Larry was resting on the sofa and looked pale. He replied weakly, “Got it. I heard you… You may leave now.”
Just then, Joan walked into the office. When the male employee was about to greet her, she quickly stopped him by waving her hands and gestured for him to keep quiet.
Even so, Larry, who had folded his arms behind his head, knew that Joan had arrived as he heard her footsteps.
“Joan, this is already the fourth branch that we lost. I’m too ashamed to face my dad.”
Joan knew how tortured Larry felt about the acquisition of the company’s branches and had been worrying about him. Upon hearing his words, her heart ached for him even more.
She immediately stepped forward and held his hand, hoping to give him some warmth. “Don’t say that. We’re already trying our best to salvage the situation. Even though the end result matters, we should also give ourselves credit for the efforts we put in. Larry, don’t be too upset. Although we still haven’t found out who’s the one behind all these and we haven’t found an appropriate measure to tackle the situation yet, I firmly believe that justice will prevail and good always triumphs over evil. As long as we press on, we will be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t you agree?”
Larry pulled Joan into his arms when she finished speaking. He had changed a lot after his previous disappearance. He used to be too perfect. In fact, he was so perfect that he didn’t even seem real to his peers. However, he had become more patient and was willing to listen to others. He would also feel helpless when he encountered problems. “Joan, thanks for staying by my side,” he said.
Putting her arms tightly around the man, Joan replied softly, “Larry, we will face any hardships together. This time around is no different. We will come up with a solution together, alright? Even if we don’t manage to salvage the company in the end, don’t be too upset. Just remember that I’ll always be by your side.”
No doubt, money was important, but love gave life meaning. Without love, there would always be a void in one’s life. However, one would not be able to survive purely on love alone. One would lead a most fulfilling life with both financial success and meaningful relationships. A life without both would be a wasted life.
Sometimes one would be caught unaware by problems that suddenly occurred. But wasn’t that how life worked? It would not be a problem if one could prepare for it beforehand. Consequently, the success or failure of one’s life depended mainly on the way problems were handled.
A couple was supposed to be a team, going through thick and thin together. The strength of a relationship was usually tested during times of hardship. Larry would never forget the encouragement and support Joan gave him during one of the most difficult periods of his life.
Meanwhile, Dustin walked into Jory’s office and threw a newspaper on his desk. “Did you do this?” he asked nonchalantly.
Jory took a glance at the newspaper and replied, “Alpire Group… Yup, that’s my family business. Is there an issue?”
“What’s your purpose for doing this?” Dustin did not bother to beat around the bush.
“That’s none of your business,” Jory answered curtly. After a second of thought, he corrected himself and said, “Nope, actually, it’s related to you, but only to a small extent.”
Dustin leaned forward and put both hands on Jory’s desk. Looking down at him, he asked, “What are you trying to do?”
Jory gave a bright smile. Putting one hand behind his head, he replied with an innocent expression, “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in Joan’s design company. That’s just a small company and doesn’t have much value to me. Besides, money isn’t even my objective.”
Maintaining the same posture, Dustin said, “You must have some guts to attack Larry’s company. I really need to salute you… “
“Thank you, I’m so flattered,” Jory clasped his hands together and replied, together with a bow.
Softening his tone, Dustin asked, “Can you tell me why?”
Putting on an innocent face, Jory replied, “Do I need to have a reason for everything I do?” Knowing that Dustin was not going to accept that as an answer, Jory had no choice but to continue speaking, “Fine, I will tell you. I’m dealing with Larry for you. I don’t think there’s anything more devastating for him than his company being destroyed.”
