When His Eyes Opened

Chapter 11

Elliot reached his arm out through the car window.

Clipped between his slender fingers was a pack of tissue.

Avery was stunned. She was about to decline but ended up uncharacteristically accepting it.

“Thanks.”

The warmth of his palm still lingered on the tissues.

Elliot quickly averted his gaze from her face and rolled up the window as the car sped off.

It was ten in the morning at Tate Industries, and all of its employees were working away at their respective stations.

It had been a month since the company had paid wages. However, Tate Industries was an old player in the industry. Even if all kinds of negative news were circulating on the internet, its employees refused to give up until the very last moment.

If she had not known about the company’s many debts, Avery could not imagine that the calm atmosphere in front of her was an illusion.

She entered the meeting room with the company’s vice president, Shaun Locklyn.

The lawyer went straight to the point when he saw Avery and said, “I’m very sorry for your loss, Miss Tate. Your father entrusted me to announce his will, which I will do now.”

Avery nodded lightly.

The lawyer opened up a file and said firmly, “Your father had six pieces of real estate which are respectively located in… Here is the file. Please go through it.”

Avery took the document and examined it thoroughly.

“Your father also had three parking lots,” said the lawyer as he passed another document to her, “as well as eight shop lots, and twelve vehicles.”

Avery knew nothing about the family’s fortune.

First of all, she had no interest in it.

Second of all, her father had never explained it to her.

Now that the lawyer was describing her father’s fortune to her, she could not help but feel a sense of unease.

no idea that

had all these fixed assets, why did he not sell

we are sitting right now,” said the lawyer. Then, after a brief pause, he added, “Your father planned to leave the

the lawyer and said, “By how

a hundred and twenty-five million. If you take over your father’s company, you would also inherit his debt. You may have to sell off all of the properties and cars that were mentioned just now in order to make up for

Avery was stunned.

hundred and

her father’s assets, it still would not cover

accept this, Avery. That way, your father’s debt would not fall on you,” Shaun said with a sullen expression. “However, I hope you will seriously consider this. This company is

Cassandra?” Avery asked after taking a deep

even mention your stepmother! It’s partly her fault that the company is in dire straits. She arranged for her brother to join our finance department a few years ago. He embezzled a lot of money from the company through the years. We don’t even know where he’s run off to now,” sighed

her voice trembled as she said, “I don’t want to see

and development. If we manage to get a loan, once we launch the new product, we’ll be able to alleviate our

a loan from? Who would be able to give me that much?” Avery said as she

can find another investor. We have to try. If we manage, then great. If we don’t, then you can give up.

……

the president’s office on the top floor of Sterling Group, the sun was

the sun, Elliot’s chiseled features looked

holding a document that his assistant, Chad

facing a debt of a hundred and twenty-five million dollars. Jack Tate’s wife and youngest daughter took an early flight out of the country this morning. It doesn’t look like they will be returning before the company’s troubles are settled. I think Miss Tate

asked him for information on Tate Industries, so he

make a bet,

cup of coffee

position to enjoy certain benefits. If

his head and said, “I doubt she has the guts to

took a sip of coffee and chuckled, “You didn’t see her last night. She smashed a bottle of wine from 1947 in front of

then. I’ll make a bet with you!”

we bet

I’ll buy you coffee for a month. If you lose, you have to buy coffee for everyone in the president’s department for a

“Okay.”

……

called up every major

not as simple as Shaun

called eight banks, two of which the company still owed