The Silent Dragon Won't Stop Here

The Impossible Contract

When Julian returned to the Crestwood Villa, the party was winding down, but the tension was higher than ever. The guests had left, leaving only the core members of the Hayes family sitting in the living room like a tribunal.

Natalie sat on a small stool in the corner, her eyes red from crying. Opposite her, Frederick Vance was leisurely sipping wine, sitting beside Old Madam Hayes as if he were already the grandson-in-law.

"Look who decided to show up," Harriet sneered as Julian walked in. "Did you find the money? Or did you just run away to cry?"

"I paid the hospital bill," Julian said calmly, walking over to stand beside Natalie. He placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, then leaned into him slightly, exhausted.

"You paid it?" Frederick laughed. "With what? Monopoly money? Or did you sell your blood?"

"That’s none of your business," Julian replied.

Old Madam Hayes slammed her cane on the floor. "Enough! I don't care about your deadbeat drama. We have a crisis! I just received news that the Apex Group has cancelled their partnership with us. That was thirty percent of our revenue!"

The room went silent. The Hayes family business was in construction and decoration. Losing Apex was a death blow.

"It must be because of the bad luck brought by this loser!" Harriet pointed a manicured finger at Julian.

"Whatever the reason," Old Madam Hayes said, her eyes sharp. "We need a new partner. The only company big enough to save us is Emgrand Enterprise. They just announced a new ownership today and are investing two billion dollars into a new hotel project."

She looked around the room. "I need someone to go to Emgrand tomorrow and secure a contract. Whoever does this will be named the Director of Operations."

The room remained silent. Emgrand Enterprise was a titan. The Hayes family had tried to meet with them for years and never even got past the receptionist. It was an impossible task.

"Harriet," Old Madam Hayes said. "You go."

Harriet jumped. "Grandma! I... I can't! Even the Vance family got rejected by Emgrand last week. How can I do it?"

"Useless!" The old woman spat. She looked at Frederick. "Frederick, can your family help?"

Frederick coughed awkwardly. "Uh, Grandma, Emgrand is... difficult. My father tried to meet the new chairman but was turned away at the gate."

Old Madam Hayes slumped in her chair, looking suddenly very old. "Is this it? Is the Hayes family finished?"

"I'll go," a soft voice spoke up.

Everyone turned. It was Natalie. She stood up, her hands trembling but her chin held high. "I'll go. If I fail, the company goes under anyway. But we have to try."

"You?" Harriet scoffed. "You think your pretty face will work on the new chairman? I heard he’s a mysterious tycoon from the capital. He won't care about a third-rate beauty like you."

"Let her try," Julian said, stepping forward. His voice carried a strange authority that made Harriet pause. "She will succeed."

"You shut up!" Frederick snapped. "What do you know?"

"I know that Natalie is more capable than all of you combined," Julian said. He looked at Old Madam Hayes. "Grandma, if Natalie secures this contract, you must fulfill your promise. Make her the Director."

"If she secures it," Old Madam Hayes sneered, "I'll make her the Director immediately. But if she fails... you both get out of my house. Divorced. Forever."

"Deal," Julian said instantly.

"Julian!" Natalie gasped, grabbing his arm. "What are you doing? I... I don't have any confidence! It's Emgrand!"

Julian smiled at her, a genuine, warm smile that she hadn't seen in years. "Trust me, Natalie. You’ll get it. The new chairman... I have a feeling he’s a reasonable man."

"You're crazy," Natalie whispered, but she didn't let go of his arm.

"It's a bet then!" Frederick stood up, grinning maliciously. "If she fails, she divorces you and marries me. And you, Julian, you have to kneel before me and lick my shoes clean."

Julian looked at Frederick’s polished Italian leather shoes. "And if she succeeds?"

"If she succeeds?" Frederick laughed, looking around at the snickering family members. "If she gets a contract from Emgrand, I’ll kneel and call you 'Daddy' in front of everyone!"

"I don't need a son like you," Julian said coolly. "But I'll accept the kneeling."

"You—!" Frederick turned red. "Fine! Tomorrow! We’ll see who kneels!"

The next morning, Natalie stood in front of the towering glass skyscraper of Emgrand Enterprise. She clutched a folder to her chest, her knuckles white.

"Julian," she said to the man sitting on the electric scooter beside her. "I should just go home. This is humiliating. Look at those cars."

Rolls Royces, Bentleys, and Mercedes were pulling up to the entrance, dropping off CEOs and dignitaries. Natalie and Julian had arrived on a rusted e-bike.

"Go in," Julian said, adjusting her collar gently. "Head up. You are the wife of Julian York. No one dares to look down on you."

"You say that like it's a title of honor," she sighed, a sad smile on her lips. "Wait for me here. It won't take long for them to kick me out."

She took a deep breath and walked toward the revolving doors.

As soon as she disappeared inside, Julian pulled out his phone. He dialed a number.

"Doris," he said.

"Chairman!" The voice of Doris Young, the famous Ice Queen of the business world and Vice President of Emgrand, answered immediately. "I am in my office. Are you coming up?"

"No. My wife, Natalie Hayes, is in the lobby. She is coming to see you about a partnership."

"The Madam is here?" Doris sounded panicked. "I will come down to greet her immediately!"

"No," Julian commanded. "Don't make a scene. Treat her professionally. But... give her the contract."

"Of course, Chairman. What is the limit?"

"The Hayes family wants thirty million," Julian said, watching a security guard eyeing his scooter with suspicion. "Give her sixty million."

"Sixty million? Understood. Is there anything else?"

"Yes," Julian’s eyes narrowed as he saw Frederick Vance’s car pull up to the curb. Frederick stepped out, holding a bouquet of flowers, clearly intending to ambush Natalie when she came out defeated.

"Announce that Emgrand Enterprise is suspending all cooperation with the Vance family. Immediately."

"The Vance family? But we have several ongoing projects..."

"Did I stutter?"

"No, Chairman! I will issue the order right now. They will be blacklisted within five minutes."

"Good."

Julian hung up the phone and leaned back on his scooter, watching Frederick strut toward him with a smug smirk.

"Hey, Garbage," Frederick called out, fixing his tie. "Waiting to collect your crying wife? I brought flowers to comfort her. Once she realizes how useless you are, she’ll be in my car before lunch."

Julian looked at him, counting down the seconds in his head.

Five... Four...

"Why aren't you talking? Scared to lick my shoes?" Frederick laughed.

Three... Two...

Frederick’s phone rang loudly.

"Hold on, it's my father," Frederick smirked. "Probably calling to tell me he secured a meeting with the VP." He answered the phone. "Hey Dad, I'm at Emgrand right n—"

"You i***t!" A scream so loud it could be heard outside the phone erupted from the speaker. "What did you do?! Who did you offend?!"

Frederick froze. "What? Dad, I didn't—"

"Emgrand just cancelled everything! Every contract! They blacklisted us! They said we offended the Chairman! The bank is calling in our loans! The stock is plummeting! We are ruined, you moron! We are ruined!"

Frederick’s face went the color of ash. The phone slipped from his numb fingers and shattered on the pavement.

He looked at Julian.

Julian sat on his scooter, bathed in the morning sunlight, offering a small, polite smile.

"Rough morning?" Julian asked.