Lucy and Franklin exchanged glances. Were they finally about to negotiate the price? Lucy immediately got down from the window ledge. It wasn’t a proper window anyway, just a small ventilation pane that opened vertically. There was no way someone her size could actually fall out, let alone jump out. The whole act was simply to grab attention and force Hansel to come out. Fortunately for her, it worked.
What Lucy didn’t realize was that as she and her son eagerly followed Hansel into his office, the assistant behind them was watching with an unreadable expression—a hint of something dark and… pity? This was the second time Lucy and Franklin found themselves in this opulent office. It still looked just as extravagant as before.
Lucy didn’t bother with small talk. Once inside, she went straight to the point. “Five million.”
Hansel raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you asking for 50 million?”
Lucy cursed internally. She’d love to ask for 50 million, but would they give it? Over the past few weeks, she had learned something important. Yes, the rich were certainly wealthy, but when it came to giving, they could be incredibly stingy. These people would drop millions on a horse race, a round of golf, or lose tens of millions in a casino. But when it came to parting with a few extra bucks for someone like her? Not a chance.
They had so much money, so why not give a little more? At the same time, Lucy realized that rich people knew when to humble themselves and when to stand tall. The key factor? One’s usefulness. Take Evelyn, for example. At first, when she was trying to pay them off, her attitude was almost groveling. But once she flipped the switch, she dropped them completely—refusing to answer calls, cutting off funds. Dealing with the wealthy meant tantrums and tricks didn’t work. In fact, they might backfire and anger them even more.
That was why, when Lucy entered the room this time, she didn’t scream or cry like before. She went straight to business. “Over the past few days, I’ve come to understand that you and Ingrid were in a mutual relationship. There’s no point in saying who hurt whom. But the fact remains that you caused her both physical and emotional harm. That’s something undeniable. Asking for compensation is only fair. “But the amount? Well, that’s negotiable.”
Hansel chuckled. “You’ve gotten smarter.”
“Five million. Give me a straight answer. If you agree, we’ll take the money and leave. We promise never to bother you again.”
Hansel leaned back. “Five million? Well, I’ve already given Ingrid three million. So, that leaves just two million.”
“What! You gave that little… uh, I mean, you gave Ingrid three million already?” Lucy almost jumped out of her chair.
Meanwhile, Franklin’s eyes widened in disbelief. Why hadn’t Ingrid mentioned this at all? Both of them quickly recalculated their options.
Hansel didn’t hesitate. “Leave your bank account details. I’ll have my assistant transfer the two million.”
Lucy’s eyes flickered. “When exactly will the money be transferred? We came all this way, so we’d like to know for sure.”
“By noon today.”
Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. “Alright.”
“Remember what you said earlier—don’t let me see either of you again. Otherwise…”
“Don’t worry,” Lucy hurriedly assured him, the promise of a large sum of money filling her mind. “I always hold up my end of the deal. Once I’ve got the money, I’ll be gone. You won’t hear from us again!”
Franklin swallowed hard, nodding in agreement. Five million dollars… He had never seen so much money in his life. When the money arrived, he’d make sure to have his mom buy him a nice car. Everyone would know Franklin York wasn’t some small-time loser anymore—he had made it big!
Hansel raised his hand and coldly ordered, “Show them out.”
Joe entered the room and gestured toward the door. “This way, please.”