“This might be the only thing in my whole life that I didn’t plan for. Because it really seemed like fate and everything else just fell into place.” Jory lifted the wine bottle and refilled Dustin’s glass. The clink between the bottle and wine glass sounded especially melodious at night.
“Since my transformation, I would draw up a plan in my mind for everything I’m about to do. I would use it to guide me step by step during the execution. But, when it came to her, it really felt like fate had decided everything. I didn’t even need to plot and scheme at all.”
He added, “It felt as if as long as we had each other, it didn’t matter whatever we did or however much we had. More importantly, her happiness is all that I care about because I am happy whenever I see the joy on her face.”
Jory’s words were so sincere that even Dustin couldn’t help but be stunned by them. After keeping silent for a while, Jory extended his hand to shake him. “What are you thinking about? Why are you being so quiet?”
Dustin repeated slowly, “Her happiness is your priority?”
Jory nodded. “Don’t you feel happy whenever you see her happy?”
“Kind of…” Dustin mumbled to himself. “In that case, is what we’re doing right? Using your dad’s Alpire Group to takeover Norton Corporation’s subsidiary and to see both Joan and Larry be devastated by it…”
Jory fell silent as all he thought about initially was that this was a great way to destroy Larry. However, if Joan really loved Larry, she would definitely not leave him for Dustin when his company was in trouble. In fact, she would stick with Larry until the crisis was over.
Joan would never be happy if Larry were in trouble. It would then spiral into a vicious cycle. Jory began to doubt if he was really helping Dustin that way. Having no answers, all he could do was to help his best friend achieve whatever he wanted.
“There’s no point in overthinking it. Not like it’s going to make you any richer. Come, let’s drink up.” Jory toasted his wine glass toward the moon. “In appreciation of the beautiful moon tonight. Bottoms up!”
Dustin yawned as he clinked glasses with Jory. “You’re right! Bottoms up!”
Jory shook the empty bottle. “Red wine is for celebrations while whiskey is for forgetting our sorrows.”
“Celebrate? What are we celebrating?” Justin squinted his eyes as he raised his tone in surprise.
After pondering a moment, Jory pointed at the moon while grinning widely at Dustin. “We’re celebrating how beautiful the moon is tonight.”
Dustin laughed and didn’t say anything further.
The next morning.
Larry was woken up by a phone call. On the line was Norton Corporation’s head of financial analysis. His words were rapid and his tone anxious. Still feeling groggy, Larry was instantly awoken upon hearing his report, to the extent of having cold sweat break out from his back.
“Mr. Norton! Something bad has happened! Alpire Group has taken over two more of our subsidiaries. As of now, we have lost a total of seven!”
Larry sprang up from his bed and gulped in concern. “How did this happen? Why didn’t we see it coming?”
“There really was no sign of it. It just happened all of a sudden. Our financial analysis systems did not indicate that we were under attack. Their method did not leave a single trace at all.” The department head’s pitch was off due to his nervousness. In the background, Larry could hear the arguments going on.
Larry replied with a solemn tone, “I’m coming over at once.”
After ending the call, he was still unable to digest the massive amount of information that he had just received. All he did was toss his blanket aside and space out while sitting on the bed.
When Joan felt the sudden gush of wind from the blanket being flipped, she was awoken by it. Rubbing her dreary eyes, she asked in a daze, “What happened, Larry? What time is it?”
Turning to his side, Larry looked out with disbelief and suspicion. “The seventh subsidiary is gone.”
Right then, even Joan was fully awake and she too broke out in a cold sweat. On her face, was the same look of disbelief. “How can that be? Didn’t they stop attacking us for a while now?”
