for a day, as they waited for the company to issue a statement.
However, creepily enough, there were no reactions at all.
Both Jasper and Conrad seemed to not care one bit about the rumors flying around. The two seemed to have gone mute as they did not provide any updates.
While the rest of the world was flying into a frenzy over the reveal of the set-up, Jasper was having coffee with John.
“I had an old friend of mine harvest these black tea leaves from their hometown, a tiny village in Empress Wood Village. There’s only this tiny bit available for harvest, and you can’t buy it no matter how much money you have. Tastes good, doesn’t it?” John said to Jasper.
Jasper picked his cup up and took a sip. It tasted sweet, refreshing, and much better than your average tea.
“Not bad. This is good tea,” Jasper said.
In his past life, he had never understood why the rich enjoyed drinking tea. However, now that he had achieved a certain level of status himself, his stance on this topic had changed.
When you were nearer to the bottom of the social ladder, the tables would be filled with bottles of beer that were drunk in exchange for a business deal. However, when one was not required to drink as a means of earning money, they would realize that tea was a great beverage.
It did not have much to do with wellness or showing off, but merely a simple understanding that tea was superior to beer.
“What do you think about the thing I mentioned to you just now?” John asked as he put his cup down, a concerned expression on his face.
“The set-up has been exposed, but Agricultural Bank has not lost a single cent from the loan they issued. They’re in awe of your abilities and are trying to get you to join them from Commercial Bank?” Jasper asked.
John nodded as he smiled bitterly, saying, “I’ve been working in Commercial Bank ever since the start and have never thought about job-hopping. They might both be in the banking industry, but you begin forming attachments as time passes…
“But Agricultural Bank was super sincere and promised me that I’ll hold the position of vice-president at the province branch. I’ll be in charge of the province’s corporate banking department. Who knows how long it’d take me to get to that position if I stay in Commercial Bank?”
Jasper smiled and said, “Vice-president of the province branch and in charge of corporate banking. Seems like whoever in Agricultural Bank who made this decision is a ruthless person.”
“They have their eye on our relationship. Agricultural Bank has always been the weakest among the four major banks in terms of corporate banking while Commercial Bank is the most powerful. And we have such a close relationship…”
“They’re hoping to attract all the companies under my name to Agricultural Bank through you.”
John smiled and said, “That’s precisely it, which is why I’ve purposely come to seek your opinion.”
Jasper hummed to himself. He could tell that the more his abilities improved, the larger the butterfly effect he brought about would be.
Take John as an example. He did not have anything like this happen to him in his past life and had always worked in Commercial Bank. He had pretty good luck too and retired as the vice-president of the province branch.
Although both spots were vice-presidents of the province branch, the responsibilities that came with the position were different, which led to the amount of power held being vastly different.
For example, Agricultural Bank was letting him be in charge of corporate banking. Besides bank savings and loan issuance, corporate banking was the third pillar holding it up. As the country’s economy developed and socialism became ever more prevalent, new companies were emerging rapidly and corporate banking was becoming essential.
Corporate banking was definitely high in demand.
It would be beneficial to both Jasper and John.
“I think you can accept it,” Jasper said.
When John heard what Jasper said, he heaved a huge sigh of relief.
To put it frankly, is there anyone who would refuse the opportunity to climb up the corporate ladder?
Agricultural Bank was providing John with so many benefits that he was finding it hard to refuse.
However, John understood at the same time what Jasper was referring to. Agricultural Bank might as well admit they were extending an olive branch to Jasper in hopes of working with him by offering John such an illustrious position in the company…
Life at the Top Chapter 854
There was not a single soul in Southeast Province’s banking industry who did not know about his close relationship with Jasper. They would gain Jasper’s support if they managed to get ahold of him.
However, John knew he could not get too big for his britches no matter what other people thought.
Which was why today’s meeting was taking place. He wanted to know what Jasper’s thoughts were.
He would have to give up the idea if Jasper did not agree. After all, Agricultural Bank could easily go back on their promise to give him the position if they did not receive Jasper’s support. John was not a foolish person and knew he did not yet have the experience nor ability to fight against the superiors in Agricultural Bank.
Things would be totally different if he had Jasper’s support, however. No matter how many cronies were in Agricultural Bank, Jasper would be able to defeat them all with just one of the many companies he owned. No one could hold it against him.
“Alright then. I’ll get back to them tomorrow,” John said happily.
Jasper picked up his cup of coffee and gently clinked it against John’s as he smiled, saying, “I’ll congratulate you in advance on your promotion.”
John suppressed his excitement and happiness as he waved his hands, saying, “No, I still have to hand in my resignation letter and hand over my work before I familiarize myself with Agricultural Bank. It’ll take at least a month or two before everything is finalized.”
Jasper was just about to speak when his phone suddenly rang.
It was from an unfamiliar number he had never seen before.
When Jasper answered the call, a familiar sensual voice rang out.
“Mr. Jasper Laine, you returned to Somerland without so much as a goodbye after you used me. You just wanted to have a good time without taking any responsibility, right?”
Jasper nearly spat his coffee onto John’s face when he heard what Celine said.
“Watch your words. What you said can easily cause misunderstandings.”
Jasper had a befuddled expression on his face when he spoke, but there was a barely detectable trace of happiness in his voice.
John, who was sitting opposite him, raised his eyebrows slightly before his lips curled upward into a meaningful grin.
What sort of women could make men indescribably happy when they received a call from them?
It might be a girlfriend they were in an intimate relationship with.
It might be a mistress of theirs they had gotten together with after getting married.
It might be their daughter.
There was no fourth option.
“Misunderstandings? Who would misunderstand? Do you care what other people think of you, Mr. Jasper Laine?” Celine asked in a light-hearted tone.
“Here’s a chance for you to repent. Come over to the airport now.
“A traffic accident happened in front of Nauritus City International Airport, causing a huge traffic jam to occur.”
Celine was sitting in a brand new Audi TT as she spoke on the phone without a care in the world. Parked in front of her was a BMW 7 Series that had been rear-ended and badly scratched. The owner of the car was a young man who was currently screaming at Celine through the glass window of the Audi TT.
Finally losing her patience, Celine rolled down her car window and bellowed to the young man, “What are you screaming about? So what if I rear-ended you? Would I have hit you if you hadn’t been so aggressive and did an emergency brake when you were in front of my car? I’ll hit both you and your car if you don’t shut up.”
When Celine finished speaking, she did not spare the furious man another glance as she rolled the window back up.
“Are you in trouble?” Jasper asked as he frowned.
“I’ve met an idiot. I don’t have many connections in Southeast Province, and I might be kidnapped if you don’t hurry over.”
When Celine spoke to Jasper, she immediately switched from the shrewish woman she had been just seconds before to a damsel in distress who required his saving.
“Don’t get out of the car or open the door before I arrive. I’ll be right there.”
Then, Jasper immediately hung up the phone and stood to walk toward the door.
“I have something to attend to. We’ll meet next time,” Jasper said to John.
John stood and said, “Feel free to give me a call if you need my help with anything.”
“Sure,” Jasper said as he waved and walked out the door.
Jasper got Julian to drive to the coffee shop to fetch him and they rushed to the airport once he got in.
…
“Stupid btch, get the fck out the car! My name won’t be Leonard Wagner if I don’t kill you today!”
Leonard screamed crazedly at Celine who was sitting in her Audi TT.
However, Celine did not seem to hear him as she remained seated in the car. She even retrieved a mirror and began touching up her makeup with languid movements.
When Leonard saw that, he became even more angered. His features became contorted as he hit the car and growled. “Stop acting all high and mighty. I’ve seen enough b*tches like you. Some man lent you this car, didn’t he?”
After he finished speaking, Leonard did not even have the time to look at the expression on Celine’s face before he felt someone clap a hand on his shoulder. When he turned around, he saw a young man staring at him.
Behind the young man was another person with a cigarette hanging from their mouth. They narrowed their eyes to stare at him.
“Julian, teach this foul-mouthed man a lesson,” Jasper said calmly.
Upon receiving Jasper’s orders, Julian’s eyes glinted dangerously as he raised his hand and squeezed Leonard’s mouth. A terrified expression appeared on the latter’s face, and he did not have time to speak before Julian brought his fist down.
Crack!
The crisp sound of teeth being broken rang out.
Leonard covered his face with his hands as he howled in pain. The immense pain caused him to jump around in circles. When he felt the lower half of his face going numb and the warmth in his mouth, he spat out a pool of blood and two teeth.
“Teeth! My teeth!”
Leonard’s voice trembled.
Life at the Top Chapter 855
As he pointed at Jasper, Leonard bellowed, “You fcker, you absolute piece of dog sht! You’re done for! You’re done for, you hear me?!”
Leonard did not seem to have vented out enough and was dissatisfied. He turned back to Celine who was still in the car and bellowed, “As for you, you stupid btch, just wait! I’ll take your last name if I don’t fck you so hard till you can’t get out of bed.”
Leonard had just finished speaking when Jasper slapped him across the face.
His mouth was already filled with blood after losing two of his teeth. Leonard howled even louder in pain after getting slapped.
His cheek became swollen and turned bright red as the blood in his mouth mixed with saliva. It dribbled from the corner of his mouth, which he could not shut. His upper torso was stained with blood and saliva, making him seem even more horrifying.
“It seems like your parents never taught you any manners. I guess I’ll teach you some instead. The first thing to know is you should always watch your words when you’re not at home,” Jasper said calmly.
“F*ck you!” Leonard was enraged now, and his eyes were bloodshot. With a roar, he pounced toward Jasper.
Playvolume00:00/00:00TruvidfullScreenHowever, Julian had long since had his eyes on Leonard. When he saw Leonard pouncing toward Jasper, he raised a leg and kicked Leonard onto the ground where he lay panting.
Leonard trembled as he took his phone out and made a call…
“That slap was so cool!”
Celine smiled as she walked up to Jasper and spoke to him.
Jasper said exasperatedly, “How did you get yourself involved with someone like this?”
Celine replied lazily, “I didn’t do anything to him. Flies like him are always buzzing around me, and I can’t be bothered to give him another look. He was causing trouble because he failed to chat me up.
“He even said he would give me a ride from the airport in his BMW 7 Series.”
Celine chuckled, her eyes showing a multitude of emotions.
“Look at how generous he is. When are you going to let me ride in your Bentley?”
Jasper turned to look at his Bentley, which was parked by the road, and said, “I can give it to you if you want it.”
“I wouldn’t dare accept it.”
Celine was still speaking when the low roar of an engine sounded from a distance. In the blink of an eye, a Ferrari that would seem flashy even in 2020 drove up to them.
A young man jumped out of the car after it screeched to a stop. He had a dark expression on his face.
Leonard, who was sprawled on the ground, looked as though his savior had arrived when he saw the man. Gaining a sudden burst of energy, he hurriedly crawled over to the man.
“Brother, what took you so long? These two were about to kill me!”
Joshua gazed solemnly at the scene. He had been on his way to discuss an important matter with the head of the Monty family, Conrad Monty, but rushed over after receiving his brother’s call.
Joshua first opened the car door and said to Conrad, “I’m so sorry, Mr. Monty, I have some personal matters to take care of. It’ll just take a few minutes!”
Due to the angle the car was parked at, Jasper did not see Conrad.
Then, Joshua frowned as he walked up to Jasper and Celine before asking, “What’s going on?”
Leonard sobbed, saying, “I was driving on the road when this b*tch rear-ended me for no reason. As if that wasn’t enough, she also got one of her boy toys to beat me up. Look how bad these two men hurt me. I’ve lost two teeth!”
He clearly pronounced each word, and Celine managed to hear everything. She laughed but was too lazy to retaliate.
After all, the complete truth could not be known by just listening to what Leonard had to say.
Most importantly, Celine was too lazy to explain herself to Leonard’s brother. Who did he think he was?
Jasper shared the same sentiments. At this point, he had such a high status and standing in society that he no longer needed to explain himself to anyone else. It was usually the other party who had to guess what he was thinking.
If this person was willing to listen to reason, they would be able to solve this matter peacefully.
If they were not willing to listen to reason, then Jasper would not care either. This was not the first time he had met people like that.
In most cases, it was even easier to deal with someone who refused to listen to reason than someone who did.
Joseph huffed and walked up to Jasper, saying, “I know my brother’s personality. Things are never as simple as he makes them out to be.”
When Leonard heard that, the expression on his face changed as he said, “Brother, what I said—”
“Shut up!” Joseph roared, effectively shutting Leonard up.
It seemed that Leonard was extremely afraid of his older brother. After Joseph yelled at him, he shut up although he was extremely indignant about it.
Then, Joseph turned and continued saying to Jasper, “But no matter what caused this to happen, what I can see is that you’ve beaten my brother up. We can’t let this just slide past. My brother’s wounds might heal, but the reputation that I, Joseph Wagner, have lost from this will never be recovered.
“So, you must pay!
“That man can first kneel so my brother can beat you up. Then, we’ll put a temporary stop to things while my brother takes the woman away for three months. Things will be settled once we return her in three months. I won’t hold anything against you after that.”
Joseph spoke rapidly and did not so much as glance at Jasper or Celine when he spoke.
The way he spoke and acted made it seem as if he was doing them a great kindness through the decisions he had made.
“Pfft.” Celine was the first to lose her composure as she leaned against Jasper and laughed hysterically.
“I was wondering what sort of backup he had called, and it turns out it’s a maniac who has escaped from the asylum!
“Hey, idiot, are you really crazy, or have you been playing the role of a king for so long you can’t tell reality apart from the story anymore?”
Life at the Top Chapter 856
“What did you say!?”
Joshua glared at Celine angrily, his eyes eerily cold.
“Do you know that no one in Southeast Province dares speak to me like that?”
Leonard also said angrily, “You’re done for. How dare you speak to my brother this way?!”
“Hmm,” Celine said as she poked Jasper with her finger, “This person seems pretty powerful. Have you ever heard of him?”
“No,” Jasper said as he shook his head.
He had never heard of a Wagner family that was powerful in Southeast Province. Right now, there was only the Monty family left who was slightly more powerful. The rest of the families did not even dare to breathe loudly in front of him.
“How ignorant,” Joseph said in disdain as he laughed coldly. “That makes sense. How could lowly people like you have heard of us?
“Alright, stop with the bullsh*t. I’m giving you a chance to call your parents.”
Joseph seemed to have lost all his patience as he stared at Jasper and said, “It’s okay if you don’t know what to do, your parents should know. When faced with me, your parents won’t just make you kneel in front of me. They would push your head down and force you to eat sh*t if I wanted you to do that!”
“Haha, Brother, that’s a good idea. Let him be sprawled on the floor and eat sh*t later,” Leonard said as he laughed.
“I do have parents, but I’ve been on my own ever since I entered society. So there’s no need to call my parents over,” Jasper said calmly, “I’m in a rush too. We’ll be leaving now if there’s nothing else you want to talk about.”
“Thinking of leaving?”
Joseph laughed coldly as he said, “I think you’re crazy. Trying to run away now that you’re scared? Dream on!”
“So what do you plan to do?” Jasper had a curious expression on his face as he gazed at Joseph.
Joseph huffed coldly as he stared at Jasper and said, “You’ve made me very angry, and nothing good ever happens to people who’ve done that.
“Do you dare tell me what your job is? Or perhaps you own a company? Do you dare tell me the name of your company?” Joseph said haughtily as he stared at Jasper.
He laughed lightly as he said slowly, “It’s okay if you don’t dare to tell me. I have my own ways to find out about your details. Believe me, when that happens, I’ll have you become so poor that you can’t even afford a pair of underwear!”
“Oh, are you that powerful? No wonder you’re so arrogant.”
Jasper spoke calmly. He did not seem to notice the odd expressions on Julian’s and Celine’s faces as he sighed, saying, “I feel quite worried upon hearing you say that, but since I’ve already offended you, I’m sure you’ll be able to find my office anyway. I might as well tell you the name of my company.”
Then, Jasper retrieved his business card and passed it to Joseph.
Joseph’s gaze fell on the card.
President of JW Investment Company, Jasper Laine.
It was a very simple-looking name card, unlike those who wanted to slap every title they had on the card when they only had just the slightest bit of credibility.
Jasper’s name card only carried that one title. Underneath it was his name, phone number, and office landline.
Joseph sank into deep thought as he stared at the name card in his hands.
The names JW and Jasper Laine seemed inexplicably familiar to him as if he had heard someone mention it every day. However, he could not recall what this business was, nor who was the one who had mentioned the names to him.
Shortly after, the insurance company Jasper had contacted arrived at the scene.
Although Jasper did not know which company Celine’s car was insured under, he thought it would not be a big deal to have someone come to have a look at the damages at the scene and give them an estimate. Thus, Jasper contacted the company he had insured his car under, People Insurance Company of Somer, otherwise known as PICS.
When the general manager of PICS heard that Jasper’s car was damaged, he led a team and rushed over to the scene.
When he arrived at the scene, he did not stop to even catch his breath before he hurried over to Jasper and said respectfully, “Mr. Laine, I’m so sorry we’re late. The traffic was horrible on the way.”
Jasper smiled and said, “That’s alright. Help me take a look at the damages to this Audi and give me an estimate. The owner of this Audi is my friend. If it’s not insured under your company, I’ll have one of my men take care of the necessary paperwork after this.”
The general manager of PICS thumped his chest and said, “Don’t worry, Mr. Laine. Any paperwork is a small matter now that you’ve made your wishes known.”
“Are you… the general manager of PICS’ branch office?”
The general manager of PICS only realized that there were others present when Joseph’s voice rang out.
He obviously knew Joseph too. With a smile, he said in a polite voice, “You’re Young Master Wagner, aren’t you? Long time no see.”
Joseph’s heart thudded when he saw how respectfully the general manager of PICS treated Jasper. He could not stop himself from asking, “You guys know each other?”
Life at the Top Chapter 857
“Is there anyone in Southeast Province who doesn’t know Jasper Laine from JW Investments?”
The general manager of PICS replied matter-of-factly. Then, he jolted back to his senses and asked, “It’s not your car that’s in trouble is it?”
Joseph’s grip on the business card tightened when he saw the horrified expression on the general manager’s face. He replied, “It’s my brother’s car.”
The general manager’s lips twitched as he turned instinctively to look at Jasper. When he saw Jasper looking back at him with an indecipherable expression on his face, he hurriedly straightened himself and instinctively took several steps backward. He increased the distance between himself and the Wagner brothers.
“You must be crazy! How dare you hit a car belonging to Mr. Laine’s friend?!” the general manager reprimanded.
Leonard said indignantly, “This b*tch rear-ended me!”
Just then, Joseph, who had started realizing that things were going wrong, glared at Leonard as he yelled in a low voice, “Can’t you be more f*cking civil?!”
Playvolume00:00/00:00TruvidfullScreenLeonard had an aggrieved expression on his face. He wanted to say more, but he did not dare speak a word.
The general manager of PICS had a feeling that things were not as simple as they seemed when he looked at Leonard who had blood all over his face. He had no interest in getting involved and said hurriedly, “I’m going to take a look at what’s going on.”
Then, he turned and walked to the two cars.
He rarely needed to survey the scene of an accident as a general manager. These were all done by his staff. However, the general manager felt that these two cars were much easier to deal with than the brewing warzone that was happening behind him.
The more Joseph thought about it, the more insecure he felt. He glanced at Jasper before walking toward the general manager, whispering to him, “Tell me the truth. What’s his background?”
“What’s his background?”
The general manager laughed coldly before saying, “His name is his background. I’m advising you not to get caught up in such messy matters anymore.
“He’s two years younger than you, but all you do is loiter around with the rich kids of Southeast Province while flaunting your family’s riches. Him, on the other hand, tsk tsk…
“He’s not someone you can cross. Seeing how your parents are on good terms with me, I advise you to immediately apologize to him and show him you mean it. He’s not a man who won’t listen to reason. If you don’t do this, no one can save you!”
…
Joseph had an odd look in his eyes as he gazed at Jasper after returning from his conversation with the general manager.
He had a dark expression on his face as he mulled things over for a long time. In the end, he decided not to say anything.
“Let’s go!”
Joseph said to Leonard.
Leonard had a stunned look on his face as he said, “We’re leaving?! Brother, are my ears failing me?!
“This b*tch crashed into my car and I got beaten up by them, but we’re not going to do anything about it?!
“F*cking hell!”
Joseph, who was already annoyed, became enraged when he listened to Leonard continuing to call Celine a b*tch. He raised his hand and slapped Leonard across the face as he bellowed, “You useless piece of trash, we’re leaving when I say we’re leaving! What are you blabbering about?!”
Leonard’s pitiful face received another blow. With his new wound adding to his old ones, his face puffed up like a blowfish.
“You’re going? Don’t you think it’s a little rude of you to leave after what just happened?” Jasper asked calmly.
Joseph hurriedly turned and stared at Jasper. He could tell he was in deep trouble now.
When Joseph recalled his previous attitude as well as what he had said, he felt his face burn bright red.
However, he would still not beg for mercy from Jasper.
“Don’t take matters too far. This issue ends here, and no one makes a loss. I won’t let you take advantage of me if you insist on making a fuss.”
Jasper began laughing after he heard what Joseph said.
“I’m the one making a fuss now? Who was the one who wanted to force me on my knees earlier?
“I thought I had time-traveled back to imperial times with the way you went on and on about making me go on my knees. What’s going on? Do you think you can just leave after making so many demands?”
Joseph’s lips twitched slightly as the expression on his face darkened. He took a deep breath, realizing that things would not be as easily settled as he had expected.
Thus, the only thing he could do was walk over to his Ferrari, open the door, and say, “I’m so sorry for delaying your schedule, Mr. Monty. We might need a little more time to solve the issue at hand here, why don’t you…”
Conrad did not even look at Joseph. While he was sitting in the car, he had caught sight of Jasper.
After all, it was hard to miss a human being standing by the road.
To be honest, Conrad had the urge to turn and leave the minute he saw Jasper.
He did not want anything to do with Jasper during such a critical time.
The next time they met would be when they decided who was the winner, but this was not the time!
However, when he remembered the relationship his family shared with the Wagner brothers and what he wanted to do, Conrad had no choice but to grit his teeth and get out of the car.
Conrad ignored Joseph’s prattling and walked up to Jasper.
“What a small world Southeast Province is.” Jasper took the initiative to speak first and smiled as he gazed at Conrad.
That opening sentence stunned both Joseph and Leonard.
They had initially thought Jasper would be terrified and might even go down on his knees and beg for mercy when he saw Conrad.
Yet, why did they sound like a pair of old friends reuniting?
A strong feeling of unease arose in the two brother’s hearts.
What caused their fear to increase was what Conrad replied.
“Small world, indeed. If I had known you were the person they offended, I wouldn’t have bothered coming over at all. I would have let you beat them to death.”
Life at the Top Chapter 858
Who was Conrad Monty?
Conrad Monty was the head of the Monty family!
The Monty family was the oldest, strongest, and most powerful family in the entire Southeast Province!
It could be said that the Monty family presided above all the other powerful families in Southeast Province.
Plus, Conrad Monty was a one-of-a-kind prodigy. He was a genius in Southeast Province that only emerged once every 50 years!
He had just started when he managed to completely turn a nearly bankrupt company around into what was now known as Monty Group. Since then, the group had always held a spot in the list of top three companies and reported the highest earnings every year.
Conrad Monty was the role model for the younger generation in Southeast Province.
Playvolume00:00/00:00TruvidfullScreenHowever, Conrad Monty from the Monty family was now showing so much humility when he was speaking to Jasper Laine?
Joseph felt his blood vessels contracting as oxygen failed to reach his brain.
Leonard, who was standing beside him, was in even worse shape. All color had drained completely from his face, and he looked as pale as a ghost now.
“You’re too polite,” Jasper said calmly as he turned to gaze at the Wagner brothers who had identical expressions of shock and horror on their faces.
Conrad turned around and asked, “What’s going on?”
Joseph’s lips were mumbling, but he did not dare say anything. He turned to look at his brother, Leonard.
Leonard shuddered when Conrad’s gaze landed on him. He was just about to stutter an answer when Conrad slapped him across the face.
Leonard’s face had suffered through plenty of beatings today. After getting hit multiple times, his face was now as swollen as a pig’s head.
Leonard howled in pain as he took two steps backward, the fear apparent in his eyes.
“You got slapped because you don’t know what’s good for you.”
Conrad retrieved a handkerchief and wiped his hands slowly as if his hands had been contaminated after he touched Leonard.
“I understand what you usually get up to, but I don’t care about those things. The Wagner family might be on good terms with my father and our fathers might be sworn brothers, but that has nothing to do with me. I don’t have any obligation to educate you on how you should behave.
“However, as hedonistic brothers, you should know who you should and should not offend. You’ll get yourself killed if you can’t distinguish between the two.
Conrad’s eyes grew colder as he raised his foot and kicked the two brothers. They covered their stomachs with their hands as they bent down, their faces contorted in pain.
After that, Conrad turned toward Jasper. He still had a demure smile on his face.
It was as though he had not just been insulting and beating up people.
“How’s that, are you satisfied now?” Conrad asked Jasper.
“I’m impressed, Mr. Monty. You know how to separate your private and official matters,” Jasper said,
Conrad pretended not to have heard Jasper’s dig at him as he turned to look at Leonard and Joseph.
“Get over here and apologize to Mr. Laine!”
The two were so terrified they did not dare say anything else. Crawling over hurriedly, they begged for mercy from Jasper with tears streaking down their faces.
“Mr. Laine, I’m sorry. It was my fault for being so f*cking rude. I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that. Please, treat me like a fart you need to let go of!”
“Mr. Laine! My brother and I are at fault here. I’m so sorry, please forgive us.”
Jasper ignored them and turned to look at Celine.
He had made his stance clear. Celine was the one in charge here.
If she was alright, then everything would be alright.
If she did not agree, Jasper would continue toying with them until the very end.
Celine immediately understood what Jasper meant and chuckled as she said, “Hurry up and get it done with. I’m hungry.”
Life at the Top Chapter 859
When Jasper heard what Celine said, he said calmly, “Let’s go.”
Then, he and Celine walked toward the Bentley.
Conrad’s eyes were dark as he watched the two walk off.
“Mr. Laine, we’ve assessed the scene. There aren’t any major problems, and everything can be fixed in a couple of days,” the general manager of PICS said respectfully as he walked toward Jasper.
Jasper replied, “Please have the car towed to a car dealership that can fix it. And pass me the receipt for any costs incurred.”
The general manager hurriedly said, “No need for that, Mr. Laine. We’ve already looked it up. This car is indeed insured with PICS, and we’ll take responsibility for all damages. It’ll probably take two to three days, and I’ll have someone deliver the car to you once it’s fixed.”
“Thank you so much,” Jasper said politely.
“Not at all, not at all. It’s my pleasure to be of service, Mr. Laine.”
The general manager, who was in his 40s, did not seem to find the way he spoke to Jasper odd. Nothing but niceties came out of his mouth.
After another round of exchanging pleasantries, the general manager got someone to tow the Audi away before he bade goodbye and left.
He did not dare stay and watch the impending war. Everything was fine so long he managed to establish a good image of himself with Jasper.
Soon, Julian fired up the Bentley and turned back around.
After everyone had left, Conrad spoke to the Wagner brothers who were still kneeling on the floor, “You can get yourselves to the hospital if you’re not dead.
“Don’t blame me for being cruel, I was trying to save you. Based on what I know of his personality, it won’t be just you two but your entire family who will fall into misfortune. I don’t care if you’ve seen through my pity act or not, but he has. Either way, remember to never cause trouble for me in the future!”
Joseph summoned all the bravery he had to ask, “Mr. Monty, is he that powerful? To the point where even you are afraid of him?”
Conrad stared at the Bentley that was rapidly disappearing into the night sky before he laughed coldly, saying, “Powerful? Oh, he has much more than power.
“What would you guys know? Don’t think you’re better than everyone else just because you’ve read a few biographies. You’re no better than your brother in that sense. Pack up that high and mighty act of yours, or you might die before your brother does.
“F*ck off. I’ve got a lot to do lately, and I haven’t got any time for you.”
…
As Celine sat in the Bentley, she suddenly burst into laughter.
“What are you laughing at?” Jasper, who was sitting beside her, turned and asked.
“The one who came after that, what’s his name again? You called him Mr. Monty?” Celine asked.
“Conrad Monty, the head of the largest family in Southeast Province,” Jasper replied quietly.
“Oh, I couldn’t tell. He seems to be in his early 30s. I guess that makes him quite powerful?” Celine asked.
“You still haven’t told me what you were laughing about,” Jasper asked with great interest.
“I was laughing at how calculating Conrad Monty was. He knew that you wouldn’t lose your temper if he put on a pity show for you,” Celine said.
Jasper shook his head and said quietly, “Both he and I know that this problem wouldn’t be settled because of the show he put on. His pity show wouldn’t have an effect on me if I wanted to pursue the matter.”
“So why didn’t you insist on pursuing the matter?” Celine asked.
“You’re one of the main parties involved and you aren’t going to press charges, so why should I pursue it any further? At the end of the day, those two brothers are only minor characters who won’t be able to make it big. There’s no need for me to go all out with them,” Jasper replied.
Celine leaned over, her fragrance permeating the space around them as she asked, “What if I had insisted on pressing charges?”
“Then we’ll turn back and pummel them until they’re half-dead,” Jasper replied determinedly.
“I would be a fool to believe you.”
Celine glared at Jasper as she said, “I can tell that you and Conrad Monty are enemies, and you two have a massive grudge. I refuse to believe you would mess up your plans over such a minuscule thing.”
“Didn’t you say you were hungry? What do you want to eat?” Jasper insistently avoided that topic.
“Can we go to your house so that you can prepare noodles for me?”
Life at the Top Chapter 860
This showcased the importance of having a driver like Julian and the need to have soundproof curtains that separated the backseat from the front.
If Jasper had been the one driving, he would probably have crashed right into a ditch after that.
Firstly, it was because he never expected Celine to suddenly become flirty and passionate that quickly.
Secondly, it was because Jasper was reminded of how Wendy had prepared a steaming plate of pasta for him last night.
It caused Jasper to feel just the slightest bit guilty.
“Alright, alright, I’m just messing with you. I won’t eat anything you prepare even if you begged me to. Look at the shock on your face.”
Celine straightened her body as she complained to Jasper.
Although she seemed fine on the surface, women had always been difficult to understand. No one could tell if Celine was genuinely fine with things.
Jasper pulled the curtain apart as he asked Julian to drive them to a place that served good supper before he asked Celine, “So why did you come to Southeast Province all of a sudden?”
Celine had initially planned to tell Jasper it was because she missed him, but after seeing the odd expression on his face, she huffed and said…
“Just pretend as if I’m a client making a return visit. After all, both parties have gained huge benefits from working with you. I even got a promotion. So, Mr. Laine, are you pleased with the service you’ve received from Colossal Investments?”
“Yes, I’m satisfied,” Jasper replied solemnly.
Celine giggled as she said, “Moreover, I have another piece of news for you.”
“Morrison has been promoted to president of Layman Investment Bank’s Terra regional branch. He’s already arrived in the office. Soon, he’ll be in charge of everything that goes on in Layman Investment Bank in the Terra region.”
Jasper’s eyebrows raised slightly.
Celine smiled mysteriously as she continued saying, “According to the news provided by our business consultant, Morrison will do two things upon taking over. First, he’ll conduct a thorough investigation on all the businesses you own. Then, he’ll get in touch with all of your enemies.
“Both matters affect you directly, Mr. Laine. Seems like you have quite a big influence.”
“You even managed to find this out? Business consultant? More like a business spy, don’t you think?” Jasper replied indignantly.
“Why say it out loud? Should have just kept it to yourself.”
Celine said languidly, “Tactics like these aren’t that common in Somerland, but they can be seen everywhere overseas. After all, the business industry is like a warzone. Insider information is the most important thing.
“At crucial moments, a single piece of information can determine the success or failure of a business deal involving tens of millions of dollars. Colossal Investments spends more than a billion US dollars per year hiring over a million business spies across the world. They hold more power than you can imagine!”
Celine smiled and said, “Let’s not talk about this now. What are your thoughts on Morisson’s promotion and the two things on his to-do list?”
“What thoughts can I have other than be jealous of the fact he has a great dad?” Jasper laughed as he said, “Look at him. You both work in investment companies, and Layman is even a tad smaller than Colossal Investments is. He has just committed a crime, but he even got a promotion by just turning his head to the other side. And look at you. Both of you are presidents of branches of the Terra region, but you had to put in so much more effort than him.”
Celine gritted her teeth as she glared at Jasper, saying, “You never know what’s good for you. I shouldn’t have bothered worrying about you. I’m showing you kindness by providing you with information, but you’re making cutting remarks about me”
“You just want to rock my boat, don’t you?” Jasper asked as he smiled.
“Boat or bed?” Celine was starting to talk inappropriately again.