Chapter 28: Brother-In-Law

"President Habsburg, are you really giving us this project?" Deja's voice wavered as she looked at Dracorix in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock. She had never met Dracorix before—why was he suddenly offering her such generosity? With a warm smile, Dracorix turned to Deja. "Miss Potter, it's absolutely true! On behalf of the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce, we sincerely apologize for what happened earlier. As a gesture of goodwill, we've decided to give your company the Eden Estates project as well. I hope you can forgive our earlier rudeness." "What? The Eden Estates project too?" Deja was stunned, unable to process what she was hearing. The Eden Estates project was one of the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce's biggest undertakings this year, with funding in the millions—far beyond the scale of the project she had discussed earlier that day. In Shiphay City, countless companies had been vying for this contract, yet the Kyushu Chamber had never opened it to public bids. If the Noctis Group landed this project, the rewards would be beyond imagination! At that moment, not only Deja, but even Orothor stood dumbfounded. He couldn't believe Dracorix had not only returned the original project but had also handed over the Eden Estates contract to her. How could this be possible? Did Deja have some kind of hidden connection that even Dracorix wanted to curry favor with? Beside them, Melusine's eyes burned with envy. Forcing a smile, she said to Dracorix, "President Habsburg, our Stellar Group is also very interested in the Eden Estates project. Perhaps you'd consider letting us participate as well? I'm sure we can ensure your satisfaction." With that, she puffed out her chest and threw a flirtatious glance at Dracorix, clearly willing to do whatever it took to secure the deal. If it meant getting the Eden Estates project, she was ready to go all in. But Dracorix was utterly unmoved by Melusine's antics. He shot her a cold look and said with disdain, "You? Qualified to be involved? Get out of here! From this moment on, the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce will no longer cooperate with your company." "What?!" Melusine's face turned ashen. She never expected that, to appease Deja, Dracorix would go so far as to blacklist her entire company. "President Habsburg, we..." Melusine started to plead, but Dracorix wasn't interested. He motioned for security, who swiftly escorted both Melusine and Orothor out of the building. Turning back to Deja with a welcoming gesture, Dracorix smiled warmly. "Miss Potter, shall we go sign the contract? If you have any other requests, just let us know. The Kyushu Chamber of Commerce will do everything we can to accommodate you." "Oh, um... okay," Deja replied, still in a daze, as she followed Dracorix toward the conference room in the Kyushu Tower. Ruxley, watching Deja's bewildered yet endearing expression, couldn't help but chuckle softly. This girl had no idea what had just happened. After everything was settled with Deja, Lixen approached Ruxley and respectfully asked, "My Lord, do you have time for lunch today? If you're not too busy, we'd be honored if you'd join us." "Yes, please do! It would be an honor to have you join us for lunch," several senior executives chimed in, their faces full of eager anticipation. Having a meal with someone as influential as Ruxley would be something to brag about for years. Ruxley glanced around and gave a slight nod. "Alright, let's have a meal together." Carmelia was at school for lunch, and Sherise was busy at work, so it didn't really matter where he ate. The executives beamed with excitement and quickly began making arrangements. Knowing that Ruxley disliked extravagance, Lixen arranged for the lunch to be at a private restaurant adjacent to the Kyushu Tower, exclusively for employees of the Chamber. It wasn't flashy, but the food rivaled that of any five-star establishment and was a favorite among staff in Shiphay City. Ruxley spent the rest of the morning at the Kyushu Tower, getting briefed by Lixen on the Chamber's current affairs. When lunchtime came, they headed to the private dining room, joined by the senior executives. Throughout the meal, the executives took turns respectfully toasting Ruxley, who accepted each toast with a smile, making them all feel honored beyond measure. After lunch, Ruxley left the restaurant, preparing to pick up Carmelia from school. Meanwhile, Deja had just finished signing the contracts and was being enthusiastically seen off by Dracorix. As she left the Kyushu Tower, holding the thick contract papers, she still felt somewhat dazed. Had she really just signed a deal worth several million dollars? It had all been so easy! Over the years, she had visited countless companies and signed numerous contracts, always having to fight tooth and nail to secure a deal. But this time, it was different. Dracorix had practically bent over backward to accommodate her. Every request she made, he had agreed to without a second thought. If not for the clear terms in the contract, she would have thought she was being tricked. "Well, whatever! Since the contract's signed, I'd better get back and tell Sherise the good news. With the Eden Estates project, Noctis Group can finally pull through this crisis!" Excitement flickered in Deja's eyes as she hurried toward her car, eager to return to the office and share the news with Sherise. Just as she reached her car, her gaze happened to fall on a familiar figure—Ruxley—walking out of a nearby restaurant. When she saw the senior executives of the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce escorting him out with such respect, her eyes widened, and the contract slipped from her hands, falling to the ground with a thud. "Brother-in-law?" She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Not only was Ruxley here, but the senior executives of the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce were treating him like royalty! What was going on? Did Ruxley know the people at the Chamber? Suddenly, a thought flashed through Deja's mind, causing her entire body to tremble. Could it be that everything that happened today—the contracts, Dracorix's attitude—was all because Ruxley had been helping her at the back?