Chapter 45
Herman could not hide his satisfaction. Being praised by Ms. Olivia herself meant that Kai’s identity was far more significant than anyone had imagined.
He raised his teacup with a casual glance at Kai, who, despite the praise, remained composed. When he saw that Helena was still in a daze, he couldn’t help but smile. “Helena, hurry up and sign your name,” he urged. The 300-million-dollar contract would only be official once both parties had signed the papers.
It was typical for all parties involved to be eager to seal the deal.
But Helena was too young, still overwhelmed by the magnitude of this massive contract. Her hands trembled as she stared at the document, unsure of what to do next.
“What are you waiting for, Helena?” Hubert’s voice was low but insistent, his impatience evident.
Seeing Helena hesitate, Kai, ever the professional, picked up the contract and began to review it. But as he skimmed the pages, his expression shifted. His face darkened slightly, and he raised his eyes to Olivia. “Ms. Olivia, did you give us the wrong contract?”
A chill ran through the room at the change in Kai’s demeanor. Normally calm and ruthless, his sudden anger made everyone pause. His gaze was sharp, and the change in his tone sent a shiver down Olivia’s spine.
Olivia, startled, immediately turned toward Alice. “Did you give them the wrong contract?” she demanded, her voice now sharper than before.
Alice, trembling under the scrutiny, quickly shook her head. “No… it can’t be. I checked the contract twelve times. Everything should be in order…”
Olivia trusted Alice implicitly—she had been her secretary for years. There was no way she would make such a mistake. And with the stakes so high, Olivia was confident the right contract was in her hands.
Kai, however, wasn’t convinced. He handed the contract back to Olivia, his expression unreadable. “My girlfriend’s company is called Rococo. The company you want to cooperate with is Rococo, not Baroque.”
Alice’s confusion deepened, but she quickly explained. “We indeed wish to cooperate with Baroque. Rococo makes phones, but Baroque produces chips. We’re interested in Baroque’s phone chips…”
As soon as those words left her mouth, a heavy silence descended on the villa.
Everyone froze in place, the room seemingly frozen in time.
Kai, who had negotiated billion-dollar deals with ease, furrowed his brows and pressed further. “Ms. Olivia, are you absolutely sure you want to cooperate with Baroque and not Rococo?”
Olivia, now feeling the weight of her mistake, took a deep breath. Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of the confusion. Time constraints had prevented her from fully understanding the Lewis family’s setup. She knew they owned two companies—Baroque, which produced chips, and Rococo, which made phones.
She trusted Theo’s assurances that Baroque’s chips were top-notch, but now, the question weighed heavily on her: Was this man truly Nash?
Alice, sensing Olivia’s internal struggle, hesitated before asking, “Mr. Kai, do you perhaps have a middle name that starts with the letter ‘N’?”
Kai shook his head, his expression one of mild amusement. “No.”
Alice, realizing her mistake, turned to Olivia awkwardly. “Oli, I forgot that you don’t know Mr. Watson here. He’s the grandson of Walter Watson, the wealthiest person in Jonford.”
Kai was a well-known figure in Jonford, but Olivia, often traveling abroad, hadn’t been fully aware of his family background. She felt a deep sense of embarrassment flood over her. She had mistaken Kai for Nash, assuming Helena was the CEO of Baroque.
Olivia’s face flushed with guilt. She turned to the others, trying to salvage the situation. “Well, I can make it clear to everyone here that Drake Group wishes to cooperate with Baroque…”
As the words hung in the air, the room seemed to close in on itself.
Hubert’s face went pale. He collapsed into his chair, his body going slack as if all the strength had drained from him. His eyes stared ahead, lifeless.
Rooney sat frozen, her mind reeling in disbelief. Drake Group wanted to collaborate with Baroque? It didn’t make sense.
She had just mocked Lauren, ridiculing her efforts, only to have the truth come crashing down on her. It was her own ignorance that had led to this moment of humiliation.
“No… that can’t be…” Helena whispered, her face drained of color. Desperately, she grabbed Kai’s arm, her fingers trembling as she searched his face. “Kai, this isn’t true, right? Ms. Olivia must have gotten the contract wrong, right?”
Helena’s voice wavered with hope, but deep down, she feared the truth. This moment—the moment she had worked so hard for—was slipping through her fingers.