Chapter 29: Not meant to be
"No, no... sir, please wait. I’ll take the 70% offer at $50,000," she said, desperately, her voice cracking.
An ugly grin etched onto the fat man’s face. "Good choice, Katherine... dear," he said, his voice oozing arrogance. "I’ll make you rich in no time with this idea."
He gave a smug, knowing smirk—like he’d just checkmated a child in a game he invented.
Augustus narrowed his eyes, voice calm but steady. He didn’t even glance at the man.
"You sure about this? My offer still stands," he said gently, looking at Katherine. He wanted to complete the task, yes—but not by pressuring her. That wasn’t how he operated.
Does she think I’m just a kid? That I can’t invest real money?
"I can pay you now," Augustus added, soft but clear. "You don’t have to rush into this." He hinted, briefly glancing toward the fat man.
But Katherine didn’t meet his gaze. Her fingers trembled slightly around her cup—half-drunk, cooling fast. She fidgeted, glancing sideways, caught in a dilemma she didn’t know how to escape.
Karter didn’t waste the moment. He knew just when to push.
With a theatrical flourish, he slid a sleek black briefcase onto the table and flicked open the latches. The metal clicks echoed in the quiet café space like gunshots. Heads turned.
Inside—rows of neatly stacked bills. $50,000, pristine, rigid, and gleaming coldly under the hanging pendant light.