Zachary arrived early at the agreed meeting place, waiting patiently. The other one slouched in with unhurried steps, exuding a laid back ekra entered the private room.
“Mr. Stone, what brings you back from abroad so suddenly? Such big news, and I was completely in the dark.” The guy sat across from Zachary with sa smirk. “If I’d known, I would’ve thrown you a grand welcome party.”
“Aaron, since when did you develop a taste for such meaningless gestures?”
Aaron lazily propped his head on his hand and teased, “All these years, and you’re still the same old you.”
Zachary snorted derisively.
Back then, Zachary and Aaron were inseparable friends. Zachary used to help Aaron stand against Yosef. However, after that incident, Zachary was sent abroad, and the two of them gradually lost touch. Though many years had passed, their old friendship remained.
Aaron idly twirled the cup in front of him, a lazy grin on his face. “The Stone family’s had quite a lot on its plate lately. Want me to step in and help out?
“Do you really think I called you here today just for a drink?”
“Just tell me straight how you want my help. You know I can’t stand all that beating around the bush.”
Zachary cut to the chase. “Let’s team up to take down the Campbell and Lambert families. You get the Campbells‘ asset, and we’ll split the Lamberts* assets sixty–forty in your favor. But I have one more condition. Ms. Lambert must be mine.”
“Which Ms. Lambert do you mean?” Aaron asked, knowing there were two young ladies who held that title in the Lambert family.
One was the adopted daughter raised by the Lambert family since childhood. More people knew about her.
The other kept a low profile. The biological daughter of the Lambert family, who was only recently acknowledged. Few knew of her, yet she was the true heiress of the Lambert family.
“I’m talking about the biological daughter the Lamberts just acknowledged–Skylar.”
Aaron, who had been lounging lazily just a moment ago, suddenly straightened up, his expression turned serious. He looked up and asked, “You want Skylar? You’ve got some nerve,” he scoffed. “Skylar is the true heiress of the Lambert family, and she’s Yosef’s sweetheart. If you think you can win her over, good luck. It’s not going to be easy.”
“That’s exactly why I want to team up with you to take down both the Lambert family and Yosef.”
The Stone family had nothing left. And Zachary thought he could team up? What a joke!
Aaron wasn’t stupid. He was shrewd. “But you’ve got nothing to offer right now. What exactly are you bringing to this partnership? Though we’re on good terms, let’s get the numbers straight.”
“Eighty percent for me, twenty percent for you. And Skylar, she’s yours.”
Zachary narrowed his eyes. “Only giving me twenty percent? Aaron’s downright greedy. Right now, I have no choice but to agree.” Zachary thought.
“For now, it’s just a verbal agreement anyway,” she thought. “When it comes time to actually split things up, Aaron won’t be the one calling the shots.”
“Fine, I accept,” Zachary said through gritted teeth.
Aaron studied his face for a long moment, then let out a derisive chuckle. “So you’d really choose beauty over the kingdom, huh?” There was a hint of probing in his words.
“No one ever thinks they have too much money, and who would turn down more?” Aaron thought skeptically. “How could he possibly settle for just
1/2
Chapter 300
twenty percent? There’s no way Zachary would make sreli a big sacrifice just for a woman, that woman belongs to your), AN CARLOS E her before, this sudden Interest hardly seems genuine. He probably just wants Skylar back so he can keep tormenting her if that’s th 19. Zachary’s words are even less trustworthy
AD
