Chapter 260 - Cold-Blooded Partnership

From halfway across the world, a certain hotel heiress was enjoying her lemonade while scrolling through her phone on a sunchair when she screamed.

"Liu. Xiu. Wen. That bitch! Zhao-er! Prepare my private jet, we're going to America!"

Leah's personal attendant didn't question her mistress' source of anger. It was all over the internet in China that Scarlet Wilde, better known as Liu Xiu Wen, was rumoured to have a relationship with her fiancé. Although Leah wasn't in love with CEO Zhu Ming Yang, she was still a proud woman who couldn't allow the men within her grasp to be taken away by other women.

If Leah was going to America, there was only one person she would be seeing. That would be Mr Julian Anastasia, the rich CEO of EZ Express who had recently been Leah's favourite man. However, after seeing him getting chummy and treating an intern in his company better than he treated her, the partners had a slight falling out.

Leah cut off the contract to supply EZ Express with their logistic and warehousing services based on personal interest because Julian wouldn't admit that he had been cheating on her with a teenage boy that she had to dispose of. She knew that Julian and his father dabbled in illegal businesses on the side but that had never bothered her. Business was business, love was love and money was still everything to the hotel heiress.

Back in New York City, Julian received an unexpected text from Leah. She was finally coming to see him. Perhaps that exclusive interview did some good after all. Knowing how shallow and narrow-minded Leah was, Julian might not have to dirty his hands to get rid of the competition. All he needed to do was entice and nudge Leah a little in the right direction and wait for results.

They say that hell has no fury like a woman scorned and Leah was no exception.

In two days, Leah was in Julian's office. The woman simply waltzed into it like she owned the building but nobody stopped her. The employees were simply too used to this.

Leah stormed up to the top floor and demanded to see Julian, threatening to fire the poor secretary even if she wasn't the person signing her payslip. The secretary didn't back down or react to the threat. It wasn't the first time the unreasonable woman did something like that and it most certainly wouldn't be the last. Given how things were progressing, the secretary thought that it might be a blessing if she was really laid off from her job.

"Mr Anastasia is having an important meeting with the shareholders now. Please take a seat for him in the office, I will inform him about your arrival."

With a harrumph, Leah stormed away and slammed the door shut.

Julian's phone rang while he was in the meeting and it was his secretary. Judging from the timing, Leah must be here.

The shareholders weren't very impressed or pleased when Julian checked his phone in the middle of their discussion. EZ Express was in such a terrible state at the moment, how can the CEO still afford to smile?

"Excuse me, gentlemen. I believe this discussion is over for today. I have a very important partner to attend to. About your investments, I will assure you that the stock prices will return within a month. As for my methods, that's for me to know and manage. Your jobs are to sit tight and await the good news."

With that, Julian left the meeting room with many confused investors. Some shook their heads hopelessly. The CEO has officially lost his mind. Others were hopeful. It wasn't right for Julian to be so confident if he didn't have a plan and they decided to give the man one more chance to prove his worth. As it currently was, they weren't able to do anything more because Julian and Lucian held most of the company shares. Even if the remaining shareholders somehow managed to come to a consensus to remove Julian from the board of directors, the resolution wouldn't pass.

Leah helped herself to everything in Julian's office and the CEO couldn't help but feel slightly irritated with Leah's meddling. Thankfully, this was merely his work desktop at the company and not his personal laptop. Once everything was over, he was going to dump this bitch in the Hudson River.

"What a surprise to see you here. I thought you didn't want to have anything to do with me anymore."

Leah's eyes were cold and her tone was freezing. "Cheating on me was your fault. Don't think that I've forgiven you just yet. I just happen to know that you have something I want. In exchange, we can revise the terms of our business interests."

Julian smirked, not bothering with pleasing this woman. If his father thought that she could be pleased with just some trinkets, he was wrong. Ever since their first encounter, he had always known this woman's true colours. She was a terrifying money-sucking machine who didn't mind using anybody and everybody around her to get higher. She could sleep with anyone for a contract, kiss and tell the world about her scandals for fame and discard anyone who had fallen out of favour with the high society at the drop of a hat without blinking twice. The image that Leah painted to Lucian was very different from the one she had with Julian. Leah's mask finally cracked when her seduction failed time after time, wounding her pride.

"I don't think you understand the situation you're in right now," Julian casually lit a cigarette. "You're in America, in my building, under my control. You're in no position to be making any demands after the stunt you pulled on me. I don't need your partnership for anything."

Naturally, this was a bluff but Julian was confident that Leah didn't know about it. After all, there was nobody on her side working under him. Julian was a careful man and what he wanted, he would have.

Normally, the CEO would disguise all his ruffian tones with a gentlemanly behaviour but after seeing how different he was acting after their falling out, Leah couldn't help but feel slightly afraid. She had almost forgotten how dangerous this wolf was underneath the sheepskin but this was exactly what she wanted. He was perfect for her revenge plan.

Pretending that she wasn't affected by his not-so-subtle threat, Leah leaned against his desk and looked Julian in the eye.

"In that case, you're the perfect person I need. America is not my territory, I don't know anyone reliable that I can use without causing trouble for myself back in the mainland. IN return for help from your side business, I will sign the new contract for EZ Express and the companies under my care. Pineapple Group and the Wilde family cannot collaborate. I want that girl Liu Xiu Wen gone."

Julian let out a puff. "Just gone?"

For a moment, Leah didn't know what he was referring to until Julian raised his brow and pushed his jacket to a side, revealing his hidden holster and pistol.

"We have a more permanent solution."

With a wicked smile, Leah shook hands with Julian. "As long as this doesn't come back to me, consider yourself a deal done. My assistant will send you the new contract with terms you will find favourable. In return, send me your best men, I want to watch this happen personally as I get rid of that snobbish child."

Julian frowned. It would be pointless to kill just the adopted girl. Blood is thicker than water, it would be more effective to have the Wildes act obediently if he had their biological daughter too.

"Are you sure you just want personal revenge? How about listening to my plans and you can consider the profits. The Wildes are much wealthier than you think they are. If you can also get the other girl, I can get the contract from them for their assets. We will split the spoils of war and you can get Pineapple Group's portion entirely once they have been crippled. Without the Wildes backing your pathetic fiancé, Mr Zhu cannot remain in his position for much longer. As one of the biggest shareholders in Pineapple Group, it's up to you who you want to nominate for the vacant position."

Leah stopped by the door, her hand on the handle but she didn't leave the room just yet as if considering the offer. It was tempting, very much so.

"I will call you after I consider it. Your father is a disagreeable old fart, I hope that you can keep your word once this is over and marry me instead. I'm not interested in the other men flocking around me and it's getting annoying."

Julian waited for the door to close before stubbing the cigarette out. What a cold-hearted woman. But that was exactly what he liked about her when she wasn't pretending to be that whiny bitch. Too bad, he was still going to dispose of her when the deed was done. The only thing he wanted was her money, he really wasn't interested in girls.