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Chapter 119
Chapter 119
Chapter 119 Suck-up
Chloe covered her face in embarrassment, gritting her teeth as she complained inwardly,’ What’s wrong with this guy? He’s so insensitive. It’s one thing to not show any concern, but why would he add insult to injury by comparing my face to a pig’s right now?’
Joseph entered his study and closed the door before dialing Samuel’s number.
Samuel found it unusual to receive a call from Joseph, and thus, immediately put down the files in his hand to answer. “Hey, what’s the matter?”
“Can we expedite the court hearing for Chloe’s case?” Joseph got straight to the point without wasting any words.
A complex expression flashed across Samuel’s face. “This is the reason you called me?”
“Yeah.”
“You haven’t fallen for her, have you?”
Joseph was taken aback for a moment. He instinctively denied, “I just want to help her.” Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
Samuel fell into silence, contemplating the situation. His close friend was undoubtedly a business genius, yet when it came to matters of love, he was quite clueless. Unbeknownst to
him, the fondness men develop for women often begins with a sense of empathy and
compassion.
Nevertheless, Joseph was his best friend, and he could not bring himself to refuse when he asked for help.
Samuel asked his assistant to bring his itinerary and carefully examined it. After contemplating for a while, he said, “No, the earliest possible date is in July. I can’t expedite it. The court isn’t under my control. It not only requires my availability, but the files also need time to be submitted and reviewed before scheduling the hearing.”
Joseph loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar. “How much would it cost for you to take on such a case normally?”
“Typically, it would be around 1 to 2 mil. And for more challenging cases, it could go up to 7 to 15 mil.”
“I’ll give you 15. Find a way to arrange Chloe’s case for mid-month.”
Samuel shook his head in refusal. “It’s not about the money. Although I have a good relationship with the judge, I can’t do that.”
“100 million dollars.”
“Joe… We’ve known each other for very long. Don’t try to buy me off with money.”
Joseph’s face sank as he asked, “Who did this?”
“My dad. Well, I’m not sure if I should still call him my dad or not.”
Joseph was stunned and he frowned in disbelief. “He slapped you in the face?”
‘And he claims to be her father?’
“Yeah,” Chloe replied with a shrug, feigning nonchalance. “It’s all right. I’m used to it.”
This was not the first time. She should have gotten used to it a long time ago, right?
Though she realized it a little late, it was not too late now.
“Why did he hit you?” Joseph asked.
“It’s fine, I can handle it myself. But I do have another favor to ask of you,” Chloe said.
Joseph saw through her mask of resilience, his heart throbbing with a pang of pain. His voice softened slightly as he replied, “What is it?”
“Could you get Mr. Samuel to reschedule the appointments a little earlier please?” Chloe asked with a hint of hesitation. She knew she had asked too much of him already, but at the moment, she had no other choice.
She had consulted a law firm, and while it seemed feasible to file a lawsuit, the fact that she had a legal father-daughter relationship with Benjamin made it incredibly challenging. The chances of winning a case with an ordinary lawyer were extremely low.
“Sure, I’ll inquire about it when we get home,” Joseph agreed.
“Thank you. I’ll make something delicious for you later,” Chloe said gratefully. “You should apply some ice to your face. It’s like a swollen pig’s head,” he added.
Chloe covered her face in embarrassment, gritting her teeth as she complained inwardly, What’s wrong with this guy? He’s so insensitive. It’s one thing to not show any concern, but why would he add insult to injury by comparing my face to a pig’s right now?’
Joseph entered his study and closed the door before dialing Samuel’s number.
Samuel found it unusual to receive a call from Joseph, and thus, immediately put down the files in his hand to answer. “Hey, what’s the matter?”
“Can we expedite the court hearing for Chloe’s case?” Joseph got straight to the point without wasting any words.
A complex expression flashed across Samuel’s face. “This is the reason you called me?”
“Yeah.”
“You haven’t fallen for her, have you?”
Joseph was taken aback for a moment. He instinctively denied, “I just want to help her.”
Samuel fell into silence, contemplating the situation. His close friend was undoubtedly a business genius, yet when it came to matters of love, he was quite clueless. Unbeknownst to him, the fondness men develop for women often begins with a sense of empathy and compassion.
Nevertheless, Joseph was his best friend, and he could not bring himself to refuse when he asked for help.
Samuel asked his assistant to bring his itinerary and carefully examined it. After contemplating for a while, he said, “No, the earliest possible date is in July. I can’t expedite it. The court isn’t under my control. It not only requires my availability, but the files also need time to be submitted and reviewed before scheduling the hearing,”
Joseph loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar. “How much would it cost for you to take on such a case normally?”
“Typically, it would be around 1 to 2 mil. And for more challenging cases, it could go up to 7 to 15 mil.”
“I’ll give you 15. Find a way to arrange Chloe’s case for mid-month.”
Samuel shook his head in refusal. “It’s not about the money. Although I have a good relationship with the judge, I can’t do that.”
“100 million dollars.”
“Joe… We’ve known each other for very long. Don’t try to buy me off with money.
“200 million.”
Samuel sucked in a breath of cold air and replied without any hesitation, “Fine, fine, but let me make it clear in advance. Mid this month is impossible. If it’s toward the end of the month, I can try to help you.”
After gently pressing an ice pack to her face, Chloe went straight to the kitchen. Now that she was living under someone else’s roof, it was only natural for her to take care of the cooking.
However, the once vibrant enthusiasm she held for pleasing Joseph had waned noticeably. In its place was a sense of duty, making the act of cooking feel more like an obligatory task rather than an expression of genuine eagerness.
At the dining table, Chloe did not anticipate any words of praise from Joseph regarding the meal. Keeping her head lowered, she reached out to the project manager overseeing the Patterson project, hoping to obtain Adam’s contact details through their assistance. Although the person did not reject her request, they did mention the need to consult with Adam and said they would respond to her within half an hour.
Chloe readily agreed and expressed her gratitude. After Joseph had finished his meal, she began to clean up the dishes and utensils. He glanced at her and spoke in a flat tone, “Report to Marketing tomorrow.”
Engrossed in her thoughts on how to counter Ava, Chloe was so preoccupied that she failed to register Joseph’s words. Lost in her own world, she simply nodded absentmindedly and replied, “Okay.”
“Just okay?” Joseph questioned, his eyebrows raised in a gesture of dissatisfaction.
It was only then Chloe snapped back to reality. She stared at Joseph in surprise. “You’re transferring me back to Marketing already? I thought you said three days?”
“You don’t want to go?”
“I do, I do!” she eagerly responded in a joyful tone, her voice filled with excitement. “Thank you for sparing me, Jojo! I promise to work diligently and contribute to Fairlight!”
Ever since she first set foot in Fairlight, she had longed for a position there. Now that her wish. was coming true, she could not help but feel ecstatic.
Joseph fixed his gaze upon her radiant face, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“Suck-up.”
His tone carried a hint of affection, though he remained oblivious to it himself.
Raising her chin, Chlow saw no harm in flattery and replied earnestly, “Hehe, what employee doesn’t flatter their boss? As long as one knows how to maintain a proper balance, no one will
say no to flattery.”
“So you’re just buttering me up? These aren’t your true feelings?” Joseph asked, his voice turning stern and his gaze becoming cold as it swept over her.