Spoiled by the President novel Chapter 1007

Silence permeated the air.

No one spoke a word. Everyone had their eyes fixed on the treasure in the box, almost forgetting how to breathe.

A few moments passed, and Gregory was the first to pull himself out of his thoughts.

He threw Shimon a look and said with a low voice, “There’s only one of it?”

Shimon’s countenance contorted in anger.

“Just one of them is enough for you, okay? If it isn’t for me acting as the delivery man, you wouldn’t even be able to have this one for yourself!”

Gregory knew he was not exaggerating.

He scowled but did not say anything. Reaching a hand out, he accepted the box.

Since Shimon had come all this way to deliver the plant, he had no intention to send the man away at once.

Gregory turned and led everyone into the house. He handed the box to the old housekeeper, Mr. Osborne, before addressing Shimon again. “Where’s the cultivation manual? Give it to me.”

He did not believe such a precious plant could be kept alive just by planting it in the soil like any ordinary weed.

To his utter surprise, Shimon seemed to be taken aback by his demand and widened his eyes in shock.

“Cultivation manual? I don’t know anything about that.”

Gregory frowned, and his expression darkened.

“Jeff didn’t tell you?”

“No.”

Shimon paused to think for a moment. An idea struck him all of a sudden, and he looked at Gregory with guilt written all over his face.

“You know how to get in touch with him. Why don’t you just… ask him?” Shimon probed carefully.

Gregory’s expression could not be any darker.

How could he have not seen it coming after all this time? Jeff tricked him again. He was expecting Gregory to ask him about it.

Then he thought about how they were both wise men who knew the other party harbored ill intentions toward them, so it should not come as a shock that Jeff did not let him have everything he wanted in one go.

Gregory chuckled as he arrived at the thought.

“Okay. I got it. You can go now.”

The way Gregory spoke made Shimon feel like he was a disposable tool that was no use to him anymore. The latter felt rather discontented by this display of ingratitude.

“Why don’t you ask him now while I’m here? Let me learn about how to keep the plant alive too.”

Gregory stared at him with a faint smile.

“Don’t you have the medicine already? Is the amount you receive each year from the family not enough? You have to come here to ask for more options? What? Are you thinking about moving out?”

Shimon’s expression changed drastically upon hearing his words.

His face sank, and he mumbled, “Just tell me if you don’t want to call now. Don’t say things like that to mock me. You know I don’t have the guts to do that.”

Gregory could not be bothered to know if he had the guts to do anything.

He waved a hand to dismiss him. “That’s enough. Your task here is done. Go. I’ll reach out to him on my own.”

Shimon heard him but did not say anything in response. He still felt a little dissatisfied by how things had turned out.

He extended his palm out. “Then you can give me the Arcane Jade now.”

Gregory paused. He had almost forgotten about this part of the deal.

He had already gotten his hands on the Money Bead. It was business as usual. Each party had to sacrifice something in order for the transaction to proceed successfully.

Both Gregory and Jeff understood this principle perfectly well.

Gregory and Vickie went into the study once he was gone.

He asked Mr. Osborne to retrieve the Money Bead and turned on his computer. After keying in a string of data, a new window popped up.

The window showed Jeff sitting in a recliner with his eyes closed. It was difficult to tell if he was really asleep.

A quaint-looking incense burner sat on top of the small table beside him. Wafts of smoke drifted out from the burner. The whole setting looked inexplicably tranquil.

Gregory did not have time for pleasantries. He did not care that his voice was raised or whether he was bothering Jeff by disrupting the serene atmosphere.

“Tell me now. What do I have to do for you to tell me how to keep the Money Bead alive?” he said in a grave voice.

Jeff opened his eyes slowly as seen through the screen.

He turned his head and peered at the wooden box on the table.

Louis had previously taken the pinhole camera out of the wooden box, but he made him put it back again.

He did not like how technology worked these days. The camera was so small that it could be lost very easily.

It would be safer to have it in the box.

The corners of his lips curled into a smile. “Mr. Graham, why don’t we make another deal?”

Gregory obviously did not expect Jeff to tell him exactly what that deal entailed.

Based on how well he knew him, he knew that he would not tell him anything unless he had given him something useful.

That was why he agreed to it without any hesitation.

“Sure, Mr. Flinders. Why don’t you tell me what kind of deal we are making here?

“We are people who don’t like to lose, and we don’t trust each other either. If that’s how it is going to be, then why don’t we work out our terms right here once and for all: you can keep the Money Bead, but it’ll take at least half a year for it to bear any fruits again. There’ll only be six fruits each time. That means there can only ever be 12 fruits each year.”