Chapter 161
"Mr. Chance, it's an honor to have you here. You have no idea how excited I am about this meeting. Please, have a seat."
To Kai's surprise, Raymond wheeled out his office chair and offered it to him.
Raymond's enthusiasm befuddled Kai. Why is he being so over-the-top with his greetings? All I did was ask Tommy to pop in earlier to make his acquaintance!
"Mr. Green, do you know me?" Kai asked blankly.
"Of course! I was at Mr. Grange's banquet too. Your gallantry remains fresh in my mind. That Steven Fisher insisted on raining on Mr. Grange's parade, yet you sent him flying with one kick."
Raymond's heart swelled with excitement as he recalled the happenings at the banquet.
That day, Steven had led men from the Crimson Dragon Gang to Walter's banquet, frightening the guests to no end. After all, the average businessmen did not typically engage in physical fights.
Kai had then stepped forward and subdued Steven, which had earned him the respect of all the guests at the banquet.
Raymond's mention of the banquet brought a knowing smile to Kai's face. Now I know why he's greeting me so enthusiastically! If I had known this sooner, I wouldn't have troubled Tommy to give him a heads-up.
Kai replied humbly, "Mr. Green, I'm just an average sales representative, here to discuss a deal with you. There is no need to bring up the past."
"I know, I know." Raymond nodded eagerly before addressing his secretary, "Eliza, have you completed the contract I told you about earlier?"
"Yes. It's here." She hurriedly handed over the contract to Raymond.
He then passed it to Kai and said, "Mr. Chance, please review the contract thoroughly. If you'd like to propose any edits to the contract, please let us know, and we'll try our best to accommodate your requirements."
Kai replied without reading the contract, "I don't need to check it. I trust you, Mr. Green."
"In that case, let's sign on it."
Raymond hurriedly produced a pen and handed it to Kai.
Just as Kai was about to sign the contract, however, Leyton stormed into the office with Sandy in tow.
"Mr. Scott?" Raymond frowned slightly at the uninvited guests.
He could only let Leyton's blatantly disrespectful behavior slide. Cosmic Chemical did not have the luxury of offending the powerful Scott family.
While his company had a sizeable market share in the chemical industry, the Scotts owned businesses in every field imaginable, and their power and influence both awed and frightened the industry.
Leyton demanded coldly, "Mr. Green, I'm here to discuss a deal with you. I recall the talks between our families going quite smoothly, so why are you suddenly signing a deal with someone else instead?"
"Mr. Scott, we considered the matter thoroughly before deciding to sign with Sentiment Chemical Limited. We are fellow businessmen; I'm sure you understand that we will always prioritize the final profit," Raymond explained with a smile.
Leyton glared at him and spat, "That's a load of crap! Do you think I'm an idiot? They sent one random salesman to visit you, and here you are signing a deal with them? They must've bribed you! I came here on behalf of the Scotts to close the deal, and that's an honor you'll scarcely receive in your lifetime."
His rage was palpable. After all, he had come by with plans to belittle Kai, only to find out that he himself had become the fool. It would be too embarrassing if Kai walked away with that contract!
All traces of the smile on Raymond's face disappeared.
Hardening his tone, he declared, "Mr. Scott, please watch your words. Cosmic Chemical is my company, and I can sign deals with whomever I want. I don't care how powerful the Scotts are, but they don't have a say in how I run my company!"
Leyton was taken aback at Raymond's audacity to talk back to him.
Scrunching his brows in anger, he roared, "Are you going to talk to me like that? I could kick your whole company out of Horington in less than a month!"
Chapter 162
Raymond merely scoffed, "Hmph! Be my guest. I have nothing to fear."
Leyton floundered when he realized his threats fell on deaf ears.
Just then, an eavesdropping Jeffrey ran into the office and beelined for Raymond. "Mr. Green, I believe that the Scott family is still our best choice when it comes to manufacturing or sales. Signing a deal with them would maximize our profits as well."
The Scott family had bribed Jeffery to help them secure a deal with Cosmic Chemical. If the deal fell through, he would have to return the bribe and potentially face Leyton's wrath.
His advice angered Raymond, who bellowed, "Jeffrey, why are you butting your head into this contract business? You're just an office administrator, and you don't have a say in these deals!"
His loud reprimand startled Jeffrey into silence, and the latter moved aside quietly.
"Did you take money from the Scotts? Why are you pushing so hard for Mr. Green to sign a deal with them?" Kai asked Jeffrey directly.
Jeffrey sputtered angrily, "What the h*ll are you saying? No one took anyone's money! I think you have poor character, and I've always believed an employee's character is a reflection of their company values."
Raymond, on the other hand, broke out in a cold sweat.
He was aware of Kai's identity, and he could not believe Jeffrey had the gall to insult Kai to his face.
Does he have some sort of death wish? While I'm busy worrying if Kai is pleased with our service, my incompetent subordinate barged in to insult him and ruin my efforts!
He gave Jeffrey a kick behind his knees and seethed. "Shut it. How could you speak to Mr. Chance like that? Get on your knees now!"
Flabbergasted, Jeffrey looked at his boss in disbelief and stammered, "M-Mr. Green, he's just a salesman. W-What are you doing?"
"Shut up! Just get on your knees. Did I not make myself clear?" He added another fierce kick for good measure, even as he was shocked out of his wits at the consequences of Jeffrey's blind rudeness.
If Kai's angry with us, Tommy, Walter, or the Sullivan family could easily ruin this company in a heartbeat!
As Jeffrey fell to his knees with a thud, Raymond apologized profusely to Kai, "Mr. Chance, I should've educated my subordinates better. His behavior was unacceptable, and I'll fire him right away. As for any potential bribery, I'll have it investigated as soon as possible."
His courteous behavior toward Kai pissed Leyton off, and in a fit of anger, he snarled, "Raymond, what's wrong with you? Kai is just an ex-convict. Why are you worshipping him like some hero? I can't believe you're the CEO of a big company. It's freaking embarrassing."
Raymond eyed him coldly without further explanation. If he's unaware of Kai's capabilities, he can have fun digging a deeper grave for himself. The Scotts won't be around for much longer if this goes on.
While the Scott family was powerful, they did not stand a chance against the combined might of Tommy, Walter, and the Sullivan family.
"Mr. Green, let's sign the contract. In peace, if you will," came Kai's simple request.
"Of course!" Raymond turned to Eliza and ordered, "Send them away. If they refuse to leave, call for security."
Eliza nodded in acknowledgment before turning to Leyton. "Mr. Scott, this way, please."
Leyton glared at Raymond in obvious displeasure, yet refusing to leave the premises would only make his eventual exit more humiliating. Reluctantly, he dragged Sandy with him as he strode toward the doors. Before he left, he whirled around and warned, "You better watch out, Raymond. I'll make you regret this in more ways than you could ever imagine."
After their departure, Raymond turned his attention to a kneeling Jeffrey and barked, "Get lost! I'll deal with you later!"
