CHAPTER 5 : MEETING IN GROUP W

After breakfast, Fernando went back to his room.

Joyce had just come out of the bathroom. Seeing that Fernando looked like he wanted to say something, she asked quietly, "What's wrong?"

Fernando nodded. "I have a classmate who works at the bank. He happened to come here on business yesterday. I want to meet him, maybe he can help us get a loan. So, I'll probably be home by noon. Could you please tell Mom that I didn't have time to prepare lunch?"

He sighed softly. He knew that if he told his mother-in-law right away, the house would be noisy again.

"Okay," Joyce replied in a flat voice. She took out her cell phone and transferred two thousand dollars to Fernando's account.

"Here..." Fernando was silent. His face heated up slightly at the numbers on the screen.

Joyce gave him a glance. "I don't mean to do you a favor, but you're a man, Fernando. Don't lose face when you leave the house. Oh yeah, don't tell Mom about the money I transferred."

After saying that, Joyce turned and left.

Fernando looked at the balance on his account. His heart felt warm.

***

The W Group is one of the world's hundred largest companies, a business owned by the Quinn Family, with its headquarters in the capital city.

The company has many branches in various fields. From property, financial investment, foreign trade, energy, to food and beverages. A giant business empire.

As Fernando entered the grand lobby of Group W, a receptionist girl greeted him politely, "Hello, have you come to apply for a job?"

Fernando smiled faintly. "No, no. I came to see the President of your company."

The receptionist frowned. "You wanted to see Ms. Bleeth?"

Fernando nodded.

The receptionist's face instantly changed. Her gaze was now suspicious and slightly disgusted.

"Miss Bleeth is very busy. I don't think you'll be able to see her."

She was used to facing many guests every day. From the way she judged, the man in front of her was dressed simply, even shabbier than the security uniform at the entrance. How could someone like that want to see the president of Group W?

"Then, please tell Feynman that Fernando is here," Fernando said calmly.

Actually, when he arrived at Group W earlier, he had tried to call Feynman, but his call went unanswered. Maybe Feynman was busy talking on the phone with someone else. Therefore, he wanted to leave a message with the receptionist.

However, the girl gave him an impatient look. "Our company has no employee named Feynman. I think you have the wrong address. Please leave, or I'll call security."

Fernando froze for a moment. This W Group belonged to his own family, and Feynman was the family butler. How could he be in the wrong place?

Just as things were getting awkward, a young man in a neat suit walked into the lobby and greeted the receptionist in a familiar tone.

"Amy, long time no see."

The receptionist immediately smiled sweetly. "Hello, Mr. Walson. It's been a long time. Where have you been lately?"

Henry Walson laughed casually. "Haha, I just returned from a business trip. Today I came to discuss a cooperation project worth hundreds of millions with Ms. Bleeth. She's in the office, right?"

Amy almost gaped. She praised him silently. Mr. Walson was indeed a successful young man, a far cry from the shabby man in front of her.

Amy and Henry both glanced at Fernando from head to toe. Their faces showed the same cynical expression.

"Is he the janitor at this company?" Henry asked in a mocking tone.

Amy smiled wryly. "Even our janitors are better dressed than him."

Henry laughed. "And he said he wanted to meet Ms. Bleeth? Hahaha... so funny."

Fernando looked at them calmly. "Why can't I meet her, while you can?"

Henry's tone turned cocky. He folded his arms across his chest, smiling arrogantly.

"Group W is a huge company, the leader of this country's business world. Its assets are worth billions, and every deal made is worth hundreds of millions. Even I, with a cooperative project worth two hundred million dollars, had to wait several days before getting a scheduled meeting. Now, do you understand why you can't meet him?"

Fernando shook his head. "No."

Henry looked at him sarcastically. "Honestly, you don't deserve to know him. Look at you! You better leave now before you embarrass yourself." He pointed towards the exit. "Hurry up!"

Amy added in a high tone, "Right! Get out of here. Otherwise, I'll call the security guards!"

Fernando frowned. He was really annoyed. "How can people with personalities like yours work for this company?"

Both of them burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha! Who do you think you are, daring to judge us?" mocked Henry. "To us, you're nothing more than a street dog. If you don't like it, what are you going to do, chase us away?" He laughed mockingly. "With what?"

But before their laughter died down, there was a soft but firm voice from behind them.

"Why can't he do it?"

The voice was calm yet authoritative. "Not only can he drive you away, even I can be driven away by him."

As soon as those words came out, the two immediately turned around, only to see a beautiful woman walking towards them. A pair of gleaming red high heels treaded the marble floor, and a neat suit made her figure appear both authoritative and alluring.

She was about 1.7 meters tall, with long, wavy hair that fell softly over her shoulders, and delicate, symmetrical facial features. Her skin was as white as snow. From the moment she appeared in the company lobby, all attention was immediately drawn to her.

Sherry.

Even though many years had passed, Fernando still recognized her in one glance.

The Quinn family had trained all the managing directors of W Group subsidiaries since they were young. Fernando had a strong impression of Sherry, the girl joined the Quinn Family when she was sixteen years old. However, they never met again after Sherry went abroad at the age of eighteen. Who would have thought that she would return as the person in charge of Group W's southern branch in Lenonten.

Amy's face instantly paled. She had not expected the president to show up at all.

"Madam President..."

"Don't be afraid," Henry tried to calm her down. He then smiled at Sherry as he said casually, "Miss Bleeth, you know that this guy is of no use at all. He's a nobody, isn't he?"

Hearing that, Sherry frowned. "No use?" she asked in a cold tone. "Do you know who he is?"

The smile on Henry's face froze instantly. "W... what do you mean?"

"He could make your resort vanish in an instant if he wanted to."

"What?" Henry's body shook violently. "Miss Bleeth... you're joking, right?"

Sherry's gaze turned sharp. Her voice grew colder as she said, "Listen carefully. He is the third grandson of Group W's chairman and the future heir apparent of Group W."

As soon as that sentence was uttered, the hall was immediately filled with shocked sighs.

Who would have thought that a man in ordinary clothes, who looks like he has nothing, would be the heir to a trillion-dollar company?

Trillions of dollars! Unbelievable.

Amy collapsed, desperate to remember the insult she had just hurled at Fernando. She was really in trouble. Big trouble.

"Mr... Mr. Quinn..." Henry's voice trembled. His legs were so weak that he immediately knelt on the floor. "Mr. Quinn, I am trash! I'm worthless! Please forgive me for being blind and not knowing who you are! Please forgive me! If this resort goes bankrupt, my father will kill me!"

He knew very well that to Group W, his resort meant nothing. Destroying the resort, to them, was as easy as turning over a palm.

Fernando just looked at him coldly. "I'm a nobody. You don't have to beg me."

Without looking back, he stepped into the elevator.

Sherry looked at Henry with a sharp gaze. "Since you have insulted the heir of W Group, from today all cooperation projects between us and your resort are canceled."

"No! Ms. Bleeth, please! Give me one more chance! If that happens, my resort will close!" Henry shouted desperately.

Sherry ignored her, then looked at Amy coldly. "And you! Go to finance, get your paycheck, and get the hell out of here!"

After saying that, Sherry rushed towards the elevator, running after Fernando.

Amy stood transfixed, her face filled with regret.

"Why was I so stupid? How could I insult the heir of Group W? I worked so hard to get a job that pays eight thousand dollars a month..."

Henry looked down grimly. "Your salary is nothing. My resort will be ruined. If I go home now, my father will kick me out..."

***

A few hours later, in the top-floor office of Group W.

Fernando stood in front of the large window overlooking B City. Sunlight shone on his tense face. His mind was in turmoil, muddled by many things he couldn't explain.

Behind him, Feynman stood politely and respectfully, waiting for his answer.

After a long silence, Fernando finally said quietly, "I've become the Nagel family's son-in-law. I have no interest in inheriting the Quinn Family business. But... if you give my wife a hundred million, I will put aside my hatred for the Quinn Family."

Feynman spoke up immediately, in a rush, "Mr. Fernando, your grandfather gave strict orders. I must make sure you sign the succession documents, no matter what. Divorce or other matters can be discussed later."

He looked at Fernando seriously. "He said that as long as you sign, you can get whatever you want. Never mind a hundred million, even a billion is no problem. But if you refuse to sign... Group W won't help you."

Fernando clenched his fists. His face tightened. "So it's true? You guys are the ones who put my wife's company into crisis?!"

Feynman shook his head quickly. "No, sir. Your grandfather wouldn't do something like that to a small company. I'm sure it was someone else, not Group W. But... please consider. If you don't sign these inheritance papers, your wife will belong to someone else in a few days."

Fernando was silent. His chest felt tight, his breathing heavy. He remembered how Joyce, with watery eyes, had almost given herself to him last night. She must have been desperate.

Finally, he let out a long sigh. "Okay... I'll sign it."

"That's great news!" exclaimed Feynman, so relieved that his face lit up. He quickly took out a pen and a sheet of paperwork. "Go ahead, Mr. Fernando."

Fernando stared at the paper for a moment, then signed it emphatically.

"Congratulations, sir, on officially inheriting the Quinn Family's assets!" said Feynman, smiling broadly. The frown on his face seemed to deepen with happiness.

He put the letter away carefully, then took out a small box containing a syringe and a glass tube. "Mr. Fernando, let me take some of your blood. It's for the benefit of the Quinn family."

Fernando raised his sleeve silently and extended his hand.

Inwardly, he wondered, What kind of person is my grandfather... that everyone in this family is so afraid of him?

"Well, thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Fernando," Feynman said when he was done. He quickly sealed the blood into a glass tube, then left in a hurry, carrying his inheritance papers and medical equipment, as if afraid Fernando would change his mind.

Once out of the office, Feynman approached Sherry and said, "Mr. Fernando has signed the succession documents. From now on, he is the sole heir of the Quinn Family. Whatever he orders, you must obey him. If you fail to serve him well, I will not hesitate to punish you."

Sherry immediately bowed respectfully. "Yes, Lord Mordono Louis.”