Gene was a patient, stoic man thanks to his years working as a businessman, and he would not really stoop to getting petty against Cindy.
However, her words were a clear insult to Frank and his position.
“Now, now, Mr. Lawrence. Allow me to prove myself.”
He held out a hand to stop Frank before he could interfere and whipped out a flashy gold card from his pocket. In fact, it was so dazzling that several Lanecorp employees’ felt blinded for a moment. “What’s that?” Cindy frowned in turn, not recognizing it.
“It’s a custom gold card made exclusively for executives of Pearce Group. Anyone carrying this can make purchases without needing to pay within any establishment owned under our banner.” Smiling, Gene then pointed at the face imprinted on the gold card. “Ms. Zonda, don’t you think I resemble the person in this photo?”
“Resemble?” Cindy took the gold card, her eyes darting between the gold card and Gene’s face repeatedly.
She began to scowl and suddenly could not speak.
Gene smiled faintly then, asking, “So? Does that prove who I am?”
“N-No!” Cindy snapped stubbornly, but her evasive gaze already betrayed her thoughts.
Could the man really be Gene Pearce, the richest man on the east coast?
She started to panic, terrified by all the insults she spat at him earlier.
While she did not fear Frank because her Aunt Gina had promised to go down swinging if he hurt her, Gene was another story entirely!
Insulting the richest man on the east coast?! She was as good as dead!
Her legs trembling right then, she had to lean against the wall just to stand!
“Ah, you’re here, Mr. Lawrence! I was going to… Eh?”
Will Zeller arrived at the hallway just then but paused when he saw Gene and hurried to greet him. “Mr. Pearce! What brings you here? Didn’t you already accept the deed of the land lots you acquired from the bid?”
“Oh, Mr. Zeller,” Gene replied affably. “Nothing much—I’m just handing over said deeds to Lanecorp.”
“What?!” Cindy’s last hope was
crushed when she saw Will’s reaction and fell on her bottom right then “Y-You’re really Gene Pearce, the richest man on the east coast…?!”
“Guilty as charged.” Gene chuckled.
Cindy broke right then and dropped to her knees in front of Gene with audibly, wheezing and sweating buckets as she kowtowed. “I-I’m so sorry, Mr. Pearce… I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have said what I said. I mean no disrespect… Please forgive me…”
“Ah, now you get it?” Gene was still smiling, but the coldness in his eyes were clear.
He had no interest in someone as insignificant as Cindy, and her pleas certainly fell on deaf ears.
Still, while Gene would have punished Cindy severely on any other occasion, he was in Frank’s presence, and he owed Frank respect.
